TORONTO — The morning after Karl-Anthony Towns was traded by the only NBA team he's ever known, the center received advice from a coach who was managing the emotions of a similarly high-profile transfer.
“First of all, I would be surprised if I was an All-Star and got traded. And number two, I would be injured,” Arkansas head coach John Calipari said in an interview with the Post. He spoke at “Why would they do that? Why would they do that? And ultimately, that's why I said to him, 'Please, (the Knicks) are a great fit for you.' Don't worry about anything else. move on. '
“This is similar to what I'm coaching here (at the University of Arkansas). It's the first chapter of a new book, the first page of a new adventure. Let's go and never look back. You're not bitter. You're working on the next thing. And that's where I am.”
Calipari coached Towns for one season at Kentucky nine years before he left the Wildcats program for his first season with the Razorbacks. They remained close enough to have important conversations after Towns traded Julius Randle, who happens to be a former Calipari player, to the Timberwolves.
“(Randle) was hurt too. And he was confused too,” Calipari said. “We were both like, 'Wait a minute, what happened here?'” But it ended up being great for both of them. ”
From Minnesota's perspective, the deal was primarily motivated by salary dumping. The owner wanted to avoid a future in luxury tax hell. Randle isn't at an All-Star level coming from New York, but he's playing well, while the Timberwolves (12-11) have been dominated from the start. Towns has been good, but the Knicks (14-9 before Monday's game against the Raptors) have been inconsistent.
Calipari said he wasn't surprised by the trade, saying, “I knew they were going to make it happen,” and that the Knicks have been good in recent years, given their long relationships with Leon Rose and William Wesley. He said he must have a streak.
In another world, those connections might have led to Calipari coaching the Knicks. He was one of the rumored candidates when the current front office took over in 2020.
Asked if the Knicks gave the job any thought before hiring Tom Thibodeau, Calipari, who was still at Kentucky at the time, said, “First of all, when you're talking about Leon and Wes, you're talking about family. are talking about.
“And they picked the right coach (in Thibodeau). An absolute grinder. A truth teller who understands players and defenses and plans to put players in the right situations. And his history. He believes in I think he's doing a job that's impossible to do. And he's taking over the New York Knicks and doing it. It's not easy.”
At one point, Calipari settled on reaching out to five of his former players since they were on New York's roster. They were the Kentucky Knicks. Now they are the “Nova Knicks.”
“It’s just the Wildcats,” Calipari laughed. “Wildcat U”
Either way, Calipari, who unsuccessfully tried to make it to the NBA with the Nets in the late '90s, will continue to coach at MSG during Tuesday's Jimmy V Classic. His Razorbacks (7-2) will play Michigan at 9 p.m. There are less than 24 hours until the Knicks host the Hawks in the same building for the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
This is the third team Calipari has brought to the iconic Jimmy V Classic, following appearances at the University of Massachusetts and Memphis all those years ago. And if he stays in the Knicks game, Calipari could see firsthand how Towns has flourished under Thibodeau after their partnership in Minnesota came to a rocky end nearly six years ago. .
Calipari isn't surprised that it's working so well.
“That league is a business. This is not about emotion. And let me tell you this: You might go to that guy's wedding and he'll trade you. '' Calipari said. “It's a business. Carl understood that. And think about who he was and how young he was when Thisbus took Towns to Minnesota (Towns was only 20 years old when Thisbus took over). ). Now you're talking about a veteran All-Star.
“You entertain all-stars slightly He's different than a first-year or second-year player. And you're probably listening to Karl more, like, “Where do you want the ball?” I think they work together. And if you look at the way Carl is playing, there's no doubt that he's in a good mood. Not just about being in New York and the Garden, but about Thibs as well. he feels good about it. ”
