The Case for Towns

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

I hope Zgoda wasn't looking for an objective opinion from the blabbermouth coach Cal. And of course they both wanna go to the Lakers instead of MN.

My concerns with okafor are of course the hack a shaq fears, and I guess I don't want my center holding the ball much and slowing the game down.

[mjs34]

What seems puzzling to me is that any leaks should be in place to give the wolves something, otherwise there is no reason not to tell the world who we are picking unless we truly are unsure. If Towns is really the no brainer pick in everyone's eyes, wouldn't it be more advantageous to leak we were leaning towards Towns so we could engage the Lakers in a possible move up.

This would also be an opportune time to search out any leaks in FO by putting out different info with different sources.

I am not 100% sold that Okafor will look as dominant against the bigger faster opposition in the NBA, his FT shooting really scares me, and I question his ability to guard the PnR. For those three reasons, I would go with Towns. I think he just has more to his game, and while I don't know Towns' mindset about Minny, I do believe Okafor isn't happy about the possibility of playing here and I think that has to figure into the process. Flip has said that it will carry some weight.

If people in the organization are leaking the Okafor stuff I would think it would be Towns supporters trying to get everyone on Flip's case just like this board to essentially shame him into changing his mind back to Towns. If all the media and radio are pro Towns Flip is going to have a tough time with 3 weeks of leaks saying he's the only guy on the planet thinking Okafor is the top guy. Maybe he doesn't care, but 3 weeks is a long time to be called a moron and it will be even longer if he comes out of the draft with anyone not named Towns.

Also can we stop with the whether he wants to be here or not for both guys. They'd both rather be in LA, but they'll both be fine in MN. Okafor's best friend sitting next to him at the lottery was Tyus who is from MN. I don't think Okafor will need to go on suicide watch if he ends up here. This wanting guys wanting to be here more just can't happen when the direct competitor is LA. We are the consolation prize to LA right now even when we have the higher pick.

Can we stop with the best friend stuff. Okafor is a top pick, and if anyone is going to make a sacrifice it will be the potential role player not the potential star.

Flip could care less what the media thinks he should do. What doesn't make sense is if LA wants Towns, and Flip truly wants Okafor, it would make sense to leak exactly the opposite.

Being the consolation prize to LA has nothing to do with guys willing to stick it out in Minny. Some guys are just more adaptable to situations than others. If I am drafting a guy that is going to take a few years to develop, it would be nice to keep him here when his rookie deal is up. Unless the CBA gets changed, we likely won't have a five year deal to offer him (with it going to Wiggins), so we better have a pretty good read.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

What seems puzzling to me is that any leaks should be in place to give the wolves something, otherwise there is no reason not to tell the world who we are picking unless we truly are unsure. If Towns is really the no brainer pick in everyone's eyes, wouldn't it be more advantageous to leak we were leaning towards Towns so we could engage the Lakers in a possible move up.

This would also be an opportune time to search out any leaks in FO by putting out different info with different sources.

I am not 100% sold that Okafor will look as dominant against the bigger faster opposition in the NBA, his FT shooting really scares me, and I question his ability to guard the PnR. For those three reasons, I would go with Towns. I think he just has more to his game, and while I don't know Towns' mindset about Minny, I do believe Okafor isn't happy about the possibility of playing here and I think that has to figure into the process. Flip has said that it will carry some weight.

If people in the organization are leaking the Okafor stuff I would think it would be Towns supporters trying to get everyone on Flip's case just like this board to essentially shame him into changing his mind back to Towns. If all the media and radio are pro Towns Flip is going to have a tough time with 3 weeks of leaks saying he's the only guy on the planet thinking Okafor is the top guy. Maybe he doesn't care, but 3 weeks is a long time to be called a moron and it will be even longer if he comes out of the draft with anyone not named Towns.

Also can we stop with the whether he wants to be here or not for both guys. They'd both rather be in LA, but they'll both be fine in MN. Okafor's best friend sitting next to him at the lottery was Tyus who is from MN. I don't think Okafor will need to go on suicide watch if he ends up here. This wanting guys wanting to be here more just can't happen when the direct competitor is LA. We are the consolation prize to LA right now even when we have the higher pick.

Can we stop with the best friend stuff. Okafor is a top pick, and if anyone is going to make a sacrifice it will be the potential role player not the potential star.

Flip could care less what the media thinks he should do. What doesn't make sense is if LA wants Towns, and Flip truly wants Okafor, it would make sense to leak exactly the opposite.

Being the consolation prize to LA has nothing to do with guys willing to stick it out in Minny. Some guys are just more adaptable to situations than others. If I am drafting a guy that is going to take a few years to develop, it would be nice to keep him here when his rookie deal is up. Unless the CBA gets changed, we likely won't have a five year deal to offer him (with it going to Wiggins), so we better have a pretty good read.

For starters nobody could give the guy a 5 year deal in your scenario so that is completely irrelevant in keeping a guy. The most you can offer another team's RFA is 4 years. With restricted free agency there is very little reason to worry about a guy leaving especially if they are actually worth a big contract. Very few have gone the QO route and that's because they were looking for more than they were worth and weren't going to get it.

I've heard multiple people who are around the league who have said nobody calls for the top pick so your theory of pushing the Towns agenda to get LA to panic trade with us is unlikely based on what I've heard. That makes me think my theory on the leaking are Towns guys trying to get the word out Flip is an Okafor guy in hopes he receives enough criticism to make him think harder about it and potentially change his mind to Towns. Why else would the leaks be saying Okafor now? We have the top pick so why are there any leaks? We get to pick who we want regardless.

[Monster]

@DWolfsonKSTP: Filed to @KSTP: #Twolves boss Flip Saunders in Los Angeles/Santa Barbara and will get a look at Towns and Okafor over the next few days.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

@DWolfsonKSTP: Filed to @KSTP: #Twolves boss Flip Saunders in Los Angeles/Santa Barbara and will get a look at Towns and Okafor over the next few days.

Get to work Flip. I believe the decision will be made this week after the workouts, so whatever rumors you hear about who we are taking after the workout will probably stick.

[mjs34]

For starters nobody could give the guy a 5 year deal in your scenario so that is completely irrelevant in keeping a guy. The most you can offer another team's RFA is 4 years. With restricted free agency there is very little reason to worry about a guy leaving especially if they are actually worth a big contract. Very few have gone the QO route and that's because they were looking for more than they were worth and weren't going to get it.

I've heard multiple people who are around the league who have said nobody calls for the top pick so your theory of pushing the Towns agenda to get LA to panic trade with us is unlikely based on what I've heard. That makes me think my theory on the leaking are Towns guys trying to get the word out Flip is an Okafor guy in hopes he receives enough criticism to make him think harder about it and potentially change his mind to Towns. Why else would the leaks be saying Okafor now? We have the top pick so why are there any leaks? We get to pick who we want regardless.

No, but the deal difference is not significant anymore. About 3 mil over the 4 years. Very few have, but more continue to do it, and with salaries going up, it isn't as big a risk to wait out the RFA year anymore. By the time Okafor reaches that point, he will likely have already made over 20 mil. Monroe is a guy that waited it out and is likely to get a max deal (rumor from NY).

You'll have to forgive me for not placing any stock in what you have heard. I don't know anyone who stated something to that effect, but it may have more to do with what the team might be asking for. It certainly doesn't hurt to find out. The scenario of leaks putting pressure on Flip seems absolutely ludicrous to me. If Flip was that bothered by it, he would just tell the staff he changed his mind and then pick Okafor anyway.

The leaks occur because some nobody feels he suddenly has some importance.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Towns vs UGA (notes and clips). https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Pj9WuHTd8TB7hX-GSPnYlGXnxOkybuYl0eVPWez4YPk/edit?pli=1

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

For you Towns fans:

Darren Wolfson - Verified account ?@DWolfsonKSTP

Shooter in column tomorrow: "It looks now that Karl-Anthony Towns for sure will be the Timberwolves' choice." Me: Nothing decided. #twolves

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I just wanna clarify something for the board so that my stance doesn't get turned around on me based on a misunderstanding.

Towns is my guy. He's the top player in this draft class for me, which is why I absolutely want Flip to draft him No. 1 overall. We all know that and I've already gone above and beyond in letting the board know why I think that. Is that fair to say? I believe so.

But Okafor is my No. 2, and that's also probably not very debatable in my head. I love Okafor's game and how he sticks to his strengths. I value his efficiency from the floor, his ability to see the court and pass or make a play with the ball when the double team comes, his brute strength both upper and lower body. I'm a big fan of a guy that knows he's unstoppable and demands the ball. That's a mindset thing that simply cannot be taught. All of which I know about him and appreciate. Clearly, I've been hard on Okafor's defensive abilities, with good reason, but his scoring ability cannot and should not be denied. I feel confident in saying that Okafor, along with Towns, will be All-Stars one day.

These are two "sure things" in my book. We can go back and forth for days/weeks/months arguing whatever you'd like to, but I do honestly believe that. This isn't like the 2011 NBA Draft where it's Kyrie Irving and then Derrick Williams, in my opinion. Therefore, technically the Wolves and Flip can't lose by selecting either of these big men. Reminder, I do believe one will have a bigger impact than the other, but in saying that, I'm not meaning to downplay the other's impact either.

I hope I'm making myself clear. I'm not pro-Towns and anti-Okafor. I'm pro-Towns and pro-Okafor, but I side with Towns if I was picking between the two.

[Lipoli390]

If Flip takes Towns, I wonder if we shouldn't see a mea culpa from everybody who has been repeatedly lamenting that Flip is sure to take Okafor because of his ego, stupidity, or whatever.

We hate it when outside journalists pass off speculation about our organization as fact, but some of the posts on this board are flirting with doing the same thing or worse. You met a part owner, or a former Timberwolf or something (I'm torn between saying "that's cool" and "you want a cookie?" so I'll just write both). But it sounds like those guys are just speculating based on "sources" too. He said, he said, he said. It's just Chinese whispers until draft day comes and we actually find out who Flip wants.

All of us really care about this team, otherwise we wouldn't be here. But notice that it's mostly Towns supporters who are sure that Flip is picking Okafor. And it seems like the more a guy leans towards Towns, the more sure he is that Flip is picking Okafor. There are guys who legitimately want Okafor or are torn on the situation who also care about the team, but they aren't nearly as sure who Flip is picking. What does this tell us? I think part of it is anxiety. And one response to anxiety is to imagine that worst-case scenarios are more likely than they are. And the thought of screwing up (another) draft pick is scary, particularly our first #1 in history. For some of us who are sure Towns is by far the best pick, you seem to be overstating the speculation of Flip taking Okafor as a kind of worst-case scenario. Some of you have even written that you're telling yourselves that Flip is sure to take Okafor so you can better deal with the shock if it happens. That's not a very good way to rationally predict what Flip will do, but as a way to face anxiety and set yourself up with a coping mechanism, that's fine.

Whatever legitimate criticism Flip has earned over the years (and he's earned his share), it seems a little overboard to start bashing his ego and stupidity. He's not David Kahn (who actually earned those epithets). I've been part of this community since back on the ESPN board in 2001-2002. If there's one thing almost all of us have in common, it's that we all think we could run this organization better than anybody else! But that doesn't mean anybody who disagrees with us is a moron. It feels like some of these pro-Towns posts are going beyond


rationally discussing who we should pick and why and really trying to lay out the starkest claim to supporting Towns so that the writer can later crow "I told you so" the loudest if Flip takes Okafor and Towns ends up being better. We all do that to some extent (I'd like to remind all you bastards of my I WANT COUSINS and I WANT LAWSON threads at this point! :) ), but don't make Flip out to be an idiot because of pure speculation that he might not agree with you.

I want Towns, but some of these pro-Towns posts are taking it a little too far. (Q's thoughtful musings are a clear exception, and an example of the kind of analysis this board needs more of). This is a big decision for us, and there's a legitimate discussion to be had over who we should pick. That's doing due diligence, and it's what we deserve as fans. Maybe that leads to Okafor, and maybe it leads to Towns. We won't know for a few weeks. In the meantime, let's all take a hit from the highpost, and enjoy the fact that the future looks bright (at least, it has to be brighter than the last decade--fingers crossed).

Hey Drew -- This is a fan message board. Someone hears something from a part owner or former player and the person shares it with others through a post on this Board. If reading those posts bugs you then that's ok I guess. You might want to skip those and just focus on those posts that provide stellar analysis. Personally I like to read both. I like hearing what someone heard from a part owner and I enjoy sharing what I hear from time to time from people with some connections or contacts in the Wolves organization or other NBA channels. That's part of the fun of a message board.

There would be no sports message boards or any sports media if not for the exchange of information and speculation in bits and pieces from various sources, some more grounded in truth than others. Those in the Wolves marketing department refer to it as chatter. They love it. And along with the exchange of information comes the exchange of opinions, often based on speculation about what will happen. I don't for a second assume I'm getting the completely accurate and final word from those I talk to. And since I'll never know for sure until it happens, I'll continue to post my opinions based on what I've heard. I hope others do too. If not, this would be a really dull message board.

So I hope Long continues to report on what he hears from the part owner in his men's group. And if I hear something from someone who might reasonably be expected to have some connections or insights regarding the Wolves I'll continue to pass it along. I don't care whether you think it's cool, but I do expect you to give me a cookie. :). Oh, and I'll continue to predict that Flip takes Okafor as a psychological defense mechanism to protect myself from the despair that follows profound disappointment. All the while, I'll continue to hope Flip takes Towns and I'll continue to criticize Flip for doing what he hasn't done yet and hope he doesn't do it. Why? Because I'm a fan and this is a fan message board. Now please give me a cookie!