Around the NBA (non-Wolves talk)

[AbeVigodaLive]

Many people kept saying OKC would figure it out. Well...it's looking that way and they are coming for us. It wasn't long ago they were dead last in offensive rating and now they are 12th while still being 4th in defensive rating. They haven't arrived but certainly moving in the right direction.

Historically, any team in the top 10 for offensive and defensive ratings is a good to very good to excellent team.

Sans the 2014 Timberwolves.



[Note: That team hovered right around .500 all season... dropped to #12 defensively only in the last week of the season.]

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

OKC is a better team than us on paper. They should pass us. We are only #4 right now due to playing a bunch of injury-riddled teams. I'm not saying we're a bad team, but we aren't 4-seed worthy in my opinion.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Lakers waiving Bogut. Maybe they'd take the Cole train?

[Monster]

OKC drops a game to the Suns and the Spurs (Leonard was out) to the blazers who had Dame out again. Only the Lakers won their matchup vs the West.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

It doesn't help our wing situation, but Blake Griffin should be a trade target for this team. Obviously, we all love Taj Gibson and the "dirty work" that he does on a nightly basis, but adding another in-his-prime star could really take this team up a notch. Of course, Andrew Wiggins would be the trade chip (and probably more), but Griffin did just sign a new deal so he'd be here for a minimum of three more years (player option on the fourth).

[Monster]

It doesn't help our wing situation, but Blake Griffin should be a trade target for this team. Obviously, we all love Taj Gibson and the "dirty work" that he does on a nightly basis, but adding another in-his-prime star could really take this team up a notch. Of course, Andrew Wiggins would be the trade chip (and probably more), but Griffin did just sign a new deal so he'd be here for a minimum of three more years (player option on the fourth).

Griffin just can't stay healthy (it's a shame) and that's kind of a deal breaker for me.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

It doesn't help our wing situation, but Blake Griffin should be a trade target for this team. Obviously, we all love Taj Gibson and the "dirty work" that he does on a nightly basis, but adding another in-his-prime star could really take this team up a notch. Of course, Andrew Wiggins would be the trade chip (and probably more), but Griffin did just sign a new deal so he'd be here for a minimum of three more years (player option on the fourth).

Griffin just can't stay healthy (it's a shame) and that's kind of a deal breaker for me.

Yeah, durability's a legitimate concern, but the guy's a bonafide star in this league, arguably the best power forward when healthy, with no real weaknesses in his game, though his defense could be better. Also, for those that want the Wolves to push the pace, having a big that's can grab a rebound and handle the basketball in transition is a game-changer -- LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ben Simmons, etc.

[Monster]

It doesn't help our wing situation, but Blake Griffin should be a trade target for this team. Obviously, we all love Taj Gibson and the "dirty work" that he does on a nightly basis, but adding another in-his-prime star could really take this team up a notch. Of course, Andrew Wiggins would be the trade chip (and probably more), but Griffin did just sign a new deal so he'd be here for a minimum of three more years (player option on the fourth).

Griffin just can't stay healthy (it's a shame) and that's kind of a deal breaker for me.

Yeah, durability's a legitimate concern, but the guy's a bonafide star in this league, arguably the best power forward when healthy, with no real weaknesses in his game, though his defense could be better. Also, for those that want the Wolves to push the pace, having a big that's can grab a rebound and handle the basketball in transition is a game-changer -- LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ben Simmons, etc.

Yeah he would be a nice player but it's tough when the guy won't have played more than 68 games (assuming he misses no more games this year) in a season since 2013-2014 and isn't getting younger. It's a risky deal and I don't even know if the Clippers are seriously looking to move him. It's a deal for the offseason (because Wiggins basically can't be dealt this year) anyway and both teams will have a better idea where their direction is.

[AbeVigodaLive]

It doesn't help our wing situation, but Blake Griffin should be a trade target for this team. Obviously, we all love Taj Gibson and the "dirty work" that he does on a nightly basis, but adding another in-his-prime star could really take this team up a notch. Of course, Andrew Wiggins would be the trade chip (and probably more), but Griffin did just sign a new deal so he'd be here for a minimum of three more years (player option on the fourth).

Griffin just can't stay healthy (it's a shame) and that's kind of a deal breaker for me.

Yeah, durability's a legitimate concern, but the guy's a bonafide star in this league, arguably the best power forward when healthy, with no real weaknesses in his game, though his defense could be better. Also, for those that want the Wolves to push the pace, having a big that's can grab a rebound and handle the basketball in transition is a game-changer -- LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ben Simmons, etc.

Yeah he would be a nice player but it's tough when the guy won't have played more than 68 games (assuming he misses no more games this year) in a season since 2013-2014 and isn't getting younger. It's a risky deal and I don't even know if the Clippers are seriously looking to move him. It's a deal for the offseason (because Wiggins basically can't be dealt this year) anyway and both teams will have a better idea where their direction is.

That's the rub.

Griffin has very real flaws that may make that contract seem terrible.
Wiggins has very real flaws that may make that contract seem terrible.

I don't know if Griffin is the right target or not... but that sort of player is probably best-case scenario for a Wiggins trade right now. So then the question becomes whether it's better to hold out (more) hope for Wiggins to figure things out.

Personally, my feelings are clear... he's not going to figure things out. HERE. Sometimes, it just takes a change of scenery, new voices and probably 1,000 other factors for players to realize their potential. It's a frustrating development for the Wolves organizations and its fans. But we're 3.5 seasons in and new coaches, new roles, new contracts, new expectations, new teammates, new reasons to believe this team is a playoff team, etc. hasn't changed the narrative or scouting report on Wiggins.

He is what he is. That doesn't make him a terrible player. But it does make him extremely frustrating to watch... and soon-to-be ridiculously overpaid.

_________________________

So back to other teams in the league:

What other "realistic" targets are out there, sans Griffin?

Mike Conley? (if the Grizzlies decide to start over...)
Harrison Barnes? (as crazy as it sounds... Barnes has the BETTER contract. The players are reasonably close statistically)
Hassan Whiteside? (Personally, I don't like any deal for a center. I think KAT must be the center moving forward and using him as PF negates his uniqueness.)
Tyson Chandler and whatever young prospect(s) Phoenix likes the least? (Chriss? Bender? J. Jackson? Not a huge fan of this move either.)

I'm not advocating for any of these moves. I'm just trying to figure out what semi-reasonable options are out there.

[Monster]

It doesn't help our wing situation, but Blake Griffin should be a trade target for this team. Obviously, we all love Taj Gibson and the "dirty work" that he does on a nightly basis, but adding another in-his-prime star could really take this team up a notch. Of course, Andrew Wiggins would be the trade chip (and probably more), but Griffin did just sign a new deal so he'd be here for a minimum of three more years (player option on the fourth).

Griffin just can't stay healthy (it's a shame) and that's kind of a deal breaker for me.

Yeah, durability's a legitimate concern, but the guy's a bonafide star in this league, arguably the best power forward when healthy, with no real weaknesses in his game, though his defense could be better. Also, for those that want the Wolves to push the pace, having a big that's can grab a rebound and handle the basketball in transition is a game-changer -- LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ben Simmons, etc.

Yeah he would be a nice player but it's tough when the guy won't have played more than 68 games (assuming he misses no more games this year) in a season since 2013-2014 and isn't getting younger. It's a risky deal and I don't even know if the Clippers are seriously looking to move him. It's a deal for the offseason (because Wiggins basically can't be dealt this year) anyway and both teams will have a better idea where their direction is.

That's the rub.

Griffin has very real flaws that may make that contract seem terrible.
Wiggins has very real flaws that may make that contract seem terrible.

I don't know if Griffin is the right target or not... but that sort of player is probably best-case scenario for a Wiggins trade right now. So then the question becomes whether it's better to hold out (more) hope for Wiggins to figure things out.

Personally, my feelings are clear... he's not going to figure things out. HERE. Sometimes, it just takes a change of scenery, new voices and probably 1,000 other factors for players to realize their potential. It's a frustrating development for the Wolves organizations and its fans. But we're 3.5 seasons in and new coaches, new roles, new contracts, new expectations, new teammates, new reasons to believe this team is a playoff team, etc. hasn't changed the narrative or scouting report on Wiggins.

He is what he is. That doesn't make him a terrible player. But it does make him extremely frustrating to watch... and soon-to-be ridiculously overpaid.

_________________________

So back to other teams in the league:

What other "realistic" targets are out there, sans Griffin?

Mike Conley? (if the Grizzlies decide to start over...)
Harrison Barnes? (as crazy as it sounds... Barnes has the BETTER contract. The players are reasonably close statistically)
Hassan Whiteside? (Personally, I don't like any deal for a center. I think KAT must be the center moving forward and using him as PF negates his uniqueness.)
Tyson Chandler and whatever young prospect(s) Phoenix likes the least? (Chriss? Bender? J. Jackson? Not a huge fan of this move either.)

I'm not advocating for any of these moves. I'm just trying to figure out what semi-reasonable options are out there.

Wiggins is 22 it's not an absolute certainty he doesn't get better either. I bet there are teams right now that right or wrong are looking at Olidipo and thinking they can get Wiggins and have a terrific player. I think the idea that he won't get better is a valid position BUT it's not a certainty. You mention Harrison Barnes. Remember when that guy struggled in the playoffs and various people thought he wasn't worth his contract? What if Wiggins becomes that good? Sure Barnes is signed to a cheaper contract...but he has a player option in 2019-2020. So you may only get him for another year and then what? Let's see how the rest of the year plays out with Wiggins. There have been some positive signs defensively which was a bigger flaw to his game than his offensive ones.