The NBA season is still a month away, but it feels like it just kicked off last night. The first post Woj bomb by Shams Charania was more like a nuke as he reported on X that the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves were making a blockbuster deal. He reported that the Knicks and Timberwolves made were swapping <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/townska01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-28_bbr">Karl-Anthony Towns</a> for <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/randlju01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-28_bbr">Julius Randle</a> in a deal that also included Donte Divincenzo. Is semmed like the majority of NBA fans were shocked and surprised so lets dive in.

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## Final Trade Details

In order to get this done, Charlotte needed to be included in the final deal. So here are the details Shams later added:

### Minnesota Timberwolves Receive
 - Julius Randle
 - <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/divindo01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-28_bbr">Donte DiVincenzo</a>
 - First Round Pick

### New York Knicks Receive
 - Karl-Anthony Towns

### Charlotte Hornets
 - <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jeffrda01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-28_bbr">DaQuan Jeffries</a>
 - Draft Compensation

## Timberwolves Pair Randle with Gobert

The Timberwolves have now officially moved away from their big man duo of Gobert and Towns. At time it seemed that those two just could not be on the floor at the same time. That is a tough position to be in when they are making over $90 million a year combined. Although they gave it a really good effort, good enough to make the WCF, it looked to be inevitable that they would need to break that duo up to make it to the next level. They now swap out Towns for Randle, who is making about $20 million less than Towns. The fit may be a bit clunky on the offensive end, but they have more space now to make some moves. Not to mention they added a huge spark off the bench from DiVincenzo. 

## Towns comes Home to Break Up the Nova Knicks

The major move New York made to get <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bridgmi01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-28_bbr">Mikal Bridges</a> seems like a lifetime ago now as DiVincenzo needed to get shipped out to complete the Towns deal. The core 4 Villanova players did not even get to play a game togeter before that was broken up. But in return, Towns gets to come back to the East Coast and play for the team he probably grew up watching. 

He bolsters the Knicks center depth that was a huge concern after losing Hardenstein, as well as adds a more flexible option on the offensive side. He will be able to stretch the floor in a way Randle couldn't and will play nicely with the Brunson centered offense. There has been some concerns about Towns on the defensive end, usually involving foul trouble but joining some long athletic defenders in Anunoby and Bridges I am sure Towns can do plenty to round out the starting 5 on both ends of the ball. 

## So who won the Trade 

To be completely honest I think both teams did well here. Timberwolves were looking to move off towns for more than a year and at points it seemed like there was not going to be a destination for him. They ended up being able to get an all star power forward in return along with some bench depth, and although there are concerns about the fit its a solid return. 

Without a doubt this is a win now, high risk-high reward move from the Knicks. Last year, there were points where Randle appeared to be unhappy with his performance or lack of involvement. All that being said he along with DiVincenzo and the rest of the team were fully bought into the team and Coach Thibs. One concern worth mentioning is it did not seem like Towns and Thibs got along well during their time in Minnesota. Potentialy chemistry issues are a possibility but if not and Towns buys in fully, this can launch the Knicks into true title contention. 


Welcome back NBA, see you in a month.


Initial reactions on the NBA's latest blockbuster trade between the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Charlotte Hornets. Discover how the Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle, with Donte DiVincenzo joining Minnesota, and what this means for both teams. Dive into the trade's impact on the Timberwolves' playoff hopes, the Knicks' quest for title contention, and Towns' return to the East Coast. Read more for in-depth analysis and reactions to this game-changing move.

Knicks Swap Randle for Towns in Big Preseason Move


This past week it was reported by ESPN that <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/murraja01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-10_bbr">Jamal Murray</a> of the Denver Nuggets received a max extension worth $208 million over 4 years. This move locks down the Nuggets franchise point guard for the forseeable future, but is Murray worth $52 million a year?


## Top 3 Highest Paid Point Guards

When this extension kicks in during next season, Murray will become the 3rd highest paid point guard in the league. He will only be behind <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/curryst01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-10_bbr">Stephen Curry</a> and <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lillada01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-10_bbr">Damian Lillard</a>'s base salary and will be just above <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/doncilu01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-10_bbr">Luka Doncic</a> and <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/y/youngtr01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-10_bbr">Trae Young</a>. Looking at those players, Murray probably falls a bit short when comparing accolades/accomplishments to most of them, except for maybe Young. However, looking farther down the list, he is the only point guard in the top 16 (by salary) that has not ever been selected as an all star. Now, he is in a very competitive conference at that position so it probably isn't worth putting to much weight on that. But looking at stat leaders, this past season he was not ranked in  the top 5 for any of the major categories at his position. That being said, he is in the 10th in points and 9th in assists, but is that enough to justify being the 3rd highest paid point guard in the league?

## Denver Solidifies the Core of its Roster

With this move, Denver locks down its core 3 players of <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jokicni01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-10_bbr">Nikola Jokic</a>, Jamal Murray and <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/portemi01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-10_bbr">Michael Porter</a> Jr. for the next several years. They will commit $150 million to these 3 the year when the extension starts, a move that will most certainly put them over into the first apron atleast. It's a move that commits the team to contend for a finals now, and why wouldn't they? They won a finals less than 2 years ago and Jokic is in his prime. Solidifying the support around him is a good move. The only concen I see right now is consistency. Both Murray and Porter Jr. have missed a chunk of time over the last 5 years, but assuming they stay healthy (as I and all NBA fans do) its a good move regardless of the price.

## So is Murray worth the Money?

In the end the anwer is probably. As mentioned before, Denver has locked down its core and they know who they are going to be putting on the floor for the next several years. Yes Murray has had some recent lapses in performance in the playoffs/big games, but he is still a great running mate for Jokic and performs at a borderline all star level. As for the cost itself, this extension will seem like alot until the next one. Doncic has another contract coming and if you think he will not be making $50 million a year atleast you're wrong. In the end, good for Murray and good for the Nuggets, he gets paid and the team keeps their point guard. 


Denver Nuggets secure their core by extending Jamal Murray with a $208M max deal over 4 years, making him the 3rd highest paid point guard behind Curry and Lillard. Is Murray worth $52M per year? Explore his performance, Denver's strategic roster moves, and what this means for the team's championship aspirations.

Is Jamal Murray Worth his new Extension?

We are less than 2 months away from the start of the 2024-25 NBA Season. It's been a long summer, so here are 5 stories to watch out for as training camp starts and the season begins.

## Knicks or Sixers : Battle for Second

Coming into the season, the #1 team in the East clearly seems like it will still be the Celtics. However, the second spot is more up for grabs and the two primary contenders are the Knicks and the Sixers. Both teams enter the season after some pretty significant offseason moves. The Knicks made a big push to acquire <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bridgmi01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-08_bbr">Mikal Bridges</a> from the Nets, while the Sixers were able to steal <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/georgpa01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-08_bbr">Paul George</a> from the Clippers in Free Agency. Both teams are coming off solid regular seasons with dissapointing playoff exits, but it remains to be seen who will be able to bounce back better this year. I personally think a healthy Knicks roster has the edge here, but we'll see once the season starts who comes out hot. 

## How will Luka start the Year

<a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/doncilu01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-08_bbr">Luka Doncic</a> is one of the NBA's most impressive stars, but he is also coming off a NBA Finals run and his longest season in his career. It is probably best from the standpoint of the Mavericks that Doncic and Slovenia were knocked out early, before the Olympics started. With how high usage Doncic is as a player, him playing deep into August with the Slovenian national team would have mean even less time to rest and prepare for the season. With all that said, Doncic is still young as far as NBA standards, and this is probably the deepest Mavericks team he has ever been a part of. It may not be the worst idea to cut his minutes slightly in the early part of the season so he can be ready to make another run. I will be intersting to see how much he plays and how his stamina is to start the year.

## How big of a Jump will Wemby Make

<a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wembavi01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-08_bbr">Victor Wembanyama</a> is not only coming off a season where he won Rookie of the Year, but also a summer where he lead France to a Silver medal against team USA where he put up a pretty good fight for a 19 year old (Probably an understatement). We all saw how good he can be in last year and he even was second place for Defensive Player of the Year as a Rookie (he should have beat <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/goberru01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-08_bbr">Rudy Gobert</a> in my opinion). All of that was in his first NBA season. The question now is how will much better will he be in year two. He has proven he already is the most promising young talent in the league and he has handled his NBA transition perfectly. How far could he go this year? Most Improved? Defensive Player of the Year? MVP? Its feasible he could do all 3.

## Kat and the Timberwolves

Karl Anthony-Towns has spent his entire career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but ever since they traded 5 first rounders for Gobert it seems like the end of his tenure there is innevitable. It does not seem like Gobert and Towns can be on the floor at the same time, especially in the playoffs. Unfortunately, KAT has been too inconsistent and often finds himself in foul trouble to justify him staying over gobert. Coming off a western conference finals, it seems like Minnesota wants to make a push for the finals now, and the best way to do that is to continue to put pieces around <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/edwaran01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-09-08_bbr">Anthony Edwards</a>. That is a much easier task when the highest paid player on the roster can be on the floor at the same time as your other 2 highest earning salaries. I think we can see that trade in the next 2 months if there is a team interested.

## JJ Reddick Rookie Coaching Season

After a very public, long and drawn out coaching search. The Lakers have their new coach in JJ Reddick. Reddick has shown his intelligence not only as a player, but also as an analyst, broadcaster and podcaster. As a NBA Veteran who played 15 seasons in the league, his players should have confidence in their first year coach. He is very promising even in his first year, the only worry I have it how the Los Angeles media will affect his year. The Lakers want to win now, and regardless of who you are that first year as head coach is hard. Reddick comes in without any NBA coaching experience and although I believe he will overcome that, the pressure and noise that comes from coaching in LA will not make his new job any easier.


Get ready for the 2024-25 NBA season with key storylines to watch, including the Knicks vs. Sixers battle for second place, Luka Doncic's season start, Victor Wembanyama's potential leap, Karl-Anthony Towns' uncertain future with the Timberwolves, and JJ Redick's debut as Lakers' head coach. Stay updated on the latest NBA buzz!

5 Stories to watch at the Start of the Season

The round 1 series went back to Philadelphia for Game 3 as the Knicks fell to the 76ers, 125-114. Here is the good and bad from a physical, back and forth playoff matchup.

## Good: Embiid has 50 

<a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/embiijo01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-04-25_bbr">Joel Embiid</a> had a career night in Philly and put up 50 points and 8 rebounds, while shooting 13-19 from the floor with 5 3s. Embiid was physical from the start (more on that later) and was able to get to the line consistently, shooting 19-21 from the line. It was a huge night for him and the kind of momentum shift the Sixers needed as they went back home down 2-0. 

## Bad: Sixers Over the Top Physicality

As I said, the the sixers were physical from the jump, maybe too much. This went past the standard playoff intensity. There were 2 flagrant fouls in the first quarter, including 1 from Embiid where he grabbed <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robinmi01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-04-25_bbr">Mitchell Robinson</a> by the ankle as he went up for a dunk. There is a very good case that he should have been ejected from the game, and I think anyone else who wasn't Embiid would have been. He and <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lowryky01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-04-25_bbr">Kyle Lowry</a> were wrecklessly physical throughout the night, and after complaining about officiating excessively after the last game, I don't like that look from the Sixers.

## Good: Brunson Picks it up Offensively	

 Despite the loss, <a rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/brunsja01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.basketball-reference.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-04-25_bbr">Jalen Brunson</a> put up 39 points and shot 48% from the field, improving more than 15% from previous games. Him getting going is a good thing for the Knicks, they were able to get great looks from 3 and keep up with the barrage of 3s from the Sixers in the 3rd quarter that gave them the edge. As long as the Knicks can get some of the careless turnovers under control, I still liked what I saw from them last night. 

## Bad: Robinson Left the Arena in a Boot

As a result of the physical play (perhaps one play more than others) Robinson took a beating Thursday night. He ended up leaving the game early and would not return. He later was seen leaving in a walking boot, which is worrisome going forward. Hopefully it isn't to serious and he can return next game, otherwise the Knicks are going to have a much harder time defending the paint when Hartenstein is off the floor.


Game 4 is at 1 PM EST Sunday on ABC


The series went back to Philadelphia for Game 3 as the Knicks fell to the 76ers, 125-114. Here is the good and bad from a physical, back and forth playoff matchup.

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