What I am most excited about for the coming season is that we have several guys that legitimately could take leaps in their game and break out.
1. Jaden: When Conley came in, he got to be a bigger part of the offense and he shot 42.7% from threes in the second half. I think and hope that this is the year he puts it all together.
2. Ant: He's gotten better every year and if he can stay healthy, we may see his overall efficiency trend up and see him get to the line more often.
3. NAW: He really looked like he broke out in the playoffs and with an organization that feels confident in him, I think he's going to be a really good rotation piece.
4. Shake Milton: Look at the starting stats this guy put up and not only were the stats very impressive, but Philly was 17-4 when Shake got at least 28 minutes. I think he's been a good player buried on the bench behind some very good to great players and hopefully he'll now get the minutes to shine.
5. Leonard Miller: He's got a lot of talent and maybe the gem of the post-lottery draft. I think the growth spurt he had made him a bit awkward coupled with his late start into basketball. But he's very coachable and hopefully he's another Jaden McDaniels in the making.
6. Naz Reid: Well, the organization loves him and gave him a nice bag. Hopefully, he continues to work hard and can improve on his game. Hopefully, he can continue to improve his all around game, especially on the defensive side and be able to hone his passing game.
7. Josh Minott: With Prince gone, this may his time to show what he's got. TC must have felt confident that he's ready to join the rotation with allowing Prince to go, though I expect Troy Brown to start the year and perhaps Josh will end the year with a rotation spot or the two may timeshare it.
8. KAT: Guy hopefully is healthy and I want to see him back. He may have a chip on his shoulder and hopefully that's a better KAT. Hoping for a healthier year, one where he adjusts to Rudy and one where he is motivated to show he should stay here.
9. Rudy: Hoping he stays healthy and he should love starting the year with Conley as opposed to DLO. Again, hoping a year of adjustment brings dividends.
Breakout Players for Next Year
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
Troy Brown Jr could be on this list too. I’m not expecting it but him becoming a legit solid rotation player on a good team would be a nice development. From what I have seen consistency is his issue. It seems like he has rounded out into a guy that plays D so that helps.
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
Your points are well taken. I like that he's still fairly young, he's long (6"11 wingspan), and though I haven't watched him enough to form much of an opinion on his game, from what I read, he's got some playmaking skills and is a decent defender and had his best outside shooting year last year (38%). I think he's capable of giving the Wolves solid minutes and perhaps he may be a pleasant surprise.Monster wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 8:36 pm Troy Brown Jr could be on this list too. I’m not expecting it but him becoming a legit solid rotation player on a good team would be a nice development. From what I have seen consistency is his issue. It seems like he has rounded out into a guy that plays D so that helps.
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
I'm done predicting breakout players after Jaylen Nowell absolutely burned my ass last season. Never again (well, never for now ). I followed that guy since his G-League days and was confident he could replace Beasley as our 6th man and potentially even be an upgrade. The exact opposite happened - his defense was worse, his shot abandoned him, and he carried a usage higher than what could possibly be justified given his struggles.
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
Q - Please tell us who you consider Wolves break-out players so we know who to trade.Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:48 pm I'm done predicting breakout players after Jaylen Nowell absolutely burned my ass last season. Never again (well, never for now ). I followed that guy since his G-League days and was confident he could replace Beasley as our 6th man and potentially even be an upgrade. The exact opposite happened - his defense was worse, his shot abandoned him, and he carried a usage higher than what could possibly be justified given his struggles.
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
Great post, KG. I agree, a lot of reasons for optimism right now.
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
Nowell burned a lot of us and worse the Timberwolves as a team. He did still do what he is good at scoring in the paint and shot well on 2 point shots. I will not be surprised if he goes elsewhere and sorta figures it out and ends up having a nice enough career. Shake is older but bigger, has better assist numbers and more likely to hit his 3’s although so far in his career on low volume.Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:48 pm I'm done predicting breakout players after Jaylen Nowell absolutely burned my ass last season. Never again (well, never for now ). I followed that guy since his G-League days and was confident he could replace Beasley as our 6th man and potentially even be an upgrade. The exact opposite happened - his defense was worse, his shot abandoned him, and he carried a usage higher than what could possibly be justified given his struggles.
I’ll add that Beasley didn’t really have a very good season so while his 3 point shooting would have been welcome but if he played like he did for Utah and the Lakers I’m not sure he would have helped a ton more than Nowell. Hopefully we don’t have 2 guys that pretty somewhat unexpectedly much suck like Nowell and Forbes did last year. Oh and McLaughlin like sorta forgot how to play basketball down the stretch. We should expect some guys not to play as well as in the past but yikes.
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
LolLipoli390 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:53 pmQ - Please tell us who you consider Wolves break-out players so we know who to trade.Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:48 pm I'm done predicting breakout players after Jaylen Nowell absolutely burned my ass last season. Never again (well, never for now ). I followed that guy since his G-League days and was confident he could replace Beasley as our 6th man and potentially even be an upgrade. The exact opposite happened - his defense was worse, his shot abandoned him, and he carried a usage higher than what could possibly be justified given his struggles.
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
RudyLipoli390 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:53 pmQ - Please tell us who you consider Wolves break-out players so we know who to trade.Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:48 pm I'm done predicting breakout players after Jaylen Nowell absolutely burned my ass last season. Never again (well, never for now ). I followed that guy since his G-League days and was confident he could replace Beasley as our 6th man and potentially even be an upgrade. The exact opposite happened - his defense was worse, his shot abandoned him, and he carried a usage higher than what could possibly be justified given his struggles.
(check's in the mail I assume Lip)
Re: Breakout Players for Next Year
ANT into top 15 status in the league,. KAT with a healthy season top 5 bigs again. Rudy 15/12/2 blocks a night ( Most of which depends on POA and KAT at PF).