Minnesota Sports Forum

AbeVigodaLive wrote:
I'd be interested in a more in-depth take on Vucevic. All the stats/metrics favor Vucevic by a significant margin over Russell.

For example, Russell has been higher than 1.8 in Win Shares one time in his career ('19). Vucevic's lowest Win Shares total is 1.8... as a rookie.

Russell has been above 1.4 VORP only one time ('19). Vucevic hasn't been below 1.8 VORP since 2014.

In addition Vucevic's salary in next two years is over 15 millions less compared to Russell"s salary. Which is one more reason why teams were ready to give more assets when in trade.

Aldridge signs with the Nets

kekgeek1 wrote:Aldridge signs with the Nets

Of course.

Quite the interesting discussion going in regarding the Wiggins/DLo, Wiggins extension and Butler trade.

My biggest issue with the DLo trade was the first round pick only being top 3 protected. Sure most probably never expected the team to be at the bottom of the league this year, but IMO that isn't the point. The less protection the more value the pick has and frankly they were idiots for only having top 3 protection simply due to the value of it IMO. This team was always 1 injury away from disaster and we've seen them deal with multiple now. I just hope they somehow end up with a top 3 pick.

The Wiggins max extension is just one of dozens and dozens of examples of how idiotic NBA contracts are. Teams constantly give younger players contracts based on what they HOPE they will become and unfortunately they're fully guaranteed, don't have incentives, etc and the player often never reaches the level of their contract. I would have rather let him test RFA at the very least.

Trading Wiggins for Butler would have been interesting and I think people are right that the Wolves would have given up less assets overall. We also cannot say how Lavine with Butler would have played out. The only thing we know for sure is the roster would have been very different and we have no way of knowing if Butler would have gotten hurt that year when his playing time/game scenarios would have been different in that scenario. (Lavine is also a fellow Gym rat like Butler)

Cam and Abe have an interesting Zach/Wig discussion going. I wade into those waters with trepidation, because it's always seemed to me that this board evaluates a player's value 80% offense/20% defense...and I don't think that's how the typical NBA GM values players. And as I dig into Wig's and Zach's comparative on/off stats (which measure both the player's offensive and defensive impact, I recognize that I am at significant risk of drawing a "beating a dead horse" GIF from Abe. So be it...here we go. (And for those who ignore the validity of on/off stats, DRPM tells the same story...Zach is, and always has been, a train wreck on defense).

kekgeek1 wrote:Aldridge signs with the Nets

No sure how much he has left in the tank at 35...he's only played 15 minutes this month and hasn't been that effective all year. Still, with the Nets coming up for us next week I would prefer him not being there. Durant and Irving are out (Irving is likely to miss the Wolves game too) and the Nets struggled to beat the Pistons last night with 2 of their big three out. I was looking forward to a possible 3-game win streak if we pound the Rockettes tonight as I expect we will, but even with Griffin and Aldrich shadows of their former selves, their presence makes the Nets a little more formidable.