Kendrick Perkins calls the KAT-Julius Randle trade one of the worst in NBA history

On By Littum

Before the Timberwolves snuck past the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day, ESPN’s NBA players spent some time going over the early returns of the trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks and brought Julius Randle to Minnesota — and Kendrick Perkins had quite the take.

“Real talk. This trade from Minnesota could go down as arguably the worst trade in NBA history,” Perkins said.

Stephen A. Smith responded with “come on man, that’s a little hyperbolic.” Perkins did not back down.

“You trade away a guy, one of the most skilled big players, one of the best big shooters to ever play the game in Karl-Anthony Towns, who you just went to the Western Conference Finals. Not only did you trade him away, you trade him away when he was in his prime and you get a guy back in Julius Randle who could go out there and get you 20 and 10, but he doesn’t complement Anthony Edwards well. Perkins said.

“And then when you think about Anthony Edwards this season, he also attacked and went public for their offense. And everybody wonders why is he shooting so many 3-pointers? Why isn’t he attacking the paint? How? When you have Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert on the floor at the same time, teams are going to box and elbow, they’re going to load up on Anthony Edwards, they’re going to go under screens. Julius Randle doesn’t match up with Anthony Edwards.”

While Randle’s fit can be debated all day long, there’s no denying that part of the reason Towns was traded was to help Minnesota get under the second tier of the NBA’s luxury tax, which comes with huge tax penalties and roster restrictions.

As for it being one of the worst trades in NBA history, that’s just bullshit.

One of the worst trades in NBA history was when the Clippers gave the Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Galinari and seven first-round picks for Paul George.

How about on draft night in 1998 when the Bucks selected Dirk Nowitzki only to send him to Dallas for Robert Traylor? Practice. And who could forget 1996, when the Hornets drafted Kobe Bryant before trading him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac.

The KAT trade hasn’t worked out yet for the Timberwolves and Towns is having a career year in New York, but it’s far too early to place the blockbuster deal anywhere near the category of worst trades in NBA history.