KG4Ever wrote: ↑Sat Jun 21, 2025 7:55 pm
It is my understanding that Randle can exercise his option anytime between now and June 29, 5pm ET. Is this correct? Essentially any Durant trade that occurs before Randle accepts or rejects the option, would have to include Rudy. I cannot see any KD trade that I like that includes Rudy, so hopefully there is no KD trade unless it comes after Randle exercises his option and includes him. Now, Randle's option might complicate the draft as we may not know if we'll get a KD trade with Randle as the main salary going out and so unless we have a handshake deal that involves a two track trade in place (one involving Randle and another involving Gobert) depending on whether Randle resigns, the Wolves might not now on draft day if they are picking for the Suns or themselves.
So if there is no KD trade announced by draft day, no Randle option exercise by draft day, will we even know on draft day whether the Wolves are drafting for themselves or another team?
I suspect a KD deal that includes Randle is likely tied to Randle signing an extension. It’s up to Randle to decide whether he wants to exercise his one-year option. If he wants to become a free agent that’s his choice. Randle’s been clear that at this point in his career he’s all about winning. If he’s true to his word, I don’t know why he’d agree to a sign-and trade extension or opt in for one year knowing the Wolves will trade him to the Suns. The Suns didn’t make the play-in tournament last season with Booker playing 75 games and averaging 25.6 points. Replacing KD with Julius, Donte and Dilly doesn’t seem like a ticket from the lottery to the NBA Finals and Randle’s smart enough to know that.
If we believe reports that an offer including Randle has already been made, I suspect there’s a third team where Randle would go and it would likely be a competitive playoff team. Otherwise, maybe it’s Rudy and not Randle.
Lip as you alluded to the Randle situation is fascinating to me. Fwiw the Suns were a 49 win team 2 years ago and yeah they were bounced by the Wolves in 4 games in the first round but it's possible if things fell right (coaching is good) they could be a playoff team. Randle does seem like a possible good fit there but staying here is more eof a winning situation obviously.
To me there is so much we don't know and it's why I think there is a reasonably significant piece of information or Intel or whatever we don't know that isn't in the reports. Have the Wolves drawn a line in the sand on what they will play Randle in a multi-year deal? Do they have any idea what they are gonna do with Naz and what he will cost? What if Randle has contacted them and said hey look I said I would take 30 million a year on a long term deal and now he is willing to start at 25 because he doesn't want to go anywhere else? Could Randle's salary demands make the Wolves think twice about including him in a deal? Maybe Randle has more value around the league than we know/realize? There are just so many questions/unknowns. Maybe the Wolves know Randle is basically gone so they are trying to get something for him while also getting him a long term deal. It's reported the Knicks weren't able to get a long term deal done with Randle and that was part of the reason they dealt him.
Anyway like others it would be nice to have this resolved so we can enjoy the draft instead of wondering if the guys we are drafting around going elsewhere. I expect Connelly to make a draft deal of some kind anyways but yeah.
Phenom wrote: ↑Mon Jun 23, 2025 12:52 pm
On Kevin O'Conner's podcast, Kyle Mann reported that San Antonio and OKC have eyes for Sorber.
I've liked the idea of Sorber but I also like the bigs around the 31st pick and am starting to lean toward a perimeter player at 17.
my worry is that there will be a major run on bigs in the 20s and we'll be left with the Yanic Konan Niedehauser's and Johni Broome's at the top of round 2.
Phenom wrote: ↑Mon Jun 23, 2025 12:52 pm
On Kevin O'Conner's podcast, Kyle Mann reported that San Antonio and OKC have eyes for Sorber.
I've liked the idea of Sorber but I also like the bigs around the 31st pick and am starting to lean toward a perimeter player at 17.
my worry is that there will be a major run on bigs in the 20s and we'll be left with the Yanic Konan Niedehauser's and Johni Broome's at the top of round 2.
If Maluach goes top 7 which it sounds like, Queen goes 9 to Toronto, from there Phoenix wants a big as does Chicago so if both go Sorber, Berringer, or Boyles. If all top 5 bigs are all gone by 15, some of those later bigs may go earlier as well before 31.
Phenom wrote: ↑Mon Jun 23, 2025 12:52 pm
On Kevin O'Conner's podcast, Kyle Mann reported that San Antonio and OKC have eyes for Sorber.
I've liked the idea of Sorber but I also like the bigs around the 31st pick and am starting to lean toward a perimeter player at 17.
my worry is that there will be a major run on bigs in the 20s and we'll be left with the Yanic Konan Niedehauser's and Johni Broome's at the top of round 2.
If Maluach goes top 7 which it sounds like, Queen goes 9 to Toronto, from there Phoenix wants a big as does Chicago so if both go Sorber, Berringer, or Boyles. If all top 5 bigs are all gone by 15, some of those later bigs may go earlier as well before 31.
Packaging 17 and 31 to move up for Sorber would be worth it in my view if necessary.
my worry is that there will be a major run on bigs in the 20s and we'll be left with the Yanic Konan Niedehauser's and Johni Broome's at the top of round 2.
If Maluach goes top 7 which it sounds like, Queen goes 9 to Toronto, from there Phoenix wants a big as does Chicago so if both go Sorber, Berringer, or Boyles. If all top 5 bigs are all gone by 15, some of those later bigs may go earlier as well before 31.
Packaging 17 and 31 to move up for Sorber would be worth it in my view if necessary.
I'm so out of the loop on prospects this year I honestly want to claim these aren't even real players or we are actually talking first round QBs. Lol
Now that we might actually be picking for ourselves, my interest in the draft is picking up. I haven't done a lot of research as I've done in the past. Let me start off by throwing out the name Rasheer Fleming. He is 6"8 and 1/4 without shoes (almost Bam Adebayos's height) has huge wingspan (7.5 1/4) though and his defensive stats are eye-catching 1.4 steals, 1.5 blocks and a superb 95.0 DRating, plus he shoots the 3. If Draymond and Bam can play center, maybe he can play center given his huge wingspan, but he might also play powerforward given his range. Anybody want him at 17? I see that he mocks in the 20s, so he may be gone for pick 31.
Edit: I see that I'm not alone in being intrigued by Rasheer.
Cedric Coward seems to be another board favorite and looks good to me too. I think I like Fleming and Coward very similarly and could be happy with either. I looked at Sorber's stats too and I like him too but not as much as the other two guys because he doesn't shoot the three ball, but he's the youngest of the three and played in the toughest conference, and he has the most size, so maybe I could move him up with more digging.
Phenom wrote: ↑Mon Jun 23, 2025 12:52 pm
On Kevin O'Conner's podcast, Kyle Mann reported that San Antonio and OKC have eyes for Sorber.
I've liked the idea of Sorber but I also like the bigs around the 31st pick and am starting to lean toward a perimeter player at 17.
my worry is that there will be a major run on bigs in the 20s and we'll be left with the Yanic Konan Niedehauser's and Johni Broome's at the top of round 2.
If Maluach goes top 7 which it sounds like, Queen goes 9 to Toronto, from there Phoenix wants a big as does Chicago so if both go Sorber, Berringer, or Boyles. If all top 5 bigs are all gone by 15, some of those later bigs may go earlier as well before 31.
I think if that happens, then 31 becomes a very sought after trade asset because someone will have to fall.
Ryan Kalkbrenner is interesting as an option at pick 31. Great size and great block numbers and his net rating is excellent. It looks like he could in time be a three point threat, though its not there yet, though there is some concern with free throw shooting hovering around 70%. The one buzzkill with Ryan is that he is 23 years old and while he may have a decent floor he may not have as great a ceiling as other center prospects.
