If You Could Add One Player to the Wolves for One Season

[bleedspeed]

Luka Doncic since he plays a premium position and I think he will be even better next year. I also think he wouldn't pout and ask to be traded which is the flaw in picking a majority of the players on that list including Kawhi Leonard.

[TAFKASP]

Luka Doncic since he plays a premium position and I think he will be even better next year. I also think he wouldn't pout and ask to be traded which is the flaw in picking a majority of the players on that list including Kawhi Leonard.

Agreed! Lebron, Durrant, Leonard, and Harden are too for a young team. Embid cannot stay healthy. I like Jokic, but you don't build around 5's. That leaves Luka and Antetokounmpo and I can never remember how to spell the latter, so I'm going with Luka! :D

[AbeVigodaLive]

What's the goal?

Win as many games as possible? Teach young guys what it means to play winning basketball? Set the tone for the future of the franchise? Showcase the organization and players to other superstar prospects?

Because do any of them guarantee a title... or even a long playoff berth? I think Harden can be an offense on to himself. But he's a louse after his shenanigans in Houston. And he's terrible to watch play iso ball. How does the team improve when he leaves. Everything returns to normal.

Embiid and Jokic marginalize Towns, so they're out.

Durant is still awesome... but does he have any type of durability to put him high on this list?

Leonard brings assured confidence and professionalism. He'd probably miss 20 or so games. Not a showy leader... more of a follow my lead type. And that could set the tone for a year. He's not a fulcrum of the offense guy, so that could be either good or bad if you're looking at optimizing a one-year window...

Doncic is like a younger, less reprehensible, less gimmicky version of Harden. He'll dominate the ball... and then leave the team exactly where it was. So if you think a title can be had with him... ok. If not... pass.

James brings global credibility and attention and money to the franchise. He's still an elite player who would get others involved. And obviously, he's picked up some leadership traits along the way. Could he ultimately positively influence the careers of young potential stars? Maybe.

I dig Giannis for the fit... and his temperament. A two-way player who doesn't have to dominate the ball. A loyal dude (ironically in this exercise). And a solid leader who cares. I still remember him going after Dunleavy in the playoffs years ago. Something about it triggered respect from me even though it was cheap and dirty... a young Giannis basically took Dunleavy out after Dunleavy gave multiple cheap shots to Giannis teammates. He hasn't won a title yet... but would the Wolves ceiling be any less with him than the other guys?

I'd add Lillard/Curry, too. Smaller guards who are considered great leaders by teammates and others around the league.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Abe, I'd still go with Kawhi, because he's close to checking the box on all of the criteria you mentioned:

- Maximizing wins
- Can dominate a game without dominating the ball because of his defense and shooting
- Can lead by example - we already know KAT doesn't respond well to in-your-face alphas like Butler. Doesn't seem to work with DLO either based on Draymond Green never getting through to him.

I just think Kawhi has the type of game and personality that wouldn't totally suck the air out of everyone else's balloon, yet he'd set the tone and example of how to win games. Best of both worlds IMO in that he helps maximize wins now while leaving the franchise a better place than he left it.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Abe, I'd still go with Kawhi, because he's close to checking the box on all of the criteria you mentioned:

- Maximizing wins
- Can dominate a game without dominating the ball because of his defense and shooting
- Can lead by example - we already know KAT doesn't respond well to in-your-face alphas like Butler. Doesn't seem to work with DLO either based on Draymond Green never getting through to him.

I just think Kawhi has the type of game and personality that wouldn't totally suck the air out of everyone else's balloon, yet he'd set the tone and example of how to win games. Best of both worlds IMO in that he helps maximize wins now while leaving the franchise a better place than he left it.

I won't dismiss Kawhi as a viable option. But there are also stories about how aloof or entitled he has been. Obviously, it hasn't hurt in Toronto or SAS. But those teams also had successful vets up and down the roster.

I recently saw a quote from one of Giannis' teammates that mentioned how he leads by example by working like a 2nd round pick... and by developing relationships/friendships/discussions with every player on the team. So if we're only getting these all-world players for one season -- why not go with the guy who's very likely playing more games + exhibits leadership qualities that might linger in a positive way?

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Abe, I'd still go with Kawhi, because he's close to checking the box on all of the criteria you mentioned:

- Maximizing wins
- Can dominate a game without dominating the ball because of his defense and shooting
- Can lead by example - we already know KAT doesn't respond well to in-your-face alphas like Butler. Doesn't seem to work with DLO either based on Draymond Green never getting through to him.

I just think Kawhi has the type of game and personality that wouldn't totally suck the air out of everyone else's balloon, yet he'd set the tone and example of how to win games. Best of both worlds IMO in that he helps maximize wins now while leaving the franchise a better place than he left it.

I won't dismiss Kawhi as a viable option. But there are also stories about how aloof or entitled he has been. Obviously, it hasn't hurt in Toronto or SAS. But those teams also had successful vets up and down the roster.

I recently saw a quote from one of Giannis' teammates that mentioned how he leads by example by working like a 2nd round pick... and by developing relationships/friendships/discussions with every player on the team. So if we're only getting these all-world players for one season -- why not go with the guy who's very likely playing more games + exhibits leadership qualities that might linger in a positive way?

I feel like we already have the relationship/friendship/discussion piece down. By all accounts, I think KAT, DLO, and Ant are all personable communicative guys that get along with fellow teammates. The other thing is that Giannis is more of a contemporary of KAT and DLO than Kawhi. While Leonard isn't that much older, he won a Finals MVP before KAT or DLO were even drafted. Between his age and pedigree, I just think that gives him more credibility to influence and impact things.

The downside to practically any of these guys is that they take a big burden off the shoulders of guys who we need longer term to go through the crucible of high-pressure games as the go-to guys.

While this is all totally hypothetical and for fun, I still like the idea of replacing Ed Davis with the equivalent of Ed Davis with a ring or two on his finger. I think a veteran mentor that works his ass off despite rarely playing and has a winning pedigree could do wonders for helping push this team's development behind the scenes. And the great thing is this type of move is actually within the realm of possibility!

[Lipoli390]

To answer Abe's question, the goal is whatever you want it to be, with the understanding that it's just one year and the player is gone. My thinking was that the goal has to be winning a championship. Otherwise I wouldn't see any other practical reason for adding a player of that caliber for only one season. That's what brought Kawhi to the top of my list. As Q noted, Kawhi has already shown that he can lead a team to a championship. He's done it multiple times with different teams. And he rises to the occasion in the playoffs. He's tough, seasoned, mature and great on both sides of the ball. He can put the team on his back and make players around him better. He'll hit his free throws and hit shots from anywhere. I don't know that the team would be any better or worse when Kawhi leaves after his one season. I don't think it's reasonable to expect a significant residual impact after one season with any player.

If looking long term, then Giannis and Luka would be my top two choices because of their age. I think Giannis would be the better fit between those two given the assumed presence of KAT, Ant and DLO - three scorers, two of them pretty ball dominant. But Luka's freakishly good and might be able to adapt and still be great.

[AbeVigodaLive]

All I know is that I would definitely not take Giannis. Anybody picking that guy is a moron.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

All I know is that I would definitely not take Giannis. Anybody picking that guy is a moron.

Heh, yeah, based on recency bias the contrast between what Kawhi did in his last two games versus Giannis in his last two games is quite glaring!

[bleedspeed]

Luka Doncic since he plays a premium position and I think he will be even better next year. I also think he wouldn't pout and ask to be traded which is the flaw in picking a majority of the players on that list including Kawhi Leonard.

Agreed! Lebron, Durrant, Leonard, and Harden are too for a young team. Embid cannot stay healthy. I like Jokic, but you don't build around 5's. That leaves Luka and Antetokounmpo and I can never remember how to spell the latter, so I'm going with Luka! :D

Ha! I actually think Lebron, Durrant, Leonard, and Harden would all be awful for this team. Team is key word. It would be Jimmy Bulter part 2. What good would that be? Luka would help make this team look like a team someone would want to be part of.