monsterpile wrote:There is chatter on the internets lately that Glen wouldn't move Wiggins and Thibs may have actually have been open to it. I do remember It's being reported Glen was not trading Wiggins in the Chicago deal. I don't think Thibs wanted to do that either but some people wonder if Thibs would have given him up for Kyrie etc. it's all water under the bridge but kind of interring to think about. It's weird think of of this being somewhat of a male or break season in some ways for Wiggins when he is 23.
The same guy (Dane Moore) that reported that it would take 2 firsts to move Dieng said this inner he had a couple executives say that there would be more than a couple teams that would take on Wiggins and bank on his talent etc. Dane said he was actually somewhat surprised by what these executives told him what the market for Wiggins would be.
Also I doubt that even 2 first round picks from the Wolves would have been enough to move Dieng this summer. That's a hell of a lot of money to take on. That would have been the starting point I have no doubt but I don't even know if that would have gotten it done but it doesn't matter the Wolves weren't going to do that thankfully.
It's impossible to know for sure, but based on everything I've heard, I doubt it was Glen who stood in the way of trading Wiggins. Thibodeau likes length and has repeatedly gone out of his way to publicly defend Wiggins as being highly competitive on the inside. And seriously, Thibodeau hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to player personnel judgment. There is no disputing that Thibs was the one who gave Gorgui that contract. There's no disputing that Thibs was the one who praised Gorgui as the most improved player a season after giving him that contract. It was Thibs who offered Bazz a huge $10 million per year deal that Bazz's agent thankfully turned down. You should have seen the glint in his eye and his big smile when Thibodeau told a group of us last summer that he thought he could re-sign Bazz. It was Thibs who drafted Dunn over Murray and Hield, and who signed Brandon Rush and Cole Aldrich. And I'm still scratching my head over the Teague signing. Finally, contrary to the meddling owner narrative that seems to be taking shape, Glen has historically deferred to his front office people on personnel decisions. History shows that deference is probably one of Glen's biggest flaws -- from the Joe Smith deal to the Troy Hudson siging all the way up to what's happening now.
Is it possible that Glen stopped Thibodeau from trading Wiggins? Yes. But it's far more plausible that Thibodeau decided to keep Wiggins and give him the max deal. Glen's reluctance couldn't have been more obvious as he talked publicly about wanting to meet with him and make sure Wiggins was committed to working hard and becoming better. He never made statements like that about any other player the Wolves have signed to lucrative contracts from KG to KAT.
