longstrangetrip wrote:This is an extraordinary night, fellas. While Towns is not a surprise, it still is terrific news. And I would have never anticipated landing Tyus Jones with only having to give up 2 second rounders. Flip plugged our two biggest needs with high quality players.
Q, I hear your concerns about Tyus, and have had some of the same thoughts in the past about comparing him with Burke. And I also have big concerns about Tyus' defense. But he has an extraordinary makeup that you don't see in players his age. He has won at every level, and always seems to play his best in the biggest games. I think it was bleedspeed who fairly questioned why anyone would draft a team's 3rd best player in the first round. I concur that statistically Tyus was Duke's third best player most of the season. But when they really needed him, and especially in the NCAA finals, he was their best player...yes, better than Okafor and Winslow. They don't beat Wisconsin without Tyus having the game he had. I don't anticipate that Tyus will ever be a good NBA defender, but he will be able to run the offense and score from Day 1, and won't be afraid to take the big shot when we need it.
44% on 2-point field goals. That's a major red flag to me. He will really struggle to score on drives to the hoop and the in-between game with the athletes and length in the NBA. Rubio-esque struggles, wtithout all the good stuff. I do think his outside shooting will be better, but even there.....he was good, but not great.
The "he's a winner" stuff is overrated. We have plenty of guys with a winning pedigree already on the roster (KG in Boston; Pek/Rubio in Europe; Dieng with Louisville, etc.).
60WinTim wrote:Q - I am a fan of drafting Jones, but I would not want to depend on him handling the backup PG duties in the coming season. And I don't want to see LoBrown, either. Flip still needs to bring in a vet backup PG.
That seems to be the board consensus, Tim, but I think Tyus will be our backup PG this year. This isn't a Zach Lavine situation where Flip had to plug a SG who didn't start for his college team into a PG role. Tyus played 34 PG MPG last year and led his team to a national championship. He averaged 5.6 assists to only 1.9 TOs, and played his best basketball when his team needed him. He plays with poise and confidence...a 30 year-old head in a 19 year-old body. He'll struggle defensively, but he'll be a terrific option to run our 2nd string offense.
I do agree that Tyus would be an upgrade over LaVine. But it's a complete crapshoot as to whether he is ready to be a backup PG on a team that wants to accomplish something. That may be why a vet like Luke makes sense. He can play if needed, but can also sit on the bench.
We also shouldn't kid ourselves that we'll do anything significant in this western conference next year. I'm all for more youth, and with that, more development this upcoming season. I don't want any washed up vets taking development minutes from these players.
Jones at the point makes me feel a better than LaVine. But with Rubio's injury history , Tyus being a rookie, and 15 roster spots, it just makes sense to have a 3rd PG, savvy vet type.
60WinTim wrote:Q - I am a fan of drafting Jones, but I would not want to depend on him handling the backup PG duties in the coming season. And I don't want to see LoBrown, either. Flip still needs to bring in a vet backup PG.
That seems to be the board consensus, Tim, but I think Tyus will be our backup PG this year. This isn't a Zach Lavine situation where Flip had to plug a SG who didn't start for his college team into a PG role. Tyus played 34 PG MPG last year and led his team to a national championship. He averaged 5.6 assists to only 1.9 TOs, and played his best basketball when his team needed him. He plays with poise and confidence...a 30 year-old head in a 19 year-old body. He'll struggle defensively, but he'll be a terrific option to run our 2nd string offense.
I do agree that Tyus would be an upgrade over LaVine. But it's a complete crapshoot as to whether he is ready to be a backup PG on a team that wants to accomplish something. That may be why a vet like Luke makes sense. He can play if needed, but can also sit on the bench.
Well, we still have Lavine. I do not anticipate another veteran PG being added this year. And we really don't need one.
That's where I am too. Flip loves Tyus and also thinks Lavine can play PG. I don't see why he would go out and get a 4th PG, unless we run into injuries again.
My recap: Yes we took KAT!!! wait.........still waiting....damn J. Grant went, hmm TOR took D. Wright wonder if AB and two 2nds for Wright is possible. Hope we move AB for something of use.
With how high our 2nds were I think I'd rather have had two shots on finding players. We solved some of our PG issues by getting T. Jones so not really complaining.
T. Jones evaluation: Love his unselfishness and passing abilities. For a teenager his pick and roll offense and jumper look passable to me and being so young I hope he continues to grow in those areas. I worry about his defense and lack of effort on that end. He's not a superb athlete but has long arms and as weird as it may seem to say, I am actually glad that lack of effort is part of his poor defense. Maybe with some commitment to that end of the floor he can be a good enough defender for a backup PG.
I'd be adding a 3rd capable PG if I was Flip, Ricky gets hurt often and T. Jones is just a teenager that we don't know how he will translate in year one. I love LaVine but is he a PG, it didn't seem like it last year. Hope MN continues to be active this off season!
SameOldNudityDrew wrote:Jones at the point makes me feel a better than LaVine. But with Rubio's injury history , Tyus being a rookie, and 15 roster spots, it just makes sense to have a 3rd PG, savvy vet type.
With them having what, 7 PF's they have to cut someplace.
The interesting twist for the Cavs is with the upcoming jump in the cap they're not even in position to extract some value via sign and trade. Love is likely to sign a 1+1 contract no matter where he signs so there is zero incentive for the signing team to give up any value.
As this Wolves team matures into contenders the Cavs will be sliding back into irrelevance, that Love for Wiggins trade is going to really eat at their fans!!
This may be our only year to enjoy the moment. So here I am, breaking open some champagne. Then, I pour it out and go to bed for work tomorrow. At least Kevin Love is making us look like the smart ones for once! Was a great night guys. Hopefully we feel the same way come the middle of this season!
longstrangetrip wrote:This is an extraordinary night, fellas. While Towns is not a surprise, it still is terrific news. And I would have never anticipated landing Tyus Jones with only having to give up 2 second rounders. Flip plugged our two biggest needs with high quality players.
Q, I hear your concerns about Tyus, and have had some of the same thoughts in the past about comparing him with Burke. And I also have big concerns about Tyus' defense. But he has an extraordinary makeup that you don't see in players his age. He has won at every level, and always seems to play his best in the biggest games. I think it was bleedspeed who fairly questioned why anyone would draft a team's 3rd best player in the first round. I concur that statistically Tyus was Duke's third best player most of the season. But when they really needed him, and especially in the NCAA finals, he was their best player...yes, better than Okafor and Winslow. They don't beat Wisconsin without Tyus having the game he had. I don't anticipate that Tyus will ever be a good NBA defender, but he will be able to run the offense and score from Day 1, and won't be afraid to take the big shot when we need it.
44% on 2-point field goals. That's a major red flag to me. He will really struggle to score on drives to the hoop and the in-between game with the athletes and length in the NBA. Rubio-esque struggles, wtithout all the good stuff. I do think his outside shooting will be better, but even there.....he was good, but not great.
The "he's a winner" stuff is overrated. We have plenty of guys with a winning pedigree already on the roster (KG in Boston; Pek/Rubio in Europe; Dieng with Louisville, etc.).
,
I don't see Tyus scoring much, at least not in his rookie year. But I think he was the best distributing PG I saw all season, and that includes D'Angelo Russell. And I disagree that the "winner" stuff is overrated. You can't have too many of those kind of guys. Give me a guy with modest stats who is a proven winner over a guy with big stats who hasn't proven anything, like Carmelo Anthony or Ke...never mind.
Remember it was Tyus, not Okafor or Winslow who was the MVP of the NCAA tournament. Absolutely love guys who play their best when the lights are the brightest.
