A good read

[mrhockey89]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2098388-how-minnesota-timberwolves-can-improve-by-trading-kevin-love

I saw this earlier today and although I don't think there's "addition by subtraction" as the author suggests, but he does make some interesting points.

The most notable point that I saw was that Adelman allowed Rubio to run this team when Rubio was a rookie. Ricky was exciting, as was our brand of basketball. It was a much more free flowing offense that relied on Ricky to be the guy who made everyone else better. This past year, although we had a lot of success, especially when you consider how many 30 point leads we had, the Wolves just did not look as dangerous, at least to me. Who knows, perhaps it was Adelman's hockey lineups. As the author also noted, the Wolves 5 starters all averaged over 30 minutes per game, while the Spurs starters all averaged under 30 minutes per game. That speaks volumes about the depth issue and mixing in the lineups together. This past year, Ricky would feed the ball off once he past halfcourt...that's never been when he's at his best. It's also not how he was played when he came over here. We NEED Ricky to be our distributor and floor general, even if we keep Love and Love is our best individual offensive player.

[mrhockey89]

Oh, I also found it shocking and very interesting the Love has only fouled out once in his NBA career, and it was back when he was a rookie. That's great, except for the fact that it also means he isn't putting himself in harms way on the defensive end consistently.

[bleedspeed]

It is a good read. I think if we get a solid 2 way starter at PF and a quality backup PG this team might not miss a beat.

[ace [enjin:6598567]]

The minutes comparison isn't exactly fair, since the Spurs were the first team in the history of the NBA to make the playoffs without a player averaging 30 minutes. You can work towards that, but you can't expect it.

Watching that video made me realize something. I don't know if the team from Ricky's rookie season could beat this year's team, but holy shit were they fun to watch. Everyone was happy. Derrick and Wes were cramming over people. Pek was doing Pek stuff. Beasley would go off for 25 on random nights. Darko would show up for Clipper games and make a fool of Blake Griffin. That was the time of the TimberTrolls. Minnesota was a hit, and everyone knew the Wolves were an up-and-coming team. It was just so damn fun.

Up to this point, my opinion was that I didn't care if Love got traded. I thought we should keep him, make the playoffs, and then try to convince him to stay. I'm not so sure about that now. What I do know, though, is that Shabazz or another athletic wing needs to get a lot of minutes with Ricky. Martin needs to be on the floor as little as possible when Rubio is out there. In the past I thought he provided far too many points on a good salary to be a throw-in in a Love trade, but I don't care anymore. I don't care if we take a step back. I want to see relentless pick-and-rolls. I want to see absurd wrap around passes for Pek dunks, and Ricky throwing it up for Shabazz. I just want to have fun again.

[TheFuture]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2098388-how-minnesota-timberwolves-can-improve-by-trading-kevin-love

I saw this earlier today and although I don't think there's "addition by subtraction" as the author suggests, but he does make some interesting points.

The most notable point that I saw was that Adelman allowed Rubio to run this team when Rubio was a rookie. Ricky was exciting, as was our brand of basketball. It was a much more free flowing offense that relied on Ricky to be the guy who made everyone else better. This past year, although we had a lot of success, especially when you consider how many 30 point leads we had, the Wolves just did not look as dangerous, at least to me. Who knows, perhaps it was Adelman's hockey lineups. As the author also noted, the Wolves 5 starters all averaged over 30 minutes per game, while the Spurs starters all averaged under 30 minutes per game. That speaks volumes about the depth issue and mixing in the lineups together. This past year, Ricky would feed the ball off once he past halfcourt...that's never been when he's at his best. It's also not how he was played when he came over here. We NEED Ricky to be our distributor and floor general, even if we keep Love and Love is our best individual offensive player.

I just got done writing something very similar in a different thread. Couldn't agree more with what you had to say about Ricky.

[TheFuture]

The minutes comparison isn't exactly fair, since the Spurs were the first team in the history of the NBA to make the playoffs without a player averaging 30 minutes. You can work towards that, but you can't expect it.

Watching that video made me realize something. I don't know if the team from Ricky's rookie season could beat this year's team, but holy shit were they fun to watch. Everyone was happy. Derrick and Wes were cramming over people. Pek was doing Pek stuff. Beasley would go off for 25 on random nights. Darko would show up for Clipper games and make a fool of Blake Griffin. That was the time of the TimberTrolls. Minnesota was a hit, and everyone knew the Wolves were an up-and-coming team. It was just so damn fun.

Up to this point, my opinion was that I didn't care if Love got traded. I thought we should keep him, make the playoffs, and then try to convince him to stay. I'm not so sure about that now. What I do know, though, is that Shabazz or another athletic wing needs to get a lot of minutes with Ricky. Martin needs to be on the floor as little as possible when Rubio is out there. In the past I thought he provided far too many points on a good salary to be a throw-in in a Love trade, but I don't care anymore. I don't care if we take a step back. I want to see relentless pick-and-rolls. I want to see absurd wrap around passes for Pek dunks, and Ricky throwing it up for Shabazz. I just want to have fun again.

Tell me if i'm wrong, but I think I could count on one hand how many alley oops Ricky threw up this year.. Surround Pekovic and Rubio with 3 athletes who will go up and get it and I think we become very fun to watch again.

[worldK]

The minutes comparison isn't exactly fair, since the Spurs were the first team in the history of the NBA to make the playoffs without a player averaging 30 minutes. You can work towards that, but you can't expect it.

Watching that video made me realize something. I don't know if the team from Ricky's rookie season could beat this year's team, but holy shit were they fun to watch. Everyone was happy. Derrick and Wes were cramming over people. Pek was doing Pek stuff. Beasley would go off for 25 on random nights. Darko would show up for Clipper games and make a fool of Blake Griffin. That was the time of the TimberTrolls. Minnesota was a hit, and everyone knew the Wolves were an up-and-coming team. It was just so damn fun.

Up to this point, my opinion was that I didn't care if Love got traded. I thought we should keep him, make the playoffs, and then try to convince him to stay. I'm not so sure about that now. What I do know, though, is that Shabazz or another athletic wing needs to get a lot of minutes with Ricky. Martin needs to be on the floor as little as possible when Rubio is out there. In the past I thought he provided far too many points on a good salary to be a throw-in in a Love trade, but I don't care anymore. I don't care if we take a step back. I want to see relentless pick-and-rolls. I want to see absurd wrap around passes for Pek dunks, and Ricky throwing it up for Shabazz. I just want to have fun again.

Tell me if i'm wrong, but I think I could count on one hand how many alley oops Ricky threw up this year.. Surround Pekovic and Rubio with 3 athletes who will go up and get it and I think we become very fun to watch again.

There wasnt anybody who can catch alley oops from rubio on last years squad after derrick williams got traded. Brewer dunks a lot but he dont have the ability to finish an alley oop. Bud cant jump last year and bazz and dieng played very late in the season.

I agree the team on rubios rookie season was fun to watch. Beas, dw, webster, randolph and wes can fly with the best of them. They all have their flaws and arent the sharpest knife in the drawer but they could run and jump. If we are going to be bad next season, lets be entertaining and competitive at least.

[TheFuture]

There wasnt anybody who can catch alley oops from rubio on last years squad after derrick williams got traded. Brewer dunks a lot but he dont have the ability to finish an alley oop. Bud cant jump last year and bazz and dieng played very late in the season.

I agree the team on rubios rookie season was fun to watch. Beas, dw, webster, randolph and wes can fly with the best of them. They all have their flaws and arent the sharpest knife in the drawer but they could run and jump. If we are going to be bad next season, lets be entertaining and competitive at least.

I'm all for that play style this upcoming season, but I don't think we'd be bad. We just have to hit on this draft and the next. If we do, I think we have a great chance to be more competitive than we are now. I have waited and seen nothing in the last 10 years, that will stick in my memory. The next 2-3 years I can continue to wait. We just damn well better be competitive again by the next landmark of 15 years or I will likely give up on this franchise altogether. I assume many that haven't already done so would be at that point as well.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Love would be a tough player to lose, but I think his skill set is replaceable and he's not a top 10 player. His rebounding numbers are helped by his lack of defense. That's amazing he's only fouled out once! He's probably talking to LeBron right now to try and team up in Cleveland.

[bleedspeed]

I never have heard anyone say they want to play with Kevin Love. We heard it repeatedly they they would like to play with Rubio. If you put the ball in Rubio's hands it is playing 5 on 5. He will find who is open and has the best shot. That is what he does best. We didn't do it last year.