JasonIsDaMan wrote:So the whole board widely acknowledges that KAT, Dieng and KG are all 4's, without even mentioning whether or not Belly is a 3 or a 4, but the Wolves should...go out and sign more 4's?
Another problem: The NBA isn't the NFL. In the NFL, if you are running the ball, you send in running backs and blockers. If you are passing the ball, you send in receivers. It also isn't the MLB, where you start the game with a pitcher who throws 100 times, then three guys who throw 15-20 times each, and send up a different guy to hit for them because no one wants to see that. It also isn't the NHL, where you see Patrick Kane out there so you shoot the puck down the ice and replace the guys you have out there with your "checking line" without having to call timeout or having a stoppage in play.
The NBA is less about specialization and more about 36 minutes from your best 5 guys. That means you either teach Wiggins/Bazz to shoot the three, or you replace them, or decide that what they do bring is enough. You don't sign a 3-point shooter for 3rd and long/4th and 1, or the 9th inning, or the penalty kill.
Not sure there is consensus on that front. I personally think KAT can play 5 the vast majority of time and Dieng can do it some of the time, especially against bench 5s. KG is almost a non-factor since he'll play very limited minutes and no more than 50 games, if at all.
I do think Jason brings up some good points here Regardless of what position you think all those guys will play (I personally consider all them PF/C that you get the most out of them playing both positions) the reality is at this point the only bigs you can truly count on are Towns and Dieng. Pek could play zero games. KG? Who knows? Bjelica? He should be a factor and I really like him but he is still a question mark for various reasons. Payne? About the only thing he has been good for is staying healthy and sometimes when he is out on the floor you wish he wasn't healthy. Rudez if he were to come back is a pretty limited factor. The Wolves are spending a huge chunk of money on bigs but man they need some more possibly pretty badly. Maybe some help will come in the draft but if not they need at least a rotation big in FA.
I would just like to add that I think Pek will have a good season and that Rudez should be considered a 5th or 6th wing and not a post at all, and that you can compete for a championship if your biggest problem is Rudez is your 6th wing.
Bjelica and Rudez (if he's even here next year) are 4's. You really don't want either guy guarding predominantly perimeter players (3's). They don't have the foot speed to consistently keep up. Just setting your team up for disaster on the back end.
Camden wrote:Bjelica and Rudez (if he's even here next year) are 4's. You really don't want either guy guarding predominantly perimeter players (3's). They don't have the foot speed to consistently keep up. Just setting your team up for disaster on the back end.
Foot speed can be taught. On another thread, I referenced Adam Keefe, former Jazz player. He came into the league as a 4, Utah tried to pigeonhole him as that the 1st 2 years, it didn't go well, slimmed him down/sped him up, and he had an OK career. I think the same can happen to Belly and Rudez, and Belly can actually be better than OK.
Between the 2 of Rudez and Belly defensively staying in front of guys as a SF I would probably take Rudez since he did it on a decent pacers team a few months ago. Plus I just see Belly having a lot more use as a PF with his skill set than at SF.
Jason it's good to see someone believes Pek can play next year AND be effective. You must be part of a very small group of folks that feel that way that includes Sid Hartman. Everyone here would love that group to be right. :)
monsterpile wrote:Between the 2 of Rudez and Belly defensively staying in front of guys as a SF I would probably take Rudez since he did it on a decent pacers team a few months ago. Plus I just see Belly having a lot more use as a PF with his skill set than at SF.
Jason it's good to see someone believes Pek can play next year AND be effective. You must be part of a very small group of folks that feel that way that includes Sid Hartman. Everyone here would love that group to be right. :)
I wasn't aware I was agreeing with Sid. This changes some things. I am going to have to get together with Dennis Green and Tom Kelly to see what changes I need to make in my worldview.
monsterpile wrote:Between the 2 of Rudez and Belly defensively staying in front of guys as a SF I would probably take Rudez since he did it on a decent pacers team a few months ago. Plus I just see Belly having a lot more use as a PF with his skill set than at SF.
Jason it's good to see someone believes Pek can play next year AND be effective. You must be part of a very small group of folks that feel that way that includes Sid Hartman. Everyone here would love that group to be right. :)
I wasn't aware I was agreeing with Sid. This changes some things. I am going to have to get together with Dennis Green and Tom Kelly to see what changes I need to make in my worldview.
Adam Keefe? Tom Kelly? Jon Najarian? Steve Dils? You know, a lot has happened since the 80s and 90s Jason.
Lol. Just trying to see who on here is out of high school and/or understands the concept of research. And tell me honestly the Steve Dils reference didn't Kill.
JasonIsDaMan wrote:Lol. Just trying to see who on here is out of high school and/or understands the concept of research. And tell me honestly the Steve Dils reference didn't Kill.
I think you'll find that the vast majority of folks here are well out of high school and some probably even have you beat for history (and research). Hell, LST has waxed nostalgically about watching Elgin Baylor as a Laker - a Minneapolis Laker!
I just find it amusing how all your Minnesota sports history references are crowded around a 10-15 year period of time.
JasonIsDaMan wrote:Lol. Just trying to see who on here is out of high school and/or understands the concept of research. And tell me honestly the Steve Dils reference didn't Kill.
I think you'll find that the vast majority of folks here are well out of high school and some probably even have you beat for history (and research). Hell, LST has waxed nostalgically about watching Elgin Baylor as a Laker - a Minneapolis Laker!
I just find it amusing how all your Minnesota sports history references are crowded around a 10-15 year period of time.
I know you kids today with your Kelly Clarkson.
But seriously, I am aware I don't know every past event. A couple of days ago, I was flummoxed by a "Goodfellas" reference.
But I'll try to young it up for you. I might even start with the emojis :) :(, :sick:
JasonIsDaMan wrote:Lol. Just trying to see who on here is out of high school and/or understands the concept of research. And tell me honestly the Steve Dils reference didn't Kill.
I think you'll find that the vast majority of folks here are well out of high school and some probably even have you beat for history (and research). Hell, LST has waxed nostalgically about watching Elgin Baylor as a Laker - a Minneapolis Laker!
I just find it amusing how all your Minnesota sports history references are crowded around a 10-15 year period of time.
Yep, Elgin was my favorite player as a kid, although I only got to watch him for one year before the Lakers moved to LA :furious: .
But my Laker ties go back before Elgin even. Every Tuesday morning I have breakfast with a group of 16 guys, and one of our more senior guys is former Laker Charley Mencel (who went by Chuck Mencel when he was with the Lakers and at the U of M). I never saw him play because after playing two years for the Lakers while I was just a toddler, he had to skip two years to fulfill his ROTC military service commitment...and he decided not to move with the team to LA when he completed his commitment, opting instead to keep his family in Mpls. Can you imaging an NBA player making that decision today (Kevin Durant: "Sorry Thunder...I don't want to move to Oklahoma...I'm staying here in Seattle!). It all worked out for Charley though, as he had a very successful business career after he left the NBA. The StarTrib named his jump shot as the best ever this year, and he still looks like he can fill it up at age 83!
