There’s a whole lot of strain on the Minnesota Timberwolves to compete at a excessive degree this season, after the Karl-Anthony Cities-Rudy Gobert experiment by no means obtained to be absolutely realized final 12 months as a result of an damage that saved Cities out a lot of the season.
This 12 months, nevertheless, one other 42-win season that leads to an eight-seed and a first-round playoff exit is not going to chop it. And in the event that they disappoint, modifications may very well be on the best way.
The probably big-name commerce candidate on the Wolves roster is Cities, who signed a four-year, $224 million extension with Minnesota final June that does not kick in till subsequent season, which is able to maintain him below contract till the summer season of 2028. The self-proclaimed “best large man shooter of all time” has hit 40% of his 3-pointers for his profession and averaged 21 factors, eight rebounds and a career-high 5 assists final season. At 6-foot-11 with a various offensive talent set, it is easy to see why Cities would pique groups’ curiosity if the turns into accessible.
One of many groups keeping track of Cities’ potential availability is the New York Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. Ought to that transfer occur, it might reunite Cities with Tom Thibodeau, who coached him in Minnesota. From Bondy:
“Though a seemingly poor match collectively in Minnesota, a number of sources said that Thibodeau would welcome teaching Cities once more. That is related if Cities hits the commerce market, and the Knicks, in line with sources, are monitoring his scenario.”
Cities would instantly add a dynamic dimension to a Knicks offense that was surprisingly environment friendly (fourth within the NBA) throughout the common season however sputtered within the postseason to the tune of 107.7 factors per 100 possessions, rating thirteenth among the many 16 playoff groups.
The questions would come on protection, the place Thibodeau notoriously calls for excellence and likewise occurs to be the realm by which Cities has struggled all through his profession. Regardless of his dimension, he has by no means been an elite rim protector, and when he performs alongside one other large man he’s compelled to protect smaller energy forwards a lot of the time. This season might be check case to see if Cities can sustain with these varieties of gamers defensively. If he can, that may solely make him extra interesting to groups just like the Knicks.
“Watching the progress he is made all through his profession, he is as gifted as they arrive,” Thibodeau stated of Cities. “Once you take a look at an offensive participant, notably an enormous, the talent set that he has — I feel all of us noticed, to win the 3-point contest and stuff like that — there’s nothing he cannot do offensively. He has continued to get higher I feel.”
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Information Abstract:
- Knicks commerce rumors: New York monitoring Karl-Anthony Cities’ scenario with Timberwolves, per report
- Examine all information and articles from the most recent NBA updates.