Karl-Anthony Towns TRADED

When I say it's rare that a trade just comes out of nowhere and it takes me by surprise, I mean it almost always. We hear smoke almost always, there's rumors, there's developing stories, there's at least some inkling that a trade is going to happen. Only rarely do we get that Kevin Durant getting sent to the Suns at one point thirty in the morning type trade that drags me out of a cookout to make a late night TikTok.

So when I say I was absolutely shooketh by Karl Anthony Towns going to the New York Knicks for Julius Randall and Dante DiVincenzo and a bunch of other friends. I never saw it coming. I mean we've been talking about it. We've been talking about it for years though it's like folklore, like never gonna happen. And from the looks of things, Carl Anthony Towns didn't see it coming either. He was in a facility. How sucky is that you're in the team facility at three am with your pops

the night before the trade. You show up to a we already function the morning after decked in Wolves gear and nope, you are gone. Sir Randall also blindsided two days before the trade for him, he was at a groundbreaking ceremony for a school where he was honored for donating one point three million dollars. Leon Rose was there, Timms was there to support him to a New York school.

Kind of shady actually, honestly, like both teams were totally down for their marquee players to take part in community service events, tying them to the city. Non like, come on, come on, It's like you know you're about to break up with your girlfriend and then you allow you allow her to go to Eastern dinner with your family, like you can't do that. You'd be like, oh, yeah, you know about that charity event, like they the kids are good. The kids are good. Now, don't go, please, don't go.

Let's bring this thing down into detail. Let's get it first. We should probably acknowledge at least this as the very first major NBA event in the post WOJ era, which we'll get to in a second. We're gonna talk about what happens next after WOJ a new era has begun. The trade itself is complex. Friend of the show Keith Smith of Spowtrack tweeted, this is one of the most complicated trades in NBA history, and that's not being hyperbolic.

He says, here's what we know. The Wolves receive Julius Randall, Dante DiVincenzo, Kaita Bates dop a twenty twenty five top lottery protected first round pick via Detroit, which means probably not going to be a first round pick. Charlotte Hornet's will facilitate the trade because they've got a bunch of caprom players like Da Kwan, Jeffries, Dwayne Washington Junior, who by the way, is playing overseas, so he needs to be cut or released, and then brought back and then released.

I don't know he's playing for Belgrade Partisan right now, but he's part of the trade. What are we talking about. He's gonna have to be bought out, sign traded, bought out and resigned back in Serbia again. What is he getting out of that? By the way, like, what does he get cookie? A lot of this is because the Knicks are working really hard to balance out the ledger it took. They just took on four years, two hundred and twenty million dollars of Karl Anthony Towns's contract. The

Wolves get major cap relief. Randall's on a contract year with a player option. He's woefully underpaid as a top forty player in the league. By the way, a lot of people say that that contract was terrible when he was signed to the Knicks. Sounds sounds like it's not really that terrible right now. According to Keith, here's what we do not know yet. How's New York matching the salary for Towns? How is he avoiding the hard caps?

Smith says that the Knicks are already hard cap at the second apron and when need destructure this trade to avoid a hard cap at the first Apron does Randall take on his full trade bonus? Karl Anthony Downs had to give it his trade bonus because he's already maxed out. What picks? Who are the Hornets getting to help along this deal? Why would they even be a part of it? Like? What are they getting out of it? Finally, how do the Knicks go about filling out the roster this close

to camp with limited resources? All of this has to do with the second Apron hard cap. If the Knicks fill out their roster with two players on veteran minimum deals, they'll still need to make at least one more deal to make the math work, and more likely two more deals. So, I mean, there's a lot going on here. I cannot remember a trade, even the Russell Westbrook trade, which was like really really really complex involving the most teams in

league history, being disconfusing, How complex is it? Well, the Knicks immediately waved both Marcus Morris Senior and Chuma Akiki, and the Wolves waved Chase on Nd immediately after the trade was announced. When it is finalized, we will give you all the details. We will have Keith Smith on

to cover all the details. But for now, let's get into the emotional personality, human side of the trade, because I honestly think it's kind of It's always a dirty game, but this was like for me, like wow, you know what I mean? I was like, I don't know. This is it for all of Karl Anthony Towns was false. He sat through mischief, He got berated by Jimmy Butler, He had a weed smoking co host who could not fulfill what he thought everyone thought he was going to

be in Andrew Wiggins. The entire team was chaos at times, drama at times. Remember we were following Jimmy Butler around at practice because he was motherfucking the whole team telling him all what that ass and then he ends up getting traded like he was one of the only guys ten toes down in Minnesota. Never asked for a trade in nine years Towns. Apparently, according to the Athletics John Krasinski, never saw it coming, like just completely blindsided, out of

the blue. The word that John used was stunned. He did not request this trade. Quote, he has never requested a move in nine years here. He had a lot of reasons. Boy, that franchise, those players have not always treated him well. Remember he just got completely cooked by the media other teammates, and he's done a lot to bring that on. But he did take a back seat for Aunt Edwards. He took the back seat for Rudy Gobert in the past two years and still managed to

be an All star. Come on, the only issue that we have with Karl Anthony Towns is making sixty million dollars a year. Really, his massive contract was so bad that new owners were like, he's gotta go. Like literally before they even bought the team, they're telling the old owner, Yeah, he's gone, we are getting rid of him. We've already paid four first round picks for Rudy Gobert. A voir Karl Anthony is what they said. That's pretty much it. But god damn, this has got a sting. Gott a sting.

Spent nine seasons in Minnesota. Listen, Minnesota in the winter, cold as fuck, lots of white folks. What are we doing? I don't listen. He had the tragedy of the COVID year where he lost his mom and a bunch of other family members. And for all the shit that Karl Anthony Town's gets nationally, he's a beloved figure in Minnesota, so it's kind of it's not exactly all hearts and roses from Towns' perspective. In terms of the good side

of things. He gets to work with Tom Thibodeau again, his former head coach that was the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves back in the day. He spent three years under Tibbs, and like I didn't think they were that close, so very curious. They did have a huge amount of respect for each other. Tibbs must have seen his growth and thought to himself, I know what I can do with him. That's good enough to facilitate and sign off on the Randall trade. As for Randall, come on,

nobody wanted to come to New York before Randall. We gotta give him all the love. If the Knicks win a championship because of this trade, Julius Randall should win a ring as well. He should also get a ring. Knicks fans, of course, love hate relationship with Julius Randall, first big free agent to come to New York. No one will forget this season where he single handedly carried the Knicks to the playoffs. They're not gonna also forget his injuries the off the court drama that he brought

to subsequent teams. Bill Simmons said this in his latest podcast, Yes quote, I feel like there were some real chemistry concerns with Randall, bringing him in under you know, as the kind of ugly step child of this Villanova four team. He's over there, he's underpaid by the fact that he's a top fifty guy. He's gonna have to play out a position because he's gonna have to play center. Brunston's gonna have the ball all the time, and they must

not have liked something all fair comments. I also think Julius Randel needs the ball in his handle lot. So whether he stays in Minnesota or he gets flipped is the next question for me. Are there places that could use him? Absolutely? New Orleans could use him again. He's eligible to sign a four year, one hundred and eighty one million dollar extension six months after the trade is completed.

I don't think that's happening. As I mentioned, he can opt out after this year test free agency, although I believe he won't be able to sign for as much as he can with the Wolves. But for me, the key is whether Julius Randld's gonna be able to stay healthy because we've had issues with Julius Randall and that for a while now. He's had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle that happened last April. He had season ending surgery last spring for the dislocated shoulder that he got

in January. So Joyce Randall has had some issues. He's had some wear and tear. To be fair, Karl Anthony Towns has head wear in tear as well. But if he stays healthy, I think he's an incredibly valuable player to someone. Is it Minnesota, I don't know. Also hidden under the headlines is like Nick's just discarded Dante DiVincenzo part of the Villanova four. All of the Villanova boys thought that the band was back together. It was Dante, it was Josh Hart, it was Jalen Brunson. They were

coercing Michale to come over. Hey, we're having so much fun. And as soon as they get together, they don't even get one fucking game together. They don't even get training camp together for all that good stuff that they're gonna do. Rumors though, are that Dante DiVincenzo maybe was not as happy with the Nova reunion as first let on because he got moved to the bench pretty damn quick. Even though we know he could be a very valuable contributor

to a playoff team. How do we know that, because he was a very valuable contributor to the Knicks last postseason. I think he's exactly what the Wolves need, by the way, a really good three point shooter, third best in the league three point shooter. Now that Karl Anthony Towns is gone, he's gonna have to step up. He's gonna get a lot of touches. He's a really good defender on the wing.

Some people feel that with Randall almost certain to opt out of his contract after next year, Dante was actually a key part of the trade. I think this trade does not I'm certain this trade does not get done without Dante being in it. So now we have to get to the big question. Who won the trade who?

Let's start with New York. I think he's a net win, honestly, taking a consideration that Mitchell Robinson was out till January at least, and by the way, we know Mitchell Robinson not only does he have one injury one boo boo, one booboo leads the two two boo boo, three boo boo four boo boo, Like he played two games in the postseason last year and out for the rest of postseason,

and what do they have? That's why they had Isaiah Hartenstein, and Isaiah Hartenstein ended up having to play starting center minutes and then ended up getting the bag from ok See because all of a sudden, now we know what Isaiah Hartenstein can do, Like if Mitchell Robinson doesn't get hurt, we probably don't see what Isaiah Hartenstein is capable of. And now the Knicks get Isaiah back on a cheap deal, and then they don't have to even get Carl at

the day. Towns all of this because Mitchell Robinson cannot stay healthy. So January twenty twenty five, best case for Mitchell Robinson, you had no backup center. You've got Julius Random playing center, you got oj and Obi playing center, Precious playing precious, a chew Youia playing center. I don't think so. No. I think Towns is an elite three

point shooter, especially as a big in this league. For available centers, available shooters, He's the number one pick, number one guy you could get number one guy that was available, pick and rolls. Pick and pops with Brunson are gonna be danger like just really really good. I think it's

gonna be really hard to defend the Knicks. You're talking about pick and pop one two man game with Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns, and then you got og Nanobi in one corner and Michael Bridges in another corner. How are you defending that? I don't know. You got Karl Anthony Towns who doesn't need the ball in his hands. Julius Randall did. We would watch Julius Randall have the ball dble dobble, dribble, jobber jebble, step back contested like

thirty seconds. It's like twenty seconds out of twenty four seconds in the shot clock. Karl Anthony Towns can play in the half court, he can lurk over the line, he can run on the fast break, he can slash, he can rebound, he can defend. And this is excellent news for Knicks fans, who I think probably are now the second best team in the East. Pretty clearly, Philly has gotta be punching air right now. A lot of

Knicks fans are elated with this news. A lot of Knicks fans are pissed now in terms of the Wolves, they now escape cap Hell. They figure out a way to get the ownership group to feel happy and content with the way that this roster is structured. You've got nas Reid Nazrid, in my opinion, on a very cheap contract and not that much worse than Karl Anthony Towns. So you've basically got a little baby Karl Anthony Towns and he's just been clogged up by Karl Anthony Towns.

And he's making like thirteen million a year instead of sixty million a year. And the Wolves couldn't play Gobert Noried and Karl Anthony Towns at the same time it was clogging up the lanes. Anthony Edwards looked worse. In fact, the offense worked best when Karl Anthony Towns got hurt last year and the year before. The only reason it ended up working in general ever, where they went to the Western Conference finals is because Chris Finch, the head coach,

is a genius. But let's be honest, wasn't the best fit. But I am a little concerned at the timing. You go to the Western Conference Finals and you break the band up. You break the band up. They beat the fucking Denver Nuggets, the defending champs, and you break the band up. Man. I know that the Cap situation was tenuous, but from a hoop standpoint, I think Dante DiVincenzo is the key piece to make this deal work. From a

basketball standpoint as well. Like I said, fourth best three point shooter in the league, shot forty four from three last year, set an all time Knicks record for made threes. He brings spacing defense to a team that needs it, and I think he unlocks ant And then for Julius, I think he he now has an opportunity to be like a third or fourth fiddle. He can play the role that Cap played in terms of where he falls

on the court, but he's tougher, he's stronger. He's not as good of a shooter, but he can shoot a little bit. He can down to three people. Forget he shot forty one percent from deep to twenty twenty one. The Wolves get spacing, depth, toughness, cap relief, and now you've got a spot for Nazri to really flourish, which made Karl Anthony Towns expendable. So it's very exciting The move was made in part, I think to maximize Anthony

Edwards in his window. According to the Athletic, Randall's modest thirty one million dollar contract and his ability to opt out next year helps, And as Krasinski said, the Wolves wanted to make sure Edwards could be on a competitive playoff team for more, for much longer than just the next two years, and believe the flexibility this move provides will aid this pursuit, especially considering that the Wolves are

going to need to pay Naz Reid more money. Cam and Karl Anthony Towns making one hundred million dollars together no chance. And you've got Nikail Alexander Walker there, so you can't lose both of those guys because they were very crucial to helping you be the Denver Nuggets. So I think it's tough to pick out a loser or a winner from a cap standpoint. The Wolves win. From the knick standpoint, they feel a need that they really had. I think it's a win win if Kat doesn't work

out in New York. In the top comment under the trade news from Scham's was don't come to New York and be a bitch. That was what it was like, literally, there's a lot of people saying Karl Anthony Towns is soft and he cannot cut it. And there's a lot of people saying that Julius Randall is soft and he can't cut it in a big market either. So it's good that he's going to Minnesota. So I don't know, We're gonna see how he's received. It's a very tough

fan base. Whether he'll be happy is a real question. He was a Knicks fan growing up. It's gonna be fascinating to see how this thing goes. The salary could become a boat anchor for the Knicks. They better fucking win fast. From a play standpoint, most pundits believe that the Knicks won the trade, some arguing that the Wolves got significantly worse because integrating Randall into the offense and defense will require him to buy in, and Randall doesn't

normally buy in. But remember Randall played for Chris Finch for New Orleans. Chris Finch knew how to maximize him and he had an awesome year. So this is fascinating, one of the most interesting trades in recent memory. Both teams could get better, both teams could be regretting it by January. Trades like this make the NBA so fucking fun because we're gonna be dissecting this for many, many ages. All Right, Moving on, lots of news from around the league.

Out in Indiana, there was a different kind of shock news the Pacers. The Indiana Pacers signed jalil okafor the former number three pick in the draft. Back in thought how long ago was that twenty fifteen for a training camp deal. I haven't thought about julil okafor since, probably the pandemic, because he last played in the NBA in the pandemic season twenty twenty. Where has he been, I don't know. He's been playing in China, Mexico. He's gonna be trying to make a comeback in the league. But

here's the shocking thing. When you think about Jeel, you're like, dude, it's like a million He's been out the league for longer than I can even remember. But he's only twenty eight. He came into the league at twenty, despite the fact that he was overweight six' eleven two hundred and seventy five, pounds never really quite caught on tough one for The sixers at a, time when the league was transitioning fully

to three point shooting. Bigs he might actually be valuable right, now we're getting back to the bruisers down, Low, like we don't need all of our bigs to shoot threes right. Now he was a. Throwback we kind of like throwbacks right. Now last year saw this renaissance that the traditional big teams are scrambling to add rim. Protectors Now jalale gets

another chance In indiana to resurrect his. CAREER i like, This Chad, buchanon good for, you, Brother way to give a guy another, chance a guy that a lot of people were very high on when he got. Drafted if he catched on a lot of big men who were run out of the league before their, time might just be looking for their own. Comebacks all. Right moving On Jose, Alvarado grand Theft, Alvarado, baby he just signed an extension with The pelicans and a lot of rival fan bases

are fucking. Pissed. Why you might, ask, well what did grand Theft alvarado? Do according to multiple fan, bases he signed for too little. Money according To, Shams alverado signed a two, year nine million dollar extension with the player option for twenty twenty, six twenty twenty. SEVEN i don't. Know that does feel like too, small. Paus it does feel like not not enough money to be. Fair it feels like he could be he could have signed for not,

double but maybe like thirty percent. More it's the same contract That Nikil Alexander walker signed In. Minnesota and Remember Nikkeil Alexander walker was ran out Of New, orleans did not play really a single. Minute how little is four and a half. Million Kevin garnett right now still makes five million dollars a year on a deferred salary from The.

Celtics The celtics players who make more Than alvarado Include Drew, eubanks the Ten Day, God Nick, Richards Johnny, davis the buss that went to The Washington, Wizards Uzman, jang whole lot of. TEAMS i think Pay alvarado ten million a. YEAR i think this is him betting on. Himself when he opts out in twenty twenty, SIX i think there's gonna be a lot of bidders for his, services which is pretty damn, good pretty pretty damn good for the

undrafted free. Agent all, Right speaking of extensions out IN, la The clippers just Extended Terrence man three years forty seven. Million that keeps him there till twenty seven to twenty, eight which is the natural byproduct Of Paul george moving on To. Philly not only did that free up the money to Extend, man but now it is clear he's going to be a major part of their offense. Forward,

Listen i've been fucking talking Up Terrence man for. Years, now give this man his opportunities nearly sixteen million dollars a. Year it might seem to people that he is on the cusp of being, overpaid BUT i don't think. SO i don't think. SO i think he's a bargain at sixteen. Million clipper fans know. This nearly all The clipper websites are hailing the signing the extension Of Eva kazubac as.

Well they are key cornerstones for rebuilding this franchise When kawi leonard inevitably gets traded this year because they just cannot handle that contract and his injury woes. Anymore Jerry, west my dearly departed, friend Loved Terrence. Man he's gonna step into a lot of minutes That Paul george. ABANDONED i think this could be a breakout year for him and a guy that's just a really good kid and athletic and strong and put up some huge performances in

the playoffs a few years ago for The. CLIPPERS i think this gives a little bit of hope to a team searching for reasons to pay those big prices at their new, stadium The Into It. Dome all, right let's move forward a little bit of sad news to report for anyone who's been a hoops fan for the past fifteen. Years one of the truly great players of his. Generation guy who REALLY i WISH i would have known what he would have become if you wouldn't have gotten. Injured

Is Derrick rose has announced his retirement from THE. Nba anyone who saw him play before the, INJURY i don't think anybody forgets. It it was. Electric he was the youngest player ever to WIN mvp at twenty, two and as we, know career derailed by injuries to the point where he was though able to add valued all six teams he played, for though nowhere in his career was anyone unhappy with having him on the, team and that Includes, memphis where he had a horrible. Season but they were

still happy to have him. There he was the get back. Man rose requested a waiver from The, grizzlies knowing that he'd have to give back the money rather than phone it in for a year and probably get. Waived that's a good, guy good move For Dereck. Rose Love Dereck. Rose one of the great what ifs IN nba. History what if he never tore HIS acl in twenty. Twelve first four years were as good as almost anyone IN nba, History and although of course he played more another ten,

years in fact never the. Same he would be the first to tell you that it's gonna Be it's. Strange it's gonna be strange to be watching THE nba and Know Derrick. Rose he put a full page ad in the newspaper in all six cities that he, played and now he'll have more time to dedicate to his. PASSION a lot of people don't know about a lot of people are forgetting. About he held a huge chess tournament in the offseason that was apparently a big. Hit more power to. Him he is now fully leaning in to.

Chess he will be missed and you will always be brought up when you bring UP, nba who was the most exciting young player that you ever saw and wish you could have seen. More and, finally lots of shenanigans behind the scenes AT espn right now in the skulduggery to replace wog the leader in the clubhouse was friend of Show Sean, serna who's been guest hosting On pat McAfee. Show and a lot of people thought was the reason

that woj LEFT. Espn he's out of contract, now might be at least obvious or logical that he would be the heir apparent to go TO espn and break. News but then this, happened and Then i'm, like, Okay woch still pulling strings behind the scenes even when you're out of the. League by, god That's Adrian wojanowski's. Music out of, nowhere a dark horse candidate has emerged as the head

OF nba newsbreaker at The Worldwide. Leader so who is it is it is a guy Like Brian, windhorst a veteran of THE nba, beat someone deeply connected to players in front offices with a ton of, experience or is it a guy Like Jeff? Passon what the? Fuck Jeff passon covers Major League, baseball who, never as far AS i can, tell has broken any news about THE. Nba he is now the guy rumored to Be woj's hand pick.

Successor remember last, EPISODE i, said Is wojes trying to hand over the business like He's tony soprano as not h like is woj getting a piece of the passing? PIE i would not be. Surprised this is LIKE i, said when the financial advisor hands their entire book over to somebody like their little, nephew and now all of a sudden they're managing a billion dollars in assets center. Management the level of petty Against schams is off the.

Charts If Jeff passon becomes the LEADING nba, newsbreaker everyone should be. Pissed and Remember schams was Like woj's mentee At. Yalloo he was seventeen eighteen working Underneath woj and now they fucking hate each. Other it is. Crazy if this happens And I'm Tim legler Or Brian windhorst Or Zach, LOW i. AM i am absolutely. Heated by the, way just terrible news that THE espn let go Of Zach

low this. Week they are very unserious right, now the worldwide leader is not that right, now they're the worldwide smoking that. Weader as for, SHAMS i think you should just go TO. Nbc fuck OVER. Espn it's dirty, business, folks dirty business in THE nba when you want to break. News that's all the time that we have for this episode The Heat. Check come back next week for an a new. Episode we'll start ramping things up when training camp. Happens check out the feed for past episodes and many

episodes which drop unexpectedly Like Trevor lawrence's. Stock do not forget to follow the Heat check throughout the off, season which means a week until training. Camp so download. Subscribe tell all of your, friends even your stylist who finally learned how to do your hair after three, years tell, them, hey, YO i love. YOU i know you have figured out how to balance out my. Curls but now in your

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