Minnesota Sports Forum

Some good stuff.

As for Barkley, I don't question his basketball mind, I question his desire and drive to be an everyday coach. One thing I know is he and Demarcus Cousins hate each other. Plus I love Chuck being on tv so much that I don't want him being a HC. I don't agree with Barkley on every issue, but I love the fact he tells you how he feels and doesn't give scared PC answers.

Head coach: This is the most important GM move this offseason, and Hoiberg's open-heart surgery last week makes this the time to strike. Hoiberg will be recuperating for 3-4 weeks and then reportedly going out recruiting. Two things: losing that month of recruiting really puts him behind the eight ball compared to the other coaches...that's a month that his competition will be developing relationships with star recruits while he's lying in bed. Secondly, how active will he be the next several months? He certainly won't be able to keep up with the typical recruiting schedule. He has to be thinking how far behind Iowa State will be in the recruiting race, and that has to be a factor in his decision. On the other hand, this is a quiet period for coaches not involved in the playoffs...Fred can take April, May and parts of June off, and be ready to coach the Summer League Wolves. Both Glen and Flip better be in Fred's hospital room this week.

First pick: It has to be Towns. I'm thinking Pek's surgery is going to keep him on the court much more than he has been, making Okafor not the right choice for us. Towns, on the other hand, has the ability to play PF as well as center, and could potentially start at the 4 for us next year.

Trades: I'm not good at playing the trade game, so I'll sit this one out.

Free agents: Garnett and only Garnett. We outscored our opponents in the games he played in this season, and that's a remarkable stat for a team that was as inept as the Timberwolves this year. He makes us a much better team, both on offense and defense, and we need that 20 minutes a game...even if he skips most of the back halves of BTBs. KG will likely want $7-8 million and a 2-year deal, and Flip needs to do it. After he signs KG and Bud opts in (and adds the $6 million for the first pick), I don't know that Flip will have any more room to sign anyone else.

Anybody else think Thibs is a bad fit for us. We need to run. With guys like Lavine and Wiggins on the wings and Rubio running the show, I don't want a coach that won't take advantage of our strengths. We need to take the shackles off, not put more on.

Regarding Garnett: If he can't play back to backs I think it is a waste of money and roster space. Especially for those advocating 2 years. I can handle the 20 minute limit per night, but not being available for half the season is a terrible disruption to our flow. I wish he would retire and take whatever role they've surely already discussed for him.

I'm pretty hesitant on Thibs as well. Not only because all those reasons, but also because I've seem how he runs his starters into the ground by playing them an excessive number of minutes. This will not help us with the injury problems we already have.

Head Coach:
There have been a ton of names thrown around, from Twitter and this forum (as well as others), but I think I know who I want Flip to pursue for this position: J.B. Bickerstaff. He's one of the hottest names among assistant coaches and the guy knows his basketball. His father was an NBA head coach. J.B.'s served as an assistant coach since 2004, working with Charlotte and Minnesota since then. Currently, he's on Houston's staff and has been credited for turning the Rockets defense into a top tier defense in the league, even while its best three defenders (Howard, Ariza, Beverley) have missed a ton of time. In finding a solution for their defensive woes, he reportedly asked for insight from his father, Mike Brown and others. To some, they may see that as him not being smart enough to come up with the answer on his own, OR you could argue that it shows he's open-minded and capable of putting his ego aside to reach the ultimate goal at hand. (http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2014/12/08/j-b-bickerstaff-rebuilds-rockets-defense/20081033/)

Either way, their defense has been much better this year, protecting the paint and guarding the three-point line. I also think since he's been with Houston and around Morey and McHale, perhaps their philosophy on efficient offense has rubbed off on him; value the three-point shot. He is more known for his defensive knowledge, though.

He's got ties to Minnesota as he played college ball for the Gophers and was an assistant coach for the Wolves. He's familiar, which is why I think it could happen.

First Pick:
There are three players at the top of this draft that I would not complain about drafting: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor and D'Angelo Russell. With that said, I've posted all year that I believe Towns has the potential to be a flat out animal in the NBA and he is the best prospect in the draft. He's got the "do-it-all" ability that no one else in the draft has as well. Towns defends his man, while playing very good team defense. He's one of the best shot-blockers and rebounders in this class. He's certainly capable of scoring in the low post with his back to the basket. He's shown in the past that he has the ability to face-up and take his man off the dribble AND he has a jumper, which has NBA three-point range according to multiple scouts/coaches/media that have been around him since high school. Not to mention he's 80+% at the free throw line. All of this talent while having measurables anywhere from 6'11"-7'0" height, 250 lbs, 7'3" wingspan, standing reach from 9'1"-9'5" and a max vert of 36.5. These types of players don't appear in every draft. If Towns is available, you draft him.

At 31, I'd draft George Lucas from Brazil, and allow him to continue to develop overseas. At 36, I'd draft Robert Upshaw. Two high-potential guys that should be available around each pick. I really like George Lucas, although I think he's exactly the type of player Pop would select for the Spurs at the end of the first round.

Trades:
NYK: Jose Calderon = $7.4M (2015-16), $7.7M (2016-17)
MIN: Anthony Bennett = $5.8M (2015-16), $7.3M T.O. (2016-17)

Why for the Knicks? They get away from Calderon's $7.7M in 2016-17 free and clear. Around this season's trade deadline, Phil Jackson moved J.R. Smith (and Iman Shumpert) with the main purpose of doing so in order to free up some money for the future. This trade accomplishes the same goal. Not to mention Calderon's a backup PG on a good team, and the Knicks seem to have found a worthy replacement in that regard with Langston Galloway.

Why for the Wolves? They clear up some clutter at the power forward position while adding a very competent point guard to backup Rubio and give the second unit some stability. Should Rubio get injured again (fingers crossed he doesn't), Calderon's been a starter in the NBA and a decent one at that. Ideally, though, he gives us 15 MPG with the security of knowing he can take over the starting job if needed. He's still good at running an offense, shooting from the perimeter. His defense is bad, but it couldn't be much worse than Mo Williams'. The money for 2015-16 is essentially a wash, but what will the Wolves do with that $7.7M in 2016-17? Hopefully it can be used to facilitate a trade for a contending team with the Wolves getting a kickback in doing so (similar to what the Sixers did in the K-Love trade).

Free Agents:
Nemanja Bjelica -- It's time the 26-year old made the move to the NBA. He's as versatile as a 6'10" forward can get. Good handle, jumper and feel for the game especially as a passer. If he were on the 2014-15 Wolves, he'd be our best power forward quite easily. We're not getting him to play here without paying him fairly well, though. I'd likely offer something similar to what Nikola Mirotic and the Bulls settled on; my offer would be three-years for $15M.

Kevin Garnett -- He will be re-signed, that is a certainty, so I can't leave him off this list. I have to believe he'll get overpaid due to Flip's love affair with the guy. He likely won't play 50 games next year and in the ones he does play, he'll play with a limit at 20 minutes. Hopefully, though, his on-court play will help educate Towns as well as Dieng a thing or two about good NBA defense as a big. They can pick his brain all they want to on the bench, but being on the floor with him would do much more than just words. Hopefully I'm wrong and KG signs something reasonable, even two-years for $7M total would be nice.

2015-16 Final Roster:
PG: Ricky Rubio / Jose Calderon / Lorenzo Brown
SG: Kevin Martin / Zach LaVine
SF: Andrew Wiggins / Shabazz Muhammad / Chase Budinger
PF: Kevin Garnett / Nemanja Bjelica / Adreian Payne
C: Karl-Anthony Towns / Gorgui Dieng / Nikola Pekovic / Robert Upshaw

Who is your HC next year? Hoiberg is my guy. Do what it takes to get him. Or I would go after Scott Brooks if they Thunder let him go.

Let's assume we get the first pick in the draft, who you picking? I would take Russell. I would try and trade down to the third pick and pick up some assets, but Russell is my guy.

What trades do you make?
I would trade Martin for a future 1st. Try and undo the wrong with the Payne trade.

Who are your free agent target?

Jeremy Lin - Only 26 years old. Has been able to stay healthy. Should have a reasonable contract.
Bring over Bjelica and Dubljevic.

PG: Rubio, Lin, Open
SG: Russell, LaVine
SF: Wiggins, Shabazz, Budinger
PF: Garnett, Bjelica, Bennett, Payne
C: Pekovic, Dieng, Dubljevic

I won't allow AB to become Derrick Williams part deux. New coach has to turn him into a good player for us. Just shoot 3s and get boards.

BizarroJerry wrote:I won't allow AB to become Derrick Williams part deux. New coach has to turn him into a good player for us. Just shoot 3s and get boards.

For the thousandth time on this board, Anthony Bennett can't make threes. I'd rather him not shoot from the perimeter at all, actually. Better yet, pass the ball. Get it out of his hands.

I mean...Kevin Love shot 11% and 33% on 3's his first two seasons, and things turned out pretty well for him.

The idea that Bennett can't shoot 3's RIGHT NOW so he should just never learn is a stupid approach. He should probably learn to do some valuable things (like stretching the floor) if he wants to remain in the league for more than 1-2 additional seasons.