Help Wanted: In Search of a Unicorn

[AussieWolf3]

I agree that Fox would be a great fit on this team. The problem is that he's due for a MASSIVE pay raise next year.
I know this guy's name is pretty tainted but to my understanding he's having a really good year, so I'll bring him up- what about LaMelo Ball? His salary is in the same range as Julius and is a great playmaker, defensively he can be quite good but rarely is

In all seriousness, it my opinion that the most important thing for this team going into '26-'27 is to enable Jaden to be an off ball defender - that is the skeleton key to unlock the Ant Jaden era and it allows for Rudy to have a continued presence on the team. To allow for this is to bring in a higher level version of Clarke. I think thats more important than a mythical PG

[rapsuperstar31]

Iriving and Fox are the expensive players that would fit. Nembhard and Davion Mitchell are cheaper not nearly the offensive players that could work. Mitchell has one more year at 12.4 million, they might have to move him if they go after Giannis.

Nemhard has two more years after this year at 19.5 million and 21 million. I thought he might have been more realistic when they wanted a big man until they trade for Zubac. If the Pacers keep their top 4 pick this year, they might draft another guard in which case Andrew might become tradeable with Hali coming back and a notoriously cheap owner that can bring in a really good cheaper guard in the draft.

"Andrew Nembhard has been locking down some of the biggest names in the league throughout the playoffs, and it's about time he got his respect. So far this postseason, the Indiana Pacers guard has locked down Damian Lillard (23.1% on 13 shots), Donovan Mitchell (23.3% on 43 shots), Jalen Brunson (38.2% on 34 shots), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (41.2% on 51 shots). Nembhard has been crucial to the Pacers' defense all season long, and he has stepped up in a major way in the playoffs."

[60WinTim]

Don’t sleep on DeJounte Murray. Salary is a better salary match and he checks a few boxes.

[Q-is-here]

Don’t sleep on DeJounte Murray. Salary is a better salary match and he checks a few boxes.

So I take it you haven't received any credible applications there at Midwest Volleyball HQ yet (just ignore the one from PatBev)?

It's very telling that no one suggested a promotion for Ayo. Perhaps he'll post for the job, although I don't like his chances.

[rapsuperstar31]

Don’t sleep on DeJounte Murray. Salary is a better salary match and he checks a few boxes.

So I take it you haven't received any credible applications there at Midwest Volleyball HQ yet (just ignore the one from PatBev)?

It's very telling that no one suggested a promotion for Ayo. Perhaps he'll post for the job, although I don't like his chances.

We haven't seen enough of Ayo, to say one way or the other. Does anyone know what NAW and Donte's on/off net ratings were before they came to Minnesota? I am curious if Ayo is put into a more NAW specialist role if that helps him. NAW is averaging twice as many points for Atlanta when given the chance to score but we needed him to play the defensive role and he played it well here. I do hear NAW's defense has gone down since focusing more on offense now. Can Ayo if we narrow what we need from him be in that NAW form or even a better version of NAW? Hopefully one that is consistent in the playoffs.

[WildWolf2813]

Iriving and Fox are the expensive players that would fit. Nembhard and Davion Mitchell are cheaper not nearly the offensive players that could work. Mitchell has one more year at 12.4 million, they might have to move him if they go after Giannis.

Nemhard has two more years after this year at 19.5 million and 21 million. I thought he might have been more realistic when they wanted a big man until they trade for Zubac. If the Pacers keep their top 4 pick this year, they might draft another guard in which case Andrew might become tradeable with Hali coming back and a notoriously cheap owner that can bring in a really good cheaper guard in the draft.

"Andrew Nembhard has been locking down some of the biggest names in the league throughout the playoffs, and it's about time he got his respect. So far this postseason, the Indiana Pacers guard has locked down Damian Lillard (23.1% on 13 shots), Donovan Mitchell (23.3% on 43 shots), Jalen Brunson (38.2% on 34 shots), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (41.2% on 51 shots). Nembhard has been crucial to the Pacers' defense all season long, and he has stepped up in a major way in the playoffs."

Even if they got AJ or Peterson it doesn't make them wanna add salary by taking on Randle in exchange for a Nembhard.

What Connelly probably learned before the deadline is that Randle's biggest value is to us because nobody has a yearning desire to add Randle to what they're doing. There's no perfect matches and even the decent ones kinda require us to deal DDV too.

Connelly's asset management has objectively sucked and while the product has been good, it leaves us having to bank on these guys having to just figure it out.

[WildWolf2813]

Our future PG is gonna have to come from the draft. Unfortunately, by the time they're ready to play, Finch will hopefully be out of a job.


2 guys to look at:

Meleek Thomas out of Arkansas (another Calipari guy)

Sergio de Larrea out of Spain

Either that or see how our guy Matteo Spagnolo is doing.

[Q-is-here]

Don’t sleep on DeJounte Murray. Salary is a better salary match and he checks a few boxes.

So I take it you haven't received any credible applications there at Midwest Volleyball HQ yet (just ignore the one from PatBev)?

It's very telling that no one suggested a promotion for Ayo. Perhaps he'll post for the job, although I don't like his chances.

We haven't seen enough of Ayo, to say one way or the other. Does anyone know what NAW and Donte's on/off net ratings were before they came to Minnesota? I am curious if Ayo is put into a more NAW specialist role if that helps him. NAW is averaging twice as many points for Atlanta when given the chance to score but we needed him to play the defensive role and he played it well here. I do hear NAW's defense has gone down since focusing more on offense now. Can Ayo if we narrow what we need from him be in that NAW form or even a better version of NAW? Hopefully one that is consistent in the playoffs.

NAW was Ayo-esque his first few seasons, with negative net ratings AND negative net on/off ratings through his first four seasons. It was his first full season with Minnesota in 2023-24 that he had a positive net rating and positive net on/off rating. And you're right, he decided that he would fully dedicate himself to being a point of attack defender and put his offensive game on the backburner. You might be onto something here Rap!

DDV has almost always been a net positive in the regular season, both in terms of net rating (he's played for some really good teams) but also net On/Off rating. However, there is a HUGE caveat. His playoff numbers are absolutely putrid. His career net rating in the playoffs is -6.1 and his career net on/off rating is -16.4. That's in 54 games across four different teams!

[Leado01]

You just described Ben Simmons one game!

[Wolvesfan21]

Iriving and Fox are the expensive players that would fit. Nembhard and Davion Mitchell are cheaper not nearly the offensive players that could work. Mitchell has one more year at 12.4 million, they might have to move him if they go after Giannis.

Nemhard has two more years after this year at 19.5 million and 21 million. I thought he might have been more realistic when they wanted a big man until they trade for Zubac. If the Pacers keep their top 4 pick this year, they might draft another guard in which case Andrew might become tradeable with Hali coming back and a notoriously cheap owner that can bring in a really good cheaper guard in the draft.

"Andrew Nembhard has been locking down some of the biggest names in the league throughout the playoffs, and it's about time he got his respect. So far this postseason, the Indiana Pacers guard has locked down Damian Lillard (23.1% on 13 shots), Donovan Mitchell (23.3% on 43 shots), Jalen Brunson (38.2% on 34 shots), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (41.2% on 51 shots). Nembhard has been crucial to the Pacers' defense all season long, and he has stepped up in a major way in the playoffs."

I highly doubt they'd trade Nembhard, he was balling lights out in their playoff run last year. I imagine he's a fan favorite and on a reasonable deal. We'd all love to have him, but we'd have to give up Jaden probably to do it, so what does that get us? Naz maybe if they drafted another guard, even then Hali can play SF if need be on defense, he's pretty long so IDK. Would they even consider Naz for Nembhard? I guess we can dream like those ATL fans who thought they could land AE somehow. lol