Stepping out on a limb - Wolves at Thunder GDT

[MikkeMan]

Q- I think his passing and trust in team mates will come, but I am far more concerned with his contribution to the weak interior paint presence defensively. He's got to become a two-way player.

Has he ever been one? At Kentucky, he platooned with a defensive stud. May be we need to trade with SAC and get his old team mate.

Our issue is strength/bulk, something our entire front line of KAT, Dieng, and Wiggins lacks. I'm not sure WCS helps that situation. Theoretically, Aldrich was supposed to help out more on the big bulky Centers, but he was an absolute sieve last night against Kanter.

Yep bang on Q. Lack strength and size up front and toughness too! Even a healthy Pek or KG playing 12 minutes a night would make a world of difference. Aldrich has been a disappointment and certainly doesn't look 6' 11" to me. Adams and Kanter bullied our guys yesterday and low post play on both ends of the court is a glaring weakness.

Based on pre-draft measurements Aldrich is just 6'9 without shoes but 6'11.25 with shoes. I don't have an idea what kind of platform basketball shoes he was wearing. He also had really long arms with 7'4.75 wingspan and 9'3.5 standing reach. So he should be able to play bigger than his real size.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Q- I think his passing and trust in team mates will come, but I am far more concerned with his contribution to the weak interior paint presence defensively. He's got to become a two-way player.

Has he ever been one? At Kentucky, he platooned with a defensive stud. May be we need to trade with SAC and get his old team mate.

Our issue is strength/bulk, something our entire front line of KAT, Dieng, and Wiggins lacks. I'm not sure WCS helps that situation. Theoretically, Aldrich was supposed to help out more on the big bulky Centers, but he was an absolute sieve last night against Kanter.

Yeah, how come Aldrich seemed so much bigger with the Clippers last season?!?

Because you watched him against G and rookie KAT.

Surprisingly Aldrich had his best games last year against Whiteside (19pts, 7rbs 50% FG%in 24 minutes), Cousins (19pts, 10rbs, 3blk 57% FG% in 28 minutes) and Gobert (21pts, 18rbs, 57% FG% in 39 minutes) and he basically won each of these matchups. So based on this really small sample size it looked like that wouldn't have had last year that much problems against big centers.

Well, it's the classic "Oh, I'm a Timberwolf now, therefore I must play below the level I did with my prior team" syndrome. I don't have a scientific study on this, but I swear to God nearly every veteran we sign or trade for automatically gets worse the second they cross the state line! I thought this applied only to 3-point shooters, but apparently it applies to erstwhile defensive stoppers too!

[Monster]

Time for a bit of bright side thinking in this thread, they're only 0.5 games from the #1 pick!

They are also 3.5 games out of being the #1 seed! Lol

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

Q- I think his passing and trust in team mates will come, but I am far more concerned with his contribution to the weak interior paint presence defensively. He's got to become a two-way player.

Has he ever been one? At Kentucky, he platooned with a defensive stud. May be we need to trade with SAC and get his old team mate.

Our issue is strength/bulk, something our entire front line of KAT, Dieng, and Wiggins lacks. I'm not sure WCS helps that situation. Theoretically, Aldrich was supposed to help out more on the big bulky Centers, but he was an absolute sieve last night against Kanter.

Yeah, how come Aldrich seemed so much bigger with the Clippers last season?!?

Because you watched him against G and rookie KAT.

Surprisingly Aldrich had his best games last year against Whiteside (19pts, 7rbs 50% FG%in 24 minutes), Cousins (19pts, 10rbs, 3blk 57% FG% in 28 minutes) and Gobert (21pts, 18rbs, 57% FG% in 39 minutes) and he basically won each of these matchups. So based on this really small sample size it looked like that wouldn't have had last year that much problems against big centers.

Well, it's the classic "Oh, I'm a Timberwolf now, therefore I must play below the level I did with my prior team" syndrome. I don't have a scientific study on this, but I swear to God nearly every veteran we sign or trade for automatically gets worse the second they cross the state line! I thought this applied only to 3-point shooters, but apparently it applies to erstwhile defensive stoppers too!

I find this whole discussion hilarious. I have no idea WHY some of you thought Aldrich was even a decent player. The dude has been on 6 teams in his 7 year career. There are lots of guys that look mediocre in miniscule, unmeaningful minutes. Cole is simply another one of those guys. Good defenders that do nothing else get paid well (see Biyambo). Should have told you something that we got him for what equates to mid level exception money. Those contracts are garbage 99% of the time.

Plain and simple....we addressed nothing in the offseason. Aldrich and Rush will do nothing to change the win-lose column of this team. And while I like the defense Dunn brings....he creates about the most redundant PG duo in the league. 2 guys that can't hit the broad side of a barn.

[bleedspeed]

I am not worried. We will figure it out and things will click in December.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Q- I think his passing and trust in team mates will come, but I am far more concerned with his contribution to the weak interior paint presence defensively. He's got to become a two-way player.

Has he ever been one? At Kentucky, he platooned with a defensive stud. May be we need to trade with SAC and get his old team mate.

Our issue is strength/bulk, something our entire front line of KAT, Dieng, and Wiggins lacks. I'm not sure WCS helps that situation. Theoretically, Aldrich was supposed to help out more on the big bulky Centers, but he was an absolute sieve last night against Kanter.

Yeah, how come Aldrich seemed so much bigger with the Clippers last season?!?

Because you watched him against G and rookie KAT.

Surprisingly Aldrich had his best games last year against Whiteside (19pts, 7rbs 50% FG%in 24 minutes), Cousins (19pts, 10rbs, 3blk 57% FG% in 28 minutes) and Gobert (21pts, 18rbs, 57% FG% in 39 minutes) and he basically won each of these matchups. So based on this really small sample size it looked like that wouldn't have had last year that much problems against big centers.

Well, it's the classic "Oh, I'm a Timberwolf now, therefore I must play below the level I did with my prior team" syndrome. I don't have a scientific study on this, but I swear to God nearly every veteran we sign or trade for automatically gets worse the second they cross the state line! I thought this applied only to 3-point shooters, but apparently it applies to erstwhile defensive stoppers too!

I find this whole discussion hilarious. I have no idea WHY some of you thought Aldrich was even a decent player. The dude has been on 6 teams in his 7 year career. There are lots of guys that look mediocre in miniscule, unmeaningful minutes. Cole is simply another one of those guys. Good defenders that do nothing else get paid well (see Biyambo). Should have told you something that we got him for what equates to mid level exception money. Those contracts are garbage 99% of the time.

Plain and simple....we addressed nothing in the offseason. Aldrich and Rush will do nothing to change the win-lose column of this team. And while I like the defense Dunn brings....he creates about the most redundant PG duo in the league. 2 guys that can't hit the broad side of a barn.

Aldrich was a late-bloomer in the NBA; it seems to me he was pretty decent with his last two teams. I definitely think of him as an upgrade over minutes that were otherwise given to Adriean Payne and Greg Smith last year, but may be I'm wrong.

Rush supposedly gives us something we were severely lacking in last year (and seemingly since the franchise came into existence) - 3 point shooting. He's a career 40% 3-point shooter. But naturally, he seems to have lost his touch once the regular season started and games count.

[Monster]

Q- I think his passing and trust in team mates will come, but I am far more concerned with his contribution to the weak interior paint presence defensively. He's got to become a two-way player.

Has he ever been one? At Kentucky, he platooned with a defensive stud. May be we need to trade with SAC and get his old team mate.

Our issue is strength/bulk, something our entire front line of KAT, Dieng, and Wiggins lacks. I'm not sure WCS helps that situation. Theoretically, Aldrich was supposed to help out more on the big bulky Centers, but he was an absolute sieve last night against Kanter.

Yeah, how come Aldrich seemed so much bigger with the Clippers last season?!?

Because you watched him against G and rookie KAT.

Kanter is a beast though. It's kinda like trying to stop a healthy Pek. Kanter isn't as strong but he is probably longer more athletic and skilled. Just sayin.

[Monster]

Q- I think his passing and trust in team mates will come, but I am far more concerned with his contribution to the weak interior paint presence defensively. He's got to become a two-way player.

Has he ever been one? At Kentucky, he platooned with a defensive stud. May be we need to trade with SAC and get his old team mate.

Our issue is strength/bulk, something our entire front line of KAT, Dieng, and Wiggins lacks. I'm not sure WCS helps that situation. Theoretically, Aldrich was supposed to help out more on the big bulky Centers, but he was an absolute sieve last night against Kanter.

Yeah, how come Aldrich seemed so much bigger with the Clippers last season?!?

Because you watched him against G and rookie KAT.

Surprisingly Aldrich had his best games last year against Whiteside (19pts, 7rbs 50% FG%in 24 minutes), Cousins (19pts, 10rbs, 3blk 57% FG% in 28 minutes) and Gobert (21pts, 18rbs, 57% FG% in 39 minutes) and he basically won each of these matchups. So based on this really small sample size it looked like that wouldn't have had last year that much problems against big centers.

Well, it's the classic "Oh, I'm a Timberwolf now, therefore I must play below the level I did with my prior team" syndrome. I don't have a scientific study on this, but I swear to God nearly every veteran we sign or trade for automatically gets worse the second they cross the state line! I thought this applied only to 3-point shooters, but apparently it applies to erstwhile defensive stoppers too!

Maybe I shouldn't be nitpicking after this game but this just isn't true Q although it SEEMS that way. There are plenty of Wolves FAs that have had success (including from the 3 point line) in their first seasons as wolves.

JJ
Ridnour
Tolliver
Ryan Hollins
Brewer
Mo Williams
Kevin Martin

That's just guys off the top of my head.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Q- I think his passing and trust in team mates will come, but I am far more concerned with his contribution to the weak interior paint presence defensively. He's got to become a two-way player.

Has he ever been one? At Kentucky, he platooned with a defensive stud. May be we need to trade with SAC and get his old team mate.

Our issue is strength/bulk, something our entire front line of KAT, Dieng, and Wiggins lacks. I'm not sure WCS helps that situation. Theoretically, Aldrich was supposed to help out more on the big bulky Centers, but he was an absolute sieve last night against Kanter.

Yeah, how come Aldrich seemed so much bigger with the Clippers last season?!?

Because you watched him against G and rookie KAT.

Surprisingly Aldrich had his best games last year against Whiteside (19pts, 7rbs 50% FG%in 24 minutes), Cousins (19pts, 10rbs, 3blk 57% FG% in 28 minutes) and Gobert (21pts, 18rbs, 57% FG% in 39 minutes) and he basically won each of these matchups. So based on this really small sample size it looked like that wouldn't have had last year that much problems against big centers.

Well, it's the classic "Oh, I'm a Timberwolf now, therefore I must play below the level I did with my prior team" syndrome. I don't have a scientific study on this, but I swear to God nearly every veteran we sign or trade for automatically gets worse the second they cross the state line! I thought this applied only to 3-point shooters, but apparently it applies to erstwhile defensive stoppers too!

Maybe I shouldn't be nitpicking after this game but this just isn't true Q although it SEEMS that way. There are plenty of Wolves FAs that have had success (including from the 3 point line) in their first seasons as wolves.

JJ
Ridnour
Tolliver
Ryan Hollins
Brewer
Mo Williams
Kevin Martin

That's just guys off the top of my head.

Mo Williams was only here 41 games. His shooting went down from his previous season. But gave us that memorable 50+ game to break a long losing streak! Shot 40.3%.

JJ Barea did about the same with MN as in DAL. Shot only 40.0%. But his 3s went up to 37%.

Corey Brewer shot a career high 48% his first season back in MN.

Tolliver shot a career high from everywhere (for what that's worth) his first season in MN.

Kevin Martin's stats went down. But spacing leaving Durant/Westbrook might be the culprit. And he's been even worse since he left.

Luke Ridnour shot a career high 44% on three pointers his first season. He was worthless after he left.

Didn't bother to look up Ryan Hollins.



By the way... SUCCESS is a very relative term in this case...

[Monster]

Hey folks guess what. This team is 5 games into the Thayden era. For a small example Q mentioned how Tyus was getting beat by some PG he had never heard of. OKC has been able to find young players and get a lot out of them. That's the type of franchise we hope to become. We are months into that with Thibs. It may take some time. For example yeah Tyus got beat a few times but was he supposed to have more help? what about the times he made plays to deflect balls get steals etc? Remember this dude is 20. The whole team is crazy young. OKC is young too but over half their team was in the WCF a few months ago. Westbrook has played 82 playoff games. Is this season disappointing so far? Sure. Let's let things play out more first. It's early guys so early. Also the Wolves maligned bench didn't do enough in this game but it's the 2nd game they have done their job stemming the tide or actually cutting into the lead in the 2nd half. The starters are the much bigger problem right now. I have a lot of faith they are going to figure it out.

Also I've been happy with what i have seen from Dunn we have seen his flaws but I think ultimately he can bring a lot of positives to the court.