Minnesota Sports Forum

TeamRicky wrote:Sorry, but can't get behind the 3 and No-D Murray with his little baby arms and slothlike movements when there will be better options at 5.

That was pretty good. I do also agree that two-way players need to be the focus when you're picking that high. If we were a playoff team, i'd be fine going for someone who projects to be a pure offensive player. As it sits, we need more help defensively than offensively. I am always against taking need over BPA high in the draft.. Luckily for me, i think all Dunn, Hield, and Bender will be better than Murray, and one of those players will be there for us.

Camden wrote:TeamRicky, you do realize players grow and get better, right? I've stated his defensive weaknesses in the past. Defense is not his calling card. He has work to do on that end. I've also posted reasons for optimism with him on that end, such as this post:

"Also, while Murray needs to improve defensively, he did hold opponents to just 37% shooting against him and created turnovers on nearly 11% of the possessions he defended. That's actually pretty decent."

You don't draft Murray because you think he's Avery Bradley. You draft him because he's a well-rounded offensive player with an elite skill: perimeter shooting.

Also based on Draftexpress Murray improved in defensive side quite a lot during the season. So even tough he was still pretty weak in that area in the end of season, he wasn't nearly as bad as he was in the beginning of season. This gives me some hope that he can develop to average level as he matures.

As we move closer to the draft my feelings against trading our pick have only gotten stronger based on the recent rumors. I'd be willing to trade for a Butler type talent if I had to include any or all of #5, Dieng, Shabazz, Jones, Payne, 2nd rounders, Pekovic. Getting out of having to pay Dieng or Shabazz next offseason while gaining an all star locked into a contract would be a good thing, but that's also why Chicago wouldn't do that. The reality is giving up one of our "hopeful 4" is necessary. Trading one of them before we even know what we really have in them would be a mistake. To potentially have 3 stars, who we can nearly assume two are at least average starters by now, is our route to contending. Will we contend this upcoming season, or the next? Probably not. Trading for an allstar now while giving up one of our potential stars does not change that with the GS, Spurs, Cavs, OKC, etc. But if we stay the course for two years and our stars do align, then watch out. LeBron will be in decline, Curry and Durant will be at the end of their prime years. At that time we could trade a pick + assets for another high end player and have it actually make a real difference in our contention.

It's been passed around on this board that this is our last chance to sign a good free agent or trade for a good player, but that's simply not true. When you're a bottom feeder, your only choice is to overpay talent to come play for you. When you have stars, good players will take a pay cut to play for you. Maybe we won't be able to afford a top 20 player, but we could find ourselves with a much more balanced roster.

I'm really looking forward to this draft, and hopeful that Thibs and Co. will make a good selection rather than a trade. If it's our last time to reach for the stars then i'm going for the brightest one. After Simmons or Ingram, that looks to be Bender or Dunn. It's Bender or Dunn or a mistake.

FWIW Wolfson said on Twitter that Thibs has been telling people they really need shooting.

Thibs is an idiot. We have shooters. We just need makers.

bleedspeed177 wrote:Thibs is an idiot. We have shooters. We just need makers.

Thon?

A 10 minute video on Bender with some interesting stuff in it.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid4501318026001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAB9mw57HE~,xU4DCdZtHhvePBaXW70J17lKAdx0Vg8b&bctid=4942639538001

monsterpile wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:Thibs is an idiot. We have shooters. We just need makers.

Thon?

Maybe I should have said we have 3pt shot takers, but not enough 3pt shot makers.

monsterpile wrote:A 10 minute video on Bender with some interesting stuff in it.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid4501318026001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAB9mw57HE~,xU4DCdZtHhvePBaXW70J17lKAdx0Vg8b&bctid=4942639538001

Very good stuff, monster...easy to get excited about this guy.

Here's what I like about Bender. He has terrific form on his shot, incredible length and athleticism, great teamwork attitude and ability to pass, drive to get better.

Here's what scares me. I still haven't seen enough of him. He only played 10 minutes a game for Maccabi.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to know if we should draft Bender at 5 if available. But I'm hoping that Thibs sees enough in him that he decides to pick him. I think this guy has enormous upside, and could be the perfect PF to pair with KAT and Wig.

longstrangetrip wrote:

monsterpile wrote:A 10 minute video on Bender with some interesting stuff in it.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid4501318026001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAB9mw57HE~,xU4DCdZtHhvePBaXW70J17lKAdx0Vg8b&bctid=4942639538001

Very good stuff, monster...easy to get excited about this guy.

Here's what I like about Bender. He has terrific form on his shot, incredible length and athleticism, great teamwork attitude and ability to pass, drive to get better.

Here's what scares me. I still haven't seen enough of him. He only played 10 minutes a game for Maccabi.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to know if we should draft Bender at 5 if available. But I'm hoping that Thibs sees enough in him that he decides to pick him. I think this guy has enormous upside, and could be the perfect PF to pair with KAT and Wig.

Same here. I do get why it would be easy to pass the guy up though. Let's put his situation in a different context. How would you feel about picking a #5 guy that only played 10mpg in college? I'd argue that the level of competition may be better in the league was in playing against grown men but that sorta gives us a closer perspective at what we are looking at here. I thought it was interesting how he and his brother left home at a pretty young age to pursue playing the game.