monsterpile wrote:The lack of optimism here isn't surprising. It's sad how for years we used it all up on a for the most part bunch of guys that didn't deserve it. And guys that probably did are either gone or retired etc. I think most people are looking for the bad stuff. It's understandable. I've seen some positives that nobody seems interested in while mentioning every bad possession and yes the bad possessions are certainly there.
Personally I see a path to be the next Rockets team that looked kinda mired in whatever and then a couple years later are basically a stacked team looking like real title favorites. The Wolves have to improve internally (Q made a good case in another thread for a Tyus being a piece to watch) and also add to their roster. The Rockets took a chance on Eric Gordon staying healthy. Damn that has worked out brilliantly so far. So well that they could trade away a player like Lou Williams and not notice. The Wolves need to add a player or 2 this next offseason and continue improving. You never know what player may fall into their lap a few months from now. There are paths to the next level. I get it if nobody has faith we can get there after all the shitty years we have endured but I'm looking forward to finding out. Yes this team isn't there now but I also feel like these last 2 games we are actually closer than I thought we would be. Last night we left 10-20 points on easy buckets guys usually make. Sure the Rockets didn't score either AND are playing without 2 solid rotation players.
Gerald Green. People are upset that we didn't add him and honestly I was a bit confused why he was available for so long. Think about this:
The Warriors are paying Nick Young over 5 million plus the luxury tax when they could have had Gerald Green for the min which is supplemented by the league and saved a bunch on Lux tax. Which player would you rather have right now? I'd take Gerald Green regardless of the money. Even the supposed smart teams can do stuff that's dumb. Nick Young should thank Luke Walton for getting him the last decent contract he may ever see in the NBA.
Excellent post, Monster. Your post provides a healthy and solid perspective on the Wolves situation. I agree that we have a foundation in place to take the next step with KAT, Butler, Wiggins, Taj and Tyus. Those are the five core guys as I see it. But as you indicated, it will take a couple of smart player-personnel moves to get there. I would add that we'll also have to see further improvement individually from KAT and Wiggins. I suspect you'd agree with that. I happen to believe it will take a very different coaching approach, which I don't think we'll ever get from Thibs, but I suspect you disagree and you may be right.
A lot of us get caught up sometimes in pointing fingers at individual players. I've done that with Wiggins before and I see some folks doing that with KAT based on these last two games. But that myopic focus many of us are guilty of lacks the perspective we need to accurately assess this team's core problems and potential. We're clearly not close to being a championship caliber team right now. But as you noted, a couple savvy player-personnel moves can make a big difference in an NBA team's trajectory. Add improvement from a couple 23 year olds and suddenly you're at that next level.
As for KAT and Wiggins, both improved in various ways this season. Wiggins improved defensively and, while his stats don't clearly show it, I think he improved his rebounding as well. The fact that Butler and Taj have publicly raved about the things Wiggins does in practice on the offensive end, tells me there's still a lot of hope for improvement from him on that side of the ball. KAT improved defensively the second half of the season and actually played pretty well defensively last night. I'm not worried about his offense. He was a 20+ efficient scorer with 12 boards a game over 82 games in each of the last two seasons. He didn't suddenly become a bad offensive player in the last two games. He's played poorly on that end and he needs to find a way to get out of his funk. He has a 160-game track suggesting it's highly likely he will.
As for KAT's performance the last two games, he's been terrible on the offensive end both games, but good defensively in the second game. But Jimmy Butler hasn't exactly played like an allstar either, much less like a top 10 players in the League. You'd never guess that Teague was once an allstar if last night's game was the first time you saw him play. So these two losses have been team losses by a team not ready to compete against a championship caliber team.
A lot of people on this board -- not me initially :) -- wanted the Wolves to make the playoffs even if it meant getting crushed in 4 games by the Rockets in the first round. Their reason was that our young guys needed the experience to learn what playoff basketball is all about. Well, KAT's learning. He's learning that he has to do more and do things differently when he's the focal point of a championship caliber opponent's defense in the intense atmosphere of playoff basketball where defenders are allowed to pound on him even more than usual. And as everyone on this Board should know, part of learning is failing. In fact, failure is typically the best teacher. As for those who question his effort, go watch him play live in 80 games as I have over the past two seasons. Watch him engage in a perpetual wrestling match, fighting for position on nearly every single possession as he's pushed, held and elbowed by the biggest, strongest athletes in the NBA. Watch him get open for brief moments but never get the ball from our shoot-first PG. You'd see he doesnt have effort issues. He has judgment issues -- i.e., making bad decisions, and maturity issues -- complaining to refs rather than running the floor. Those issues have to be corrected and I think they will be because KAT's competitive nature will drive him to fix those issues -- provided he's guided effectively by his coaching staff and veteran players. I have no doubt that Butler and Taj will hold him accountable and teach him what he needs to know.
I'd like to see the Wolves at least make it reasonably close in one of not both of these next two gams at home. But ultimately this team has work to do to get to that next level. Our front office will need to deliver this summer with savvy personnel moves. Our young guys will need to improve their games with hard work over the summer. And, in my view, our head coach will have to take a long look in the mirror and make some changes in his approach. I have my doubts. But as you point out effectively, Monster, there is legitimate reason be hopeful.