Minnesota Sports Forum

Q12543 wrote:He carried a 30% usage rate and averaged 20 PPG. Even if he reduces that somewhat to 16PPG, that simply doesn't work with KAT, Edwards, and DLO. Someone's skill-set isn't getting maximized in that lineup.

I'm not saying we don't take him if we get incredibly lucky, but then I'd be inclined to do what you mention and either move DLO or move Cunningham himself for a veteran big that can help us defensively.

I'm also leery about having to go through another on-boarding of a high lottery pick. We end up having to force-feed them minutes and its typically to the detriment of the team (Edwards contributed more to losing than almost any other player on the team through the first half of the season).

Don't we have enough ball handlers, play makers, and scorers? We need to be in "get kick-ass role players" mode, unless again, the plan is to move on from DLO.

I'm all for getting a defensive big next to KAT, believe me. But if we get lucky in this draft, I just don't think you trade Cade for that guy. That's the kind of decision that I think would haunt a GM and a fan base for years.

From what I can tell, Cade had a 30% usage rate and averaged 20 PPG partly because the rest of his team sucked balls and needed him to bail them out. I think he'd be fine in a versatile role. I get that rookies are generally not huge contributors early on, and that top prospects are often better on the offensive end, but Cade really does look like a good defender and shooter with range. Cade isn't going to be another Edwards, who had a reputation coming in as an inefficient chucker with bad shot selection, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that's how he started out. But for his part, Cade's got the building blocks right now of a good role player right there with the chance to be even better. Just because a guy has upside doesn't mean he's not going to be able to fit. I feel like we're looking at a very good Joe Ingles or Kyle Anderson type here very early in his career with much higher upside and the concerns about the 30% usage and 20 PPG seems to be assuming he's going to be a Dion Waiters, Rashad McCants, Zach LaVine type.

Regarding your second point in bold, if you really don't think Cade is going to be a relatively solid, efficient contributor early on (which I and most analysts think he will be), and if you think a foundation of DLO, Edwards, and KAT is strong enough to start building around with role players, you could argue it would make sense to trade Cade for a defensive big if we got that pick. KAT's window is closing soon and we really need to win or it'll be time to trade him or lose him for nothing. But even setting aside that I'm pretty sure Cade is ready to contribute right now, do you actually believe DLO, Edwards, and KAT is a legit foundation? I absolutely don't, especially with DLO at that salary. Cade would make transitioning away from DLO easier. I think we're much more likely to have long-term success if we got him, and planned on Ant, Cade, and (hopefully) KAT to move forward. If we actually got the #1 pick in this loaded draft, then picked a two-way point forward who can stretch the floor, and traded him for a role player, especially with this core, I'm guessing we'd lose KAT anyway, and the inevitable rebuild would be tougher. In the (honestly) likely scenario that KAT will leave, regardless of whether we'd keep Cade or not, the future would just be much brighter with Ant and Cade on a similar timeline, than with Ant and an old role player.

To me, this second point is the key one. I get your logic, guys, if you think the DLO, Ant, and KAT core is ready to break out and compete. But I just really don't see it that way. And on top of that, I just find it a bit head-scratching that guys here are saying they don't want Cade, they want a "wing defender who can hit 3s," when Cade can do that.

I'm not saying don't take him. I'm saying that I am very skeptical that we can maximize all of our existing players' greatest strengths by taking Cade and doing nothing else to our core. We'd have too many offense-first type players and we'd be too young to compete for a playoff spot. Do we really think we're going to get into the playoffs with Edwards, McDaniels, Cade Cunningham, and Bolmaro all in the regular rotation? Not in the West. They are too damn young and KAT and DLO aren't good enough to carry those guys along.

Now if Rosas believes Cade has incredible upside that is just too good to pass up, then he needs to figure out how to re-configure the team around KAT, Edwards, and Cade. That's one immature vet player, a 2nd year 20-year old, and a rookie 20-year old. I would then prefer he looks at some of the other young guys and see if he can swap them out for some vets that can really help the core group. Reid, McDaniels, and Bolmaro should all be considered and paired with Rubio, Beasley, or DLO to help reshape the roster.

How about some more positive karma for Leandro Bolmaro. He is only 21 and has improved he has shown good passing ability and a willingness for defense which the Twolves sorely lack. Granted he will have a learning curve he just won the most spectacular player award. He has been playing since the age of 16. Let's throw some positive Karma and hope for the best rather than focusing on negatively. There is plenty of questions with the Twolves especially with a change of owner ship.

AKfan wrote:How about some more positive karma for Leandro Bolmaro. He is only 21 and has improved he has shown good passing ability and a willingness for defense which the Twolves sorely lack. Granted he will have a learning curve he just won the most spectacular player award. He has been playing since the age of 16. Let's throw some positive Karma and hope for the best rather than focusing on negatively. There is plenty of questions with the Twolves especially with a change of owner ship.

I think there's a lot of positivity on this Board when it comes to Bolmaro. I know I'm actually excited about adding him to the roster. He had a good season in Europe and has a lot of skills along with what appears to be great energy and competitiveness. In a year without a draft pick and no cap space, Bolmaro provides us with some much-needed excitement.

Welcome AKfan!

Bolmaro cooled off at the end of his European club season after putting together a nice run of games during the heart of the season. Overall, I don't have enough confidence to think of him as our 2nd string PG behind DLO. I have a feeling Rubio will be sticking around and Bolmaro will be our 3rd string PG and then compete with Okogie and Culver for backup wing minutes as well. In other words, if everyone is healthy, he won't be in the rotation.

He is at the Lynx game tonight with Glen Taylor

At this point if they sign him, I suspect he's competing for minutes on the wing because with JoMac now signed, we now have three guys likely ahead of him in the PG rotation. He really should have stayed overseas for another year.

Not impressed. Nothing I have seen from this guy has screamed NBA potential. Hope I am wrong, but he seems like a total dud.

Hicks123 wrote:Not impressed. Nothing I have seen from this guy has screamed NBA potential. Hope I am wrong, but he seems like a total dud.

I was kind of excited about him based on a fairly nice streak of club play last season, but then he really tailed off as the season wore on. The fact he was a total non-factor for his national team sort of sealed the deal to me that he isn't someone we should really count on for quality minutes.

Q12543 wrote:

Hicks123 wrote:Not impressed. Nothing I have seen from this guy has screamed NBA potential. Hope I am wrong, but he seems like a total dud.

I was kind of excited about him based on a fairly nice streak of club play last season, but then he really tailed off as the season wore on. The fact he was a total non-factor for his national team sort of sealed the deal to me that he isn't someone we should really count on for quality minutes.

My view of him following the same arc, Q. I'll be pleasantly surprised by anything good from him. How about Prince, Layman and Bolmaro for Simmons. How could Morey turn down that offer? :)