Minnesota Sports Forum

The thing I don't like about Chriss is his rebounding. Rebounding and turnovers are huge keys in winning games. With Wiggins already a weak rebounder we need a big who can rebound exceptionally well. That's why I like both Davis and Sabonis more in trade downs. Chriss has big time potential though. Very intruiging prospect.

My thought process is to sit at 5 and pick Dunn, Bender, or Heild. I'm concerned about Murray's lack of length to go along with his average/below average lack of athleticism. He does have great offensive skills though. To me Heild brings the same offensive skills, but is more athletic and longer. Dunn has massive defensive potential and Bender is a big with great potential also. I think our goal should be to build a defensive juggernaut. Defense is usually more consistent than offense.

longstrangetrip wrote:

TheFuture wrote:

MikeAz wrote:How about #5 to the Nuggets for #7 & #15?

http://www.sportsrageous.com/nba/nba-rumors-nuggets-looking-move-nba-draft/23272/

If so, who do you take at #7 and #15? Perhaps this is why the have been watching Bentil so closely.

That trade wouldn't be terrible, but I'd be a bit worried that no team bites on Brown in the top 6 and we end up losing out on one of Bender, Murray, Hield, or Dunn. If BOS or PHX pick Brown then I would do that trade. #15 could still net a good player or be used to trade for a future 1st in 2018? when we lose our pick.

My thoughts exactly, future. Brown is the guy I like the least in the top 7. But if he doesn't drop to 7, I like whoever does plus Sabonis or Valentine better than anyone that would be available at 5. DraftExpress right now has Hield at 7. Hield and Sabonis would be a terrific draft.

7 and 15 now that's something that's pretty tempting. Ultimately it comes down to who is available at #5 and how you feel about that player combined with how much you like the players that you know for sure would be available at 7 plays what you can get at 15. For me if Bender is there at 5 I'm taking him. Murray is the guy I like most of the guards at 5 (wouldn't be unhappy with any of them) but going down to 7 and picking who was left or getting a big there appeals to me.

bleedspeed177 wrote:I am not as confident in Kris Dunn. I worry he won't be able to shoot well enough off the dribble (shot 33%) and finish strong at the rim (51% this year vs 46% for his career). Areas that Rubio struggles at also. I think he will be fine in the NBA, but not a good fit behind Rubio.

Yeah I am not convinced with Dunn either. Gar Payton II is clearly a different tier and would give the same set of problems you outline with Dunn and they would be worse but Payton brings a lot of that "do shit" stuff (8 Rbs per game as a PG) that Q likes about Dunn for the price of a 2nd rounder. I'm not saying pass Dunn so you can get Payton but watching some video the similarities were there so some extent.

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:I am not as confident in Kris Dunn. I worry he won't be able to shoot well enough off the dribble (shot 33%) and finish strong at the rim (51% this year vs 46% for his career). Areas that Rubio struggles at also. I think he will be fine in the NBA, but not a good fit behind Rubio.

Yeah I am not convinced with Dunn either. Gar Payton II is clearly a different tier and would give the same set of problems you outline with Dunn and they would be worse but Payton brings a lot of that "do shit" stuff (8 Rbs per game as a PG) that Q likes about Dunn for the price of a 2nd rounder. I'm not saying pass Dunn so you can get Payton but watching some video the similarities were there so some extent.

I like Dunn for us, but you're right that there are quite a few PG prospects slated to go in the 2nd round that have good potential in Payton II, Anthony Barber, Tyler Ulis, and Isaiah Cousins. If only we had a 2nd round pick or an owner that would buy one..

TheFuture wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:I am not as confident in Kris Dunn. I worry he won't be able to shoot well enough off the dribble (shot 33%) and finish strong at the rim (51% this year vs 46% for his career). Areas that Rubio struggles at also. I think he will be fine in the NBA, but not a good fit behind Rubio.

Yeah I am not convinced with Dunn either. Gar Payton II is clearly a different tier and would give the same set of problems you outline with Dunn and they would be worse but Payton brings a lot of that "do shit" stuff (8 Rbs per game as a PG) that Q likes about Dunn for the price of a 2nd rounder. I'm not saying pass Dunn so you can get Payton but watching some video the similarities were there so some extent.

I like Dunn for us, but you're right that there are quite a few PG prospects slated to go in the 2nd round that have good potential in Payton II, Anthony Barber, Tyler Ulis, and Isaiah Cousins. If only we had a 2nd round pick or an owner that would buy one..

Really? I am sure if Thibs decided he wanted one of those 2nd round PGs Taylor would have no problem spending the money on a 2nd rounder.

But on a serious note, why on earth do you think Thibs would want a 2nd round PG with the roster as it exists right now? I suppose if he decides Tyus should be dumped...

TheFuture wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:I am not as confident in Kris Dunn. I worry he won't be able to shoot well enough off the dribble (shot 33%) and finish strong at the rim (51% this year vs 46% for his career). Areas that Rubio struggles at also. I think he will be fine in the NBA, but not a good fit behind Rubio.

Yeah I am not convinced with Dunn either. Gar Payton II is clearly a different tier and would give the same set of problems you outline with Dunn and they would be worse but Payton brings a lot of that "do shit" stuff (8 Rbs per game as a PG) that Q likes about Dunn for the price of a 2nd rounder. I'm not saying pass Dunn so you can get Payton but watching some video the similarities were there so some extent.

I like Dunn for us, but you're right that there are quite a few PG prospects slated to go in the 2nd round that have good potential in Payton II, Anthony Barber, Tyler Ulis, and Isaiah Cousins. If only we had a 2nd round pick or an owner that would buy one..

Ullis is is supposed to go in the 1st and he is really undersized (150lbs!?!?!?) but man I liked watching him play. He seems to be a pretty well rounded player. His floor seems like a pretty useful backup PG. the PG position in this draft is very strange each player is unique in that he has some really nice strengths but has a pretty signifiacant question about what they can do to be a well rounded player. To be honest I'm not sure there is a real legit PG prospect (Ullis is a PG but is so small) in this whole draft more guys that can play and happened to have some PG skills and probably can play that position. This isn't saying that these prospects suck but like I said it's a unique collection of players.

TheFuture wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:I am not as confident in Kris Dunn. I worry he won't be able to shoot well enough off the dribble (shot 33%) and finish strong at the rim (51% this year vs 46% for his career). Areas that Rubio struggles at also. I think he will be fine in the NBA, but not a good fit behind Rubio.

Yeah I am not convinced with Dunn either. Gar Payton II is clearly a different tier and would give the same set of problems you outline with Dunn and they would be worse but Payton brings a lot of that "do shit" stuff (8 Rbs per game as a PG) that Q likes about Dunn for the price of a 2nd rounder. I'm not saying pass Dunn so you can get Payton but watching some video the similarities were there so some extent.

I like Dunn for us, but you're right that there are quite a few PG prospects slated to go in the 2nd round that have good potential in Payton II, Anthony Barber, Tyler Ulis, and Isaiah Cousins. If only we had a 2nd round pick or an owner that would buy one..

Have you given up on Tyus Jones already?

longstrangetrip wrote:

TheFuture wrote:

MikeAz wrote:How about #5 to the Nuggets for #7 & #15?

http://www.sportsrageous.com/nba/nba-rumors-nuggets-looking-move-nba-draft/23272/

If so, who do you take at #7 and #15? Perhaps this is why the have been watching Bentil so closely.

That trade wouldn't be terrible, but I'd be a bit worried that no team bites on Brown in the top 6 and we end up losing out on one of Bender, Murray, Hield, or Dunn. If BOS or PHX pick Brown then I would do that trade. #15 could still net a good player or be used to trade for a future 1st in 2018? when we lose our pick.

My thoughts exactly, future. Brown is the guy I like the least in the top 7. But if he doesn't drop to 7, I like whoever does plus Sabonis or Valentine better than anyone that would be available at 5. DraftExpress right now has Hield at 7. Hield and Sabonis would be a terrific draft.

That would be a good outcome for us. Instant help for 3pt shooting and rebounding. I'd be a bit cautious about adding 2 players who we'd benefit offensively from mostly, as we have a lot of that already. I'd hope to add at least one player with great defensive potential. A player like Prince, McCaw, Skal, Diallo, Beasley, or Richardson would fit the bill at 17.

I don't think anyone commenting on the later PGs in the draft is giving up Tyus just commenting on the other options at PG when compared to Dunn. At least that's what I was doing. I agree with Tim adding a 2nd round PG probably doesn't make sense with the youth of the roster, Tyus being here and the typical availability of decent to good FA vet PGs available every year because of the depth of the position.

I'll make a case for why a 2nd round PG would make some sense. Let's say you could get a long defensive PG that could possibly defend both PGS and shooting guards. Let's not kid ourselves that guy isn't going to be a shooter (or he would get picked a lot higher) but he can attack the basket. The Wolves don't really have much in the way of ball handling rim attacking (even if it was mostly just creating for themselves) and defense. Think if you could get a Lorenzo Brown type (but worse shooter) that was a lot more nasty defensively and attacked the basket. That's a little bit intruiging. I don't expect the Wolves to add a Gary Payton II type but could see a place for a player like that on the roster.

MikeAz wrote:

TheFuture wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:I am not as confident in Kris Dunn. I worry he won't be able to shoot well enough off the dribble (shot 33%) and finish strong at the rim (51% this year vs 46% for his career). Areas that Rubio struggles at also. I think he will be fine in the NBA, but not a good fit behind Rubio.

Yeah I am not convinced with Dunn either. Gar Payton II is clearly a different tier and would give the same set of problems you outline with Dunn and they would be worse but Payton brings a lot of that "do shit" stuff (8 Rbs per game as a PG) that Q likes about Dunn for the price of a 2nd rounder. I'm not saying pass Dunn so you can get Payton but watching some video the similarities were there so some extent.

I like Dunn for us, but you're right that there are quite a few PG prospects slated to go in the 2nd round that have good potential in Payton II, Anthony Barber, Tyler Ulis, and Isaiah Cousins. If only we had a 2nd round pick or an owner that would buy one..

Have you given up on Tyus Jones already?

Tyus has shown some good things, but I think he's a couple years away from being an adequate 2nd PG. He also does not have the potential to be a starter in the NBA. Dunn would instantly become our backup PG with potential to be more, and be a great insurance policy for anything Rubio related. Rubio going down for any significant stretch and watching a Jones/Lavine platoon lead the team is a nightmare for me. In my opinion backup PG is a huge hole for us.