Wolves Offseason Forward Options

[Lipoli390]

Jaylin Williams (the one our our summer league squad) averaged 13.6 points and 7 rebounds in the G-League last season. More importantly, he has a 37% three-point average in jhis two G-League seasons - 36% last season on a significant 5 attempts. Could he be the answer “out of left field” to our PF position if LeBron doesn’t come here?

[Monster]

Jaylin Williams (the one our our summer league squad) averaged 13.6 points and 7 rebounds in the G-League last season. More importantly, he has a 37% three-point average in jhis two G-League seasons - 36% last season on a significant 5 attempts. Could he be the answer “out of left field” to our PF position if LeBron doesn’t come here?

When I watched his highlights before Summer league I liked what I saw. He was ok-ish in summer league when he got minutes although he got yelled at by Q a few times. I think Freeman is probably the better player as a guy that does shit and stuff.

My guess is a wing might be playing PF if it's a left field guy. Either that or we are getting an Outfielder from the Twins!

[Lipoli390]

Jaylin Williams (the one our our summer league squad) averaged 13.6 points and 7 rebounds in the G-League last season. More importantly, he has a 37% three-point average in jhis two G-League seasons - 36% last season on a significant 5 attempts. Could he be the answer “out of left field” to our PF position if LeBron doesn’t come here?

When I watched his highlights before Summer league I liked what I saw. He was ok-ish in summer league when he got minutes although he got yelled at by Q a few times. I think Freeman is probably the better player as a guy that does shit and stuff.

My guess is a wing might be playing PF if it's a left field guy. Either that or we are getting an Outfielder from the Twins!

lol.

[Monster]

Jaylin Williams (the one our our summer league squad) averaged 13.6 points and 7 rebounds in the G-League last season. More importantly, he has a 37% three-point average in jhis two G-League seasons - 36% last season on a significant 5 attempts. Could he be the answer “out of left field” to our PF position if LeBron doesn’t come here?

When I watched his highlights before Summer league I liked what I saw. He was ok-ish in summer league when he got minutes although he got yelled at by Q a few times. I think Freeman is probably the better player as a guy that does shit and stuff.

My guess is a wing might be playing PF if it's a left field guy. Either that or we are getting an Outfielder from the Twins!

lol.

Carson McCusker is 6'8" and looks to have a lengthy wingspan.

Of course the answer could simply be Lyles and or a wing depending on matchups.

[Coolbreeze44]

I'm going to throw out there something that has already been floated - TSJ might be your starter most nights.

[Lipoli390]

I'm going to throw out there something that has already been floated - TSJ might be your starter most nights.

That’s what I would do. And I wouldn’t worry about what position he’s playing. I’d have Jaden and TSJ as my two starting forwards. Call them whatever you want - PF, SF - it doesn’t matter. Defensive matchups would depend on who the other team has in the floor. Jaden has PF length. TSJ doesn’t have PF length but he is 20 lbs heavier than Jaden and seems strong and physical. He and Jaden are both athletic. They could be a very good forward duo.

[Monster]

I'm going to throw out there something that has already been floated - TSJ might be your starter most nights.

That’s what I would do. And I wouldn’t worry about what position he’s playing. I’d have Jaden and TSJ as my two starting forwards. Call them whatever you want - PF, SF - it doesn’t matter. Defensive matchups would depend on who the other team has in the floor. Jaden has PF length. TSJ doesn’t have PF length but he is 20 lbs heavier than Jaden and seems strong and physical. He and Jaden are both athletic. They could be a very good forward duo.

Offensively idk if that is what I would do. If TSJ really is a guy that's better with the ball in his hands then it seems to me he would be better off coming off the bench. I think the premise both of you are going off of is that TSJ is one of the 5 or 6th best players so you start him. I would agree with that thinking.

I will say that last season it seems like TSJ looked and played more like a guard to me. I'll add that his rebounding was down both in the regular season and in the playoffs. He looked a little slimmer as well. In college it's not like he was a big rebounder either. His top year was his 1st year at Illinois at 4.6 rebound and neither year he was there it's not like they had big that was gobbling up boards. Again I'm not against TSJ starting just adding some more data and my observations to the idea of it.

[Lipoli390]

We keep discussing the need for more size at the PF position yet I don’t think we’ve ever discussed LeBron’s size for that position. So I looked up his draft combine measurements for the first time and here’s what I found:

Height: 6’7.25”
Weight: 245 lbs
Wingspan: 7’0.25”
Standing Reach: 8’10.25”

I then consulted Gemini and learned that his wingspan is larger now and is widely consider to be about 7’3. Gemini also revealed that he is no longer the 245 lbs 18 year old who came into the League but has instead been playing at around 260 lbs dating back to his time in Miami. Just looking at him leaves no doubt that 260 pounds of muscle. So I guess he’s big enough. . And seriously, at his age and size the PF position is the right one for him. He’s not going to have the foot speed or quickness to guard wings and SGs like he used to. Your position is defined by who you can defend and that’s who the 42 year old LeBron can defend. So position is yet another reason for LeBron to choose the Wolves. No team checks more boxes than the Wolves:


1. Realistic chance at a title: All except Warriors (not enough talent and the talent there is old)
2. Best chance at winning title: Sixers
3. Best positional fit: Wolves (PF position open. Would play with two great defensive front court players)
4. Best opportunity to lead and mentor: Wolves
5. Team and fanbase that wants and needs him the most: Wolves
6. Fun teammates to play with and no assholes: Wolves, Warriors, Heat (Cavs have Harden. Philly has Embiid & Brown)
7. Biggest potential payoff winning a title: Tie, Wolves & Sixers (Wolves have no titles. Philly 40 years)
8. Good weather and year-round golf: Heat and Warriors
9. Close to LeBron’s family: Warriors
10. Familiarity: Heat and Cavs tie (Familiar with Heat’s PBO and head coach. Obviously familiar with Cleveland)
11. Player friendships: Warriors
12. Best story line: Cleveland (returning home)

Final Score:
- Wolves 6
- Warriors 4 (but family probably gets more weight)
- Heat 4
- Sixers 3
- Cavs 3 (but story line factor should be given more weight)

I’ve been all over the map with my predictions, but for my final prediction I’m going with the math and my gut. My pick for LeBron’s landing spot is our very own Minnesota Timberwolves.

[Q-is-here]

I'm going to throw out there something that has already been floated - TSJ might be your starter most nights.

That’s what I would do. And I wouldn’t worry about what position he’s playing. I’d have Jaden and TSJ as my two starting forwards. Call them whatever you want - PF, SF - it doesn’t matter. Defensive matchups would depend on who the other team has in the floor. Jaden has PF length. TSJ doesn’t have PF length but he is 20 lbs heavier than Jaden and seems strong and physical. He and Jaden are both athletic. They could be a very good forward duo.

Offensively idk if that is what I would do. If TSJ really is a guy that's better with the ball in his hands then it seems to me he would be better off coming off the bench. I think the premise both of you are going off of is that TSJ is one of the 5 or 6th best players so you start him. I would agree with that thinking.

I will say that last season it seems like TSJ looked and played more like a guard to me. I'll add that his rebounding was down both in the regular season and in the playoffs. He looked a little slimmer as well. In college it's not like he was a big rebounder either. His top year was his 1st year at Illinois at 4.6 rebound and neither year he was there it's not like they had big that was gobbling up boards. Again I'm not against TSJ starting just adding some more data and my observations to the idea of it.

I agree Monster. I think even though TSJ has the bulk/size to guard some 4's, Finch finally learned last season that he needs touches/usage to be at his best. That isn't happening with LaMelo, Ant, and Jaden on the floor together. And let's not forget that Finch is also going to want to run a fair amount of pick and roll with Rudy and LaMelo because he feels he has a PG that can get the ball to Rudy in places where he can catch and finish. So we may see an uptick of Rudy usage, at least early in halves.

Functionally, I view TSJ as Ant's replacement when Ant is on the bench, so I don't expect those two to overlap much.

My bet is that Josh Green starts in the absence of any other big moves. But who really knows? I'm not even sure Finch knows yet and may want to test some things out in camp and pre-season. Again, this is assuming we don't land LeBron and only make other minor signings to shore up the end of our bench.

[AussieWolf3]

That’s what I would do. And I wouldn’t worry about what position he’s playing. I’d have Jaden and TSJ as my two starting forwards. Call them whatever you want - PF, SF - it doesn’t matter. Defensive matchups would depend on who the other team has in the floor. Jaden has PF length. TSJ doesn’t have PF length but he is 20 lbs heavier than Jaden and seems strong and physical. He and Jaden are both athletic. They could be a very good forward duo.

Offensively idk if that is what I would do. If TSJ really is a guy that's better with the ball in his hands then it seems to me he would be better off coming off the bench. I think the premise both of you are going off of is that TSJ is one of the 5 or 6th best players so you start him. I would agree with that thinking.

I will say that last season it seems like TSJ looked and played more like a guard to me. I'll add that his rebounding was down both in the regular season and in the playoffs. He looked a little slimmer as well. In college it's not like he was a big rebounder either. His top year was his 1st year at Illinois at 4.6 rebound and neither year he was there it's not like they had big that was gobbling up boards. Again I'm not against TSJ starting just adding some more data and my observations to the idea of it.

I agree Monster. I think even though TSJ has the bulk/size to guard some 4's, Finch finally learned last season that he needs touches/usage to be at his best. That isn't happening with LaMelo, Ant, and Jaden on the floor together. And let's not forget that Finch is also going to want to run a fair amount of pick and roll with Rudy and LaMelo because he feels he has a PG that can get the ball to Rudy in places where he can catch and finish. So we may see an uptick of Rudy usage, at least early in halves.

Functionally, I view TSJ as Ant's replacement when Ant is on the bench, so I don't expect those two to overlap much.

My bet is that Josh Green starts in the absence of any other big moves. But who really knows? I'm not even sure Finch knows yet and may want to test some things out in camp and pre-season. Again, this is assuming we don't land LeBron and only make other minor signings to shore up the end of our bench.

I very much agree with the two of you that, with what we know about TJ now, he would best serve as Ant's replacement off the bench, and I think he could do so in a way that is very very dynamic.

That said, he does have the body type that could become a defensive oriented point forward, and that would honestly be a very exciting development and would launch him into starter territory, but you really have to squint to believe he can achieve that end.

PS: I just want to add to my last section, that I'm not suggesting he can or will become that archetype, more just that he's built like such a player. The reality however is that he succeeds and plays like a guard