Minnesota Sports Forum

monsterpile wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

monsterpile wrote:The reason the Kings and do play at their pace is De'aaron Fox and the coach working to toward utilizing that strength which happens to fit a lot of their other layers also. Fox is a bigtime key to their style of play and success. A few months ago the Kings were still a joke. They still either did or sorta had to pass up on Luka for Bagley at #2. Their was chatter about them wanting to fire a coach that was surprisingly winning games. Still the Kings are a good story and heading in the right direction. Is this team a feel good young team that tops out as a playoff team or is it a legit contender type? Idk Kings fans are probably pretty happy with their lot right now and they should be. Best young nucleus? That's up for debate imo pun intended. :) If you want a positive spin on this as a Wolves fan just look how quickly things can run from a joke franchise to one with hope. Remember when people thought the Kings got worked in that Cousins trade? That trade doesn't look so terrible now does it for a myriad of reasons including Buddy looking like a really nice player.

On the flip side... the Wolves are in Year 15 and looking to be heading down after a single playoff win to show for it.

If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on the Wolves NOT making the playoffs during KAT's remaining tenure with the team. I know that may sound ludicrous, but I'm extremely pessimistic about the talent surrounding him.

That includes Okogie. Saric. And obviously Wiggins, the weighted albatross dragging this team back into the depths of mediocrity.

The one thing keeping me off the ledge is YOU GUYS! I am buying in on "coaches make a very real difference" angle. In part, because the team doesn't have the players to pull it off, so I have to cling to something.

This team has stayed afloat aside some key injuries. Of course some of that is due to some vets playing well although some of those guys are basically scrap heap guys that were never supposed to play. This team could get pretty young pretty fast next year depending on what FAs come back or new players signed. Teague might be the old many with Dieng filling close behind then Covington. Everyone else is 25 or younger. I think this team could be good enough in the mediocre column to make the playoffs but arguing against ultimate miediocrity...idk if I am prepared to do that. Why? You probably have never heard this before but there are just too many unknowns about this team going into next offseason. Sigh. I do think there is a chance this team could go in the right direction but we don't exactly have a ton other than Towns and Covington to really stake a claim on it.

lipoli390 wrote:The Wolves were once the League's hottest up-and-coming team entering the 2016 offseason with KAT, Wiggins, LaVine, Rubio and the NBA's 5th pick in the draft. Enter Tom Thibodeau. We're now a team in limbo. KAT's still here and fulfilling expectations. But Wiggins has solidified his standing as a grossly overpaid disappointment with a contract that has a far more negative impact on the team than his positive contribution on the court. The 5th pick in the 2016 draft turned into Dunn instead of Murray or Hield. Now LaVine and Dunn are gone, effectively exchanged for Covington, who will be 29 next season, and the enigmatic Saric.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

monsterpile wrote:The reason the Kings and do play at their pace is De'aaron Fox and the coach working to toward utilizing that strength which happens to fit a lot of their other layers also. Fox is a bigtime key to their style of play and success. A few months ago the Kings were still a joke. They still either did or sorta had to pass up on Luka for Bagley at #2. Their was chatter about them wanting to fire a coach that was surprisingly winning games. Still the Kings are a good story and heading in the right direction. Is this team a feel good young team that tops out as a playoff team or is it a legit contender type? Idk Kings fans are probably pretty happy with their lot right now and they should be. Best young nucleus? That's up for debate imo pun intended. :) If you want a positive spin on this as a Wolves fan just look how quickly things can run from a joke franchise to one with hope. Remember when people thought the Kings got worked in that Cousins trade? That trade doesn't look so terrible now does it for a myriad of reasons including Buddy looking like a really nice player.

On the flip side... the Wolves are in Year 15 and looking to be heading down after a single playoff win to show for it.

If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on the Wolves NOT making the playoffs during KAT's remaining tenure with the team. I know that may sound ludicrous, but I'm extremely pessimistic about the talent surrounding him.

That includes Okogie. Saric. And obviously Wiggins, the weighted albatross dragging this team back into the depths of mediocrity.

The one thing keeping me off the ledge is YOU GUYS! I am buying in on "coaches make a very real difference" angle. In part, because the team doesn't have the players to pull it off, so I have to cling to something.

This team has stayed afloat aside some key injuries. Of course some of that is due to some vets playing well although some of those guys are basically scrap heap guys that were never supposed to play. This team could get pretty young pretty fast next year depending on what FAs come back or new players signed. Teague might be the old many with Dieng filling close behind then Covington. Everyone else is 25 or younger. I think this team could be good enough in the mediocre column to make the playoffs but arguing against ultimate miediocrity...idk if I am prepared to do that. Why? You probably have never heard this before but there are just too many unknowns about this team going into next offseason. Sigh. I do think there is a chance this team could go in the right direction but we don't exactly have a ton other than Towns and Covington to really stake a claim on it.

Yeah. I don't think we're too far apart here.

Sure... things COULD really click and everything falls into place. But upon closer look?

- Taylor is still in charge. And unless we're just running with the law of averages with his decision-making finally evening out... I'm not optimistic.
- Many people believe Wiggins has the 2nd worst contract in the league. How many of those people are other teams' decision-makers is the big question...
- Covington is arguably the 2nd best asset on the Wolves. He's 28 with his head inching closer to the ceiling... who can't create offense for himself or others and is BEST as a 4th or 5th option.
- No coach. Back to the first one... how do we break out of this shit-tastic to average-at-best coaching carousel?
- No GM. We trust Taylor to find the right guy THIS time?
- How long of a process are we looking at? Unless Wiggins gets that switch flipped quickly... it's not a turnkey operation.

bleedspeed177 wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:The Wolves were once the League's hottest up-and-coming team entering the 2016 offseason with KAT, Wiggins, LaVine, Rubio and the NBA's 5th pick in the draft. Enter Tom Thibodeau. We're now a team in limbo. KAT's still here and fulfilling expectations. But Wiggins has solidified his standing as a grossly overpaid disappointment with a contract that has a far more negative impact on the team than his positive contribution on the court. The 5th pick in the 2016 draft turned into Dunn instead of Murray or Hield. Now LaVine and Dunn are gone, effectively exchanged for Covington, who will be 29 next season, and the enigmatic Saric.

You need to be careful writing stuff like this. If I was near a ledge I might have jumped.