Final Wolves Free Agent Additions

[Mr. Brightside [enjin:16464947]]

PG: Aaron Brooks or CJ Watson as both have a Thibs connection.

Wings: I bet it's Mike Dunleavy and Sefolosha. Personally, I'd make Afflalo the top priority.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Not every player he signs is going to do everything he wants. Defense and 3pt shooting were the main two priorities and he added 3 league average 3pt shooters including 1 volume shooter and 2 really good defensive players. I don't get the shots at Thibs because every guy he signed doesn't shoot 40% from 3 and defend.

Kahns - I think the problems some of us are having with what Thibs has done is that NONE of the guys he's signed shoot close to 40% from 3, including Crawford who can't defend either. I still see merit in the Crawford signing because he's a good ball handler and can score the ball off the bench. I understand Taj as an excellent defender who brings toughness and rim protection. But I would have preferred a cheaper alternative who can stretch the floor a bit, leaving cap room to get sign someone like CJ Miles who's a good 3-point shooter and a good defender still in his prime. Then we'd still have the RE available to use on Crawford or someone else.

I don't believe x 40% 3pt shooters matter as much as you guys make it out to be. That's 13 more made 3's in a season for Crawford TOTAL. Over 82 games. Is that really that much to complain as much as this board has that we don't have any 40% 3pt shooters? Butler was 7 made 3's from 40%. Teague was 10 away from 40%. So all this up in arms about our lack of 3pt shooting and the reality is it is complaining about 30 3's over the course of an 82 game season. That's the difference between what we have and this magical 40% number. It's just not as big of a deal breaker it's being made out to be. It's all about volume, not 40% and we have multiple drive and kick guys that should open more looks on the perimeter.

[Monster]

PG: Aaron Brooks or CJ Watson as both have a Thibs connection.

Wings: I bet it's Mike Dunleavy and Sefolosha. Personally, I'd make Afflalo the top priority.

Good call on Watson. He is 33 but before his time in Orlando he was a very high 3 point shooter. I have no idea how good or bad he is at this point.

Wolfson said a few teams are interested in Dunlevey. I still wouldn't be surprised if he ends up here and I would welcome it.

[Lipoli390]

Yeah, Crawford is a real head scratcher to me. We really didn't need a washed up shot creator that doesn't defend and is inefficient.

Thibs raspy response: "He's been in some big games". Bah, big whoop! Tyus Jones and Gorgui Dieng have been in some big games too! It's called winning a National Championship! They will be two of the first guys off our bench.

While I wouldn't have done the Teague/Rubio swap and didn't like giving the rest of our cap space to Taj, I could still understand those moves. They made sense based on what Thibs is clearly trying to build -- i.e., something more like his Bulls teams - defensive oriented, tough teams with an offense run by a penetrating, scoring PG who's a strong pick-and-roll player. My problem with the Crawford signing is that it doesn't line up with Thibs philosophically. It seems more like moves we've seen from past Wolves executives who make personnel decisions that seem less strategic and more haphazard with generic justifications like "he's been in big games" or "he's not afraid to take big shots", he's got great character, etc. That sort of stuff rings hollow with me.

[60WinTim]

There goes Tolliver - 3.3 mil for one year to Detroit.

My math says we have about 2.5 mil of cap room left. My understanding is we can use that 2.5 mil and then use the Room exception. But if we use the Room exception first, that 2.5 mil is gone. So I assume we will find someone to sign before we actually ink Crawford.

[BloopOracle]

wow I didn't realize Dunleavy was a career almost 38% 3 point shooter! Only shot under 35% once since 2009 and he's taken at least 2.5 3's a game all of those seasons. When the playoffs come around his 3 point percentage balloons up to 45%!!! He shot 38% from three taking almost 4 a game under Thibs during a 3 year run and his 2 most prolific playoff shooting runs were also under Thibs....I am starting to see why he wants to come here

[60WinTim]

wow I didn't realize Dunleavy was a career almost 38% 3 point shooter! Only shot under 35% once since 2009 and he's taken at least 2.5 3's a games all of those seasons. When the playoffs come around his 3 point percentage balloons up to 45%!!! He shot 38% from three taking almost 4 a game under Thibs during a 3 year run and his 2 most prolific playoff shooting runs were also under Thibs....I am starting to see why he wants to come here

We can't sign Dunleavy. It would upset too many people here... ;-)

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Not every player he signs is going to do everything he wants. Defense and 3pt shooting were the main two priorities and he added 3 league average 3pt shooters including 1 volume shooter and 2 really good defensive players. I don't get the shots at Thibs because every guy he signed doesn't shoot 40% from 3 and defend.

Kahns - I think the problems some of us are having with what Thibs has done is that NONE of the guys he's signed shoot close to 40% from 3, including Crawford who can't defend either. I still see merit in the Crawford signing because he's a good ball handler and can score the ball off the bench. I understand Taj as an excellent defender who brings toughness and rim protection. But I would have preferred a cheaper alternative who can stretch the floor a bit, leaving cap room to get sign someone like CJ Miles who's a good 3-point shooter and a good defender still in his prime. Then we'd still have the RE available to use on Crawford or someone else.

I don't believe x 40% 3pt shooters matter as much as you guys make it out to be. That's 13 more made 3's in a season for Crawford TOTAL. Over 82 games. Is that really that much to complain as much as this board has that we don't have any 40% 3pt shooters? Butler was 7 made 3's from 40%. Teague was 10 away from 40%. So all this up in arms about our lack of 3pt shooting and the reality is it is complaining about 30 3's over the course of an 82 game season. That's the difference between what we have and this magical 40% number. It's just not as big of a deal breaker it's being made out to be. It's all about volume, not 40% and we have multiple drive and kick guys that should open more looks on the perimeter.

Khansy, The reason it matters is because if someone has a history as a sharpshooter (which I think is can subjectively be defined as 40%+ from 3 with decent volume) he will automatically create more space because teams know they can't sag or rotate off of him. That means he doesn't even have to take a shot to impact the overall team offense. Guys that are career 34 or 35% shooters probably get helped off of a bit more frequently. So it can definitely make a difference.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

PG: Aaron Brooks or CJ Watson as both have a Thibs connection.

Wings: I bet it's Mike Dunleavy and Sefolosha. Personally, I'd make Afflalo the top priority.

I'd personally prefer Sefolosha over Crawford or nearly anyone else at this point. At this point, volume 3-shooters are pretty much gone, so I'd just say to hell with it and let's bring in another top wing defender that can also rebound and get some deflections.

By the way, if Butler or Wiggins went down with an injury, who would you rather have start in his place -
Thabo or Crawford? I know my answer.....

[Squishypoo [enjin:6648839]]

PG: Aaron Brooks or CJ Watson as both have a Thibs connection.

Wings: I bet it's Mike Dunleavy and Sefolosha. Personally, I'd make Afflalo the top priority.

I'd personally prefer Sefolosha over Crawford or nearly anyone else at this point. At this point, volume 3-shooters are pretty much gone, so I'd just say to hell with it and let's bring in another top wing defender that can also rebound and get some deflections.

By the way, if Butler or Wiggins went down with an injury, who would you rather have start in his place -
Thabo or Crawford? I know my answer.....

Crawford.