Offseason....what if?

[thedoper]

What has Wiggins done better this year than last? While I think he exceeded my expectations last year, he is flatline to worse this season. I see absolutely no statistical improvement and don't notice anything he does better when watching vs last season. Cousins, on the other hand, improved across the board from year 1 to year 2. And continues to do so. I ask...what has Wiggins done this season to show you that he has improved in any aspect of his game? Can and will he get better? Sure. But I just don't like the "baseline" skillset where Wiggins is starting. Even is scoring (which is all he really excels at from a numerical perspective) isn't anywhere near as efficient as other top scoring options.

Points Per Game
Wiggins last year: 16.9
Wiggins this year: 20.6 (21st in entire NBA)

PER
Wiggins last year: 13.9
Wiggins this year: 16.3 (He's a little more efficient)

TS%
Wiggins last year: .517
Wiggins this year: .536 (Both his FG% and FT rate increased from last year)

Assist %
Wiggins last year: 9.8
Wiggins this year: 10.0 (not much of an increase - but improvement none the less)

Turnover %
Wiggins last year: 11.7
Wiggins this year: 10.5 (small improvement in taking care of the ball)

Win Shares
Wiggins last year: 2.1 (.034 on a per 48 rate)
Wiggins this year: 3.0 (.062 on a per 48 rate aka almost double last year)

He's improved. Maybe not as fast or as much as some would like. But again....he's 20. Let's not make a panic move by trading him because he's not an All Star this second. We have three 20 year olds that could be a nucleus for years to come.

Thank you. Also FTAs 5.7->7 which is embedded in his TS% improvement. One of the biggest complaints last year was him not taking it to the rack. There is no doubt he is going strong to the hoop more often. When he actually does start to plateau I'll be a bit more concerned, but slight improvements at age 20 shouldn't be alarming.

[Monster]

I'm not sure our existing culture and team hierarchy is established enough yet to handle a Cousins. Talented, but volatile types tend to do best when integrated into a squad that has a very strong culture and leadership structure.

So, no thanks to Cousins. I think he could disrupt what is still a young and forming team culture that seems to still be trying to find its way.

This. If you make a deal for Cousins basically you need to trade for Mike Malone and whoever is running the franchise has to k ow what the hell they are doing and is a strong voice. For the Wolves Inam not sure I would even do a straight up #1 overall pick for Cousins as things stand right now (the trade as suggested is way too much). I am a huge fan of Cousins talent and I think he is misunderstood but he is a gamble. I don't think the Wolves need to do that. Also why are we getting Koufus in this hypothetical deal are we going to go with an all center lineup or something? I guess it would be fun to see Cousins and Towns fight over who would play PG.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I'd do Dieng, Bazz and our first round pick for Cousins, but not both Wiggins and the pick. I really do think Cousins is a manageable situation as long as the team is winning and with a starting 5 of Ricky/Lavine/Wiggins/Towns/Cousins I don't see how that isn't a playoff team starting next year and likely a super stacked team the following years. See if guys like Courtney Lee and a Pachulia/Mahinmi would come here on a discount to fill out the depth. I would see if a guy like Dorell Wright would come back to the states to be a depth guy. Ricky/Lavine/Wiggins/Towns/Cousins/Tyus/Lee/Wright/Belly/Mahinmi

[bleedspeed]

I'd do Dieng, Bazz and our first round pick for Cousins, but not both Wiggins and the pick. I really do think Cousins is a manageable situation as long as the team is winning and with a starting 5 of Ricky/Lavine/Wiggins/Towns/Cousins I don't see how that isn't a playoff team starting next year and likely a super stacked team the following years. See if guys like Courtney Lee and a Pachulia/Mahinmi would come here on a discount to fill out the depth. I would see if a guy like Dorell Wright would come back to the states to be a depth guy. Ricky/Lavine/Wiggins/Towns/Cousins/Tyus/Lee/Wright/Belly/Mahinmi

I would be down with that.

[Carlos Danger]

I'd do Dieng, Bazz and our first round pick for Cousins, but not both Wiggins and the pick. I really do think Cousins is a manageable situation as long as the team is winning and with a starting 5 of Ricky/Lavine/Wiggins/Towns/Cousins I don't see how that isn't a playoff team starting next year and likely a super stacked team the following years. See if guys like Courtney Lee and a Pachulia/Mahinmi would come here on a discount to fill out the depth. I would see if a guy like Dorell Wright would come back to the states to be a depth guy. Ricky/Lavine/Wiggins/Towns/Cousins/Tyus/Lee/Wright/Belly/Mahinmi

I wouldn't do that deal either for two reasons. First, I still think the price is too steep. We only have five good players right now. So if you give up Dieng to get Cousins, you still only have five good players.

Second, if you put Cousins in with Ricky, LaVine, Wiggins and Towns, you almost have to play with two balls at the same time. Cousins averages 21 shots a game - the most in the NBA. Compare that to Wiggins who leads our team with 16. Towns only averages 13 this year and will need more. Same for LaVine who currently only averages 11. There's only one ball currently....I see that as a potential problem. I want Towns, LaVine and Wiggins to be the leaders and take the most shots. They are our core and need to be the focus of our offense. If we acquire someone, I'd prefer a good, but supplemental piece to those guys.

Let's be honest, Taylor is never going to get Cousins. It will never, ever happen because Cousins is a mental case. But beyond that, I think they are committed to Towns, Wiggins, LaVine as our "Big 3" going forward and I'm fine with that provided they add good supplemental pieces around them.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I wouldn't do that deal either for two reasons. First, I still think the price is too steep. We only have five good players right now. So if you give up Dieng to get Cousins, you still only have five good players.

Wait, why are you acting like Dieng and Cousins are equal? If we moved Dieng and our pick to get Cousins, we'd be moving a solid player for a great player. Dieng isn't in the same zip code as Cousins.

[Carlos Danger]

I wouldn't do that deal either for two reasons. First, I still think the price is too steep. We only have five good players right now. So if you give up Dieng to get Cousins, you still only have five good players.

Wait, why are you acting like Dieng and Cousins are equal? If we moved Dieng and our pick to get Cousins, we'd be moving a solid player for a great player. Dieng isn't in the same zip code as Cousins.

No Cam. I'm not saying Cousins and Dieng are equal. Don't be silly. I'm saying Dieng is a good player. And we need to add more good players - not deal our existing good players to try and upgrade. It should be very obvious we lack depth more than talent right now.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I wouldn't do that deal either for two reasons. First, I still think the price is too steep. We only have five good players right now. So if you give up Dieng to get Cousins, you still only have five good players.

Wait, why are you acting like Dieng and Cousins are equal? If we moved Dieng and our pick to get Cousins, we'd be moving a solid player for a great player. Dieng isn't in the same zip code as Cousins.

No Cam. I'm not saying Cousins and Dieng are equal. Don't be silly. I'm saying Dieng is a good player. And we need to add more good players - not deal our existing good players to try and upgrade. It should be very obvious we lack depth more than talent right now.

High quality players still reign supreme in the NBA. I'd rather move a solid player and a high pick for a legitimate star player who hasn't even reached his prime yet and figure out the rest later. Assuming we came close enough salary-wise in that hypothetical trade, you now are a real player in free agency to fill in some holes. Dieng is by no means untouchable or an immovable player, especially when the return is a player that's leaps and bounds better than him.

Stars > Depth.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

We have three guys the same age with massive potential. I say let's keep them together and add great role players around them. Unless Steph Curry becomes available, I say let's stay the course.

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

Cam, what I have learned from this thread is that we have the absolute best 22 win team money can buy. Don't mess with perfection. Let's roll with it.