Minnesota Sports Forum

guest81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:01 pm

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 2:31 pm

guest81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:47 pm

People want flexibility so they can make a big move then when they make a big move they get upset because they don't have flexibility

When the big move creates a new big hole and we now have 0 flexibility to fill that hole… yeah it’s upsetting. We didn’t ever get to see the young core we were promised

They have a young core! Melo is younger than naz!

“The young core” of Jaden Ant naz and Joan…I wanted to see that

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:08 pm Sheesh, I go out golfing and come home to this! So the rumor that started last night was real I guess.

And here Wildwolf thought Connelly was just posing for the fanbase when this first came up. Wrong!!!!

Lurkin's evolution in this thread has been quite the journey! Feels like you might be coming around a bit now?

I see the potential absolutely. But I am not going to get over Naz. I’ve been a fan since day 1 and I’ve seen guys come and go. It hurts more when they didn’t ask for it. KG, Towns, Naz..,all traded at their prime. It doesn’t get easier.

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:24 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:08 pm Sheesh, I go out golfing and come home to this! So the rumor that started last night was real I guess.

And here Wildwolf thought Connelly was just posing for the fanbase when this first came up. Wrong!!!!

Lurkin's evolution in this thread has been quite the journey! Feels like you might be coming around a bit now?

I see the potential absolutely. But I am not going to get over Naz. I’ve been a fan since day 1 and I’ve seen guys come and go. It hurts more when they didn’t ask for it. KG, Towns, Naz..,all traded at their prime. It doesn’t get easier.

I get the sentimental attachment to Naz. He's had a lot of good years with the Wolves and I really looked forward to seeing him thrive as our starting PF. But LaMelo is legit a better player than Naz. That's just how the NBA works. Trading Rudy for Ball would have been REALLY hard to recover from defensively, especially since it's Ball and not Derrick White or Suggs at PG.

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:44 pm

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:24 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:08 pm Sheesh, I go out golfing and come home to this! So the rumor that started last night was real I guess.

And here Wildwolf thought Connelly was just posing for the fanbase when this first came up. Wrong!!!!

Lurkin's evolution in this thread has been quite the journey! Feels like you might be coming around a bit now?

I see the potential absolutely. But I am not going to get over Naz. I’ve been a fan since day 1 and I’ve seen guys come and go. It hurts more when they didn’t ask for it. KG, Towns, Naz..,all traded at their prime. It doesn’t get easier.

I get the sentimental attachment to Naz. He's had a lot of good years with the Wolves and I really looked forward to seeing him thrive as our starting PF. But LaMelo is legit a better player than Naz. That's just how the NBA works. Trading Rudy for Ball would have been REALLY hard to recover from defensively, especially since it's Ball and not Derrick White or Suggs at PG.

Jon K had Dane Moore on his podcast today and they talked about this trade. Jon said Charlotte wanted Naz more than Rudy. Honestly that makes sense because he is younger and they already have 2 young centers that played reasonably well last year.

Yeah I’d never argue Naz is better than Lamelo. And maybe there’s a better PF replacement level player than there was a potential PG replacement to a Lamelo available. The other side of the frustration is the lack of a complete move. The structure of this trade and how it’s being created over days and we are getting small chunks of it…I’m sure when it’s all done we will actually have a PF and the whole thing can be analyzed as a whole thing…but for now we are left to wonder where the proverbial ball is under the cup. It used to be under PF and now it’s under Ball handling point guard and the PF cup is empty….it is a carnival game and it’s taking all my money and I am hungry and sad!

If they hadn’t had this grand sort of proclamation of “these are the core guys, they are untouchable! Get ready fans it’s finally Ant 2.0 and Naz and Jaden are the running mates!” Then this rug pull would maybe feel less severe?

The whole Giannis debacle made it seem like the wolves were never gonna put their “guys” on the table. If not for Giannis then no one’s gonna get em.

Two days later and randomly wake up to Lamelo Ball. A universally decided upon loser with crazy passing talent who out a good year together and maybe is actually super talented….but I’ve never seen a game of his really. He’s usually hurt against us.

It’s a lot to process when I just wanted to watch a bunch of Kaufman renn and Isiah Evans highlights and wonder how they fit in.

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:21 pm

guest81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:01 pm

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 2:31 pm
When the big move creates a new big hole and we now have 0 flexibility to fill that hole… yeah it’s upsetting. We didn’t ever get to see the young core we were promised

They have a young core! Melo is younger than naz!

“The young core” of Jaden Ant naz and Joan…I wanted to see that

Would you rather see that then a championship?

The PF position doesn't really exist anymore, so not sure what all the hand-wringing is over on that front. Julius Randle is an anachronism. It's one of the reasons why he was traded.

Most teams have what I'd call a big wing as their PF. I mean, Jason Tatum has been Boston's starting PF for years. He's 6'8" and about 215 lbs. Is Tobias Harris overpowering his matchups? He averaged 5 rebounds a game this past season. How about Julian Champagnie!?

I agree that after trading Randle and Reid, we definitely need more forward depth. But that doesn't have to be a big-bodied traditional PF, especially with Rudy at Center and Jaden also providing some weakside rim protection.

One route is to go get a wing defender that can start at the other forward position next to Jaden and takes on the main POA assignments. I have no clue who that is, but I'm not too worried about Jaden somehow being overmatched by other PFs. Heck, Ant can guard a lot of PFs and Jaden may be assigned to the secondary wing or guard.

guest81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 7:04 pm

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:21 pm

guest81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:01 pm

They have a young core! Melo is younger than naz!

“The young core” of Jaden Ant naz and Joan…I wanted to see that

Would you rather see that then a championship?

I wanted both. And if I have to pick obviously I’d pick a title. But building a super team to do it feels gross. It reduces its value imo. But it doesn’t reduce its monetary value to the owners. If it ends up we only win a title by trading Ant and Jaden and keeping ball in 4 years…many of you would say hell yeah title town! But each part of yourself you sell reduces your value…

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 7:12 pm

guest81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 7:04 pm

BeenLurkin wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 6:21 pm

“The young core” of Jaden Ant naz and Joan…I wanted to see that

Would you rather see that then a championship?

I wanted both. And if I have to pick obviously I’d pick a title. But building a super team to do it feels gross. It reduces its value imo. But it doesn’t reduce its monetary value to the owners. If it ends up we only win a title by trading Ant and Jaden and keeping ball in 4 years…many of you would say hell yeah title town! But each part of yourself you sell reduces your value…

I'd bet you all the money in the world that if the Wolves won the title next year you would not be feeling gross about it

I just want to ask a legit question… is NAW actually a better all around player than Lamelo? Look at the offensive stats from last year, and besides assists, NAW smoked him, and that’s not even considering defense.

Lamelo is loud and flashy, but his shooting percentages are mediocre at best and he’s not a winning player.

A non playoff team was happy to get rid of him lol. I’m hearing that this was a move to keep Ant happy, but wow, TC. Quit doing stupid things and you won’t be in a position where you have to make desperate moves and mortgage the teams future.

Terrible. I don’t even like the way this guy plays .