Minnesota Timberwolves: Rumor Mill

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Question: If the Wolves did trade for Simmons would you (or others here) consider adding Vanderbilt as an asset in that trade in a sign and trade or would you prefer to keep him? Sixers do have a trade exception if they valued Vanderbilt. That would be a technically separate transaction for the sign and trade but teams do trades like that to make things work. I'd like to keep Vanderbilt but if we got Simmons and he was some sort of solid asset in making the trade happen then I would be cool pulling the trigger.

It's highly unlikely to me that the Sixers would demand Jarred Vanderbilt back in any trade. With that said, you do not allow a Ben Simmons deal to fall through because of a player like Vanderbilt. In the event that Simmons would be traded to Minnesota, Vanderbilt would be the de facto backup four anyways and if he wasn't on the roster that would be a spot that could be filled by a veteran pickup later.

[FNG]

Lip, I'd give up DLO and Beasley plus a future lightly protected 1st in a heartbeat for Simmons. Not going to happen though, the buck stopped at Rosas as far as dealing for DLO.

My agreement with this take hasn't wavered since the first time a Simmons deal was rumored. The best player in a trade usually dictates who wins a trade, and I don't think there would be much argument in this case. Cam's detailed rumor post above has revived my hopes just a little for a Simmons deal, but I'm still not hopeful. This franchise needs a needle-moving deal like that though to have a chance of being any better than mediocre in the near future.

I'll say it here, and I expect to be challenged. A starting lineup of KAT/Simmons/Jaden/Ant/Beverley would almost certainly be a top 10 defense. And I've pointed out many times before how Simmons' offensive stats are actually quite impressive in many ways. Anyways, any team with KAT and Ant playing 35 minutes is not going to struggle to score.

[Monster]

Question:

Which guy has more value around the league considering their contract, performance, off the court stuff, age etc Buddy Heild or Malik Beasley? If you pick one over the other how wide is the gap?

Part of why I ask this is that it seems like there have been a lot of reports about teams wanting Buddy but it seems like the Kings aren't dying to deal him although I would be surprised if they weren't willing to move him in the right deal. My guess is that to some extent the Wolves are feeling somewhat similarly about Beasley although Beasley seems like a guy that wants to be here and is a younger player (turns 25 in November) and Buddy has possibly been wanting out and turns 29 in December.

[FNG]

Question:

Which guy has more value around the league considering their contract, performance, off the court stuff, age etc Buddy Heild or Malik Beasley? If you pick one over the other how wide is the gap?

Part of why I ask this is that it seems like there have been a lot of reports about teams wanting Buddy but it seems like the Kings aren't dying to deal him although I would be surprised if they weren't willing to move him in the right deal. My guess is that to some extent the Wolves are feeling somewhat similarly about Beasley although Beasley seems like a guy that wants to be here and is a younger player (turns 25 in November) and Buddy has possibly been wanting out and turns 29 in December.

Good question, monster, because there are similarities in the two players. But I clearly prefer Hield. I would trade Beas and Layman for Hield without hesitation, although Sac-town would not be interested. Offensively I see them as almost identical. And while neither is a defensive stalwart, Hield at least has the reputation of guarding the perimeter well while Beas has no clear defensive strengths. I note that Hield had the best on/off record on the Kings last year, while Beasley has been a negative his entire career. Finally there's the fact that Beas is the only current player on an NBA roster who spent most of the offseason in jail for a bizarre crime. You have to believe that is a factor with other GMs whenever Rosas offers up Malik.

Sure, Hield is a little older and has a bigger contract, but I still think he is held in much higher regard around the league.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I'd still take Buddy Hield over Malik Beasley, as I said last year, but the gap has decreased a bit in my view. Hield is the much better shot creator and is less of a hole on defense. Beasley may still get better, but I don't see him having the dribble drive game of Hield nor the counter moves he already possesses. One is 28 and the other is 24. Both are on fair contracts as far as I'm concerned. Their trade value is probably comparable at the end of the day, but Hield is the better basketball player at this moment.

[Coolbreeze44]

If Kevin Love is bought out, would anyone be interested in bringing him back? He has obvious warts, and surely isn't the best fit, but he is a 4/5, and we need one.

[FNG]

If Kevin Love is bought out, would anyone be interested in bringing him back? He has obvious warts, and surely isn't the best fit, but he is a 4/5, and we need one.

Absolutely, a healthy Love would look great next to KAT. Many hurdles though:

1) Kevin made few friends during his stint here, and I'm not sure has a fondness for the franchise or the city.

2) He has said he has no interest in a buyout.

3) What kind of contract would he command, and would it fit?

4) He's only played an average of 44 games per season the past 5 seasons, and fewer than that the last three. Calf injuries are notoriously slow to heal and quick to recur. How much would we want to invest in a 32-year-old guy with an injury history?

Can we answer these four questions? If so, I'm all in on Love. Color me 90% skeptical.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

If Kevin Love is bought out, would anyone be interested in bringing him back? He has obvious warts, and surely isn't the best fit, but he is a 4/5, and we need one.

I'd have interest, absolutely, but I don't think Minnesota nor Kevin Love would be interested. He'd probably join one of these big market contenders.

[Coolbreeze44]

FNG, Cam, agree with both of you. As far as a couple of the questions go, I don't think it's up to him in terms of being bought out. He would likely head to a contender, but who has any space to bring him on, maybe Boston? And who would have minutes for him? We can offer him court time and as much salary as anyone else would be willing to commit. I don't like injury prone guys but as long as it doesn't cost us much, why not?

[BloopOracle]

I don't think we will end up with him, but it does seem like the chances of us getting Ben Simmons in a trade is increasing by the day. There's just not enough suitors anymore, what is there besides us Sacramento and a couple other teams maybe?