NAW

[ItsJustSoSab]

I noticed, more people started wanting to start the GDT when we starting winning...I guess it wasn't as fun when we were winning 17 games in a year. ***I have this memory of starting a thread for a game, and nobody (and I mean NOBODY) cared about this game.

It ended up being me and one other poster, posting for the entire game (a W btw) for over 100 posts

[Q-is-here]

I noticed, more people started wanting to start the GDT when we starting winning...I guess it wasn't as fun when we were winning 17 games in a year. ***I have this memory of starting a thread for a game, and nobody (and I mean NOBODY) cared about this game.

It ended up being me and one other poster, posting for the entire game (a W btw) for over 100 posts

Heh, wouldn't be surprised if I was the other poster! Don't underestimate the benefit to others when you comment in a lonely game thread. Some folks that miss the game will go read a game thread to get a feel for what happened and the real-time fan reaction. It adds a lot more color than just looking at a box score and watching highlights.

(I could also get into the psychological benefits of writing one's thoughts down during heated competition, but that's for another day.)

[Q-is-here]

NAW is right out of central casting as the ideal 3&D role player. It's just incredible how he's found his niche with the Wolves after drifting his first few years in the league.

It will be interesting to see what direction he goes after his Wolves contract is up next year. On the one hand, he will command a hefty raise that may make him among the top three or four paid players on whatever team he signs with. Think Bruce Brown or Jerami Grant. But any team that can pony up that kind of money for a 3 & D role player probably isn't going to be very good. No one talks about either of these two players as they wallow away on lottery-bound teams.

On the other hand, he has turned himself into almost an ideal role player that any contending team would slobber over to have coming off their bench and in the main rotation....at a price that they can afford given the stars they have under contract. He could literally spend the next 5-8 years on one or two-year contracts playing for contenders (including the Wolves) and potentially become the next Robert Horry or PJ Tucker.

It's 100% in his self-interest to be locked into a longer-term contract for big $, but I fear he may end up going the Jerami Grant route in terms of his legacy.

[FNG]

I just raved about NAW in the GDT, Q. There's nobody I like watching play defense more than him, and if he were a starter, he would be in the all-defense conversation. There is so much I like about his defense, but I'll mention two:

1) Nobody slips through screens like he does...it's extraordinary, and blows up so many pick and rolls.

2) Fun to watch his patented spin move on defense...when he is off ball, he does this manic spin move that lets him see the whole court to assess where he is needed most in the moment. This team has so many talented defenders, but to me, NAW is the best.

[davemang]

Him and Rudy (and slomo) have been the most consistent defenders that defend at a high level on the wolves. There are certainly times and certain matchups where Jaden and Ant are better and they probably have a higher ceiling defensively, but naw’s consistency makes him a bit more valuable defensively than ant and Jaden over the course of a season.

Hopefully he takes a look at Bruce brown and the nuggets trajectory (brown spiraling after leaving while the nugs are still thriving) and maybe leaves some money on the table like naz did (and ownership eats a fat tax bill).

[rapsuperstar31]

I'm glad he isn't a free agent next season, but really wish we would have signed him longer last summer.

[Carlos Danger]

I'm glad he isn't a free agent next season, but really wish we would have signed him longer last summer.

Agreed based on what we've seen. But we have to remember that many (myself included) were still unsure of him at the end of last season. He just sort of seemed like "a guy" similar to Troy Brown Jr. or Shake that end up bouncing around from team to team. But NAW is certainly making himself a home here with his play! I'm hoping he can even up his offensive game a little - even more volume would make a huge difference.

[Carlos Danger]

Fun read for the appreciation thread:

https://zonecoverage.com/2024/timberwol ... -the-year/

It's going to be exciting to see who rises above in the playoffs. The defense has been there all year for us, but we need someone (NAW, JMac, Naz, SloMo etc.) to bring some offense too.