Minnesota Sports Forum

I think Bazz is worth a lottery pick in this draft. He's a known commodity with age on his side to possibly get better. You look at a team like the Kings at 8 who are probably looking at a guy like Jaylen Brown as a risk or a more known guy in Bazz. That's on the high end of Bazz's potential range in my opinion. Phoenix at 13 is another spot Bazz could go. PJ tucker has a team option and TJ Warren is the only other three on the team and they are already adding one high pick to the team. Boston could lose Turner in the off season leaving them only Crowder and they might deal 16 for Bazz to add more scoring to their defense first oriented team. I think there are a couple options for Bazz better than a pick in the 20's.

khans2k5 wrote:I think Bazz is worth a lottery pick in this draft. He's a known commodity with age on his side to possibly get better. You look at a team like the Kings at 8 who are probably looking at a guy like Jaylen Brown as a risk or a more known guy in Bazz. That's on the high end of Bazz's potential range in my opinion. Phoenix at 13 is another spot Bazz could go. PJ tucker has a team option and TJ Warren is the only other three on the team and they are already adding one high pick to the team. Boston could lose Turner in the off season leaving them only Crowder and they might deal 16 for Bazz to add more scoring to their defense first oriented team. I think there are a couple options for Bazz better than a pick in the 20's.

I hope we can find another GM that thinks like you do. But if someone offers me a pick in the 20s for Bazz, I take that deal without any hesitation.

To me it is all about who we are trading Shabazz for. If you cna get a player you like in the draft for him you do it. If not you keep him. I hope Thibs can get more out of him. I think he is the type of player Thibs will help. I think he certainly can be that 6th guy off the bench in the right system with the right players around him.

Would I trade Shabazz for Sabonis? Yes
Valetine? Yes
Diallo? Yes
Luwawu? Yes
Zizic? Yes
McGaw? Yes

Shabazz has proven he can score, but watching him at times can be like watching a train wreck unfold. If he ever slows down and lets the game come to him then i think he'd be a very good asset. If he continues to just be a full out energy guy that is a black hole on offense and below average defensively this season, then i'd try to trade him at the deadline. I really want to see what Thibs does with Shabazz for at least half a season before i look at offers, and that goes for every player really.

If you think Shabazz has warts just wait till we develop a pick in the 20s in this draft. Shabazz has proven he can play in this league which is hit or miss reality for many players drafted in the late first. Shabazz should only be part of a deal that gains us a proven commodity, not a crap shoot draft pick. That is selling low and pointless for where we are at.

thedoper wrote:If you think Shabazz has warts just wait till we develop a pick in the 20s in this draft. Shabazz has proven he can play in this league which is hit or miss reality for many players drafted in the late first. Shabazz should only be part of a deal that gains us a proven commodity, not a crap shoot draft pick. That is selling low and pointless for where we are at.

It obviously depends on the prospect that we'd get back for Bazz, but getting a first rounder for him wouldn't be selling low, IMO. Some of us would rather have a more well-rounded player than him and the draft is a cheap way to go about getting one. When you consider the makeup of this roster, what he provides (unorthodox scoring) isn't needed as much as defense, shot creators, three-point shooting. There's only so much value he brings when he's on the court and it's on one-side of the court only.

Camden0916 wrote:

thedoper wrote:If you think Shabazz has warts just wait till we develop a pick in the 20s in this draft. Shabazz has proven he can play in this league which is hit or miss reality for many players drafted in the late first. Shabazz should only be part of a deal that gains us a proven commodity, not a crap shoot draft pick. That is selling low and pointless for where we are at.

It obviously depends on the prospect that we'd get back for Bazz, but getting a first rounder for him wouldn't be selling low, IMO. Some of us would rather have a more well-rounded player than him and the draft is a cheap way to go about getting one. When you consider the makeup of this roster, what he provides (unorthodox scoring) isn't needed as much as defense, shot creators, three-point shooting. There's only so much value he brings when he's on the court and it's on one-side of the court only.

I agree a 1st rounder would not be selling low. Are we sure he even nets us a 1st rounder though? A lottery pick is unrealistic for a guy who was picked in the late lottery, hasn't shown a ton, and is in the last year of his rookie deal. I'd take a pick in the 20s from a team like Boston. Or philly who could use scoring, but I think a player swap or 2 2nds may be more realistic and if that's the case I'll stand pat.

Camden wrote:

thedoper wrote:If you think Shabazz has warts just wait till we develop a pick in the 20s in this draft. Shabazz has proven he can play in this league which is hit or miss reality for many players drafted in the late first. Shabazz should only be part of a deal that gains us a proven commodity, not a crap shoot draft pick. That is selling low and pointless for where we are at.

It obviously depends on the prospect that we'd get back for Bazz, but getting a first rounder for him wouldn't be selling low, IMO. Some of us would rather have a more well-rounded player than him and the draft is a cheap way to go about getting one. When you consider the makeup of this roster, what he provides (unorthodox scoring) isn't needed as much as defense, shot creators, three-point shooting. There's only so much value he brings when he's on the court and it's on one-side of the court only.

I get the point of wanting a more well rounded player to replace Bazz. Getting that well rounded player that is ready to contribute in the late 20s of a draft is not the best route to achieve that. Way too much uncertainty in that part of the draft to expect you would be able to accomplish that. The higher probability is that you would be getting a player that won't contribute anything for a few years. I'd rather have Bazz with his warts who can at least contribute a tangible skill to win games at this point. Especially when he is going to have a defensive specialist as a coach.

thedoper wrote:

Camden wrote:

thedoper wrote:If you think Shabazz has warts just wait till we develop a pick in the 20s in this draft. Shabazz has proven he can play in this league which is hit or miss reality for many players drafted in the late first. Shabazz should only be part of a deal that gains us a proven commodity, not a crap shoot draft pick. That is selling low and pointless for where we are at.

It obviously depends on the prospect that we'd get back for Bazz, but getting a first rounder for him wouldn't be selling low, IMO. Some of us would rather have a more well-rounded player than him and the draft is a cheap way to go about getting one. When you consider the makeup of this roster, what he provides (unorthodox scoring) isn't needed as much as defense, shot creators, three-point shooting. There's only so much value he brings when he's on the court and it's on one-side of the court only.

I get the point of wanting a more well rounded player to replace Bazz. Getting that well rounded player that is ready to contribute in the late 20s of a draft is not the best route to achieve that. Way too much uncertainty in that part of the draft to expect you would be able to accomplish that. The higher probability is that you would be getting a player that won't contribute anything for a few years. I'd rather have Bazz with his warts who can at least contribute a tangible skill to win games at this point. Especially when he is going to have a defensive specialist as a coach.

This discussion might make it seem like I hate Bazz so I want to make it very clear that I don't. I dig the guy's work ethic, nonstop motor and how he fits personality-wise with our other young players. I don't think that he's a player that wins you games, however. When he does produce offensively, more often than not he's giving it back on the other end of the floor (defensively). He's also not all that consistent offensively. The ball tends to stick when he has it, whether that's in transition or when he gets a post-up opportunity. He's worked very hard to improve his court vision, passing, decision-making, and defense, but those aspects of the game are still really weak for him. Unfortunately, those aspects of the game are arguably the most important.

His "tangible skill" is replaceable. Scoring is arguably the most replaceable stat there is. He just doesn't produce enough in that area to overcome the areas that he's poor in. It's mainly why I don't consider him a core piece. So, if I could gain four more years of a prospect that fit this team better, someone who was more of a two-way player, I would be inclined to do so at the expense of Bazz.

Cam -- I think folks are forgetting that Bazz is also a very good rebounder at his position in addition to his scoring. And I can see him improving even more in both categories under Thibs. I also can see him improving defensively under Thibs. Nevertheless, I'm not opposed to trading him for a first round pick. But as you and others have said, it depends on who's available at the pick you get in return. In other words, we wouldn't want the Wolves to simply trade him for a pick number. We'd expect them to trade him for a particular prospect they like who the other team picks on our behalf in a pre-arranged deal for Bazz. A pick in the late teens or 20s would be a financial bargain compared to what it would likely cost to re-sign Bazz.