Minnesota Sports Forum

I was doing a little more research on Jon Leuer. I know he doesn't have that beef we may need but he looks pretty skilled (used to be a PG) can shoot the 3 and he just seems like a guy that can play. On top of that the guy is 6'10" without shoes so he has some nice length to work with. Would be be the answer to Deandre Jordan or Drummond types or be a defensive beast? No but those guys are going to have to guard him all over the court and he seems like he may be solid enough on defense to be part of the 5 man defense Thibs wants to employ. I don't know what kind of money it would take to get him but unless it's something crazy I like him.

I'd look to add Ryan Anderson to gives us a 3pt threat. Then take a flier on Boba Marjonevic (sp) from the Spurs. He's played well in his few minutes , he's big , strong hands and a solid ft shooter.

Use the draft to further strengthen our perimeter shooting if possible. Let's hope team defense can be realized based solely on the addition of Thibs I guess.

Now when we have our coach, I will write down my plan for rest of the off season.

Sign Deng. Offer him three year deal and try to get some discount because we have Thibbs whom he loves to play. Sign Cole Aldrich to give us one more big and Ronnie Price to have veteran point to play some backup minutes behind Ricky.

Draft Murray or Hield depending on whom is available with 5th (or 6th) pick that Wolves most probably will end up.

Try to trade Payne for 2nd round pick in this draft. Use that pick to draft some 3&d prospect. For example Dorian Finney-Smith could be solid option. It seems that there is always some guys with 3&D potential available in 2nd round. For example Norman Powell, Justin Anderson and Josh Richardson were drafted either 2nd round or late in 1st round and they have still received decent amount of minutes in playoff teams.

I also would hope that both Pek and KG would retire but I think that won't happen, so they occupy two roster spots.

My starters next year would be:
PG: Rubio
SG: Wiggins
SF: Deng
PF: Dieng
C: Towns

This starting five should be able to play very good defenseunder Thibbs but unlike this years starting five when season started, they should be also pretty good in offense.

Bench would look like:
PG: Jones, Price (play Price against teams with really good PGs)
SG: Lavine, Murray/Hield
SF: Muhammad, 3&D prospect
PF: Bjelica, KG
C: Aldrich, Pek

Normally Lavine, Muhammad, Aldrich and either Price or Jones would get minutes from the bench but if we would opt to play more small ball, then maybe Bjelica would get the minutes that Aldrich would get otherwise. Dieng would be playing all center backup minutes and Deng/Bjelica backup power forward minutes.

Mikkeman wrote:Now when we have our coach, I will write down my plan for rest of the off season.

Sign Deng. Offer him three year deal and try to get some discount becausewe have Thibbs whom he loves to play. Sign Cole Aldrich to give us one more big and Ronnie Price to have veteran point to play some backup minutes behind Ricky.

Draft Murray or Hield depending on whom is available with 5th (or 6th) pick that Wolves most probably will end up.

Try to trade Payne for 2nd round pick in this draft. Use that oick to draft some 3&d prospect. For example Dorian Finney-Smith could be solid option. It seems that there is always some guys with 3&D potential available in 2nd round. For example Norman Powell, Justin Anderson and Josh Richardson were drafted either 2nd round or late in 1st round and they have still received decent amount of minutes in playoff teams.

I also would hope that both Pek and KG would retire but I think that won't happen, so they occupy two roster spots.

My starters next year would be:
PG: Rubio
SG: Wiggins
SF: Deng
PF: Dieng
C: Towns

This starting five should be able to play very good defenseunder Thibbs but unlike this years starting five when season started, they should be also pretty good in offense.

Bench would look like:
PG: Jones, Price (play Price against teams with really good PGs)
SG: Lavine, Murray/Hield
SF: Muhammad, 3&D prospect
PF: Bjelica, KG
C: Aldrich, Pek

Normally Lavine, Muhammad, Aldrich and either Price or Jones would get minutes from the bench but if would opt to play more small ball, then maybe Bjelica would get the minutes that Aldrich would get otherwise. Dieng would be playing all center backup minutes and Deng/Bjelica backup power forward minutes.

Sign me up! My hope would be that Pek miraculously recovers enough that he could backup KAT and Aldrich would be purely insurance. Probably not going to happen though....

Zach Lavine has earned the right to start, and i'm vehemently against pushing him to the bench at this point unless we go out and get a Durant or Barnes. I'm certainly not going to bench him in favor of Luol Deng. We should chase our area of biggest need in free agency - a big.

Still some rotation minutes division projection between players.

In case we would opt to play most of time with two bigs:
PG: Rubio 30, Tyus/Price 14, Lavine 4
SG: Wiggins 22, Lavine 26
SF: Deng 18, Wiggins 13, Muhammad 17
PF: Dieng 26, Deng 12, Towns 6
C: Towns 26, Dieng 6, Aldrich 16

In case we would opt to play more with stretch four:
PG: Rubio 30, Tyus/Price 14, Lavine 4
SG: Wiggins 22, Lavine 26
SF: Deng 15, Wiggins 13, Muhammad 20
PF: Dieng 12, Deng 16, Bjelica 20
C: Towns 32, Dieng 16

Our draft picks would get minutes 1st year only in blow out wins or if someone from regular rotation guys is injured. Later if Thibbs would not like Muhammad enough and would opt to trade him, it would open some minutes for our high draft pick.

Q12543 wrote:

Mikkeman wrote:Now when we have our coach, I will write down my plan for rest of the off season.

Sign Deng. Offer him three year deal and try to get some discount becausewe have Thibbs whom he loves to play. Sign Cole Aldrich to give us one more big and Ronnie Price to have veteran point to play some backup minutes behind Ricky.

Draft Murray or Hield depending on whom is available with 5th (or 6th) pick that Wolves most probably will end up.

Try to trade Payne for 2nd round pick in this draft. Use that oick to draft some 3&d prospect. For example Dorian Finney-Smith could be solid option. It seems that there is always some guys with 3&D potential available in 2nd round. For example Norman Powell, Justin Anderson and Josh Richardson were drafted either 2nd round or late in 1st round and they have still received decent amount of minutes in playoff teams.

I also would hope that both Pek and KG would retire but I think that won't happen, so they occupy two roster spots.

My starters next year would be:
PG: Rubio
SG: Wiggins
SF: Deng
PF: Dieng
C: Towns

This starting five should be able to play very good defenseunder Thibbs but unlike this years starting five when season started, they should be also pretty good in offense.

Bench would look like:
PG: Jones, Price (play Price against teams with really good PGs)
SG: Lavine, Murray/Hield
SF: Muhammad, 3&D prospect
PF: Bjelica, KG
C: Aldrich, Pek

Normally Lavine, Muhammad, Aldrich and either Price or Jones would get minutes from the bench but if would opt to play more small ball, then maybe Bjelica would get the minutes that Aldrich would get otherwise. Dieng would be playing all center backup minutes and Deng/Bjelica backup power forward minutes.

Sign me up! My hope would be that Pek miraculously recovers enough that he could backup KAT and Aldrich would be purely insurance. Probably not going to happen though....

I always feel a little smarter when Mikkeman posts and his thoughts line up with mine...I'm 90% in agreement with this off-season plan, and where I differ is dependent upon health news that I admit is unlikely. Here's where we differ. If either KG or Pek is able to contribute next year, I would like either of them to move up the depth chart. For instance, if KG is the KG of the first quarter of 2015-6, I would love to see him in the starting lineup with KAT, Deng, Wig and Ricky. It makes our starting lineup that much better defensively, and G not starting makes our bench much stronger. And I agree with Q... while I like the Aldrich move for cheap depth, if Kander is correct and Pek is healthy and pain free next year, he could be a terrific option off the bench behind KAT.

Great analysis as always, Mikkeman!

I like Aldrich a lot if we can get him on a decent deal. Deng is a also a good pickup if he signs for a reasonable amount. The only issue I have is the backup defense is terrible with Jones, Lavine, Muhammad and Murray/Hield. We need to trade Bazz or draft a better defender as Murray is terrible at defense and Hield has question marks on defense too. If we could get a top 3 pick then we go Ingram, Simmons/Bender, but if not I would look to parlay that pick into Luwawu and Valentine. Valentine is one of the most ready to play rookies, very high IQ guy and he plays both ways. I think Luwawu has the best upside outside of the top 3 guys (and I think under Thibs his defense could shine right away and his offense will probably need a year of development). If we really are sold on Hield (that he can defend and be more than a 3pt specialist), then I grab Buddy and try to swap Bazz for a wing who can defend.

PorkChop wrote:I'd look to add Ryan Anderson to gives us a 3pt threat. Then take a flier on Boba Marjonevic (sp) from the Spurs. He's played well in his few minutes , he's big , strong hands and a solid ft shooter.

Use the draft to further strengthen our perimeter shooting if possible. Let's hope team defense can be realized based solely on the addition of Thibs I guess.

The issue with Ryan Anderson is a lot of other teams want him and he is supposedly going to get paid (based on all the reports around the trade deadline). I really like him but I think I would pass on adding him at the price it would take also considering his injury history.

TeamRicky wrote:I like Aldrich a lot if we can get him on a decent deal. Deng is a also a good pickup if he signs for a reasonable amount. The only issue I have is the backup defense is terrible with Jones, Lavine, Muhammad and Murray/Hield. We need to trade Bazz or draft a better defender as Murray is terrible at defense and Hield has question marks on defense too. If we could get a top 3 pick then we go Ingram, Simmons/Bender, but if not I would look to parlay that pick into Luwawu and Valentine. Valentine is one of the most ready to play rookies, very high IQ guy and he plays both ways. I think Luwawu has the best upside outside of the top 3 guys (and I think under Thibs his defense could shine right away and his offense will probably need a year of development). If we really are sold on Hield (that he can defend and be more than a 3pt specialist), then I grab Buddy and try to swap Bazz for a wing who can defend.

I'd be interested to see what Thibs can do with some guys that are considered defensive liabilities for a year. Name the best defensive coach (head coach or assistant) that a guy like Bazz (just an example) has played for in his NBA career.

Also like Q has mentioned trading Bazz might not make a lot of sense at this point. The Wolves have 3 wings on guaranteed contracts for next year Lavine, Wiggins and Bazz. Your plans (and other posters as well) outline adding a lot more but we will see what happens.