Looks like the Wolves will be tanking in 2019-2020.

[WildWolf2813]

Win Now... Re-re-build for later. Meh.

The Wolves should be drafting the player(s) that help its franchise player thrive. Whether that's a defensive-minded 4 like Clarke to do the dirty work. Or a three point specialist like Herro to improve spacing. Or whomever.

A down-to-the-studs rebuild simply drafts BPA. The Wolves have their proverbial stud already. Build around that guy. This team shouldn't be looking at rebuilding like a Phoenix or Chicago team. They're "too good" for that. The foundation is here. Solidify it.

Their foundation is basically Towns and Covington. It's not enough. They gotta swing for the fences or get used to picking 10-11 regularly.

You need more than 1 stud.

Dallas has Porzingis /Doncic
Memphis has Jackson /Morant (presumably)
Sacramento has Fox and Hield
Denver has Murray /Jokic
Portland has Lillard McCollum
Phoenix has Booker /Ayton
Houston has Harden/Paul
Golden State... has 3 of them, 4 if you include Green
New Orleans (for now) has Davis/Williamson (and if Davis is traded, Williamson /Jrue and a warchest of assets)
Clippers don't necessarily have two major studs but they're gonna be big game hunting in free agency.
Lakers have LeBron, possibly Davis or another free agent on the way
Utah has Mitchell and Gobert
OKC has Westbrook and George.
Spurs have DeRozan /Aldridge


Simply put. Wiggins should have been that 2nd guy and has been a failure. Towns can't do this alone. He needs that 2nd stud.

[kekgeek]

Win Now... Re-re-build for later. Meh.

The Wolves should be drafting the player(s) that help its franchise player thrive. Whether that's a defensive-minded 4 like Clarke to do the dirty work. Or a three point specialist like Herro to improve spacing. Or whomever.

A down-to-the-studs rebuild simply drafts BPA. The Wolves have their proverbial stud already. Build around that guy. This team shouldn't be looking at rebuilding like a Phoenix or Chicago team. They're "too good" for that. The foundation is here. Solidify it.

Their foundation is basically Towns and Covington. It's not enough. They gotta swing for the fences or get used to picking 10-11 regularly.

You need more than 1 stud.

Dallas has Porzingis /Doncic
Memphis has Jackson /Morant (presumably)
Sacramento has Fox and Hield
Denver has Murray /Jokic
Portland has Lillard McCollum
Phoenix has Booker /Ayton
Houston has Harden/Paul
Golden State... has 3 of them, 4 if you include Green
New Orleans (for now) has Davis/Williamson (and if Davis is traded, Williamson /Jrue and a warchest of assets)
Clippers don't necessarily have two major studs but they're gonna be big game hunting in free agency.
Lakers have LeBron, possibly Davis or another free agent on the way
Utah has Mitchell and Gobert
OKC has Westbrook and George.
Spurs have DeRozan /Aldridge


Simply put. Wiggins should have been that 2nd guy and has been a failure. Towns can't do this alone. He needs that 2nd stud.

There is one player brook Lopez who is the rotation in the ECF that was a lotto pick. It's up to the organization to find these quality players later in the draft.

[WildWolf2813]

Win Now... Re-re-build for later. Meh.

The Wolves should be drafting the player(s) that help its franchise player thrive. Whether that's a defensive-minded 4 like Clarke to do the dirty work. Or a three point specialist like Herro to improve spacing. Or whomever.

A down-to-the-studs rebuild simply drafts BPA. The Wolves have their proverbial stud already. Build around that guy. This team shouldn't be looking at rebuilding like a Phoenix or Chicago team. They're "too good" for that. The foundation is here. Solidify it.

Their foundation is basically Towns and Covington. It's not enough. They gotta swing for the fences or get used to picking 10-11 regularly.

You need more than 1 stud.

Dallas has Porzingis /Doncic
Memphis has Jackson /Morant (presumably)
Sacramento has Fox and Hield
Denver has Murray /Jokic
Portland has Lillard McCollum
Phoenix has Booker /Ayton
Houston has Harden/Paul
Golden State... has 3 of them, 4 if you include Green
New Orleans (for now) has Davis/Williamson (and if Davis is traded, Williamson /Jrue and a warchest of assets)
Clippers don't necessarily have two major studs but they're gonna be big game hunting in free agency.
Lakers have LeBron, possibly Davis or another free agent on the way
Utah has Mitchell and Gobert
OKC has Westbrook and George.
Spurs have DeRozan /Aldridge


Simply put. Wiggins should have been that 2nd guy and has been a failure. Towns can't do this alone. He needs that 2nd stud.

There is one player brook Lopez who is the rotation in the ECF that was a lotto pick. It's up to the organization to find these quality players later in the draft.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but in the event that Rosas finds that guy at 11 or 43, we're not gonna know that in the short term because that player won't be ready now.

[Monster]

Win Now... Re-re-build for later. Meh.

The Wolves should be drafting the player(s) that help its franchise player thrive. Whether that's a defensive-minded 4 like Clarke to do the dirty work. Or a three point specialist like Herro to improve spacing. Or whomever.

A down-to-the-studs rebuild simply drafts BPA. The Wolves have their proverbial stud already. Build around that guy. This team shouldn't be looking at rebuilding like a Phoenix or Chicago team. They're "too good" for that. The foundation is here. Solidify it.

Their foundation is basically Towns and Covington. It's not enough. They gotta swing for the fences or get used to picking 10-11 regularly.

You need more than 1 stud.

Dallas has Porzingis /Doncic
Memphis has Jackson /Morant (presumably)
Sacramento has Fox and Hield
Denver has Murray /Jokic
Portland has Lillard McCollum
Phoenix has Booker /Ayton
Houston has Harden/Paul
Golden State... has 3 of them, 4 if you include Green
New Orleans (for now) has Davis/Williamson (and if Davis is traded, Williamson /Jrue and a warchest of assets)
Clippers don't necessarily have two major studs but they're gonna be big game hunting in free agency.
Lakers have LeBron, possibly Davis or another free agent on the way
Utah has Mitchell and Gobert
OKC has Westbrook and George.
Spurs have DeRozan /Aldridge


Simply put. Wiggins should have been that 2nd guy and has been a failure. Towns can't do this alone. He needs that 2nd stud.

There is one player brook Lopez who is the rotation in the ECF that was a lotto pick. It's up to the organization to find these quality players later in the draft.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but in the event that Rosas finds that guy at 11 or 43, we're not gonna know that in the short term because that player won't be ready now.

I get what Abe is saying. I don't think he wants a guy that as Fran Fraschilla famously said about Bruno Caboclo that he was "2 years away from being 2 years away". That was a different type of swing though and if you really think a guy you are picking at #11 although he might not help you much year 1 really can be part of your core then you make the pick. Having said that sometimes picking a guy that can help you sooner rather than a year or 2 down the road and is more likely to be at least worthwhile ain't a bad option either. Players like that grouped together means you can trade for whatever really good player is available next. Or maybe that player turns into the guy you needed after all. Who thought Klay Thompson was gonna be considered one of the greatest shooters of all time as well as a premier perimeter defender and HOFer? That's an extreme example but I'm ok with going out and getting a guy that can play and fits what we are building here. That guy can have upside too.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I don't need a championship.

I need competence.

[Wolvesfan21]

The Wolves likely make the playoffs last season had RoCo stayed healthy.

However, that didn't happen. Saying that, just making the playoffs isn't a big deal. The Wolves do need more talent so having both the 11 pick hit while having Wiggins return to acceptable and having the other young guys improve is what would be a good season.

[Monster]

Just for the heck of it...here are the 2017 draft top 5 picks

1 Fultz
2 Lonzo
3 Tatum
4. Jackson
5. Fox

Zion is on another level than the top of that draft however if you redid the draft nobody is picking the top 2 guys in the top 5 and as good as Tatum looked his rookie year and is still pretty talented it's possible depending on what teams were picking 2 guys would be selected over him in Mitchell and Fox. John Collins would probably be in the top 5 but...it's still early. Another really good player could emerge that hasn't really found themselves yet.

[AbeVigodaLive]

The Wolves likely make the playoffs last season had RoCo stayed healthy.

However, that didn't happen. Saying that, just making the playoffs isn't a big deal. The Wolves do need more talent so having both the 11 pick hit while having Wiggins return to acceptable and having the other young guys improve is what would be a good season.

While I largely agree with this for most organizations... this isn't any organization.

Over and over again, we hear about this "Well if it's not a championship, who cares!" mantra. I care. Sure, a championship is the pinnacle. It's awesome. But it's still fleeting.

I follow basketball as a fan to be entertained. And consistent competence STILL has a place in modern sports. Watching a team win more than they lose is entertaining. Being a "good" team still has merit. Do you think Portland fans think the franchise has failed miserably? Utah?

You know who pushes the "championship or bust" mantra the most? Regimes buying time while they suck balls (See The Process) so they can keep collecting million dollar paychecks for as long as possible. And the media... because they write about those championship teams. And championship teams or teams in disarray are the bread-and-butter of their business.

ESPN isn't making money (eyeballs + clicks) from covering Utah and Portland every year. But go sit in one of those arenas. Talk to the fans. Do you really think they're lamenting lengthy runs of competence vs. the remote chance they could have struck gold with a re-re-build or three?

[Wolvesfan21]

The Wolves likely make the playoffs last season had RoCo stayed healthy.

However, that didn't happen. Saying that, just making the playoffs isn't a big deal. The Wolves do need more talent so having both the 11 pick hit while having Wiggins return to acceptable and having the other young guys improve is what would be a good season.

While I largely agree with this for most organizations... this isn't any organization.

Over and over again, we hear about this "Well if it's not a championship, who cares!" mantra. I care. Sure, a championship is the pinnacle. It's awesome. But it's still fleeting.

I follow basketball as a fan to be entertained. And consistent competence STILL has a place in modern sports. Watching a team win more than they lose is entertaining. Being a "good" team still has merit. Do you think Portland fans think the franchise has failed miserably? Utah?

You know who pushes the "championship or bust" mantra the most? Regimes buying time while they suck balls (See The Process) so they can keep collecting million dollar paychecks for as long as possible. And the media... because they write about those championship teams. And championship teams or teams in disarray are the bread-and-butter of their business.

ESPN isn't making money (eyeballs + clicks) from covering Utah and Portland every year. But go sit in one of those arenas. Talk to the fans. Do you really think they're lamenting lengthy runs of competence vs. the remote chance they could have struck gold with a re-re-build or three?

I agree it's much more fun winning more games and making the playoffs. But that will get old as well when they constantly don't get close to winning it all.

I also never said the Wolves are in tank mode nor they should be. I specifically said they would have likely made the playoffs last year had their second best player stayed on the court.

Going forward we have no guarantees most can stay healthy all year either and yes the Wolves do need more talent to build a winner to make up for injuries.

[AbeVigodaLive]

The Wolves likely make the playoffs last season had RoCo stayed healthy.

However, that didn't happen. Saying that, just making the playoffs isn't a big deal. The Wolves do need more talent so having both the 11 pick hit while having Wiggins return to acceptable and having the other young guys improve is what would be a good season.

While I largely agree with this for most organizations... this isn't any organization.

Over and over again, we hear about this "Well if it's not a championship, who cares!" mantra. I care. Sure, a championship is the pinnacle. It's awesome. But it's still fleeting.

I follow basketball as a fan to be entertained. And consistent competence STILL has a place in modern sports. Watching a team win more than they lose is entertaining. Being a "good" team still has merit. Do you think Portland fans think the franchise has failed miserably? Utah?

You know who pushes the "championship or bust" mantra the most? Regimes buying time while they suck balls (See The Process) so they can keep collecting million dollar paychecks for as long as possible. And the media... because they write about those championship teams. And championship teams or teams in disarray are the bread-and-butter of their business.

ESPN isn't making money (eyeballs + clicks) from covering Utah and Portland every year. But go sit in one of those arenas. Talk to the fans. Do you really think they're lamenting lengthy runs of competence vs. the remote chance they could have struck gold with a re-re-build or three?

I agree it's much more fun winning more games and making the playoffs. But that will get old as well when they constantly don't get close to winning it all.

I also never said the Wolves are in tank mode nor they should be. I specifically said they would have likely made the playoffs last year had their second best player stayed on the court.

Going forward we have no guarantees most can stay healthy all year either and yes the Wolves do need more talent to build a winner to make up for injuries.

Fine. Let it get "old" in 2028 or whenever.

The Wolves have one playoff appearance (and ONE win) in 14 fucking years.

Let's not put the proverbial cart before the horse just yet...



[Note: I'm not really disagreeing with you. Just pointing out how just being competent is a huge first step for this organization.]