Minnesota Sports Forum

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 9:01 am Another former PG, turned SF. TC once again looking more at skill sets than position. This could be a sneaky good signing. I see a very competitive camp between Brown, Minott and Miller for minutes. And despite FNG's dream, I don't think JMac is part of the rotation, until an injury to someone else puts him in.

Nooooo! I love the Shake signing, but to Q's point in another thread, I see him more as a natural SG than PG. As you know, I'm a big fan of assist to turnover ratios when it comes to PGs, and here are JMac's and Shake's per 36 career numbers.

JMac: 9.8/2.3
Shake: 6.4/2.7

Not to mention that invariably we either increase our lead or narrow the gap when JMac is out there. If he's still hurt like the end of last year, then we have to turn to another option to back up Conley. But assuming good health, here's my rotation:

Rudy/Naz
KAT/SloMo
Jaden/NAW
Ant/Shake
Conley/JMac

Let's go Wolves!!!!!!

P.S. Sorry about leaving Brown out of my 10-m1n rotation when it's his thread! I like Brown as well as the M&M boys...I just like these 10 better. Again, it speaks to the nice depth TC has built into this roster.

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:11 am

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 9:01 am Another former PG, turned SF. TC once again looking more at skill sets than position. This could be a sneaky good signing. I see a very competitive camp between Brown, Minott and Miller for minutes. And despite FNG's dream, I don't think JMac is part of the rotation, until an injury to someone else puts him in.

Nooooo! I love the Shake signing, but to Q's point in another thread, I see him more as a natural SG than PG. As you know, I'm a big fan of assist to turnover ratios when it comes to PGs, and here are JMac's and Shake's per 36 career numbers.

JMac: 9.8/2.3
Shake: 6.4/2.7

Not to mention that invariably we either increase our lead or narrow the gap when JMac is out there. If he's still hurt like the end of last year, then we have to turn to another option to back up Conley. But assuming good health, here's my rotation:

Rudy/Naz
KAT/SloMo
Jaden/NAW
Ant/Shake
Conley/JMac

Let's go Wolves!!!!!!

FNG - I’m glad you’re a regular contributor to this board. Among other major contributions you make, you serve as JMac’s champion and truth-teller. And I agree with you on JMac. I don’t think we can judge him based on his performances last season after his injury. It was clear he wasn’t fully recovered. The numbers that you provided speak for themselves. And there’s a reason TC is sticking with him. While the Gobert trade was colossally stupid, TC continues to impress me with his eye for young talent. He obviously sees something he likes in JMac.

I see the Wolves rotation next season exactly as you do - until the big upcoming KAT trade. . It will be interesting to see the extent to which Minott, Moore and/or Brown can break into the rotation at some point. I don’t see Miller having much chance of cracking the rotation. His game is still way too raw to contribute so I think he’ll be spending about all his time in the G-League.

My one tweak to your rotation is that I see Naz getting significant minutes at PF alongside both Rudy and KAT. We saw that late last season and it went well.

Monster wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 6:30 pm Troy Brown jr is a guy I’ve been mentioning for quite a while. Not letting Lip get credit for mentioning him. Lol Not the Brown people were hoping for.

I see Prince signed 4.5 million BAE. My guess is Troy Brown got less than that maybe even the vet min. He isn’t amazing but he can play and there is some upside. If he turns into a Prince level of player it’s a pretty good deal. This is the type of guy I thought they might get by waiting.

Here’s my initial post on the free agency thread I started last week:

After signing Naz and our two draft picks, the Wolves will have about $7 million to spend under the luxury tax threshold. If the Wolves waive Prince, they’ll have around $14.5 million. They have the full MLE of a little over $12M to spend on free agents. They also have the BAE of around $4M and I believe they have a trade exception of around $3M. I’m convinced the Wolves will not spend about the luxury tax threshold this summer and I’m also convinced any player personnel decisions they make yet this summer will also factor in the need for flexibility to help avoid the second apron next summer. With all that in mind, here’s a list of free agents who might make sense for the Wolves. Some of them would probably require spending some or all of the Wolves various cap exceptions above the minimum vet salary. Other free agents could probably be signed for the vet minimum. Here’s the list:

NAW - SG/PG, age 25 (Defense and 3-point potential. Young and familiar. Have Bird rights)
Jae Crowder - SF, age 33 (toughness, pretty good 3-point shooting. Likely require more than vet minimum)
Seth Curry - PG/SG, age 33 (excellent 3-point shooting)
Bruce Brown Jr. SG, age 27 (toughness, pretty good 3-point shooting, championship experience)
Torrey Craig - SF, age 32.5 (toughness, defense. Good 3&D guy)
Thybulle - SG, age 26 (defense, defense, defense. Regarded as poor shooter, but numbers are OK)
Jevon Carter - PG, age 28 (defense, running offense, 3-point shooting)
Troy Brown Jr. - SG/PG, age 24 (potential successor to Conley long term)
Shake Milton - SG/PG, age 27 (defense, running the offense, 3-pt. Shooting)
Jalen McDaniels - SF/PF, age 25 (defense. Might be cool to have Jaden’s brother here)
Ayo Dosunmo - PG, age 23 (RFA so maybe not realistic. Talented/potential Conley successor)
Pat Bev - PG/SG, age 35 (toughness, IQ, winning mentality, well liked by teammates & fans)
Mac McClung - PG, age 24 (talented potential Conley successor. 2-way RFA)

If we waive Prince, then I’d re-sign NAW and zero in on signing either a young potential PG successor like Troy Brown Jr., Ayo Dosunmo, Mac McClung or maybe Shake Milton, or a tough veteran like Jae Crowder, Torrey Craig, or Pat Bev. I’d also consider Thybulle.

Looking back at my free agency post, I think I can take credit for the Troy Brown signing. But I don’t think I want credit. On reflection, I think I overstated his potential as a successor to Conley at PG. As I’ve been watching video of him, he looks far more like a catch-and-shoot SF than a PG.

I’ll note that the Wolves ended up with three of my guys - NAW, Shake and Troy Brown. They weren’t my three favorites, but they were all on my list. Just goes to show you that if your list is long enough, you’re well positioned to claim credit.

Here’s the NBAdraftnet write-up on Troy Brown from his draft year:

NBA Comparison: Caris LeVert/Steve Smith

Strengths: All-around player with serious versatility on both ends … Big time athlete/high-flyer … Perfect size/length to play the wing position at the next level … Solid 6’6” frame … Has a near 7-foot wingspan … Quick first step/good footspeed overall … Possesses good quickness and agility, which he shows off well on the perimeter … Strong passer/playmaking wing … Has unique point-forward ball skills and vision … Played point guard in high school so he still has the ability to initiate offense … Reads the floor well … Can execute tough passes … Can deliver the ball quickly and accurately … Tight handle … Can create in space … Comfortable running the pick-and-roll … Makes plays for himself and his teammates off the bounce … Likes to put the ball on the floor at attack closeouts … Goes straight at the defense … Doesn’t have elite burst but makes good use of his long strides to get downhill … Natural scorer … Majority of his points come from the mid-range and inside … Can post-up smaller matchups … Has a nice fade-away jumper in the mid-range area … Can got his shot off against most defenders … Has a solid touch on his floaters and runners in traffic … Doesn’t force the action inside … Solid defender who could bring a lot of versatility at the next level defending multiple positions … Can be a pesky defender … Fights through screens … He can stay with quicker guards with his lateral quickness and guard big men in the post area with his size … Does well at denying the ball and plays passing lanes well … Knows where to be when playing off the ball … Good rebounder for his size … Crashes the offensive glass consistently … High IQ … Good basketball instincts/nose for the ball … Always seems to be part of the play … Has a high motor … Very outgoing and personable kid … Very young. Won’t turn 19 until July 28th …

Weaknesses: Long and wiry athlete but needs to continue developing his strength … Not super explosive vertically … Average burst off the bounce … Finishing at the rim/through contact are areas that he needs to work on … Solid handle but it’s not good enough for him to be primary ball handler and creator at the next level … Needs to continue developing his jumper/shooting range … He’s not a threat from the outside, as his jumper it still too inconsistent … Although he has nice shooting mechanics, he doesn’t shoot the ball the same way every time … Sometimes brings ball down on his shot, which delays his release … Can be too passive on the offensive end … Shot selection … Can get caught playing wild and out of control … Sometimes forces unnecessary passes … Has a tendency to stop in the middle of traffic on his drives, which leads to turnovers … Needs to react more quickly to rotating defenses … Needs to be more aggressive and assertive …Takes himself out of the game offensively if he doesn’t start well … More of sound team defender than consistent lockdown defender …

I still am not sure how much of our shared fondness for JMac is due to his attractive wife, Lip.

Yeah, TC does seem to have a knack for finding cheap, young talent. It will be interesting to see if either of the M&M boys make a contribution this year. I'm looking forward to scouting them both in Vegas next week.

Your post about what Ant might make next season really does put the final nail in the coffin for keeping everyone together in 2024-5...that is if we are certain Ant is really going to get way more the $35 million. Lots of intrigue about how TC navigates this one.

I think it’s interesting to look back a draft analyses of players who have been in the League a few years but who are still young. I bolded the portions that I round most interesting. Bottom line is that Troy Brown was highly regarded by analysts in his draft. There’s a lot to like, but nothing to get particularly excited about.

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:58 am I still am not sure how much of our shared fondness for JMac is due to his attractive wife, Lip.

Yeah, TC does seem to have a knack for finding cheap, young talent. It will be interesting to see if either of the M&M boys make a contribution this year. I'm looking forward to scouting them both in Vegas next week.

Your post about what Ant might make next season really does put the final nail in the coffin for keeping everyone together in 2024-5...that is if we are certain Ant is really going to get way more the $35 million. Lots of intrigue about how TC navigates this one.

I can’t deny the influence of JMac’s attractive wife on my judgment. Also, you recall that was the summer league where I ran into you. We were both there and I think we can take credit for discovering both JMac and Naz Reid.

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:36 am

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:11 am

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 9:01 am Another former PG, turned SF. TC once again looking more at skill sets than position. This could be a sneaky good signing. I see a very competitive camp between Brown, Minott and Miller for minutes. And despite FNG's dream, I don't think JMac is part of the rotation, until an injury to someone else puts him in.

Nooooo! I love the Shake signing, but to Q's point in another thread, I see him more as a natural SG than PG. As you know, I'm a big fan of assist to turnover ratios when it comes to PGs, and here are JMac's and Shake's per 36 career numbers.

JMac: 9.8/2.3
Shake: 6.4/2.7

Not to mention that invariably we either increase our lead or narrow the gap when JMac is out there. If he's still hurt like the end of last year, then we have to turn to another option to back up Conley. But assuming good health, here's my rotation:

Rudy/Naz
KAT/SloMo
Jaden/NAW
Ant/Shake
Conley/JMac

Let's go Wolves!!!!!!

FNG - I’m glad you’re a regular contributor to this board. Among other major contributions you make, you serve as JMac’s champion and truth-teller. And I agree with you on JMac. I don’t think we can judge him based on his performances last season after his injury. It was clear he wasn’t fully recovered. The numbers that you provided speak for themselves. And there’s a reason TC is sticking with him. While the Gobert trade was colossally stupid, TC continues to impress me with his eye for young talent. He obviously sees something he likes in JMac.

I see the Wolves rotation next season exactly as you do - until the big upcoming KAT trade. . It will be interesting to see the extent to which Minott, Moore and/or Brown can break into the rotation at some point. I don’t see Miller having much chance of cracking the rotation. His game is still way too raw to contribute so I think he’ll be spending about all his time in the G-League.

My one tweak to your rotation is that I see Naz getting significant minutes at PF alongside both Rudy and KAT. We saw that late last season and it went well.

Jmac needs to hit open shots to play. He shot 19% from 3 the first 60 games last year then caught fire the last 20 games that is why we remember him fondly. He then this season shot 30% from 3 and 44% of those 3s he shot were unguarded.

He is a fine 3rd string Pg because he doesn’t turn the ball over but if he can’t make his open 3s he is unplayable

kekgeek wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 11:11 am

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:36 am

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:11 am

Nooooo! I love the Shake signing, but to Q's point in another thread, I see him more as a natural SG than PG. As you know, I'm a big fan of assist to turnover ratios when it comes to PGs, and here are JMac's and Shake's per 36 career numbers.

JMac: 9.8/2.3
Shake: 6.4/2.7

Not to mention that invariably we either increase our lead or narrow the gap when JMac is out there. If he's still hurt like the end of last year, then we have to turn to another option to back up Conley. But assuming good health, here's my rotation:

Rudy/Naz
KAT/SloMo
Jaden/NAW
Ant/Shake
Conley/JMac

Let's go Wolves!!!!!!

FNG - I’m glad you’re a regular contributor to this board. Among other major contributions you make, you serve as JMac’s champion and truth-teller. And I agree with you on JMac. I don’t think we can judge him based on his performances last season after his injury. It was clear he wasn’t fully recovered. The numbers that you provided speak for themselves. And there’s a reason TC is sticking with him. While the Gobert trade was colossally stupid, TC continues to impress me with his eye for young talent. He obviously sees something he likes in JMac.

I see the Wolves rotation next season exactly as you do - until the big upcoming KAT trade. . It will be interesting to see the extent to which Minott, Moore and/or Brown can break into the rotation at some point. I don’t see Miller having much chance of cracking the rotation. His game is still way too raw to contribute so I think he’ll be spending about all his time in the G-League.

My one tweak to your rotation is that I see Naz getting significant minutes at PF alongside both Rudy and KAT. We saw that late last season and it went well.

Jmac needs to hit open shots to play. He shot 19% from 3 the first 60 games last year then caught fire the last 20 games that is why we remember him fondly. He then this season shot 30% from 3 and 44% of those 3s he shot were unguarded.

He is a fine 3rd string Pg because he doesn’t turn the ball over but if he can’t make his open 3s he is unplayable

He was a good shooter in college. We’ve seen him hit big shots with the Wolves. I still have this feeling that his shooting will come around. Maybe I’m still under the influence of his attractive wife, but I remain a believer.