Wolves Offseason Point Guard Options

[Monster]

Also, can Connelly find a rotation guy for cheap?


Champagnie has a $3 mil team option next year.

McBride is making $3-$4 mil a year

Shamet is on a vet min


OKC has Ajay Mitchell making $3 mil a year.

This is where he has had some success.

NAW for like 4 million a year for a few years.
Bones for a vet min
Conley back on the vet min.
Clark his rookie year was a solid contributor especially for a late round pick
Garza was a decent depth guy
TSJ is cheap he needs to stay healthy and then it seems pretty likely to be able to contribute.

Of course not all the guys added for cheap has worked out especially through the draft but I feel like in terms of trades and free agents he has earned some level of trust. I'll be interested to see if they keep Phillips around. He could be a guy that ends up being a bit of a surprise.

[WildWolf2813]

Also, can Connelly find a rotation guy for cheap?


Champagnie has a $3 mil team option next year.

McBride is making $3-$4 mil a year

Shamet is on a vet min


OKC has Ajay Mitchell making $3 mil a year.

This is where he has had some success.

NAW for like 4 million a year for a few years.
Bones for a vet min
Conley back on the vet min.
Clark his rookie year was a solid contributor especially for a late round pick
Garza was a decent depth guy
TSJ is cheap he needs to stay healthy and then it seems pretty likely to be able to contribute.

Of course not all the guys added for cheap has worked out especially through the draft but I feel like in terms of trades and free agents he has earned some level of trust. I'll be interested to see if they keep Phillips around. He could be a guy that ends up being a bit of a surprise.

He got NAW on a great deal. Now he's gone. The key to being a good GM is to keep finding them and not resting on laurels after they leave. Gotta keep unearthing those guys. Having Naz Reid on a Gupta special was awesome. Naz Reid on the deal after that was really good. Naz Reid now in the same role on a huge deal while not having someone behind him contributing on a Gupta special is hurting the team big time. Even if Beringer ever reaches the hopes we have, all of his super cheap years will be his developmental years. His only value will come if we underpay him on the next deal, if he's good enough to earn that deal.


Bones, Conley, Garza, and Clark are not good examples of what TC should be trying to get. You described a bunch of guys who in a perfect world, never see the court. They're great guys to have in the locker room, guys who can wave towels and be good vibes guys, but I'm talking about guys who can be in a rotation and you're happy with what they bring rather consistently.

Bones did enough to not have to go overseas to continue to make a living off playing basketball. I'm also not gonna fight anyone who wants to pay him much more than the minimum, because come playoff time Finch after a while didn't wanna play him.

Clark is Josh Okogie. He was asked to do one thing in the offseason: get better at threes. He got worse. He is what he is.


Phillips, we don't know why he was thrown into the deal. I do know that Finch was never interested in finding out, so why should we?



If the Wolves run a 9 man rotation

Ant
JMac
Naz
Ayo
Beringer
Shannon

whatever comes back from Gobert and/or Randle better be cheaper pieces that actually function night in night out. That's 2 players, maybe 3, if not someone Connelly MUST add as a free agent that becomes our Shamet (maybe that's Huerter), but outside of the guys I just named, nobody else on the roster should be part of that conversation. Things happen. Guys get hurt, in a pinch you can get away with the Hyland's, Conley's, Slow-Mo's in doses and in a matchup here and there. In reality, they should all be Joe Ingles in terms of importance.

So if you think asking for the #28 pick to be good and good soon is asking a lot, it really isn't, because if it is, why is Tim Connelly even here? He was brought here to be a good eye for talent, not to become our Daryl Morey who is the most overrated GM in our lifetime.

[Q-is-here]

Also, can Connelly find a rotation guy for cheap?


Champagnie has a $3 mil team option next year.

McBride is making $3-$4 mil a year

Shamet is on a vet min


OKC has Ajay Mitchell making $3 mil a year.

This is where he has had some success.

NAW for like 4 million a year for a few years.
Bones for a vet min
Conley back on the vet min.
Clark his rookie year was a solid contributor especially for a late round pick
Garza was a decent depth guy
TSJ is cheap he needs to stay healthy and then it seems pretty likely to be able to contribute.

Of course not all the guys added for cheap has worked out especially through the draft but I feel like in terms of trades and free agents he has earned some level of trust. I'll be interested to see if they keep Phillips around. He could be a guy that ends up being a bit of a surprise.

He got NAW on a great deal. Now he's gone. The key to being a good GM is to keep finding them and not resting on laurels after they leave. Gotta keep unearthing those guys. Having Naz Reid on a Gupta special was awesome. Naz Reid on the deal after that was really good. Naz Reid now in the same role on a huge deal while not having someone behind him contributing on a Gupta special is hurting the team big time. Even if Beringer ever reaches the hopes we have, all of his super cheap years will be his developmental years. His only value will come if we underpay him on the next deal, if he's good enough to earn that deal.


Bones, Conley, Garza, and Clark are not good examples of what TC should be trying to get. You described a bunch of guys who in a perfect world, never see the court. They're great guys to have in the locker room, guys who can wave towels and be good vibes guys, but I'm talking about guys who can be in a rotation and you're happy with what they bring rather consistently.

Bones did enough to not have to go overseas to continue to make a living off playing basketball. I'm also not gonna fight anyone who wants to pay him much more than the minimum, because come playoff time Finch after a while didn't wanna play him.

Clark is Josh Okogie. He was asked to do one thing in the offseason: get better at threes. He got worse. He is what he is.


Phillips, we don't know why he was thrown into the deal. I do know that Finch was never interested in finding out, so why should we?



If the Wolves run a 9 man rotation

Ant
JMac
Naz
Ayo
Beringer
Shannon

whatever comes back from Gobert and/or Randle better be cheaper pieces that actually function night in night out. That's 2 players, maybe 3, if not someone Connelly MUST add as a free agent that becomes our Shamet (maybe that's Huerter), but outside of the guys I just named, nobody else on the roster should be part of that conversation. Things happen. Guys get hurt, in a pinch you can get away with the Hyland's, Conley's, Slow-Mo's in doses and in a matchup here and there. In reality, they should all be Joe Ingles in terms of importance.

So if you think asking for the #28 pick to be good and good soon is asking a lot, it really isn't, because if it is, why is Tim Connelly even here? He was brought here to be a good eye for talent, not to become our Daryl Morey who is the most overrated GM in our lifetime.

Wildwolf, You are missing a couple of fairly significant tools Connelly can deploy to go acquire more depth outside of whatever we get back in a hypothetical Randle and/or Gobert trade, so long as we stay below the second apron and ownership is willing to pay the luxury tax.

They have an $10.8M trade exception from the Conley deal to the Bulls that can be used to take back more salary than sent out, meaning, for example, they could ship out the 28th pick for a player earning as much as $10.8M in the 26-27 season.

The Wolves also have access to the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which allows them to sign a free agent for up to $6.1M, which expands the pool of free agents Connelly can pursue beyond the bargain basement variety.

So Connelly doesn't HAVE to go find some diamond in the rough vet at $3M or less or hit the jackpot with a rotation-ready player at #28 in the draft as you are suggesting here (although that'd be nice too).

[rapsuperstar31]

Also, can Connelly find a rotation guy for cheap?


Champagnie has a $3 mil team option next year.

McBride is making $3-$4 mil a year

Shamet is on a vet min


OKC has Ajay Mitchell making $3 mil a year.

This is where he has had some success.

NAW for like 4 million a year for a few years.
Bones for a vet min
Conley back on the vet min.
Clark his rookie year was a solid contributor especially for a late round pick
Garza was a decent depth guy
TSJ is cheap he needs to stay healthy and then it seems pretty likely to be able to contribute.

Of course not all the guys added for cheap has worked out especially through the draft but I feel like in terms of trades and free agents he has earned some level of trust. I'll be interested to see if they keep Phillips around. He could be a guy that ends up being a bit of a surprise.

He got NAW on a great deal. Now he's gone. The key to being a good GM is to keep finding them and not resting on laurels after they leave. Gotta keep unearthing those guys. Having Naz Reid on a Gupta special was awesome. Naz Reid on the deal after that was really good. Naz Reid now in the same role on a huge deal while not having someone behind him contributing on a Gupta special is hurting the team big time. Even if Beringer ever reaches the hopes we have, all of his super cheap years will be his developmental years. His only value will come if we underpay him on the next deal, if he's good enough to earn that deal.


Bones, Conley, Garza, and Clark are not good examples of what TC should be trying to get. You described a bunch of guys who in a perfect world, never see the court. They're great guys to have in the locker room, guys who can wave towels and be good vibes guys, but I'm talking about guys who can be in a rotation and you're happy with what they bring rather consistently.

Bones did enough to not have to go overseas to continue to make a living off playing basketball. I'm also not gonna fight anyone who wants to pay him much more than the minimum, because come playoff time Finch after a while didn't wanna play him.

Clark is Josh Okogie. He was asked to do one thing in the offseason: get better at threes. He got worse. He is what he is.


Phillips, we don't know why he was thrown into the deal. I do know that Finch was never interested in finding out, so why should we?



If the Wolves run a 9 man rotation

Ant
JMac
Naz
Ayo
Beringer
Shannon

whatever comes back from Gobert and/or Randle better be cheaper pieces that actually function night in night out. That's 2 players, maybe 3, if not someone Connelly MUST add as a free agent that becomes our Shamet (maybe that's Huerter), but outside of the guys I just named, nobody else on the roster should be part of that conversation. Things happen. Guys get hurt, in a pinch you can get away with the Hyland's, Conley's, Slow-Mo's in doses and in a matchup here and there. In reality, they should all be Joe Ingles in terms of importance.

So if you think asking for the #28 pick to be good and good soon is asking a lot, it really isn't, because if it is, why is Tim Connelly even here? He was brought here to be a good eye for talent, not to become our Daryl Morey who is the most overrated GM in our lifetime.

I haven't given up on Clark yet. His shot is ugly, and it takes time to transform that. If some bigs like Anthony Davis, Drummond, and others can learn to shoot three later, Clark can figure it out if he wants to work hard at it. If you can get Clark locked in on a cheaper long term deal it could have some value down the road.

There are lot of free agents this summer, and not a lot of money available. There will be some decent players that can be had at the non tax payer mle, or even the minimum contract. Tim needs to communicate that they can have a guaranteed role here when talking to free agents. In years past guards that wanted to take a cheap contract to build up their reputation for a bigger contract down the road like Tyus Jones, Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway etc type players that signed min contracts recently wouldn't consider here because Mike was in front of them with the future Rob with a guaranteed role.

Even with some players gong back to college for that NIL money, this draft is absolutely stacked, and you can find a decent cheap player even at 28 this year.

[WildWolf2813]

This is where he has had some success.

NAW for like 4 million a year for a few years.
Bones for a vet min
Conley back on the vet min.
Clark his rookie year was a solid contributor especially for a late round pick
Garza was a decent depth guy
TSJ is cheap he needs to stay healthy and then it seems pretty likely to be able to contribute.

Of course not all the guys added for cheap has worked out especially through the draft but I feel like in terms of trades and free agents he has earned some level of trust. I'll be interested to see if they keep Phillips around. He could be a guy that ends up being a bit of a surprise.

He got NAW on a great deal. Now he's gone. The key to being a good GM is to keep finding them and not resting on laurels after they leave. Gotta keep unearthing those guys. Having Naz Reid on a Gupta special was awesome. Naz Reid on the deal after that was really good. Naz Reid now in the same role on a huge deal while not having someone behind him contributing on a Gupta special is hurting the team big time. Even if Beringer ever reaches the hopes we have, all of his super cheap years will be his developmental years. His only value will come if we underpay him on the next deal, if he's good enough to earn that deal.


Bones, Conley, Garza, and Clark are not good examples of what TC should be trying to get. You described a bunch of guys who in a perfect world, never see the court. They're great guys to have in the locker room, guys who can wave towels and be good vibes guys, but I'm talking about guys who can be in a rotation and you're happy with what they bring rather consistently.

Bones did enough to not have to go overseas to continue to make a living off playing basketball. I'm also not gonna fight anyone who wants to pay him much more than the minimum, because come playoff time Finch after a while didn't wanna play him.

Clark is Josh Okogie. He was asked to do one thing in the offseason: get better at threes. He got worse. He is what he is.


Phillips, we don't know why he was thrown into the deal. I do know that Finch was never interested in finding out, so why should we?



If the Wolves run a 9 man rotation

Ant
JMac
Naz
Ayo
Beringer
Shannon

whatever comes back from Gobert and/or Randle better be cheaper pieces that actually function night in night out. That's 2 players, maybe 3, if not someone Connelly MUST add as a free agent that becomes our Shamet (maybe that's Huerter), but outside of the guys I just named, nobody else on the roster should be part of that conversation. Things happen. Guys get hurt, in a pinch you can get away with the Hyland's, Conley's, Slow-Mo's in doses and in a matchup here and there. In reality, they should all be Joe Ingles in terms of importance.

So if you think asking for the #28 pick to be good and good soon is asking a lot, it really isn't, because if it is, why is Tim Connelly even here? He was brought here to be a good eye for talent, not to become our Daryl Morey who is the most overrated GM in our lifetime.

Wildwolf, You are missing a couple of fairly significant tools Connelly can deploy to go acquire more depth outside of whatever we get back in a hypothetical Randle and/or Gobert trade, so long as we stay below the second apron and ownership is willing to pay the luxury tax.

They have an $10.8M trade exception from the Conley deal to the Bulls that can be used to take back more salary than sent out, meaning, for example, they could ship out the 28th pick for a player earning as much as $10.8M in the 26-27 season.

The Wolves also have access to the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which allows them to sign a free agent for up to $6.1M, which expands the pool of free agents Connelly can pursue beyond the bargain basement variety.

So Connelly doesn't HAVE to go find some diamond in the rough vet at $3M or less or hit the jackpot with a rotation-ready player at #28 in the draft as you are suggesting here (although that'd be nice too).

My point even in your suggestion is that we're looking to pay guys 2, 3x as much for what these really good teams are able to get out of someone for a fraction of the cost. That helps keep teams from being in the financial quandary that we're in. Does Connelly hand out solid contracts? Yes. Is he significantly stealing value from guys? Nope, and what we got out of NAW's last 2 years here he's not getting from anyone on this roster and that he needs to get back to, so I'd argue he DOES need his own Champagnie. The moves he's hung his hat on, he needs to do again and for us, plain and simple.

[Q-is-here]

He got NAW on a great deal. Now he's gone. The key to being a good GM is to keep finding them and not resting on laurels after they leave. Gotta keep unearthing those guys. Having Naz Reid on a Gupta special was awesome. Naz Reid on the deal after that was really good. Naz Reid now in the same role on a huge deal while not having someone behind him contributing on a Gupta special is hurting the team big time. Even if Beringer ever reaches the hopes we have, all of his super cheap years will be his developmental years. His only value will come if we underpay him on the next deal, if he's good enough to earn that deal.


Bones, Conley, Garza, and Clark are not good examples of what TC should be trying to get. You described a bunch of guys who in a perfect world, never see the court. They're great guys to have in the locker room, guys who can wave towels and be good vibes guys, but I'm talking about guys who can be in a rotation and you're happy with what they bring rather consistently.

Bones did enough to not have to go overseas to continue to make a living off playing basketball. I'm also not gonna fight anyone who wants to pay him much more than the minimum, because come playoff time Finch after a while didn't wanna play him.

Clark is Josh Okogie. He was asked to do one thing in the offseason: get better at threes. He got worse. He is what he is.


Phillips, we don't know why he was thrown into the deal. I do know that Finch was never interested in finding out, so why should we?



If the Wolves run a 9 man rotation

Ant
JMac
Naz
Ayo
Beringer
Shannon

whatever comes back from Gobert and/or Randle better be cheaper pieces that actually function night in night out. That's 2 players, maybe 3, if not someone Connelly MUST add as a free agent that becomes our Shamet (maybe that's Huerter), but outside of the guys I just named, nobody else on the roster should be part of that conversation. Things happen. Guys get hurt, in a pinch you can get away with the Hyland's, Conley's, Slow-Mo's in doses and in a matchup here and there. In reality, they should all be Joe Ingles in terms of importance.

So if you think asking for the #28 pick to be good and good soon is asking a lot, it really isn't, because if it is, why is Tim Connelly even here? He was brought here to be a good eye for talent, not to become our Daryl Morey who is the most overrated GM in our lifetime.

Wildwolf, You are missing a couple of fairly significant tools Connelly can deploy to go acquire more depth outside of whatever we get back in a hypothetical Randle and/or Gobert trade, so long as we stay below the second apron and ownership is willing to pay the luxury tax.

They have an $10.8M trade exception from the Conley deal to the Bulls that can be used to take back more salary than sent out, meaning, for example, they could ship out the 28th pick for a player earning as much as $10.8M in the 26-27 season.

The Wolves also have access to the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which allows them to sign a free agent for up to $6.1M, which expands the pool of free agents Connelly can pursue beyond the bargain basement variety.

So Connelly doesn't HAVE to go find some diamond in the rough vet at $3M or less or hit the jackpot with a rotation-ready player at #28 in the draft as you are suggesting here (although that'd be nice too).

My point even in your suggestion is that we're looking to pay guys 2, 3x as much for what these really good teams are able to get out of someone for a fraction of the cost. That helps keep teams from being in the financial quandary that we're in. Does Connelly hand out solid contracts? Yes. Is he significantly stealing value from guys? Nope, and what we got out of NAW's last 2 years here he's not getting from anyone on this roster and that he needs to get back to, so I'd argue he DOES need his own Champagnie. The moves he's hung his hat on, he needs to do again and for us, plain and simple.

Why isn't Shannon that guy? He's less than $3M next season and has proven to be a useful player in the playoffs. His scope got a little too big against the Spurs because we were running out of healthy bodies, but why can't he play a Shamet or McBride type role off the bench?

I agree that Connelly has to keep unearthing talent, but you sort of make it sound like there is literally no other way to improve the roster.

[WildWolf2813]

Wildwolf, You are missing a couple of fairly significant tools Connelly can deploy to go acquire more depth outside of whatever we get back in a hypothetical Randle and/or Gobert trade, so long as we stay below the second apron and ownership is willing to pay the luxury tax.

They have an $10.8M trade exception from the Conley deal to the Bulls that can be used to take back more salary than sent out, meaning, for example, they could ship out the 28th pick for a player earning as much as $10.8M in the 26-27 season.

The Wolves also have access to the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which allows them to sign a free agent for up to $6.1M, which expands the pool of free agents Connelly can pursue beyond the bargain basement variety.

So Connelly doesn't HAVE to go find some diamond in the rough vet at $3M or less or hit the jackpot with a rotation-ready player at #28 in the draft as you are suggesting here (although that'd be nice too).

My point even in your suggestion is that we're looking to pay guys 2, 3x as much for what these really good teams are able to get out of someone for a fraction of the cost. That helps keep teams from being in the financial quandary that we're in. Does Connelly hand out solid contracts? Yes. Is he significantly stealing value from guys? Nope, and what we got out of NAW's last 2 years here he's not getting from anyone on this roster and that he needs to get back to, so I'd argue he DOES need his own Champagnie. The moves he's hung his hat on, he needs to do again and for us, plain and simple.

Why isn't Shannon that guy? He's less than $3M next season and has proven to be a useful player in the playoffs. His scope got a little too big against the Spurs because we were running out of healthy bodies, but why can't he play a Shamet or McBride type role off the bench?

I agree that Connelly has to keep unearthing talent, but you sort of make it sound like there is literally no other way to improve the roster.

Because it took half the team getting injured for Finch to play Shannon. I'm aware that Shannon and Beringer will enter the rotation and if they succeed, then that will help, but these are still guys on their rookie deals that Finch will be hesitant to use. If he wants to fall back on a vet, have it be someone he can use that's functional any given night as opposed to Conley.

Also because I'm referring to what he can sign in free agency to round out the rotation. Could the #28 pick be a cheap contributor? I hope. Should he be a cheap contributor? Yes. Will he be a cheap contributor? Finch is still the coach so I doubt it.

For example, Ajay Mitchell is a good pick. Mitchell getting $9 mil for 3 years is awesome. Even if say Shannon blows up this year, he then becomes extension eligible and he'll want much more than what Mitchell got. The cheap talent always has to be there.

[Lipoli390]

My point even in your suggestion is that we're looking to pay guys 2, 3x as much for what these really good teams are able to get out of someone for a fraction of the cost. That helps keep teams from being in the financial quandary that we're in. Does Connelly hand out solid contracts? Yes. Is he significantly stealing value from guys? Nope, and what we got out of NAW's last 2 years here he's not getting from anyone on this roster and that he needs to get back to, so I'd argue he DOES need his own Champagnie. The moves he's hung his hat on, he needs to do again and for us, plain and simple.

Why isn't Shannon that guy? He's less than $3M next season and has proven to be a useful player in the playoffs. His scope got a little too big against the Spurs because we were running out of healthy bodies, but why can't he play a Shamet or McBride type role off the bench?

I agree that Connelly has to keep unearthing talent, but you sort of make it sound like there is literally no other way to improve the roster.

Because it took half the team getting injured for Finch to play Shannon. I'm aware that Shannon and Beringer will enter the rotation and if they succeed, then that will help, but these are still guys on their rookie deals that Finch will be hesitant to use. If he wants to fall back on a vet, have it be someone he can use that's functional any given night as opposed to Conley.

Also because I'm referring to what he can sign in free agency to round out the rotation. Could the #28 pick be a cheap contributor? I hope. Should he be a cheap contributor? Yes. Will he be a cheap contributor? Finch is still the coach so I doubt it.

For example, Ajay Mitchell is a good pick. Mitchell getting $9 mil for 3 years is awesome. Even if say Shannon blows up this year, he then becomes extension eligible and he'll want much more than what Mitchell got. The cheap talent always has to be there.

I generally agree with Wild, but I also join Q in seeing multiple ways of improving the team without breaking the bank or squandering the few forward-looking assets (picks and young players) we have left. I will say this about TC. He has yet to earn his pay. He continues to live largely off of what what was bequeathed to him by Rosas - namely Ant, Jaden and Naz. I’ll credit TC for retaining Naz and Jaden on reasonable contracts. I liked the Mike Conley deal, but it produced a very short term benefit because of Conley’s age and our cap constraints that kept us from retaining NAW - cap constraints created in large part by moves TC made. I believe that TSJ can be a very good player for us, but I don’t trust Finch to give TSJ the runway he needs to succeed and that comes back to TC who has to make sure the entire organization is aligned and thinking a step or two ahead.

Bottom line for me is that, before TC arrived, we were a 46-win, 7th place team, built around KAT, Ant, Jaden and Naz when the latter three weren’t even 21 years old. Ant was 19 at the time in only his second season. This past season we won 49 games with Ant, Jaden, Naz nearing their prime. We lost KAT while adding Rudy, Randle, and Donte. The result was 3 more wins and one increment higher in the standings. I know it’s not quite as simple as comparing records in two different seasons and I don’t consider TC a failure. But the evidence so far shows TC coming up short of the level of success I would expect from someone who is considered an elite basketball executive given the wealth he inherited from his predecessor.

This will be a crucial summer for TC in my view. Will he be able to reconfigure our roster around Ant in a way that puts this team on track towards championship contention? He has some assets to work with for trades and he has managed the cap well enough to leave room for a free agent signing or two. He has TSJ and Beringer, who I consider good picks but they need playing time to develop and show what they can do. I think TC is a smart guy and he’s obviously highly respected around the League but at some point he has to show results and to me that starts with getting back into the top four in the standings and back to the Western Conference Finals. Then maybe we’ll be where the Knicks are right now.

[Monster]

Why isn't Shannon that guy? He's less than $3M next season and has proven to be a useful player in the playoffs. His scope got a little too big against the Spurs because we were running out of healthy bodies, but why can't he play a Shamet or McBride type role off the bench?

I agree that Connelly has to keep unearthing talent, but you sort of make it sound like there is literally no other way to improve the roster.

Because it took half the team getting injured for Finch to play Shannon. I'm aware that Shannon and Beringer will enter the rotation and if they succeed, then that will help, but these are still guys on their rookie deals that Finch will be hesitant to use. If he wants to fall back on a vet, have it be someone he can use that's functional any given night as opposed to Conley.

Also because I'm referring to what he can sign in free agency to round out the rotation. Could the #28 pick be a cheap contributor? I hope. Should he be a cheap contributor? Yes. Will he be a cheap contributor? Finch is still the coach so I doubt it.

For example, Ajay Mitchell is a good pick. Mitchell getting $9 mil for 3 years is awesome. Even if say Shannon blows up this year, he then becomes extension eligible and he'll want much more than what Mitchell got. The cheap talent always has to be there.

I generally agree with Wild, but I also join Q in seeing multiple ways of improving the team without breaking the bank or squandering the few forward-looking assets (picks and young players) we have left. I will say this about TC. He has yet to earn his pay. He continues to live largely off of what what was bequeathed to him by Rosas - namely Ant, Jaden and Naz. I’ll credit TC for retaining Naz and Jaden on reasonable contracts. I liked the Mike Conley deal, but it produced a very short term benefit because of Conley’s age and our cap constraints that kept us from retaining NAW - cap constraints created in large part by moves TC made. I believe that TSJ can be a very good player for us, but I don’t trust Finch to give TSJ the runway he needs to succeed and that comes back to TC who has to make sure the entire organization is aligned and thinking a step or two ahead.

Bottom line for me is that, before TC arrived, we were a 46-win, 7th place team, built around KAT, Ant, Jaden and Naz when the latter three weren’t even 21 years old. Ant was 19 at the time in only his second season. This past season we won 49 games with Ant, Jaden, Naz nearing their prime. We lost KAT while adding Rudy, Randle, and Donte. The result was 3 more wins and one increment higher in the standings. I know it’s not quite as simple as comparing records in two different seasons and I don’t consider TC a failure. But the evidence so far shows TC coming up short of the level of success I would expect from someone who is considered an elite basketball executive given the wealth he inherited from his predecessor.

This will be a crucial summer for TC in my view. Will he be able to reconfigure our roster around Ant in a way that puts this team on track towards championship contention? He has some assets to work with for trades and he has managed the cap well enough to leave room for a free agent signing or two. He has TSJ and Beringer, who I consider good picks but they need playing time to develop and show what they can do. I think TC is a smart guy and he’s obviously highly respected around the League but at some point he has to show results and to me that starts with getting back into the top four in the standings and back to the Western Conference Finals. Then maybe we’ll be where the Knicks are right now.

A couple things to add to some good discussion here.

-Personally I think Finch not playing young players is more on Connelly than it is on Finch. Why? 1. Connelly has done well keeping the roster well stocked with talent. At times there hasn't been a clear runway for some young players. So in some ways Connelly is doing his job too well. 2. Some of the young players that Connelly has added to the team really haven't been that good. TSJ last year the biggest reason he didn't play more was he was injured. Dillingham wasn't good and Bones a guy Connelly signed when most of this board was upset he didn't sign someone else was simply better. I think if a guy can play Finch is gonna play them. Dillingham played himself out of a role at least a couple times here. If he blows up and becomes good later than we can revisit this but I haven't seen anything to say he will. I have hope for him but I wouldn't bet on it either.

The Russell for Conley trade still has some effects on the roster today. There were four 2nd round picks sent to Chicago and one of those was from the NAW sign and trade. Rocco is a draft selection from the Utah trade as well. It's hard to keep track but I think the trade down that led to select Rocco led to a 2032 pick that was likely also in the Ayo deal. So at the very least you have some piece of the Ayo deal and Rocco from that deal so that's not nothing. I'll stand way over here and mention that until Julian Phillips is off the roster I'm considering it possible he has some value. Miller was acquired in part by using a pick from the Utah deal and so Phillips could also be a factor from that deal. I fully admit that one looks like a stretch right now but Connelly has found value in moves like that before. If they wanted Phillips why didn't he play? Probably because Clark was in front of him. That might not be the case next season...if Phillips is even here. Lol

[TheFuture]

Why isn't Shannon that guy? He's less than $3M next season and has proven to be a useful player in the playoffs. His scope got a little too big against the Spurs because we were running out of healthy bodies, but why can't he play a Shamet or McBride type role off the bench?

I agree that Connelly has to keep unearthing talent, but you sort of make it sound like there is literally no other way to improve the roster.

Because it took half the team getting injured for Finch to play Shannon. I'm aware that Shannon and Beringer will enter the rotation and if they succeed, then that will help, but these are still guys on their rookie deals that Finch will be hesitant to use. If he wants to fall back on a vet, have it be someone he can use that's functional any given night as opposed to Conley.

Also because I'm referring to what he can sign in free agency to round out the rotation. Could the #28 pick be a cheap contributor? I hope. Should he be a cheap contributor? Yes. Will he be a cheap contributor? Finch is still the coach so I doubt it.

For example, Ajay Mitchell is a good pick. Mitchell getting $9 mil for 3 years is awesome. Even if say Shannon blows up this year, he then becomes extension eligible and he'll want much more than what Mitchell got. The cheap talent always has to be there.

I generally agree with Wild, but I also join Q in seeing multiple ways of improving the team without breaking the bank or squandering the few forward-looking assets (picks and young players) we have left. I will say this about TC. He has yet to earn his pay. He continues to live largely off of what what was bequeathed to him by Rosas - namely Ant, Jaden and Naz. I’ll credit TC for retaining Naz and Jaden on reasonable contracts. I liked the Mike Conley deal, but it produced a very short term benefit because of Conley’s age and our cap constraints that kept us from retaining NAW - cap constraints created in large part by moves TC made. I believe that TSJ can be a very good player for us, but I don’t trust Finch to give TSJ the runway he needs to succeed and that comes back to TC who has to make sure the entire organization is aligned and thinking a step or two ahead.

Bottom line for me is that, before TC arrived, we were a 46-win, 7th place team, built around KAT, Ant, Jaden and Naz when the latter three weren’t even 21 years old. Ant was 19 at the time in only his second season. This past season we won 49 games with Ant, Jaden, Naz nearing their prime. We lost KAT while adding Rudy, Randle, and Donte. The result was 3 more wins and one increment higher in the standings. I know it’s not quite as simple as comparing records in two different seasons and I don’t consider TC a failure. But the evidence so far shows TC coming up short of the level of success I would expect from someone who is considered an elite basketball executive given the wealth he inherited from his predecessor.

This will be a crucial summer for TC in my view. Will he be able to reconfigure our roster around Ant in a way that puts this team on track towards championship contention? He has some assets to work with for trades and he has managed the cap well enough to leave room for a free agent signing or two. He has TSJ and Beringer, who I consider good picks but they need playing time to develop and show what they can do. I think TC is a smart guy and he’s obviously highly respected around the League but at some point he has to show results and to me that starts with getting back into the top four in the standings and back to the Western Conference Finals. Then maybe we’ll be where the Knicks are right now.

This is a really good post. He inherited a good roster with a star in hand. He likely bid a bit against himself in the Gobert trade, but gave up no player of real value. He 100% botched the Dillingham pick/trade and sold way low on KAT. Nobody could've foreseen the Spurs hitting the jackpot 3 times in a row or every OKC player progressing as they have.