I like the Tyus for Naz trade mainly because Tyus is one of those calming type players similar to Conley. He may not wow you with his box score, but he knows how to run a team. I think Kyle Anderson gives us the same and I like having intelligent guys on the floor. I would hope we could re-sign Kyle at a lower deal 12-15/2yr would seem reasonable.
Dallas doesn't have a problem creating space for Doncic with Lively on the floor, so maybe the problem is with Ant/Rudy combo. Finch needs to figure that out.
That's because Doncic is a PhD in high and pick and roll basketball and can make any shot and any pass that the defense gives him in that action. Ant is like a freshman undergrad comparatively. Add to that Rudy's bad hands and awkwardness anywhere beyond 2 feet from the rim and there is only so much Finch can do with that pairing.
If that is the case, than maybe we need to move Rudy. Is this why others have said Rudy was played off the floor in the PO's? I don't see how we become a title contender if we can't make it work between two of our three highest paid players. I am mindful of the Rudy numbers you posted a few days back, but do his limitations limit the lineups we can put on the floor?
Is Finch handcuffed in what he can do offensively? I am not a huge fan of Finch's game-day/sideline coaching, but I don't know what he is like in practices and game planning. We seemed to really struggle making adjustments during the games.
Rudy does too many good things that mitigate the lack of a two man game between him and Ant. For example, even if he never gets the ball back on his rolls, he does set killer screens for Ant.
Ant is ultimately best paired with a pick and pop big that can shoot. There is more to harvest from the Ant/KAT pairing when Rudy sits and KAT slides to Center. That's where I think Finch fell a bit short last year.
"Minnesota Timberwolves, Rudy Gobert both thinking contract extension
But the only opinion that matters is Tim Connelly’s. So, what is the Wolves’ PoBO thinking? According to Darren Wolfson (SKOR North, KSTP) on the Mackey & Judd Show on Thursday, the Wolves’ plans seem to include Rudy Gobert.
The longtime local insider noted Thursday that both Gobert and the Timberwolves have mutual interest in getting a contract extension done, come July. Why, you ask? An extension would give Rudy some stability into his 34 or 35-year-old seasons and it would give Minnesota some salary relief now.
“Will [the Timberwolves] extend Rudy Gobert in July? I’m told there is mutual interest on that front. So when thinking about the books a year out, that’s one thing the Wolves could do. [Say,] ‘Rudy, don’t exercise your player option, let’s rip that up, let’s extend you’, and you can structure the contract to save some money short-term. And hey, Rudy would love to have some security ages like 33, 34, perhaps even his age-35 season.”
rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 14, 2024 12:17 pm
"Minnesota Timberwolves, Rudy Gobert both thinking contract extension
But the only opinion that matters is Tim Connelly’s. So, what is the Wolves’ PoBO thinking? According to Darren Wolfson (SKOR North, KSTP) on the Mackey & Judd Show on Thursday, the Wolves’ plans seem to include Rudy Gobert.
The longtime local insider noted Thursday that both Gobert and the Timberwolves have mutual interest in getting a contract extension done, come July. Why, you ask? An extension would give Rudy some stability into his 34 or 35-year-old seasons and it would give Minnesota some salary relief now.
“Will [the Timberwolves] extend Rudy Gobert in July? I’m told there is mutual interest on that front. So when thinking about the books a year out, that’s one thing the Wolves could do. [Say,] ‘Rudy, don’t exercise your player option, let’s rip that up, let’s extend you’, and you can structure the contract to save some money short-term. And hey, Rudy would love to have some security ages like 33, 34, perhaps even his age-35 season.”
rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 14, 2024 12:17 pm
"Minnesota Timberwolves, Rudy Gobert both thinking contract extension
But the only opinion that matters is Tim Connelly’s. So, what is the Wolves’ PoBO thinking? According to Darren Wolfson (SKOR North, KSTP) on the Mackey & Judd Show on Thursday, the Wolves’ plans seem to include Rudy Gobert.
The longtime local insider noted Thursday that both Gobert and the Timberwolves have mutual interest in getting a contract extension done, come July. Why, you ask? An extension would give Rudy some stability into his 34 or 35-year-old seasons and it would give Minnesota some salary relief now.
“Will [the Timberwolves] extend Rudy Gobert in July? I’m told there is mutual interest on that front. So when thinking about the books a year out, that’s one thing the Wolves could do. [Say,] ‘Rudy, don’t exercise your player option, let’s rip that up, let’s extend you’, and you can structure the contract to save some money short-term. And hey, Rudy would love to have some security ages like 33, 34, perhaps even his age-35 season.”
Makes sense to me.
This is something some of us have suggested before to get the Wolves under the 2nd apron after next season. But the operative words are “after next season.” NBA contracts can’t be renegotiated. But after next season, Rudy has a player option for the 2025-26 season that he could decline as part of a long-term deal at a significantly lower annual salary. I don’t think the Wolves front office is going to seriously consider trading any of our three bigs this summer, but if they were then Rudy’s salary situation would be one reason why he should NOT be the big we trade. On the flip side, Rudy just had a career season and is completely healthy, which suggests he should be the big we trade - i.e., selling at peak value. But again, I don’t see TC trading any of our core players this summer and I’m fine with that.
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 11:46 am
Good stuff Lip. I will reinforce and add to what you said above:
1. Ant maturing into a player that has the discipline and focus to be in peak physical condition, as already mentioned.
2. Get more out of the KAT/Ant two-man game. It's insane to me that we have to rely so much on the Conley/Gobert two-man game to settle us down in crunch time. While I think it's nice that we can sprinkle in some pick and roll with those two throughout the game, they should not be Finch's fallback option late in close games. What other elite team in the league can't rely on their two best offensive weapons when the screws get tightened to get into the offense and avoid empty possessions???
3. To Lip's point, find a wing shooter for the second unit and move on from Kyle Anderson. I've mentioned Nic Batum before as someone that might be willing to take the vet minimum to join his national team teammate Rudy Gobert and chase a ring. While he's not a high-volume 3 shooter, he is a good all around player whose shot has to be respected.
4. Identify a backup PG that could also be a solid starter when Conley needs rest or is hurt. No way does Conley play more than 60-65 games next season. I have mentioned trading Naz for Tyus Jones in a sign-and-trade deal (where Tyus is the one signed by Washington, then traded to us for Naz). If we can't get Tyus, then may be try to re-sign Monte to a reasonable deal and hope like hell he looks better than he did last year with us!
Most teams are fairly set on backup PG and Monte didn't exactly give us much last year so I'd bet his value is pretty low right now, resign him in hopes a year removed from injury he can come back to full strength. He's proven to be a positive player in the past. I think we should bet on him coming back and being his old self or close to it. Like others have said, we can't sign other free agents over a certain threshold because of the second apron restrictions. I think MM is our best hope for next year at backup even starting PG at times. Conley will need nights off and likely will get banged up or injured at some point also.
NAW also has potential to provide more upside on offense in the PG role, we know he can play defense. Can he get better on offense too?
Potential in younger guys like Jaylen Clark, Moore or rookie (I wouldn't bet on these, possible but very unlikely to provide good minutes next year).
I don't know how to project Clark. On the positive side, it sounds like he is an elite defender and rebounder...two aspects I value highly. But he's not a PG (his draft profile describes him as a below average ball handler, and had a poor assist to TO ratio) and was a poor 3-point and free throw shooter in college. I also acknowledge Lip's comments about his bench demeanor, which I agree is a red flag. I may give him a pass on that though. He's a 21 year old kid with no chance of getting into a game and probably tickled pink to be just sitting on an NBA bench...I think I'll wait to pass judgement until summer league when he's actually playing. I suspect we will see a much different attitude. All that said, how excited should we be about a shooting guard who doesn't shoot well? And do we have much need for a 1-way defensive wing? Is he just Josh Okogie 2.0? I don't know...we'll have to see. But I tend to agree with the majority here who aren't too excited about his potential.
As I look at the potential of our recent late 1st round and early second round picks, along with a mostly meh group of late first round draftees in the draft thread, it makes me more appreciative of the Rudy Gobert deal. We gave up a handful of players who haven't been very good the past two years (and whom we replaced with much better options) and some (likely) late first round draft picks every other year, in exchange for the DPOY whose offensive and defensive metrics in the playoffs put him at or near the top of the team. I originally gave the deal a B, but the more I evaluate how this team looks when Rudy is on the court compared to when he is off, it is clearly an A now in my opinion.
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 11:46 am
Good stuff Lip. I will reinforce and add to what you said above:
1. Ant maturing into a player that has the discipline and focus to be in peak physical condition, as already mentioned.
2. Get more out of the KAT/Ant two-man game. It's insane to me that we have to rely so much on the Conley/Gobert two-man game to settle us down in crunch time. While I think it's nice that we can sprinkle in some pick and roll with those two throughout the game, they should not be Finch's fallback option late in close games. What other elite team in the league can't rely on their two best offensive weapons when the screws get tightened to get into the offense and avoid empty possessions???
3. To Lip's point, find a wing shooter for the second unit and move on from Kyle Anderson. I've mentioned Nic Batum before as someone that might be willing to take the vet minimum to join his national team teammate Rudy Gobert and chase a ring. While he's not a high-volume 3 shooter, he is a good all around player whose shot has to be respected.
4. Identify a backup PG that could also be a solid starter when Conley needs rest or is hurt. No way does Conley play more than 60-65 games next season. I have mentioned trading Naz for Tyus Jones in a sign-and-trade deal (where Tyus is the one signed by Washington, then traded to us for Naz). If we can't get Tyus, then may be try to re-sign Monte to a reasonable deal and hope like hell he looks better than he did last year with us!
Most teams are fairly set on backup PG and Monte didn't exactly give us much last year so I'd bet his value is pretty low right now, resign him in hopes a year removed from injury he can come back to full strength. He's proven to be a positive player in the past. I think we should bet on him coming back and being his old self or close to it. Like others have said, we can't sign other free agents over a certain threshold because of the second apron restrictions. I think MM is our best hope for next year at backup even starting PG at times. Conley will need nights off and likely will get banged up or injured at some point also.
NAW also has potential to provide more upside on offense in the PG role, we know he can play defense. Can he get better on offense too?
Potential in younger guys like Jaylen Clark, Moore or rookie (I wouldn't bet on these, possible but very unlikely to provide good minutes next year).
I agree that MM is the most likely backup and successor to Mike, and another reason I would not be looking at a PG in the draft at 27 and 37. While his game isn't as up tempo and exciting as JMac's (who will never have Finchie's respect), he may be exactly what this team needs...a pass-first PG who protects the ball and can hit the three-pointer when he's open (his career 39.1 is better than Conley's, and he's 8 years younger). As much as I like JMac, I expect MM to succeed in 18 minutes a game behind Mike next season.
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 11:46 am
Good stuff Lip. I will reinforce and add to what you said above:
1. Ant maturing into a player that has the discipline and focus to be in peak physical condition, as already mentioned.
2. Get more out of the KAT/Ant two-man game. It's insane to me that we have to rely so much on the Conley/Gobert two-man game to settle us down in crunch time. While I think it's nice that we can sprinkle in some pick and roll with those two throughout the game, they should not be Finch's fallback option late in close games. What other elite team in the league can't rely on their two best offensive weapons when the screws get tightened to get into the offense and avoid empty possessions???
3. To Lip's point, find a wing shooter for the second unit and move on from Kyle Anderson. I've mentioned Nic Batum before as someone that might be willing to take the vet minimum to join his national team teammate Rudy Gobert and chase a ring. While he's not a high-volume 3 shooter, he is a good all around player whose shot has to be respected.
4. Identify a backup PG that could also be a solid starter when Conley needs rest or is hurt. No way does Conley play more than 60-65 games next season. I have mentioned trading Naz for Tyus Jones in a sign-and-trade deal (where Tyus is the one signed by Washington, then traded to us for Naz). If we can't get Tyus, then may be try to re-sign Monte to a reasonable deal and hope like hell he looks better than he did last year with us!
Most teams are fairly set on backup PG and Monte didn't exactly give us much last year so I'd bet his value is pretty low right now, resign him in hopes a year removed from injury he can come back to full strength. He's proven to be a positive player in the past. I think we should bet on him coming back and being his old self or close to it. Like others have said, we can't sign other free agents over a certain threshold because of the second apron restrictions. I think MM is our best hope for next year at backup even starting PG at times. Conley will need nights off and likely will get banged up or injured at some point also.
NAW also has potential to provide more upside on offense in the PG role, we know he can play defense. Can he get better on offense too?
Potential in younger guys like Jaylen Clark, Moore or rookie (I wouldn't bet on these, possible but very unlikely to provide good minutes next year).
I'm kind of hoping NAW has a Derrick White-like trajectory, who just had his best season statistically at the age of 29 and is about to win a title. His second best season was last year, age 28.
NAW has the potential to keep getting better into his late 20s. It wasn't until he landed with us late last season that he found a consistent and well-defined role in the NBA. The question is whether we can keep him past next season!
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 11:46 am
Good stuff Lip. I will reinforce and add to what you said above:
1. Ant maturing into a player that has the discipline and focus to be in peak physical condition, as already mentioned.
2. Get more out of the KAT/Ant two-man game. It's insane to me that we have to rely so much on the Conley/Gobert two-man game to settle us down in crunch time. While I think it's nice that we can sprinkle in some pick and roll with those two throughout the game, they should not be Finch's fallback option late in close games. What other elite team in the league can't rely on their two best offensive weapons when the screws get tightened to get into the offense and avoid empty possessions???
3. To Lip's point, find a wing shooter for the second unit and move on from Kyle Anderson. I've mentioned Nic Batum before as someone that might be willing to take the vet minimum to join his national team teammate Rudy Gobert and chase a ring. While he's not a high-volume 3 shooter, he is a good all around player whose shot has to be respected.
4. Identify a backup PG that could also be a solid starter when Conley needs rest or is hurt. No way does Conley play more than 60-65 games next season. I have mentioned trading Naz for Tyus Jones in a sign-and-trade deal (where Tyus is the one signed by Washington, then traded to us for Naz). If we can't get Tyus, then may be try to re-sign Monte to a reasonable deal and hope like hell he looks better than he did last year with us!
Most teams are fairly set on backup PG and Monte didn't exactly give us much last year so I'd bet his value is pretty low right now, resign him in hopes a year removed from injury he can come back to full strength. He's proven to be a positive player in the past. I think we should bet on him coming back and being his old self or close to it. Like others have said, we can't sign other free agents over a certain threshold because of the second apron restrictions. I think MM is our best hope for next year at backup even starting PG at times. Conley will need nights off and likely will get banged up or injured at some point also.
NAW also has potential to provide more upside on offense in the PG role, we know he can play defense. Can he get better on offense too?
Potential in younger guys like Jaylen Clark, Moore or rookie (I wouldn't bet on these, possible but very unlikely to provide good minutes next year).
I'm kind of hoping NAW has a Derrick White-like trajectory, who just had his best season statistically at the age of 29 and is about to win a title. His second best season was last year, age 28.
NAW has the potential to keep getting better into his late 20s. It wasn't until he landed with us late last season that he found a consistent and well-defined role in the NBA. The question is whether we can keep him past next season!
Outstanding comp, Q. NAW's and White's college stats were almost identical, as were their respective stats at age 25. Plus they are almost exactly the same size, and have a similar playing style. NAW had a terrible finish to his season, but it doesn't negate the very good season he had. I see no reason he can't be White in 2-3 years...hopefully with us!
FNG wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 2:07 pm
Outstanding comp, Q. NAW's and White's college stats were almost identical, as were their respective stats at age 25. Plus they are almost exactly the same size, and have a similar playing style. NAW had a terrible finish to his season, but it doesn't negate the very good season he had. I see no reason he can't be White in 2-3 years...hopefully with us!
NAW had a great regular season. When he gets a little hot on the offensive side - he can be a real difference maker. But I don't trust his offense and wouldn't want to depend on it. As I mentioned in the draft thread, I'm hoping they add another shooter. We have plenty of defense right now. There are going to be times where we will need NAW to shut down a guy and there will be times where we will need a more dependable shooter. Maybe platoon NAW with said shooter.
