Wolves offseason outlook.

[60WinTim]

Well, it was really Finch who threw in the towel, not ANT. That was ANT's response to Finch giving up. The only thing I wondered about the whole episode is whether there might be some friction building between Finch and ANT?

[guest81]

I'm not sure where to put this and didn't want to make a new thread. But am I the only person who had a problem with Ant being in the Spurs huddle with 8 minutes left in our season? Anybody else? It's just weird and speaks to someone who doesn't have it all connected. Call me old school, but ignoring that and brushing it off as no big deal doesn't mesh with the coach in me. Tell me I'm overreacting if that's how you feel.

What's the implication? That Ant didn't care about winning? Guy came back early from a bad injury. Do we want guys like Ant or guys like Wemby putting hits out at the end of blowouts?

[AussieWolf3]

I'm not sure where to put this and didn't want to make a new thread. But am I the only person who had a problem with Ant being in the Spurs huddle with 8 minutes left in our season? Anybody else? It's just weird and speaks to someone who doesn't have it all connected. Call me old school, but ignoring that and brushing it off as no big deal doesn't mesh with the coach in me. Tell me I'm overreacting if that's how you feel.

I couldn't name you a top end player in history that I saw do it or could envision doing it. You're getting your ass kicked. Embarrassed on national TV. You should be livid, and thinking about what needs to change so you're not in that position ever again.

You would not see Jordan, Ķobe, KG, LeBron, Stockton, I. Thomas, Bird, Shaq, Barkley, Duncan, etc. Etc. Etc. Doing that. These players you're chumming up with are who you should want to kill on the court for as long as you're here because they will be standing in your way the whole time.

His comments about this in his YouTube series is literally the exact opposite of what you suggest.

[FNG]

I'm not sure where to put this and didn't want to make a new thread. But am I the only person who had a problem with Ant being in the Spurs huddle with 8 minutes left in our season? Anybody else? It's just weird and speaks to someone who doesn't have it all connected. Call me old school, but ignoring that and brushing it off as no big deal doesn't mesh with the coach in me. Tell me I'm overreacting if that's how you feel.

I couldn't name you a top end player in history that I saw do it or could envisi...on doing it. You're getting your ass kicked. Embarrassed on national TV. You should be livid, and thinking about what needs to change so you're not in that position ever again.

You would not see Jordan, Ķobe, KG, LeBron, Stockton, I. Thomas, Bird, Shaq, Barkley, Duncan, etc. Etc. Etc. Doing that. These players you're chumming up with are who you should want to kill on the court for as long as you're here because they will be standing in your way the whole time.

His comments about this in his YouTube series is literally the exact opposite of what you suggest.

I suspect opinions on this event may differ based on age demographics. Many of us who played the game at various levels decades ago can't imagine congratulating the team that just kicked your ass with several minutes still to play...no effing way. But I also recognize that today's player is a different breed, and that Ant's action was not out of line considering today's environment. It seems to me that today's NBA player often thinks of himself as a member of an exclusive club more than a member of his own team. And with the tens of millions of dollars they are making, maybe it's difficult to blame them. But I still long for the older days sometimes, especially when I see moments like that.

Oh, and stay out of my yard...

[AussieWolf3]

I couldn't name you a top end player in history that I saw do it or could envisi...on doing it. You're getting your ass kicked. Embarrassed on national TV. You should be livid, and thinking about what needs to change so you're not in that position ever again.

You would not see Jordan, Ķobe, KG, LeBron, Stockton, I. Thomas, Bird, Shaq, Barkley, Duncan, etc. Etc. Etc. Doing that. These players you're chumming up with are who you should want to kill on the court for as long as you're here because they will be standing in your way the whole time.

His comments about this in his YouTube series is literally the exact opposite of what you suggest.

I suspect opinions on this event may differ based on age demographics. Many of us who played the game at various levels decades ago can't imagine congratulating the team that just kicked your ass with several minutes still to play...no effing way. But I also recognize that today's player is a different breed, and that Ant's action was not out of line considering today's environment. It seems to me that today's NBA player often thinks of himself as a member of an exclusive club more than a member of his own team. And with the tens of millions of dollars they are making, maybe it's difficult to blame them. But I still long for the older days sometimes, especially when I see moments like that.

Oh, and stay out of my yard...

I'm 34 and I think it was a dumb thing to do and I also don't care at all.

I'm also 100% sure that all of you old timers are probably forgetting some random time that a player from the bygone days did something similar. Even if everyone is saying, "I've never seen anything like that"

Shit tends to go in the memory hole when it isn't the top top top headline

[guest81]

I couldn't name you a top end player in history that I saw do it or could envisi...on doing it. You're getting your ass kicked. Embarrassed on national TV. You should be livid, and thinking about what needs to change so you're not in that position ever again.

You would not see Jordan, Ķobe, KG, LeBron, Stockton, I. Thomas, Bird, Shaq, Barkley, Duncan, etc. Etc. Etc. Doing that. These players you're chumming up with are who you should want to kill on the court for as long as you're here because they will be standing in your way the whole time.

His comments about this in his YouTube series is literally the exact opposite of what you suggest.

I suspect opinions on this event may differ based on age demographics. Many of us who played the game at various levels decades ago can't imagine congratulating the team that just kicked your ass with several minutes still to play...no effing way. But I also recognize that today's player is a different breed, and that Ant's action was not out of line considering today's environment. It seems to me that today's NBA player often thinks of himself as a member of an exclusive club more than a member of his own team. And with the tens of millions of dollars they are making, maybe it's difficult to blame them. But I still long for the older days sometimes, especially when I see moments like that.

Oh, and stay out of my yard...

I'm positive that at some point, those old school guys shook the hand of an opponent that beat them.

[FNG]

His comments about this in his YouTube series is literally the exact opposite of what you suggest.

I suspect opinions on this event may differ based on age demographics. Many of us who played the game at various levels decades ago can't imagine congratulating the team that just kicked your ass with several minutes still to play...no effing way. But I also recognize that today's player is a different breed, and that Ant's action was not out of line considering today's environment. It seems to me that today's NBA player often thinks of himself as a member of an exclusive club more than a member of his own team. And with the tens of millions of dollars they are making, maybe it's difficult to blame them. But I still long for the older days sometimes, especially when I see moments like that.

Oh, and stay out of my yard...

I'm 34 and I think it was a dumb thing to do and I also don't care at all.

I'm also 100% sure that all of you old timers are probably forgetting some random time that a player from the bygone days did something similar. Even if everyone is saying, "I've never seen anything like that"

Shit tends to go in the memory hole when it isn't the top top top headline

Oh I agree. aussie...players from both eras are not homogeneous. There are certainly players from the 80s who would have done what Ant did, and players today who would never consider it. I'm saying on balance though today's players seem much more like they are all in the same club. It's funny...just a couple nights ago I got together with a few of my high school baseball teammates, and we reminisced about how one of our guys was hugging some of our opponents post game (he grew up in their neighborhood)...we're still pissed about it decades later!

[BeenLurkin]

I'm not sure where to put this and didn't want to make a new thread. But am I the only person who had a problem with Ant being in the Spurs huddle with 8 minutes left in our season? Anybody else? It's just weird and speaks to someone who doesn't have it all connected. Call me old school, but ignoring that and brushing it off as no big deal doesn't mesh with the coach in me. Tell me I'm overreacting if that's how you feel.

What's the implication? That Ant didn't care about winning? Guy came back early from a bad injury. Do we want guys like Ant or guys like Wemby putting hits out at the end of blowouts?

Sure as hell beats throwing a chair and getting called out all offseason for that? Nothing this guy does seems to rub some people the right way….

[Phenom]

I heard quite a few talking heads scratching their head or hating on what Ant did. Its funny to me since they have consistently said they love how Ant is different with his approach. Oh well.

I wasn't concerned about it and his explanation for his thought process behind it seems fine to me.

[Lipoli390]

I heard quite a few talking heads scratching their head or hating on what Ant did. Its funny to me since they have consistently said they love how Ant is different with his approach. Oh well.

I wasn't concerned about it and his explanation for his thought process behind it seems fine to me.

I’m with you Phenom. What matters to me is what Ant does on the court. Two big positives stand out to me about Ant: (1) He has consistently played at an elite level offensively; and (2) he has improved his offensive game each year he’s been in the League. Two negatives stand out for me about Ant: (1) his lapses in judgment resulting in bad decisions an turnovers; and (2) his inconsistent defense. Of these two, his inconsistent defense concerns me the most. I don’t care about how he interacts with players on other teams unless there is some sign from his play on the court that he doesn’t really care enough or isn’t sufficiently competitive. Perhaps his inconsistent defense is a sign that he’s not competitive enough and perhaps this recent incident is another sign. But I don’t want to spend time trying to read between the lines when we can just read actual print written in the thousands of minutes Ant has logged as a player.

Ant has improved his offensive game each year he’s been in the League. As I see it, it’s not time for him to take a leap forward defensively by being an outstanding defender consistently, which he’s physically capable of becoming. How can the organization help him take that next step? First, the organization from top down through the coaching staff needs to set that expectation and stay on him to improve in that area and live up to his defensive potential. Second, I think it would help to add a feisty tough veteran who command Ant’s attention and inspire Ant to do better on that end. Ant is a player who feeds off the energy of others - whether it’s the crowd or teammates.

If Chris Paul were still in the league and playing at a high level, he’d be the sort of player I’d love to pair with Ant. I think Ant would feed off of him. Given who’s potentially available via trade this offseason, I think Jrue Holiday would not only add a very good defensive PG to the team, but would also potentially push Ant to be better defensively. I think Jalen Suggs would pair well with Ant. I think the two would bond over their love of football and I think Suggs has a toughness similar to Brunson that would positively impact Ant. But ultimately, it’s up to Ant to find it within himself to become the elite two-way player he’s capable of becoming. This latest interaction with Spurs players doesn’t tell us anything meaningful in my view about whether Ant will find it within himself to take that next step defensively.