FNG wrote:I don't know much about Massey either, but I think both these things can be true, and even likely:
1) Rosas didn't make any moves this month because he needs to see how the DLO/KAT experiment works out.
2) If it doesn't work out, I would think it's a safe bet both our max guys will be on the block.
What do I think will happen? I don't think the experiment will work...never have. Then what do I want to happen? I lost patience with KAT when "immature" rookie Jaden McDaniel had to quiet him down and encourage him to get back on defense...I don't think he will ever be a guy who can lead a team to a championship, even despite his enormous talent. And we know who DLO is and he will never change. I know we don't want another rebuild, but we need to face the facts...Rosas's moves (with some exceptions) have not put this franchise in a position to win. And when you come to that realization, there is no alternative other than blowing things up...again.
Another rebuild? Blow it up?
Just to play the contrarian, the Wolves are the youngest team in the league with the worst record. There is nothing to blow up. We are blown up.
You need to wait at least another season before we know if our players are improving and on the right path. Really 3-4 years away if you are thinking about contending. Ant and McDaniels will only be 22-23 then, not even approaching their prime yet.
A month with DLO and KAT won't tell us much, give it an offseason with the new coach then see how it goes next season.
My wife is friends with someone that has a family member that's fairly significant name in the fashion industry. Apparently the person in fashion and Jordyn Woods are friends. So what I've heard is Jordyn actually really likes Minnesota and at this point wants Towns to succeed they even if they aren't going to be in MN all the time in offseason etc.
Some of what I said above is true but the rest is totally made up.
I'd say there's a better chance of the Wolves pushing more chips into the center of the table by making a significant acquisition than the chance of them dealing KAT and/or D-Lo. Obviously, John Collins will be monitored this off-season, but there could also be talks centering on Ben Simmons, Bradley Beal, Lauri Markkanen, Larry Nance Jr., etc. Perhaps even less obvious names we're not thinking about like a Brandon Ingram or Jarrett Allen. Minnesota has a few attractive trade pieces at their disposal.
Camden0916 wrote:I'd say there's a better chance of the Wolves pushing more chips into the center of the table by making a significant acquisition than the chance of them dealing KAT and/or D-Lo. Obviously, John Collins will be monitored this off-season, but there could also be talks centering on Ben Simmons, Bradley Beal, Lauri Markkanen, Larry Nance Jr., etc. Perhaps even less obvious names we're not thinking about like a Brandon Ingram or Jarrett Allen. Minnesota has a few attractive trade pieces at their disposal.
I think this is the more likely scenario and fits with Rosas' ego more seamlessly.
Camden0916 wrote:I'd say there's a better chance of the Wolves pushing more chips into the center of the table by making a significant acquisition than the chance of them dealing KAT and/or D-Lo. Obviously, John Collins will be monitored this off-season, but there could also be talks centering on Ben Simmons, Bradley Beal, Lauri Markkanen, Larry Nance Jr., etc. Perhaps even less obvious names we're not thinking about like a Brandon Ingram or Jarrett Allen. Minnesota has a few attractive trade pieces at their disposal.
I think this is the more likely scenario and fits with Rosas' ego more seamlessly.
I agree. I don't think there's any validity to that Massey report. There's a very short list credible sports reporters and he's not one of them. Same is true outside of sports, but that's a different conversation. Massey is doing what most reporters do these days - reporting his thoughts as if they're facts.
The idea that Rosas would even consider trading KAT and DLO this upcoming offseason is ludicrous. As Cam has pointed out, Rosas passed on a number of possible deals because he wanted to see this group perform together with DLO back on the court. It makes no sense for Rosas to have concluded already that his KAT and DLO plan has failed before they've had the chance to play significant minutes together. Even if DLO and KAT finish out the season together and the team continues to lose, it still won't enough of a sample size for Rosas to pull the trigger on a deal that would obviously be an admission failure. That's just not gong to happen. Rosas declared from the beginning that his plan to build a contender around KAT. Getting DLO was Gersson's signature move to make that plan work. The Beasley/Juancho deal was his secondary move and yet we know that Rosas was unwilling to part with Beasley as a secondary piece at this year's trade deadline. KAT and DLO have barely played together since DLO arrived. Rosas will ride those two horses until the Wolves ownership, Taylor or his successor, tells him to pack his bags.
Lip, I fear you are right. It's not what I would do but unfortunately I'm not in control. But it is a downer to acknowledge we are probably stuck on this path.
I don't disagree with you guys about what Rosas wants. But we're kidding ourselves if we assign too much importance to that. This is Glen's franchise, and good or bad (mostly bad it seems) his fingerprints are going to be on every decision the Wolves make. To understand this, you only have to ask yourself this...was Ryan Saunders Rosas's first choice to coach? Of course not! We all know he wanted Finch all along, and could only get Glen to pull the trigger after a year of losing big. Three things we have to know about Glen: 1) He loves basketball and thinks he is quite knowledgeable, 2) he loves this franchise and despises losing and 3) he is a very hands-on manager in every enterprise he is involved in. POBO's are interchangeable in Glen's eyes, as demonstrated by having had 11 of them in our short history! Glen's POBO is there to bring him ideas which he may approve of, but also to act out on ideas that Glen brings him. So knowing this about Glen, why would he allow Rosas more rope if the KAT/DLO duo doesn't significantly improve this team?
Look, I don't know Massey either, and I'm not sure what Kek means about him having the blue checkmark...maybe that means he has a good reputation and is connected. But I'm guessing he's tuned into the NBA and Glen's reputation enough to know Glen is not patient with losing. Anyone who changes GMs and coaches (14 in the team's history!) as often as many change their toothbrush is not going to sit idly by if he thinks his max players are not the guys to turn this franchise around. So maybe Massey is connected enough to have heard Glen is talking to other owners about moving KAT and DLO (I suspect this is the case), or maybe he is just guessing based on Glen's hair trigger when it comes to moving out of what he surmises to be a losing situation. He also knows it's not likely Glen is going to go into the luxury tax by bringing in another big contract to supplement his two max guys if he doesn't think they are clicking. DLO and KAT may play together another 22 games this season assuming DLO comes back Monday against the Kings (with me ecstatic to be back in the arena in section 136!). If they don't win at least 11 of those, history (and maybe Massey) tells me that Glen will be looking to make a move involving DLO and/or KAT. My hope is that they do win those 11+ games and prove the DLO naysayers here (like me) wrong, but my guess is that we are seeing DLO's last weeks in a Timberwolves uniform.
CoolBreeze44 wrote:Lip, I fear you are right. It's not what I would do but unfortunately I'm not in control. But it is a downer to acknowledge we are probably stuck on this path.
Is it any more of a downer than trading KAT and another re-rebuild? KAT is going to request out if its not working and we will still get a haul of future assets for him. I personally like watching KAT play basketball, the shitty D and losing have tough, but in all he'd still a really intriguing talent and another piece could even gain some more wins for this team. Im just not sure I have the stomach to start a rebuild again. The pain point for you might come when Rosas admits that the only way he is getting a win now asset is when he's willing to give up Jaden to do it. Id be sad too, but I do think that if either Ant or McDaniels can help give us a legit, top 25 asset in their prime, you do it.
FNG wrote:I don't disagree with you guys about what Rosas wants. But we're kidding ourselves if we assign too much importance to that. This is Glen's franchise, and good or bad (mostly bad it seems) his fingerprints are going to be on every decision the Wolves make. To understand this, you only have to ask yourself this...was Ryan Saunders Rosas's first choice to coach? Of course not! We all know he wanted Finch all along, and could only get Glen to pull the trigger after a year of losing big. Three things we have to know about Glen: 1) He loves basketball and thinks he is quite knowledgeable, 2) he loves this franchise and despises losing and 3) he is a very hands-on manager in every enterprise he is involved in. POBO's are interchangeable in Glen's eyes, as demonstrated by having had 11 of them in our short history! Glen's POBO is there to bring him ideas which he may approve of, but also to act out on ideas that Glen brings him. So knowing this about Glen, why would he allow Rosas more rope if the KAT/DLO duo doesn't significantly improve this team?
Look, I don't know Massey either, and I'm not sure what Kek means about him having the blue checkmark...maybe that means he has a good reputation and is connected. But I'm guessing he's tuned into the NBA and Glen's reputation enough to know Glen is not patient with losing. Anyone who changes GMs and coaches (14 in the team's history!) as often as many change their toothbrush is not going to sit idly by if he thinks his max players are not the guys to turn this franchise around. So maybe Massey is connected enough to have heard Glen is talking to other owners about moving KAT and DLO (I suspect this is the case), or maybe he is just guessing based on Glen's hair trigger when it comes to moving out of what he surmises to be a losing situation. He also knows it's not likely Glen is going to go into the luxury tax by bringing in another big contract to supplement his two max guys if he doesn't think they are clicking. DLO and KAT may play together another 22 games this season assuming DLO comes back Monday against the Kings (with me ecstatic to be back in the arena in section 136!). If they don't win at least 11 of those, history (and maybe Massey) tells me that Glen will be looking to make a move involving DLO and/or KAT. My hope is that they do win those 11+ games and prove the DLO naysayers here (like me) wrong, but my guess is that we are seeing DLO's last weeks in a Timberwolves uniform.
Glen must really hate himself if he despised losing. He's been pretty slow to make changes in the face of horrible losing cultures in the past. He's overseen the worst franchise record-wise in sports. Id say hes really embraced losing. I think Glen's view of winning is more in the perceived value of his investment than in our wins and losses.
Quite the reach to basically insinuate that trading KAT and D-Lo would lead to a more competitive team in the short-term. I'd say there's a zero-percent chance that Glen Taylor thinks that. Whatever our biases are, it's simply not going to happen any time soon unless the players themselves request a trade.
Also, Evan Massey's not clued in. In reading the comments on his tweets it seems that people are aware of his "throw shit at the wall and see if it sticks" gimmick. He's a clickbait writer who focuses on fake trade rumors and bold prediction storylines. Disregard anything this guy says.
