Knickstown Trading Storm: The data is impressive but it is disliked. Magic bets become the biggest variable?

When Siakam held the Eastern Conference Championship MVP trophy, the Pacers probably didn't expect that their popularity would be easily "intercepted" by the Knicks, who had just lost the game next door. NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor's saying "The Knicks should trade Towns" instantly exploded in the fan circle. This matter sounds outrageous at first glance - the No. 1 pick who averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in the regular season, with a three-point shooting percentage of 42%, scored 20 points in a single quarter in the third game of the playoffs to pull the team back from the sweep edge. Why did he suddenly become the target of "must send it away"? The debate in the

fan group is even more intense than the playoffs. Someone found out the data to support Towns: "Look at his high-level data, the real shooting rate is 59.8%, and the offensive efficiency is 118.2. This is obviously a thigh-level performance!" Someone shook his head: "The data are all false. Look at his presence on the court, except for three-point shooting, they are squatting at the bottom corner, and the defensive end is like stealth." This polarized evaluation just reflects the current contradictions of the Knicks - Towns, who has outstanding data, seems to be "inconsistent with the team's horoscope."

Back on the day when the time came to the Downs joining, the Knicks management smiled as if they had found a treasure - after all, using Randall and Divinsonzo to replace it with a peak All-Star center, it is a sure-fire deal. But reality quickly poured cold water: in order to match the salary, all potential newcomers such as Charlie Brown and Jeffries were packaged and sent away, and the two second round picks made the future draft pick even worse. Looking at this deal now, it’s like using a key to exchange for a delicate but hot vase - the starting lineup seems to have been upgraded, but the bench is so empty that it can run away.

Head coach Thibodeau is probably scratching his head every day: the second lineup is too bad, he can only use the starting lineup hard, Brunson's average playing time soared from 34.7 minutes in the regular season to 40.2 minutes, and Towns also increased from 33.8 minutes to 38.1 minutes. Even the fans couldn't stand this "deadly fuck the main player" style: "If you play like this, the main player will be exhausted sooner or later. Did Thibodeau forget the lesson of using Ross back then?" What's even more terrible is that the players also seem to have resentment - many closed-door meetings during the playoffs, and even Shams revealed that "the atmosphere in the team is weird", and everyone knows that this is not a good sign.

To talk about the Knicks' biggest problem, we have to start with the tactical system. Brunson is a typical big core with a ball holding, with averaging 92.3 touches and a ball holding time of up to 6.8 minutes. Under this style of play, Towns' positioning became extremely awkward - the low-level singles he was originally good at were gone, and most of the time he could only be a fixed-point turret on the periphery. Data shows that the proportion of mid-range shots in the playoffs plummeted from 18.7% in the regular season to 9.2%. Most of the time, they can only wait for Brunson to feed the ball and shoot three-pointers, and anyone else will feel depressed.

But what makes teammates even more dissatisfied is the defensive end. As a center with a height of 2.1 meters, Towns averaged only 2.1 spots per game, with a defensive rebounding rate of 18.3%, even worse than some defenders. When the opponent breaks through, he always habitually retreats and watches the opponent make a layup easily; when fighting for rebounds, he is more willing to huddle to the outside line and "see the scenery", resulting in the Knicks' frontcourt rebounding rate of only 23.1%, ranking second to the bottom in the Eastern Conference. A sideline reporter joked: "Downs' defensive strategy is probably to 'let the opponent score 2 points first, and I'll get 3 points back'."

When the Knicks were in internal and external troubles, the Magic and Raptors next door "will not be too serious when watching the fun." The Raptors first said "I want to sign a star", and they were immediately reminded of Towns by the perverts, but then they said that they would not take the initiative to advance, and looked like "I'm just taking advantage of the popularity". On the contrary, the Magic directly threw out chips: Isaac, Carter Jr., two first-round picks... A total of 6 players plus draft picks, so sincere that people wonder if they graduated from the "takeover warrior training class".

Think carefully, the Magic's abacus is very good: Sargers + Wagner Jr. + Downs. This lineup has both a ball-holder and a space-type inside player, and it seems like there is a chance to make an impact on the playoffs; the Knicks can use this to clear up their salary space and fill in the substitute loopholes. But the question is, can Towns really realize its potential in magic? After all, he was questioned for being a "soft egg" during his Timberwolves. Will he repeat the same mistake when he went to the more competitive East? Some fans commented: "Magic is using the future to bet on a seed that may never sprout." The dilemma of

Downs's dilemma is essentially a dispute over the positioning of "space-type center" in modern basketball. Those who support the trade believe that the three-point firepower he earned from sacrificing defense is not worth mentioning in the playoffs; opponents feel that the Knicks' system is not suitable for him, and a different environment may be reborn. But no matter what, the Knicks must face a cruel reality: when the team bet on the future for a player, but finds that he is out of place with the existing system, stopping losses in time may require more courage than blindly persisting.

But when the magic quote is on the table, will the Knicks management dare to take a gamble? And will Towns, the former No. 1 pick, become the next "genius who is destroyed by the system"? Basketball has never been a simple addition and subtraction. In addition to data, there is also a game of human hearts, tactics, and even urban culture. Perhaps as an old fan said: "New York has never lacked topics, but what it lacks is the 'hard bones' that can truly carry the team's path - whether Towns is that material, time will give the answer."