Minnesota Sports Forum

That game sucked for a host of reasons... and I agree with Lip that we shouldn't rationalize the losses he listed. Those are bad losses. But I don't think we need to overreact either. We never got to see this team altogether, healthy and used to playing with one another. Yes, this team can drive you nuts, but it's also a fun team to follow. It'll be tricky and interesting to see how the front office manages salaries and retention. I'd like to see whether and how the idea of going huge can actually work, and see the young guys continue to develop together.

I know a certain former PG occupies a lot of space in this forum, but I think it's important to provide some context when we're comparing the first half of the season to the last...there was a major trade involving a PG swap and adding a new rotation wing player. Yes, we were at full strength for those 10 bad losses at the start of the season, but we weren't at full strength with this roster. We can only surmise how we would have done in those 10 games with this roster, but I don't know that anyone here thinks we would have been 0-10. We are 3-2 against almost certain playoff teams with this roster since the return of KAT, despite 3 of those games being on the road and having a nasty virus in the locker room. Said another way, we haven't had one loss of the magnitude of those 10 early season losses since KAT's return, and we have had some surprising wins. That's meaningful to me.

With us most likely looking at a 9/10 play in match up, and having to win another road game just to make the playoffs, my spirits are dampened this morning...sitting in 5th felt a lot better. But nothing about last night's game made me feel negative about this roster. Let's get healthy, because the past 10 days have shown me that this roster is built to win.

FNG wrote:I know a certain former PG occupies a lot of space in this forum, but I think it's important to provide some context when we're comparing the first half of the season to the last...there was a major trade involving a PG swap and adding a new rotation wing player. Yes, we were at full strength for those 10 bad losses at the start of the season, but we weren't at full strength with this roster. We can only surmise how we would have done in those 10 games with this roster, but I don't know that anyone here thinks we would have been 0-10. We are 3-2 against almost certain playoff teams with this roster since the return of KAT, despite 3 of those games being on the road and having a nasty virus in the locker room. Said another way, we haven't had one loss of the magnitude of those 10 early season losses since KAT's return, and we have had some surprising wins. That's meaningful to me.

With us most likely looking at a 9/10 play in match up, and having to win another road game just to make the playoffs, my spirits are dampened this morning...sitting in 5th felt a lot better. But nothing about last night's game made me feel negative about this roster. Let's get healthy, because the past 10 days have shown me that this roster is built to win.

The Wolves were about a .500 team with Gobert and Towns at the beginning of the season.
They were about .500 when they had Russell.
They're about .500 with Conley.
They're about .500 with KAT.

As the sample sizes continue to grow... and the Wolves remain a .500 team... maybe it's time we acknowledge that's simply who this team is in 2023?

I agree with posters who say we should trade Rudy before Towns, but that just isn't going to happen. Towns needs to go to replenish the asset cabinet. We are .500 with or without him, and his bark is a lot worse than his bite. We could get a damned good young point guard and some #1's for him.

I could be talked into a KAT trade, but I would bet my next two paychecks that he, edwards, and gobert will all be wolves the entirety of next season.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

FNG wrote:I know a certain former PG occupies a lot of space in this forum, but I think it's important to provide some context when we're comparing the first half of the season to the last...there was a major trade involving a PG swap and adding a new rotation wing player. Yes, we were at full strength for those 10 bad losses at the start of the season, but we weren't at full strength with this roster. We can only surmise how we would have done in those 10 games with this roster, but I don't know that anyone here thinks we would have been 0-10. We are 3-2 against almost certain playoff teams with this roster since the return of KAT, despite 3 of those games being on the road and having a nasty virus in the locker room. Said another way, we haven't had one loss of the magnitude of those 10 early season losses since KAT's return, and we have had some surprising wins. That's meaningful to me.

With us most likely looking at a 9/10 play in match up, and having to win another road game just to make the playoffs, my spirits are dampened this morning...sitting in 5th felt a lot better. But nothing about last night's game made me feel negative about this roster. Let's get healthy, because the past 10 days have shown me that this roster is built to win.

The Wolves were about a .500 team with Gobert and Towns at the beginning of the season.
They were about .500 when they had Russell.
They're about .500 with Conley.
They're about .500 with KAT.

As the sample sizes continue to grow... and the Wolves remain a .500 team... maybe it's time we acknowledge that's simply who this team is in 2023?

You nailed it, Abe. I'll add that the team is actually 4 games over .500 in the games Rudy didn't play - 8-4 to be exact. Not a large sample size, but just a small part of a large body of compelling evidence that this is at best a .500 team. That's true whether it's DLO or Conley at PG. It's true whether KAT is playing or not playing. We're 4 games worse than .500 with Rudy playing, but let's just call it .500 given the small sample size. Any other spin is just rationalizing or self-deception in an effort to feel better about a product that offered very little to feel good about this season. I feel good about Ant, McDaniels and Kyle Anderson. Other than that, not much to feel good about.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:I agree with posters who say we should trade Rudy before Towns, but that just isn't going to happen. Towns needs to go to replenish the asset cabinet. We are .500 with or without him, and his bark is a lot worse than his bite. We could get a damned good young point guard and some #1's for him.

Hard to argue with your assessment of the situation, Cool. The odds of TC trading Rudy are slim to none and slim's out of town. Speaking of Towns (pun intended), I wouldn't trade him and I don't think TC will either. Having said that, I totally get the logic behind your opinion. We have a team with two super-max players and a third player likely to become a max player soon. Heck, McDaniels might be on the threshold of becoming a max player. Yet, we can barely hang at the .500 level and our asset cupboard is severely depleted thanks to one of the dumbest trades I've even seen in professional sports. So the premise of your post is pretty compelling. The only way we can replenish that cupboard is to trade KAT.

lipoli390 wrote:

CoolBreeze44 wrote:I agree with posters who say we should trade Rudy before Towns, but that just isn't going to happen. Towns needs to go to replenish the asset cabinet. We are .500 with or without him, and his bark is a lot worse than his bite. We could get a damned good young point guard and some #1's for him.

Hard to argue with your assessment of the situation, Cool. The odds of TC trading Rudy are slim to none and slim's out of town. Speaking of Towns (pun intended), I wouldn't trade him and I don't think TC will either. Having said that, I totally get the logic behind your opinion. We have a team with two super-max players and a third player likely to become a max player soon. Heck, McDaniels might be on the threshold of becoming a max player. Yet, we can barely hang at the .500 level and our asset cupboard is severely depleted thanks to one of the dumbest trades I've even seen in professional sports. So the premise of your post is pretty compelling. The only way we can replenish that cupboard is to trade KAT.

Reading twitter last night, the fervor is growing for dealing KAT. And the main reason cited is his lack of leadership and ability to win. Without TC doing an about face and deciding to move on from Rudy after one year, I'm on-board myself. We can sign NAZ to maintain an offensive force at the 4/5, and get some other assets to help us take the next step. I think it's time.

Sometimes, change needs to happen.

I also don't see how we're not nearing that time with Karl Anthony Towns. It's been 8 years... and his HUGE raise is about to kick in. I think it's fair to assume we're not going to see Towns improve at this point... at least not in Minnesota.

That's the rub. Much like with Andrew Wiggins, it's obvious change is necessary. We just have to be ready for when the player we ditch (even if 100% justifiable) performs well in his new home.

Andrew Wiggins was NOT going to improve in Minnesota. He had to leave and join a world-class organization for his resurgence. At this point, I have to say that Karl Towns is NOT going to improve in Minnesota.

And that guy simply isn't worth what he's about to be paid... nor does he even fit in on the team with Gobert lumbering in the middle.

___________________

It's time. Consequences be damned.

Naz may be a better defender than KAT at this point, which sounds crazy to even think about much less say or write.