2021 NBA News | Will KAT Trade Happen | Will He Demand It?
Karl-Anthony Towns is an exceptional talent within the NBA. The 25-year-old big man is one of the best offensive players in basketball, regardless of position. His versatility is unmatched compared to most NBA players.
KAT Trade 101
Towns has the ability to play inside and outside. In fact, his career shooting numbers are 52.7% from the field and 39.4% from three on 3.9 attempts per game. The tools are all there.
However, the Minnesota Timberwolves have not put a winner around Towns. They have only made the playoffs once with Towns on the team back in 2018. The Wolves were ultimately eliminated in the first round.
That has been the extent of success that he has received during his tenure with the Wolves organization. Towns has reiterated that he loves Minnesota right now, but do not be shocked if he demands a trade sooner rather than later.
No Timetable for Success
The Wolves have a nice young core, headlined by the number one overall pick last year in Anthony Edwards. However, that young group is not close to winning. The Wolves went 23-49 last season, which was 13th in the Western Conference.
Next season is supposed to be the same news for Towns and his team. They currently have the fifth-worst odds to make the playoffs in the West, standing at +550. Nobody has hope for this franchise to get better.
Towns has been there for six seasons, with only one playoff appearance to show for. This upcoming season will most likely be another year with no postseason games in Minnesota. Their accumulation of young talent is nice, but it needs to translate into wins at some point.
Towns seems like a nice and loyal guy. Perhaps he might give it another year or two. However, something needs to give.
His career is still young enough and he has three years left on his deal. A trade within the next year or so might seem likely. Success is important for a star player, such as Towns; and he is not seeing that in Minnesota.
The Knicks are Ready to Strike
The New York Knicks might be back. They made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Knicks basketball is back in the spotlight.
One of the more under-the-radar moves over the last few years has been the addition of Leon Rose and William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley to the Knicks front office. Their connections run deep with so many players across the NBA.
One of those pipelines filled with connections stems from the relationship of Wesley and Kentucky basketball. The Knicks have several Kentucky players on the roster as of right now.
One player that went to Kentucky and knows Wesley is Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns played one year there but has a deep bond with the school and head coach, John Calipari.
Calipari even coaches Towns on the Dominican Republic National team. All of the signs point to Towns ending up in New York one day. If he was to demand a trade soon, expect the Knicks to be his number one destination.
