NBA rumors: How Tom Thibodeau really feels about Karl-Anthony Towns trade
Yesterday at 03:10 PM
The New York Knicks made quite the splash before training camp, as the Knicks traded for Karl-Anthony Towns. That trade also sent Julius Randle, and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns is reunited with his old head coach, Tom Thibodeau, who coached him from 2016-19.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, sources close to Thibodeau said he wanted the former Minnesota center to come to the Big Apple. But sources close to Thibodeau have insisted since long before this trade went down that despite how it ended in Minnesota, he would be excited about a reunion with the four-time All-Star. Both Thibodeau and Towns are different in their own right.
How can Tom Thibodeau and Karl-Anthony Towns work with the Knicks?
Thibodeau is a passionate X's and O's addict. Not to mention, his specialty is defense, and something that all of his players, both past and present know too much about. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year knows how to run an excellent defense. He helped lead the Knicks to have a top-10 metric in defensive rating. Although Thibodeau has an old-school mentality to defense, his teams have bought into the defensive philosophy.
KAT is more laidback and focused on the offensive side. He excels with shooting, post-offense, spacing the floor, and being a true inside-out threat. The four-time NBA all-star has had a massive impact on the offensive efficiency of the Timberwolves. A nearly 40% three-point shooter for his career at his position is unheard of.
The Knicks were middle of the pack in terms of three-point shooting. They ranked 13th in the league with 35.8 attempts per game. That’s quite the improvement compared to Towns’s second year with Thibodeau in Minnesota. They only attempted 22.5 threes, which was the worst mark in the league. Even with the NBA offense evolving thanks to the three-point shot, the Knicks have a true offensive weapon.
While Knicks guard Jalen Brunson broke his silence on Towns, Thibodeau hasn’t officially said anything about the trade. Regardless, the mutual relationship between the two is there. Towns had some of his best years while being coached by Thibodeau. With the Knicks transitioning from a big in Mitchell Robinson to Towns, the offensive scheme will look different.
Going from a rim-runner to someone who can operate on three scoring levels (inside, mid-range, and threes) will be a positive. Although the defense might not be where it was, the offense certainly makes up for it. Plus, Thibodeau can put Towns in successful positions defensively.
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