Free agent signings

[TheFuture]

I definitely wanted Tom Thibodeau to be the head coach in Minnesota. I thought his defensive acumen and ability to coach teams to victory and through adversity would be awesome here. At times it was, but the defensive improvement here never transpired, for whatever reason. Also, his history in Chicago spoke for itself, in my opinion, and I thought the hire was a real turning point for the franchise because it was bold and anti country club, which is significant due to the history of losers that are associated with the Wolves. He was widely regarded as the best available coach at the time too.

I didn't think he would be given a dual role position, but at the time I didn't fully hate it because I'm not sure Thibs accepts the job here without it. His reputation and record was still good enough to control where he landed. In principle, I don't think the GM/HC should be the same person mainly because a system of checks and balances is best. Minnesota didn't have that. It's also natural for the head coach to be focused on the present whereas executives tend to be preparing for the future and thinking two steps ahead.

The biggest problem with Thibs is that he wasn't two people. He probably could have excelled in Minnesota as the head executive or the head coach, but not both at the same time.

I did not mind Thibs as the coach hire either. He had proven to win, and apparently had taken a year off to recalibrate his gameplan. I fell for it. It was BS.

There was potential for him to be great, if a competent FO was there to check him.

Still, all reports say he was insufferable to be around. Jim Pete included.

He made his trade, fine. Then botched the pick, I was pushing OG after it happened, yet he picks a nothing.

Glen blocked Wiggins, I get that. He also offered massive contracts to Dieng and Shabazz.

He is the typical old dog, not taking on new tricks type. Similar to Zimmer with the Vikings.

Thibs and Jimmy were a mistake and set us back, I don't know why it is not obvious.

A lot of that does rest on the idiot that is Glen as well. Stick to your business deals and let actual basketball people handle basketball.

Glen and Thibs sent us years back, but Glen always finds a way no matter what.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Whether you dug the Butler trade or not...

Without it... the Wolves are going on 17 years without being close to a playoff run... and would have easily surpassed the previous record of playoff futility.

So at least we'd have that going for us.

[TheFuture]

Whether you dug the Butler trade or not...

Without it... the Wolves are going on 17 years without being close to a playoff run... and would have easily surpassed the previous record of playoff futility.

So at least we'd have that going for us.

Being essentially swept was awesome.

At this point, we may be headed for a long stretch again.

The biggest agreement I think most would share is that we have to cut the head off of this snake. Glen Taylor. Until that happens, I don't expect much. The only good thing he has done and is doing is keeping the team in MN.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Whether you dug the Butler trade or not...

Without it... the Wolves are going on 17 years without being close to a playoff run... and would have easily surpassed the previous record of playoff futility.

So at least we'd have that going for us.

Being essentially swept was awesome.

At this point, we may be headed for a long stretch again.

The biggest agreement I think most would share is that we have to cut the head off of this snake. Glen Taylor. Until that happens, I don't expect much. The only good thing he has done and is doing is keeping the team in MN.

Seeing a team compete (and even try to win) for an entire 82 game season was a great change of pace.

As for the impending long stretch... that would be happening with or without the Butler trade. It's not like the guys sent to Chicago ultimately changed anything about that team's fortunes.

That's not to say LaVine, Markennan and Dunn were/are bad players. Only that the Wolves aren't competing in the West with them on this squad. Could those assets have been flipped for something better than Butler ended up being? Maybe. I don't remember what else was considered at the time.

[Wolvesfan21]

This biggest mistake in my view was not moving up for Luka. I might have been the only one pounding the table to do that though. If it took Butler and picks do it. None of the the top 3 spots that year were destination spots for star players either, especially a team like Sacramento who would be relevant again. If Thibs drafts Luka he is still here and looks like a genius to the world. Now he's in the worst coaching spot in the NBA and lucky to be there.

We were never getting Luka. We've talked about this.

Dallas traded up and did exactly that. You have no idea if any of the top 3 were interested in Jimmy or not plus pick/s.

[Wolvesfan21]

Whether you dug the Butler trade or not...

Without it... the Wolves are going on 17 years without being close to a playoff run... and would have easily surpassed the previous record of playoff futility.

So at least we'd have that going for us.

Maybe we get lucky and draft Luka (assuming we missed the playoffs).

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

This biggest mistake in my view was not moving up for Luka. I might have been the only one pounding the table to do that though. If it took Butler and picks do it. None of the the top 3 spots that year were destination spots for star players either, especially a team like Sacramento who would be relevant again. If Thibs drafts Luka he is still here and looks like a genius to the world. Now he's in the worst coaching spot in the NBA and lucky to be there.

We were never getting Luka. We've talked about this.

Dallas traded up and did exactly that. You have no idea if any of the top 3 were interested in Jimmy or not plus pick/s.

Dallas traded up from five to three. That's a much different scenario than trying to trade up from 20 or getting a top-three pick from a team for an All-Star that none of them were prepared to build around or contend with. It's just not realistic in any way, shape, or form.

You hold on to this idea that there was a missed opportunity there for Luka, but no such opportunity realistically presented itself. That's the disconnect.

[Wolvesfan21]

This biggest mistake in my view was not moving up for Luka. I might have been the only one pounding the table to do that though. If it took Butler and picks do it. None of the the top 3 spots that year were destination spots for star players either, especially a team like Sacramento who would be relevant again. If Thibs drafts Luka he is still here and looks like a genius to the world. Now he's in the worst coaching spot in the NBA and lucky to be there.

We were never getting Luka. We've talked about this.

Dallas traded up and did exactly that. You have no idea if any of the top 3 were interested in Jimmy or not plus pick/s.

Dallas traded up from five to three. That's a much different scenario than trying to trade up from 20 or getting a top-three pick from a team for an All-Star that none of them were prepared to build around or contend with. It's just not realistic in any way, shape, or form.

You hold on to this idea that there was a missed opportunity there for Luka, but no such opportunity realistically presented itself. That's the disconnect.

You can pretend to know but you simply cannot. I think an opportunity was there to swap picks, add Jimmy and the next years first. I know you feel strongly that none of the top 3 teams would do it, but it's purely speculation on your part and mine. In the end Thibs was not only a failure as a HC but as a POB with his terrible drafting and signings. He took the team with "the most young talent in the league" and snuck into the playoffs once and got dominated. That was a failure. Had Thibs went all in on Luka he'd still be here and be heralded as a genius.

[AbeVigodaLive]

This biggest mistake in my view was not moving up for Luka. I might have been the only one pounding the table to do that though. If it took Butler and picks do it. None of the the top 3 spots that year were destination spots for star players either, especially a team like Sacramento who would be relevant again. If Thibs drafts Luka he is still here and looks like a genius to the world. Now he's in the worst coaching spot in the NBA and lucky to be there.

We were never getting Luka. We've talked about this.

Dallas traded up and did exactly that. You have no idea if any of the top 3 were interested in Jimmy or not plus pick/s.

Dallas traded up from five to three. That's a much different scenario than trying to trade up from 20 or getting a top-three pick from a team for an All-Star that none of them were prepared to build around or contend with. It's just not realistic in any way, shape, or form.

You hold on to this idea that there was a missed opportunity there for Luka, but no such opportunity realistically presented itself. That's the disconnect.

You can pretend to know but you simply cannot. I think an opportunity was there to swap picks, add Jimmy and the next years first. I know you feel strongly that none of the top 3 teams would do it, but it's purely speculation on your part and mine. In the end Thibs was not only a failure as a HC but as a POB with his terrible drafting and signings. He took the team with "the most young talent in the league" and snuck into the playoffs once and got dominated. That was a failure. Had Thibs went all in on Luka he'd still be here and be heralded as a genius.

I'm still super ticked off that the Wolves didn't figure out a way to draft Tim Duncan and Shaq. They were so stupid!!!!!

[TAFKASP]

So at least we'd have that going for us.

Except that one short playoff appearance just reset the clock on the next decade of futility. Going for us? I'd say going against us!