Minnesota Sports Forum

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 9:07 am I wonder if the Spurs' struggles against the Knicks is giving Connelly some pause in terms of making a huge move beyond a standalone Randle trade, which isn't that huge or controversial in my opinion given the fact he was practically packing his bags during Game 6.

He could rationalize that the Spurs had it somewhat easy playing a banged up Wolves and OKC team and just may be the Wolves could have won that series if completely healthy.

The other thing to think about is the success of the Naz/Rudy pairing over the past three seasons. They basically have a 3-year Net Rating of ~ +10 and that includes the playoffs. Even though Naz hasn't started many games next to Rudy, the sample size of minutes is big enough over three seasons that the front office may feel pretty confident that Naz is ultimately an upgrade over Randle just in terms of better synergy with Rudy and Ant. His playoff performance against the Spurs definitely helped as well.

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 9:07 am I wonder if the Spurs' struggles against the Knicks is giving Connelly some pause in terms of making a huge move beyond a standalone Randle trade, which isn't that huge or controversial in my opinion given the fact he was practically packing his bags during Game 6.

He could rationalize that the Spurs had it somewhat easy playing a banged up Wolves and OKC team and just may be the Wolves could have won that series if completely healthy.

The other thing to think about is the success of the Naz/Rudy pairing over the past three seasons. They basically have a 3-year Net Rating of ~ +10 and that includes the playoffs. Even though Naz hasn't started many games next to Rudy, the sample size of minutes is big enough over three seasons that the front office may feel pretty confident that Naz is ultimately an upgrade over Randle just in terms of better synergy with Rudy and Ant. His playoff performance against the Spurs definitely helped as well.

60WinTim wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 9:59 am

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 9:07 am I wonder if the Spurs' struggles against the Knicks is giving Connelly some pause in terms of making a huge move beyond a standalone Randle trade, which isn't that huge or controversial in my opinion given the fact he was practically packing his bags during Game 6.

He could rationalize that the Spurs had it somewhat easy playing a banged up Wolves and OKC team and just may be the Wolves could have won that series if completely healthy.

The other thing to think about is the success of the Naz/Rudy pairing over the past three seasons. They basically have a 3-year Net Rating of ~ +10 and that includes the playoffs. Even though Naz hasn't started many games next to Rudy, the sample size of minutes is big enough over three seasons that the front office may feel pretty confident that Naz is ultimately an upgrade over Randle just in terms of better synergy with Rudy and Ant. His playoff performance against the Spurs definitely helped as well.

I think this analysis really hits close to home. Move Randle and add a ball-handling guard are TC's top 2 priorities. It would be convenient if those two priorities were accomplished in one transaction.

TheGrey08 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 12:44 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 9:59 am

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 9:07 am I wonder if the Spurs' struggles against the Knicks is giving Connelly some pause in terms of making a huge move beyond a standalone Randle trade, which isn't that huge or controversial in my opinion given the fact he was practically packing his bags during Game 6.

He could rationalize that the Spurs had it somewhat easy playing a banged up Wolves and OKC team and just may be the Wolves could have won that series if completely healthy.

The other thing to think about is the success of the Naz/Rudy pairing over the past three seasons. They basically have a 3-year Net Rating of ~ +10 and that includes the playoffs. Even though Naz hasn't started many games next to Rudy, the sample size of minutes is big enough over three seasons that the front office may feel pretty confident that Naz is ultimately an upgrade over Randle just in terms of better synergy with Rudy and Ant. His playoff performance against the Spurs definitely helped as well.

I think this analysis really hits close to home. Move Randle and add a ball-handling guard are TC's top 2 priorities. It would be convenient if those two priorities were accomplished in one transaction.

To me that's the no brainer move. Trade Randle to a team needing a floor raiser for a pick/salary filler and flip that for a talented ball-handler who can shoot (Kyrie, White, etc). Start Naz next to Rudy and Ayo as the 6th man. Beringer gets backup 5 minutes, TSJ gets some bench ball-handler minutes.

Besides having a legit ball-handler/shooter at PG next to Ant, the biggest thing I want to see is Jaden without Randle in his way. If they wanted to go further by trading Rudy and ending up with a solid defensive 5 who can hit open 3s, I can get on board with that if it's the right deal/fit/return.

FNG wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 1:34 pm

TheGrey08 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 12:44 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 9:59 am

I think this analysis really hits close to home. Move Randle and add a ball-handling guard are TC's top 2 priorities. It would be convenient if those two priorities were accomplished in one transaction.

To me that's the no brainer move. Trade Randle to a team needing a floor raiser for a pick/salary filler and flip that for a talented ball-handler who can shoot (Kyrie, White, etc). Start Naz next to Rudy and Ayo as the 6th man. Beringer gets backup 5 minutes, TSJ gets some bench ball-handler minutes.

Besides having a legit ball-handler/shooter at PG next to Ant, the biggest thing I want to see is Jaden without Randle in his way. If they wanted to go further by trading Rudy and ending up with a solid defensive 5 who can hit open 3s, I can get on board with that if it's the right deal/fit/return.

I've seen the narrative from several posters here that Randle is in Jaden's way, and I'm trying to understand the rationale. Ju and Naz take about the same number of shots per 36 minutes, but the big difference between the two is that Randle is the far better passer. And while I don't have the stats on this, my eye test tells me that Jaden is one of Ju's most frequent targets...who can forget the final game of the OkC series in 2025 when Ju found Jaden open in the corner several times, but Jaden missed the shot. It seems to me that Jaden is going to get fewer open looks with Naz replacing Ju in the starting lineup, not more. A facilitating PG on the other hand who can get Ant off the ball could lead to both Ant and Jaden getting more open looks.

WildWolf2813 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2026 11:09 pm another potential Rudy three teamer

works on Spotrac


Wolves get

Miles Bridges
Grayson Allen
#18 this year and Dallas' 2027 first from Charlotte
#47 from Phoenix

Hornets get
Rudy Gobert
Royce O'Neale

Suns get
Grant Williams
Donte DiVincenzo
#28 from Minnesota

combine that with my Randle to BK for Claxton and Saraf

at 18 you can draft either Bennett Stirtz, Christian Anderson, Ebuka Okorie as your PG in training. If you wanna use #18 on a backup big to eventually replace Bridges, Quaintance may be there, Steinbach may be there, Karim Lopez, Allen Graves


and you have

C Claxton /Beringer /Zikarsky
PF Reid /Bridges
SF McDaniels /Shannon
SG Edwards /Allen
PG Dosumnu /#18 /Saraf

you can fill the last couple of spots by bringing back Slo-Mo, picking up Phillips' TO, Conley in the Ingles slot. The 2nd rounders we'd keep would be two way guys.

I know what everyone's gonna say: I don't wanna root for a team with Miles Bridges on it. Fair. 2 things:

1. If you didn't know who he was, you'd consider his style IDEAL for a backup 3/4.

2. It's 1 year left at $22 mil and you KNOW you won't bring him back. That $22 mil will free this team of any further apron hell. You tack on Claxton's deal at 2 years, $44 mil remaining. Get him on a good team and he might rediscover what made him good back when he had KD/Kyrie with him. The worst aspect is turning DDV's expiring into 2 years $37 mil for Allen, so ask yourself, do you want 1 year of Bridges or 2 more of Randle? Easy decision, especially if you really think Reid and McDaniels are better than what they've shown us. Also, you get a pick this year and next to either draft a PF or PG to replenish your youth.


Charlotte gets a floor raiser for 2 players they don't need (and they have the 14th pick still to replace Bridges).

The incentive for Phoenix is you save a little money but move up nearly 20 spots in a draft where the 2nd round looks awful.

Phenom wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 2:29 pm

WildWolf2813 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2026 11:09 pm another potential Rudy three teamer

works on Spotrac


Wolves get

Miles Bridges
Grayson Allen
#18 this year and Dallas' 2027 first from Charlotte
#47 from Phoenix

Hornets get
Rudy Gobert
Royce O'Neale

Suns get
Grant Williams
Donte DiVincenzo
#28 from Minnesota

combine that with my Randle to BK for Claxton and Saraf

at 18 you can draft either Bennett Stirtz, Christian Anderson, Ebuka Okorie as your PG in training. If you wanna use #18 on a backup big to eventually replace Bridges, Quaintance may be there, Steinbach may be there, Karim Lopez, Allen Graves


and you have

C Claxton /Beringer /Zikarsky
PF Reid /Bridges
SF McDaniels /Shannon
SG Edwards /Allen
PG Dosumnu /#18 /Saraf

you can fill the last couple of spots by bringing back Slo-Mo, picking up Phillips' TO, Conley in the Ingles slot. The 2nd rounders we'd keep would be two way guys.

I know what everyone's gonna say: I don't wanna root for a team with Miles Bridges on it. Fair. 2 things:

1. If you didn't know who he was, you'd consider his style IDEAL for a backup 3/4.

2. It's 1 year left at $22 mil and you KNOW you won't bring him back. That $22 mil will free this team of any further apron hell. You tack on Claxton's deal at 2 years, $44 mil remaining. Get him on a good team and he might rediscover what made him good back when he had KD/Kyrie with him. The worst aspect is turning DDV's expiring into 2 years $37 mil for Allen, so ask yourself, do you want 1 year of Bridges or 2 more of Randle? Easy decision, especially if you really think Reid and McDaniels are better than what they've shown us. Also, you get a pick this year and next to either draft a PF or PG to replenish your youth.


Charlotte gets a floor raiser for 2 players they don't need (and they have the 14th pick still to replace Bridges).

The incentive for Phoenix is you save a little money but move up nearly 20 spots in a draft where the 2nd round looks awful.

That Dallas first next year would be really intriguing. It would be a great candidate to be number one next year. It might be enough to grease the Kyrie wheel, even.