Tom Thibodeau praises Karl-Anthony Cities as Knicks commerce rumors swirl

Time and separation have solely appeared to boost Tom Thibodeau’s opinion of Karl-Anthony Cities, the Timberwolves star energy ahead — and potential Knicks commerce goal — who’s coming to the Backyard on Saturday night time for a preseason contest.

“Watching the progress he’s made all through his profession, he’s as gifted as they arrive,” Thibodeau stated.

“Whenever you take a look at an offensive participant, significantly a giant, the talent set that he has, I believe all of us noticed, to win the 3-point contest and stuff like that, there’s nothing he can’t do offensively. He has continued to get higher I believe. He had some accidents to take care of. I watched him play in FIBA [the World Cup, for the Dominican Republic], he performed rather well there. He’s actually, actually gifted.”

Though a seemingly poor match collectively in Minnesota, a number of sources said that Thibodeau would welcome teaching Cities once more.

That’s related if Cities hits the commerce market, and the Knicks, in response to sources, are monitoring his state of affairs.

Final season was a catastrophe for the Timberwolves. They mortgaged their future in a commerce for Rudy Gobert, however barely made the playoffs and had been trounced within the first spherical.

Cities solely performed 29 video games final season — largely due to a extreme calf pressure — and by no means linked on the court docket with Gobert.

The hope is for a rejuvenated marketing campaign from the Timberwolves beneath the brand new possession group that includes Alex Rodriguez.

With Staff USA star Anthony Edwards additionally on the roster, they actually have the expertise to make noise within the West.

Thibodeau was each the Minnesota coach and crew president earlier than he was fired halfway by his third season in 2019.

A lot of the dysfunction throughout that stint stemmed from a poisonous relationship between Cities and star teammate Jimmy Butler.

After Butler and Thibodeau left, the Timberwolves had three straight dropping seasons however Cities continued to develop right into a 7-foot 3-point marksman.

In July, Cities declared that his affect on the NBA will show timeless.

“I really feel like when my time’s up, and I retire and I put the sneakers up … I really feel like there’s those that’s gonna say that I modified the sport,” Cities stated on Pat Beverley’s podcast. “And I’m gonna be very appreciative of that. When that is throughout, there’s gonna be children arising saying that they’re gonna be capable to play a special means as a result of I performed within the NBA and did it a special means.”