Everyones Out - GDT - Wolves vs. Spurs

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Hummel and Hamilton are perfect end of the bench players. They make the minimum and don't make mistakes when they have to fill in. If anything they may not re-sign with us if they want to play, but those are exactly the types of players you want to round out your roster with. Even Kentucky has scholarship and walk-ons just there for practice and grades. Guys making the minimum who won't complain when they are inactive during the season, but are good to go if injuries hit you are exactly who you want filling spots 13-15. I don't get the argument that there are better options to use with those spots. If you are playing guys 13-15, your only shot at winning is with guys like Hamilton and Hummel who won't make mistakes. Getting young guys with potential doesn't help you in practice or on the court and they have to go through half a dozen players anyways to get any time on the court to promote their development so they aren't going to be ready when they are called on anyways. That's why GR3 was cut and Hummel stayed. We need to improve in spots 1-12, not 13-15.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Q- in the previous post you ask what the Wolves have to play for next season, and go on to ask if anyone really believes the Wolves can challenge for a playoff spot next season. I can't let this statement stand, because I truly believe we will challenge for a playoff spot. The Wolves are as young as any team in the league, but typically young players begin to make significant contributions in their second and third years, and especially if they have been given a lot of playing time like our youngsters have. The media was practically drooling over Wiggins, LaVine, Muhammad and Dieng during all-star weekend, and all should be ready to make a big leap next year. I also expect AB and AP to develop and take more advantage of their athletic gifts. Then add Rubio, Martin, Pek, KG, and a top 4 pick to the mix, and that sounds like a team that can make some noise. I don't expect that 3/4 of our roster will lose significant time to injuries next year, but of course if that happens again, we will again struggle.

Your question makes it sound like playoff contention for the Wolves is a pipe dream next year, and I don't think it is...although I do think a new coach would help in getting the most out of this roster.

All-star weekenend is meaningless. It's nice PR, but it has absolutely no bearing on the future ability of anyone to improve further. Here is why I'm bearish on next season:

1A) Three of our four best players are still Rubio, Pekovic, and Martin. Two of those three have a long and sordid history with injuries. The third - Rubio - has a short and sordid history with injuries. Do you really believe these guys can stay healthy? May be one of them can, but my guess is that 2 out of 3 miss at least half of next season's games.

1B) I doubt our crack medical and training staff will be able to keep the rest of our roster healthy, as we once again were ruined by countless injuries and ailments. This squad is either totally unlucky or incompetent on the health and wellness front. My guess is that it's a combination of both.

2) Some rookies improve, others don't. Dieng didn't improve a lick from last year to this season. Sure, he refined his offensive game a bit, but his rebounding and defense actually got worse. Payne is an older rookie; there is no guarantee he will get better. And LaVine and Bennett are so far away from being good that improvement from them brings them from awful to mediocre. For all of Muhammed's effectivenss on offense, he was still very poor defensively this year. So I expect a mixed bag from these guys - some will improve and other won't. But they aren't suddenly all going to all explode onto the scene and be big-time difference makers. Not happening.

3) Whoever we draft in the Top 5 or 6 won't be very effective their first season. Even Wiggins struggles to truly impact games night in and night out and I think he's been decent overall. It's just very, very tough for rookies - especially ones with only one year of college under their belt - to be plus contributors in their first season.

4) We play in the Western Conference. The level of talent in this conference is at an all-time high in my opinion. The level of play is absurdly high. So even if we stay relatively healthy, I just don't think we'll have the horses to compete for a playoff spot.

5) Flip Saunders is our coach. I think most of us agree by now that he has failed to teach this team strong defensive principles and runs an out-dated offense that simply doesn't work this century. He needs to step aside, but I don't see him doing that for at least another year.

I do agree with Flip's approach of blending vets with young guys and trying to go out and win games (or at least that seemed to be his intent when this season began). But I don't see next season being the year we make the playoffs. Injuries, youth, and poor coaching will continue to rule the day :-(

[Coolbreeze44]

Q, a lot of your points are pretty accurate and are based on solid reasoning. But man, you have become a downer around here. I almost need to read some of Tim's posts after your takes just to maintain some semblance of balance. Things can't get much worse for our team, yet I think you actually make things seem worse than they are.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I'm trying to drive more traffic to Tim ' s posts. Balance is the key to the universe. Without Tim, we'd all just get sucked into a black hole.

[Coolbreeze44]

I'm trying to drive more traffic to Tim ' s posts. Balance is the key to the universe. Without Tim, we'd all just get sucked into a black hole.

+1