Final Pre-Deadline Trade Proposals

[Lipoli390]

There is a difference between being flawed and absolutely useless on one end of the floor.

Exactly!

That's overstated.

[D-Mac [enjin:19736340]]

There is a difference between being flawed and absolutely useless on one end of the floor.

Exactly!

That's overstated.

The biggest problem on this team is offensive guard play. No doubt about that.

[D-Mac [enjin:19736340]]

I think I'm just gonna stop ripping on towns and just hope we can draft, develop or trade for an Elite guard :)

[Lipoli390]

I think I'm just gonna stop ripping on towns and just hope we can draft, develop or trade for an Elite guard :)

Good decision. :) Seriously, ripping on Towns is just a reflection of the understandable dysfunction among Wolves fans. We have our first bona fide elite player since KG, but he's surrounded by G-League caliber teammates and underachievers like Wiggins. Of course, the team loses a lot. Next thing you know, fans are ripping on the team's one elite player. Oh, he has flaws. There's a shocker. But his typically poor defense isn't lack of effort; it's bad habits and poor defensive instincts. Experience and coaching at his still young age will likely improve those things at least a bit. Surrounding him with better defenders, especially an interior defender, would do much to mitigate his defensive weaknesses. Actually, having some teammates who can help carry the offense and make the game a bit easier for him on that end would allow him to have a lot more energy for the defensive end. He works he butt off on every offensive possession with far too little help. I'll also note that he was defending pretty well at the beginning of the season. He started to struggle again after his knee problem. I noticed tonight that his defense suffered when he started limping again tonight.

We need an elite guard or two. If Rosas can get that done, all will be well. If not, then KAT will eventually go somewhere else.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I think I'm just gonna stop ripping on towns and just hope we can draft, develop or trade for an Elite guard :)

Good decision. :) Seriously, ripping on Towns is just a reflection of the understandable dysfunction among Wolves fans. We have our first bona fide elite player since KG, but he's surrounded by G-League caliber teammates and underachievers like Wiggins. Of course, the team loses a lot. Next thing you know, fans are ripping on the team's one elite player. Oh, he has flaws. There's a shocker. But his typically poor defense isn't lack of effort; it's bad habits and poor defensive instincts. Experience and coaching at his still young age will likely improve those things at least a bit. Surrounding him with better defenders, especially an interior defender, would do much to mitigate his defensive weaknesses. Actually, having some teammates who can help carry the offense and make the game a bit easier for him on that end would allow him to have a lot more energy for the defensive end. He works he butt off on every offensive possession with far too little help. I'll also note that he was defending pretty well at the beginning of the season. He started to struggle again after his knee problem. I noticed tonight that his defense suffered when he started limping again tonight.

We need an elite guard or two. If Rosas can get that done, all will be well. If not, then KAT will eventually go somewhere else.

Elite players don't make excuses. Towns plays the most impactful defensive position in the league. He could literally turn a lot of defensive deficiencies this team has around through his own effort and playing smart on that end, but instead he'd rather jog back on defense and over-commit for blocks to pad the stat sheet and look flashy on that end. Does AD need a defensive specialist next to him? What about Embiid? Hell there isn't even that kind of noise about that around Jokic and Jokic is half the athlete KAT is. He's had multiple head coaches at this point and he still can't play defense. It's on him at this point. If you can't figure it out by your second contract you are the one not putting the work in to fix your deficiencies. The excuses for Towns just need to stop. Actual elite players elevate their teams and he's never done that. He gets his efficient 25/12, sets shit screens and plays shitting defense leaving his team out to dry all the time by jumping himself out of plays. Funny how a guy like Covington has an elite defensive reputation until you put him next to KAT. The argument just completely falls apart when we have a good defense in games KAT doesn't play and consistently a terrible defense in games he does play. We clearly have the defenders around him and he's not doing his job as the anchor. He's an offensive all-star, but he is so far away from being elite at this point because he's not doing his job to anchor the defense to even a respectable level that would completely turn around our ability to win games.

[Lipoli390]

I think I'm just gonna stop ripping on towns and just hope we can draft, develop or trade for an Elite guard :)

Good decision. :) Seriously, ripping on Towns is just a reflection of the understandable dysfunction among Wolves fans. We have our first bona fide elite player since KG, but he's surrounded by G-League caliber teammates and underachievers like Wiggins. Of course, the team loses a lot. Next thing you know, fans are ripping on the team's one elite player. Oh, he has flaws. There's a shocker. But his typically poor defense isn't lack of effort; it's bad habits and poor defensive instincts. Experience and coaching at his still young age will likely improve those things at least a bit. Surrounding him with better defenders, especially an interior defender, would do much to mitigate his defensive weaknesses. Actually, having some teammates who can help carry the offense and make the game a bit easier for him on that end would allow him to have a lot more energy for the defensive end. He works he butt off on every offensive possession with far too little help. I'll also note that he was defending pretty well at the beginning of the season. He started to struggle again after his knee problem. I noticed tonight that his defense suffered when he started limping again tonight.

We need an elite guard or two. If Rosas can get that done, all will be well. If not, then KAT will eventually go somewhere else.

Elite players don't make excuses. Towns plays the most impactful defensive position in the league. He could literally turn a lot of defensive deficiencies this team has around through his own effort and playing smart on that end, but instead he'd rather jog back on defense and over-commit for blocks to pad the stat sheet and look flashy on that end. Does AD need a defensive specialist next to him? What about Embiid? Hell there isn't even that kind of noise about that around Jokic and Jokic is half the athlete KAT is. He's had multiple head coaches at this point and he still can't play defense. It's on him at this point. If you can't figure it out by your second contract you are the one not putting the work in to fix your deficiencies. The excuses for Towns just need to stop. Actual elite players elevate their teams and he's never done that. He gets his efficient 25/12, sets shit screens and plays shitting defense leaving his team out to dry all the time by jumping himself out of plays. Funny how a guy like Covington has an elite defensive reputation until you put him next to KAT. The argument just completely falls apart when we have a good defense in games KAT doesn't play and consistently a terrible defense in games he does play. We clearly have the defenders around him and he's not doing his job as the anchor. He's an offensive all-star, but he is so far away from being elite at this point because he's not doing his job to anchor the defense to even a respectable level that would completely turn around our ability to win games.

Embiid and AD don't need defensive specialists next to them because they're both very good defensively. Embiid needs help offensively and he has it in the form of a great playmaker/all-star caliber player at PG and top flight NBA talent around him in Harris and Richardson.

Note also that the Wolves were good defensively last season when KAT and RoCo were playing together before RoCo went down. RoCo isn't the defender he was last season before his injury, but that's not KAT's fault since RoCo was playing next to KAT last season. KAT's not a good defender. Neither is James Harden. Most of the top players have flaws in various aspects of their games. James Harden is one example of an MVP caliber player who's bad defensively. Westbrook is a poor three-point shooter. Embiid has a hard time staying healthy. Simmons can't shoot free throws or perimeter jump shots.

KAT will never be an elite defender and he doesn't have to be for this team to be a contender. He has to improve and I believe he well. But he needs help defensively AND on the offensive end. That's not an excuse; it's the reality. Well-run teams with good head coaches adapt and maximize their players strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. That's not happening with the Wolves right now.

[kekgeek]

I think I'm just gonna stop ripping on towns and just hope we can draft, develop or trade for an Elite guard :)

Good decision. :) Seriously, ripping on Towns is just a reflection of the understandable dysfunction among Wolves fans. We have our first bona fide elite player since KG, but he's surrounded by G-League caliber teammates and underachievers like Wiggins. Of course, the team loses a lot. Next thing you know, fans are ripping on the team's one elite player. Oh, he has flaws. There's a shocker. But his typically poor defense isn't lack of effort; it's bad habits and poor defensive instincts. Experience and coaching at his still young age will likely improve those things at least a bit. Surrounding him with better defenders, especially an interior defender, would do much to mitigate his defensive weaknesses. Actually, having some teammates who can help carry the offense and make the game a bit easier for him on that end would allow him to have a lot more energy for the defensive end. He works he butt off on every offensive possession with far too little help. I'll also note that he was defending pretty well at the beginning of the season. He started to struggle again after his knee problem. I noticed tonight that his defense suffered when he started limping again tonight.

We need an elite guard or two. If Rosas can get that done, all will be well. If not, then KAT will eventually go somewhere else.

Elite players don't make excuses. Towns plays the most impactful defensive position in the league. He could literally turn a lot of defensive deficiencies this team has around through his own effort and playing smart on that end, but instead he'd rather jog back on defense and over-commit for blocks to pad the stat sheet and look flashy on that end. Does AD need a defensive specialist next to him? What about Embiid? Hell there isn't even that kind of noise about that around Jokic and Jokic is half the athlete KAT is. He's had multiple head coaches at this point and he still can't play defense. It's on him at this point. If you can't figure it out by your second contract you are the one not putting the work in to fix your deficiencies. The excuses for Towns just need to stop. Actual elite players elevate their teams and he's never done that. He gets his efficient 25/12, sets shit screens and plays shitting defense leaving his team out to dry all the time by jumping himself out of plays. Funny how a guy like Covington has an elite defensive reputation until you put him next to KAT. The argument just completely falls apart when we have a good defense in games KAT doesn't play and consistently a terrible defense in games he does play. We clearly have the defenders around him and he's not doing his job as the anchor. He's an offensive all-star, but he is so far away from being elite at this point because he's not doing his job to anchor the defense to even a respectable level that would completely turn around our ability to win games.

Embiid and AD don't need defensive specialists next to them because they're both very good defensively. Embiid needs help offensively and he has it in the form of a great playmaker/all-star caliber player at PG and top flight NBA talent around him in Harris and Richardson.

Note also that the Wolves were good defensively last season when KAT and RoCo were playing together before RoCo went down. RoCo isn't the defender he was last season before his injury, but that's not KAT's fault since RoCo was playing next to KAT last season. KAT's not a good defender. Neither is James Harden. Most of the top players have flaws in various aspects of their games. James Harden is one example of an MVP caliber player who's bad defensively. Westbrook is a poor three-point shooter. Embiid has a hard time staying healthy. Simmons can't shoot free throws or perimeter jump shots.

KAT will never be an elite defender and he doesn't have to be for this team to be a contender. He has to improve and I believe he well. But he needs help defensively AND on the offensive end. That's not an excuse; it's the reality. Well-run teams with good head coaches adapt and maximize their players strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. That's not happening with the Wolves right now.

I think the 2 things you are missing Lip is Towns plays the most important defensive position, unlike Harden. Kat defense matters every play, he is with put in PnR or has to rotate to protect the rim. He is so much more important to defensive success then harden is.

The other thing what is really stupid but it is pretty much fact at this point, as long as Rosas is Gm and Ryan is coach the wolves will not play 2 bigs, meaning Kat will never ever have a defensive specialist by him. It's dumb but it's true.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

KAT absolutely needs to be a great defender for this team to compete for a title. That's it. There is a 0% chance we can win a title with a one way offensive player as the main big on the floor. Put 4 good defenders around him and guess what? He's still in the PnR controlling the entire possession defensively as the backstop. He's just not comparable to the elite guards and wings of the league. He plays a far more important defensive position while playing a far less important offensive position.

[Wolvesfan21]

KAT absolutely needs to be a great defender for this team to compete for a title. That's it. There is a 0% chance we can win a title with a one way offensive player as the main big on the floor. Put 4 good defenders around him and guess what? He's still in the PnR controlling the entire possession defensively as the backstop. He's just not comparable to the elite guards and wings of the league. He plays a far more important defensive position while playing a far less important offensive position.

I wouldn't say far less important. You have to shoot 3's at a nice clip to space the floor in todays game as a big. Not any big or many player's for that matter can shoot at KAT's level. He's almost 50/40/90. He's got the first two!

The Wolves had the 12th best defense through 17 games this season. I remember other stretches (8-10 games) when KAT played that the defense was #1 in the league. That was when Dieng was starting.

Let's just say we had LeBron or Kawhi on this team. Are you that crazy to say we couldn't win a Championship?

KAT's not the problem, it's that we don't have the answer yet. And it doesn't help that the rest of the guys can't score either. They need KAT to score 40 to stay in the game. But then that tires him out on the defensive end too. These other guys just can't score.

If your premise is that KAT isn't a top 5 player? Duh.

He's the 31st highest paid player but I would say he's closer to the 15-20 range in overall play. Which means he is a positive contributor compared to his pay. KAT isn't stopping the Wolves from getting an Elite player or players!

Look at the whole roster. How many of these guys would start on the Bucks or Clippers or Sixers? Culver? Okogie? Crabbe? Dieng? Napier?

The answer is none of them. The roster is terrible.

I still acknowledge KAT's defense needs work, he's still only 24 years old, basically 2 years out of college! He has time to get better.

The saying is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Blaming KAT because he's not Giannis elite is silly. Accept KAT for who he is and get the next Giannis, or Doncic, LeBron, Kawhi, etc.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

If Rosas truly believes in this 5-out strategy with one big and four wings/guards then he needs to trade KAT. Either that or change his strategy. Dirk had Chandler. Love had Tristian Thompson (back when Tristian was good). AD has McGee and Howard and that's TODAY, not 5 or 10 years ago.

But to Khans' point, as long as they insist KAT is a Center and he plays with a wing at the 4, our defense will never be good enough to contend.