Bjelica Close

[Phenom]

I like how the roster is shaping up. We should have 2 competent basketball players in each position now. The rookies will have their lumps but I am confident in all 3 contributing.

[60WinTim]

I am disappointed in Bjelica.

Yeah, well, you wanted Okafor... ;-)

While I am not convinced Bjelica is a starter in the NBA, it sure seems like he ought to be able to contribute on the floor. And our depth of bigs that can contribute is not exactly over flowing. KG and Pek will be limited, if available at all. That leaves Dieng and Towns as guys we think can contribute. Who knows what we might get from Payne and Bennett. So I see Bjelica as an important piece to add depth in the front court.

[thedoper]

Our bigs are very unique. We could have anything from a completely dominant front court to an injury plagued disaster. Lots of raw talent there between Towns, Dieng and even Payne. Hope it can be molded. If Bjelica can contribute great. I have very low expectations though.

[Monster]

@DWolfsonKSTP: Flip said Bjelica would've gone top-10 in this Draft. As @APkrawczynski said, definite progress on getting him here. #twolves

Interesting

[bleedspeed]

@DWolfsonKSTP: Flip said Bjelica would've gone top-10 in this Draft. As @APkrawczynski said, definite progress on getting him here. #twolves

Interesting

Really? Is Flip saying we could have gotten a top 10 pick for him? Or someone would give us a lottery pick for him? I call BS.

[Monster]

@DWolfsonKSTP: Flip said Bjelica would've gone top-10 in this Draft. As @APkrawczynski said, definite progress on getting him here. #twolves

Interesting

Really? Is Flip saying we could have gotten a top 10 pick for him? Or someone would give us a lottery pick for him? I call BS.

That tweet said nothing about a trade just where Flip thought he would go if he was in this draft. I don't really believe that either but I will be interested to hear Flip talk about it seems like it is pretty much a done deal.

@APkrawczynski: Bjelica deal, by the way, expected to be finalized next week.

[bleedspeed]

Monster - I am just sick of Flip spreading so much BS. I think Bjelica will be solid, but I don't see a 27 year old being picking in the top 10.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Bleed, this might be BS by Flip or it might not be. Bjelica wasn't one of his picks, so he's not as emotionally attached to him as he might be to someone he obtained...less inventive for him to exaggerate. He may truly believe Bjelica is a top 10 guy, who knows. I agree with you though...not likely that a 27-year-old would go top ten.

I found this article interesting. Euro expert David Greenberg talks very positive about Bjelica. The other thing I liked is that Greenberg describes him as a PF...DX usually describes him as a SF. If he is a PF, that makes him more attractive to the Wolves.

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/ex-nba-gm-discusses-timberwolves-nemanja-bjelica/

If Eitan is checking out the board today, maybe he can comment on Greenberg's basketball acumen, since Greenberg coached Eitan's favorite non-American team (Hapoel Jerusalem) in 2014.

[Carlos Danger]

Yeah...I call BS on that top 10 this year as well. If he had his current skills and was only 18, then "yes". But you don't draft 27 year olds in the top 10.

[Carlos Danger]

In fact - if that's true, why don't we trade Bjelica straight up for Porzingis? The Knicks fans hated that pick. Maybe they'd prefer a more ready guy/MVP? (I'll pause now for laughter).