March 1st - Ford Top 10

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

I don't see the logic in trading a top 5 pick when there are at least 6 or 7 future quality players out there and you secure their rights on a cheap rookie contract. You get vets in free agency.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Ford needs to actually pay attention to our team. He has no clue what we need. "I think the team with one of the best offensive ratings in the league in the last month, but also one of the worst defensive ratings needs a stretch 4 who isn't a great defender."

[bleedspeed]

Fords comments on us.

Minnesota is loaded with young talent but is struggling to compete with the other elite teams in the West and looks destined to land yet another top-5 pick.

The Wolves already have a number of young players they love -- Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio and Shabazz Muhammad -- but they could still use some help at the 4.

Ellenson is a perfect fit as a big who can rebound and spread the floor. Think of him as a poor man's Kevin Love.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Fords comments on us.

Minnesota is loaded with young talent but is struggling to compete with the other elite teams in the West and looks destined to land yet another top-5 pick.

The Wolves already have a number of young players they love -- Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio and Shabazz Muhammad -- but they could still use some help at the 4.

Ellenson is a perfect fit as a big who can rebound and spread the floor. Think of him as a poor man's Kevin Love.

If we want a Poor Man's Kevin Love, we can sign Ryan Anderson in free agency.

[TAFKASP]

Cam, regarding trading the pick for Noel, how are they going to deal with the cap issues created by having three 4th year guys Noel, Dieng, Bazz, two 3rd year guys in Wiggins and Lavine, along with KAT, who clearly needs to have that 5th year option held for. There is no way to retain that core IMO and that's the problem with not having a continuing flow of young cheap talent, refreshed each year as others come off their rookie deals.

I understand what you like about him, but the team would be better in the long run dealing another player than a cheap top draft pick.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Fords comments on us.

Minnesota is loaded with young talent but is struggling to compete with the other elite teams in the West and looks destined to land yet another top-5 pick.

The Wolves already have a number of young players they love -- Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio and Shabazz Muhammad -- but they could still use some help at the 4.

Ellenson is a perfect fit as a big who can rebound and spread the floor. Think of him as a poor man's Kevin Love.

If we want a Poor Man's Kevin Love, we can sign Ryan Anderson in free agency.

But isn't this the role Bjelica could fill, assuming he gets his act together? I feel like we already have a stretch 4 on the roster (who can also put it on the floor by the way). We don't need yet another defensively challenged big man. We need a guy that can grind it out in the paint, do the dirty work, and just be physical with opposing bigs. KAT will always want to avoid foul trouble and be relied upon as a #1 type offensive option, so he needs a dirty-work, defensive type of big man in the rotation. I don't think that's Anderson or Ellenson.

[Carlos Danger]

I don't see the logic in trading a top 5 pick when there are at least 6 or 7 future quality players out there and you secure their rights on a cheap rookie contract. You get vets in free agency.

This is my thinking as well. The exception would be if we were at the point where you target one guy that might put us into Championship mode. But we are on the opposite end of that spectrum. I want to hang onto young talent - especially cheap young talent. Maybe we will hit the jackpot on one or two young players and they become stars (Towns looks to fit that bill). I understand that we need some vets. But why give up young talent when guys can be had in free agency to fill out complimentary roles?

[Monster]

I don't see the logic in trading a top 5 pick when there are at least 6 or 7 future quality players out there and you secure their rights on a cheap rookie contract. You get vets in free agency.

This is my thinking as well. The exception would be if we were at the point where you target one guy that might put us into Championship mode. But we are on the opposite end of that spectrum. I want to hang onto young talent - especially cheap young talent. Maybe we will hit the jackpot on one or two young players and they become stars (Towns looks to fit that bill). I understand that we need some vets. But why give up young talent when guys can be had in free agency to fill out complimentary roles?

I like Noel a ton and it would be very hard to pass up that deal despite all the good reasons not to do it mentioned here.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Cam's Top-14 as of 3/1/16:

1. Ingram
2. Simmons
3. Brown
4. Hield
5. Dunn
6. Rabb
7. Murray
8. Poetl
9. Ellenson
10. Allen
11. Valentine
12. LeVert
13. Sabonis
14. Labissiere

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Cam, regarding trading the pick for Noel, how are they going to deal with the cap issues created by having three 4th year guys Noel, Dieng, Bazz, two 3rd year guys in Wiggins and Lavine, along with KAT, who clearly needs to have that 5th year option held for. There is no way to retain that core IMO and that's the problem with not having a continuing flow of young cheap talent, refreshed each year as others come off their rookie deals.

I understand what you like about him, but the team would be better in the long run dealing another player than a cheap top draft pick.

You're right in that there might be cap issues in the future if you sign all of those players. I'm not certain that it would be devastating, though. In that bunch, I see four keepers: Towns, Wiggins, LaVine and Noel. Dieng could be re-signed if it's at reasonable cost, but if not, I'm okay with it. I'm not as attached to Dieng as others here are. He's solid, but not great. Also, I'm still not sold on Muhammad being a rotation player. He has two damning holes in his game: defense and court vision. That limits his role player potential to me and in today's NBA, it's hard to win with players like that.