New York, Minnesota Biggest Trade Gainers; Los Angeles Has the Rookie Draft Steal
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 22 Nov 2024
Thus far, New York and Minnesota are reaping the benefits of the pre-season trades in the ongoing NBA season.
Meanwhile the Los Angeles Lakers could have the biggest steal in the last rookie draft in Dalton Knetch who reminds Lebron James of Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry with his in-the-zone shooting deadliness.
Racked by injuries last season, New York traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota TimberWolves for Karl Anthony Towns and sent Isaiah Hertenstein to Oklahoma City Thunder while acquiring Cameron Payne from the Philadelphia 76ers and Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn Nets.
So far, the Knicks are doing very well as Towns, Bridges and Payne are playing good music so to speak with old mainstays Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby.
Towns in particular have been showing improvement as starting center for the Knicks with averages of 26.8 ppg, 12.2 rpg and nearly 3 apg in 33 minutes on the floor which, except for assist, are above his career averages. Last season, he was part of Minnesota's Twin Tower pair with Rudy Gobert which some quarters say may be a poor career move as it hindered his growth as an individual player.
The other day, Towns showed his potency by pouring in 34 points in 34 minutes of action plus 10 rebounds in the Knicks' 138-122 road win over Phoenix Suns. Only Brunson scored more with 36 while Bridges and Payne tallied 16 and 12 respectively for the Knicks.
New York is currently third in the Eastern Conference, just behind the surprising Cleveland Cavaliers and the defending champions, the Boston Celtics which both have intact line-ups from last season.
Conversely, Minnesota likewise is benefiting though not as perceptively as New York with Randle and DiVincenzo providing firepower support to Anthony Edwards with DiVincenzo providing steadiness in the backcourt in aid of Mike Conley.
The Timberwolves are currently sixth in the stacked Western Conference led by Golden State Warriors which parted ways with Klay Thompson (now with the Dallas Mavericks) and the OKC Thunder which are also benefiting from former Knicks Hartenstein who is providing some quality minutes as relief center for OKC with ace center Chet Holmgren on injury list.
Dallas has been expected to compete very well with the acquisition of Klay Thompson from Golden State but the Mavericks have failed thus far because of reportedly head coach Jason Kidd's doubts about the workability of starting Klay with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. It is only very recently that Kidd has been convinced of putting Klay in Dallas' starting five after the Mavs went on a four game tailspin.
Dallas is currently 10th in the West but showing recovery.
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers are riding high on Dalton Knetch, only 17th in the last draft, as one big reason for the Lakers ongoing surge in the West, including a new conference leading record of six games winning streak as of this writing (LA meets Orlando today).
Currently, Knetch is averaging 11 ppg, 2rpg and 1.1 apg while shooting 53% from the floor. His shooting according to Lebron James reminds of Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry when they were in the zone. According to Lebron, Knetch's outside shooting accuracy has also helped Lebron and Anthony Davis to do their All-Star thing inside.
LA Lakers are currently third in the West.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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