With NBA media right around the corner NBA fans were gearing up for the season not an All-Star trade in late September. Karl Anthony-Towns (KAT) for Julius Randle, Donte Divincenzo and first-round pick via Detroit (Shams). Both teams receive a former All NBA player who impacted their teams in different aspects of the game. The different impacts are exactly why this trade happened, KAT a shooting big and Randle an all around hub both put up well rounded numbers in different ways.
The Knicks being the buyers in this trade situation were looking for something to help their size but also creates their own shot. KAT is a better player than Randle which is why the Knicks had to give up more but does KAT solve the Knicks problems? KAT has shown major lapses in his defensive play, racking up too many early game fouls. Sometimes when we question a players defense you measure how well the team defense is playing. It's hard to ask someone to lock up when the whole team is a liability. In KAT's situation he had the best paint defender in the last decade behind him and still found his way out the game. With Mitchell Robinsons shaky health I doubt KAT's defensive upside for this team. The offensive upside for this team is going to be insane with shooting capable shooting coming from all cylinders. Randle was not a traditional big which made it hard for Jalen Brunson to run a true pick and roll. With KAT he allows the pick and fade to also be an option and has shown better playmaking playing the four in Minnesota. He is experienced playing with another elite gaurd that pushes himself to a second scoring option. The KAT droughts won't be as detrimental to the team as the Knicks have formed a nucleus around Brunson already to help relieve some pressure.
Unfortunately the Nova Knicks lasted from July 2024- September 2024 making you already think what if they kept Donte. I will say that is my glaring flaw in this trade is that the Knicks never saw what they currently had. I think there could have been a world where Donte is still on the team and Randle has found this new role. I understand that this trade might not be available in the season as I do think the price they got KAT for was fairly cheap considering what it took Minnesota to get Rudy Gobert. Donte's role is also in question as I felt like Nickeil Alexander-walker played a similar role as Donte for the Wolves and wonder how much of a dip his minutes become due to Donte's arrival. For Randle a perfect world for "him" is to be the number one guy which is why the Knicks worked so well until it didn't for him. With the Wolves he still won't be that number one guy and I think that will effect Randle in someway. I can see him becoming frustrated with Gobert and frustrated with himself as I think the Wolves are asking too much from Randle. The Wolves had a great post season run and I think they're itching to have more runs but this move makes them take a step back. Maybe Minnesota's front office believes with the addition of Donte it closes the gap between Randle and KAT's play but I think the Wolves jumped the gun on a guy people where already questioning fitting into the team. I believe Randle will be asked to do a lot to support Anthony Edwards and I don't think Randle can account for all the Wolves offensive mishaps. I don't understand why the Wolves would find it necessary to pull this trade off unless they really didn't want to have the season start again with the two big lineup and this was their best way out.
Overall I think both of these teams where unhappy with their current situation and both created new problems while resolving issues that were cracking. Both teams had star player problems along with supporting cast problems. This trade just flips the player problems without addressing the true team needs. The Wolves seem to have taken a step back trying to be proactive, while the Knicks put all their eggs in one basket hopping they've built a good nucleus for their star egg to hatch again. According to CBSsports ,Robinson is going be gone until "December or January" with his left stress fratfure on this ankle that led to surgery.
Below refers to my MyNBA series where I put the best fit player for each team:
For the first time ever in this series I am also trading the key fit players I made for both these respected teams. For an in depth reminder on who these players are read West and East articles. Both of these players where an 83 overall in game which makes it an equal 1 for 1 trade to package onto the KAT trade. Wolves receive: David West build, which I wanted to follow Randle as he needs some help offensively with this team. This build will rebound and defend bigger defenders allowing Randle to reserve more energy for the offense. I question how this build will share minutes with Naz Reid as he's coming off 6MOTY. Reid a capable shooter will share the floor with this build where I expect this build to become then complementary for Reid as we was for Randle. This build has a good enough shot to also run with Gobert but could see this team becoming much slower similar to the KAT offense.
Alvin Robertson will be heading to the Knicks falling right into Donte's vacant spot. This build was meant to handle the ball to relive pressure from Anthony Edwards, now being able to replicate its talent for Jalen Brunson. This build was meant for defense and even though this team might not need anymore perimeter defense they have another tool to now put on guards. Scoring the ball is not this players concern which will fit in as the Knicks have so many players to feed.
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