Bruce Brown on the Nuggets/Wolves series

[FNG]

Screw the "inevitable"! If the Wolves make it to conference finals or beyond, maybe we can run it back again again. Lore has money to burn.

Once again it’s not about the actual money it’s about roster construction going over the 2nd tax level. Like not being able to trade picks, no MLE, no buyout guys, no adding acquiring salary to trades, the scary one is if you are over for back to back years your 1st in 7 years goes to the end of the first round and Ant and Mcdaniels are not under contract in 2032.

Right now the projected 2nd tax line next year is 190 million according to spotrac and the wolves are at 172 million and that does not include Jaden new contract, Conley, slow mo, or possible 10 million more a year to Ant contract if he makes All NBA.

It’s not a lore won’t spend money thing it’s a you can’t build a roster/fuck your future thing

If we run it back and have a great team, it might be better to accept those restrictions and pay the tax and keep our core together. Can't we just extend SLOMO and Jaden and whoever we want to keep and just bring in minimum guys. I'd be very fine with that if the team is a top four team, if owners who signed off on Rudy trade accepted paying the tax. Eventually, Rudy's contract is up and he will leave or accept a much smaller deal and then we are out of tax hell.

Yeah, I think we're not giving enough credence to this possibility and just assuming management/ownership will not go over the second apron. I still think moving KAT or Rudy after the 2023-4 season is the most likely outcome, but it's not a certainty. I agree with you. If the Wolves are truly great next year (and I see the makings of a great defense combined with a potent offense IF we can stay healthy), it's going to be difficult for the fan base to accept breaking things up. If TC is truly happy with his roster, is losing the MLE really such a terrible thing? And if they are playing at a championship level, they are already drafting near the end of the first round (in years where we still have our pick)...I don't see moving to the end of the first round as a significant penalty. Yes, there are restrictions stemming from going into the second apron, but I still think having to pay the onerous tax will be the main deterrent.

[Sundog]

I kind of hate that this topic turned into yet another thread on tracing Rudy vs KAT, which we’ve debated ad naseum.

After the semi-downer that was summer league, I thought this recognition by Bruce Brown could help lift us up again… only to have us dragged back down in the mire again. Oh well.

[Carlos Danger]

I kind of hate that this topic turned into yet another thread on tracing Rudy vs KAT, which we’ve debated ad naseum.

After the semi-downer that was summer league, I thought this recognition by Bruce Brown could help lift us up again… only to have us dragged back down in the mire again. Oh well.

Haha! I miss the DLO debates too

I understand why people are taking stances. But yes, it would be nice if every thread didn't turn into that. Good find on that quote BTW.

I'm about as excited for this year's team as I've been for any Wolves team - at least post KG era. We have two nice levels of players: Established vets (Conley, KAT, Rudy, SlowMo) and rising stars (Edwards, McDaniels, Naz and the last two year's draft picks). Even the role guys (NAW, Shake, Troy Brown) are upgrades to what we've been filtering through. It's a good mix. I don't think front office should be in any hurry to make big decisions on the future until we get a good feel for what the present looks like.

[FNG]

I kind of hate that this topic turned into yet another thread on tracing Rudy vs KAT, which we’ve debated ad naseum.

After the semi-downer that was summer league, I thought this recognition by Bruce Brown could help lift us up again… only to have us dragged back down in the mire again. Oh well.

Ha, fair point Sundog...and mea culpa for turning it in that direction. My first reaction was the same as yours...wow, Brown saying we were their toughest opponent is a strong statement on the strength and viability of this roster. And yeah, that was a day brightener after a disappointing (and expensive, for me ) summer league. But then I couldn't help put take the conversation a little further and rehash the "what are we going to do next" discussion...better to just enjoy the moment in this case!

[Phenom]

I kind of hate that this topic turned into yet another thread on tracing Rudy vs KAT, which we’ve debated ad naseum.

After the semi-downer that was summer league, I thought this recognition by Bruce Brown could help lift us up again… only to have us dragged back down in the mire again. Oh well.

Ha, fair point Sundog...and mea culpa for turning it in that direction. My first reaction was the same as yours...wow, Brown saying we were their toughest opponent is a strong statement on the strength and viability of this roster. And yeah, that was a day brightener after a disappointing (and expensive, for me ) summer league. But then I couldn't help put take the conversation a little further and rehash the "what are we going to do next" discussion...better to just enjoy the moment in this case!

What is interesting about the idea that Minnesota was Denvers toughest opponent is the Dan Feldman stat I referenced before the playoffs started. The Wolves and Nuggets were number 1 and number 2 in playoff rotation adjusted net rating. Having Jaden and Naz could have made things quite interesting.

From that end it makes a great deal of sense that the Wolves might prioritize keeping Naz, NAW and the rest of band together.

[Sundog]

Agree, Phenom, that’s pretty awesome!