Minnesota Sports Forum

khans2k5 wrote:He's always been a #1 option caliber scorer and that will always have high value in this league. There are a limited number of 20 point scorers on a nightly basis in this league and he's been doing it since he was 20. Oh and he plays 80+ games a year as one of the most durable players in the league. You guys might not see the value in him, but there are at least 10 teams in the league that lack that guy and/or would take him in a heartbeat over the guy they have now. ATL, SAC, Brooklyn, Utah, Charlotte, ORL, DET, CHI, LAL, Dallas.

Camden0916 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:He's always been a #1 option caliber scorer and that will always have high value in this league. There are a limited number of 20 point scorers on a nightly basis in this league and he's been doing it since he was 20. Oh and he plays 80+ games a year as one of the most durable players in the league. You guys might not see the value in him, but there are at least 10 teams in the league that lack that guy and/or would take him in a heartbeat over the guy they have now. ATL, SAC, Brooklyn, Utah, Charlotte, ORL, DET, CHI, LAL, Dallas.

Playing devil's advocate -- because why not -- I don't think Brooklyn (D'Angelo Russell), Utah (Donovan Mitchell), Charlotte (Kemba Walker), Orlando (Aaron Gordon), Chicago (Zach LaVine), Los Angeles (Kyle Kuzma; Brandon Ingram), or Dallas (Harrison Barnes) would take Andrew Wiggins over their current No. 1 option, though they'd unquestionably like to have him as part of the mix.

I'd also add that scoring 20 per game is less than desirable if it's quite inefficient. Carmelo Anthony comes to mind in that regard. Also, in today's game, scoring is replaceable as long as there's someone willing to put up shots. You have to be able to affect the game in multiple dimensions. Luckily, Wiggins' defense looks to be on the right path.

The guy has value. He has all-world ability. He's just very far from putting it all together, though he shows glimpses from time to time. His contract looks pretty gross right now, but perhaps he can make a jump this summer and prove a lot of us wrong. Until then, we need consistent energy on both ends of the floor from him and I think that might be coming around -- cross your fingers.

Q12543 wrote:Cam and others are correct. Wiggins is a #1 type shot TAKING option because there are a myriad of ways he can get his shot off given his length and athleticism. Unfortunately, he is not a shot MAKER, thus making him one of the most inefficient scorers in the league.

By the way, prior to this season, when he was the #1 option, he was inefficient then too. This team has benefited this season by having him go down in the pecking order because it means more efficient options (i.e. KAT and Butler) are getting more shots.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

Q12543 wrote: Especially after a game where he was a primary reason we won?

1. Eye of the beholder. Wiggins definitely helped keep MN in the game early with 22 in the 1st half. Towns took over in the 2nd half with 22 as MN overtook the Raptors.

2. It was one game. We shouldn't judge Wiggins after one week either. Or even one month. He's in year 4 and poised to make about $30M. It's about assessing his entire body of work. And there are reasons for optimism (defense and breakout performances) and pessimism (woefully inconsistent effort and measurably multiple poor metrics).

Big O wrote:From Butler interview in strib
"Q: You're this team's best player, Thibs calls you "MVP caliber." Are you its most talented?

A: Who, me? Hell no, Wigs is. Wigs is the most talented by far. I see him do things and I'm like wow, like how? The crazy part is that was at 40 percent. Just think if you're 80 percent or what if you just go as hard as you can, 100? Wigs is easily the most talented person on this team.

Q: Will he get there?

A: Playing with me, you've got no choice because I'm going to get on your nerves every single day until you do what I know you can do, what I expect of you, what we expect of you. Then it's going to make winning a lot easier.

Q: What could you have done with that?

A: I don't know, I don't even want to think about that because I don't got that, I don't got that. I'm going to be who I am. I'm not Wigs."

Big O wrote:From Butler interview in strib
"Q: You're this team's best player, Thibs calls you "MVP caliber." Are you its most talented?

A: Who, me? Hell no, Wigs is. Wigs is the most talented by far. I see him do things and I'm like wow, like how? The crazy part is that was at 40 percent. Just think if you're 80 percent or what if you just go as hard as you can, 100? Wigs is easily the most talented person on this team.

Q: Will he get there?

A: Playing with me, you've got no choice because I'm going to get on your nerves every single day until you do what I know you can do, what I expect of you, what we expect of you. Then it's going to make winning a lot easier.

Q: What could you have done with that?

A: I don't know, I don't even want to think about that because I don't got that, I don't got that. I'm going to be who I am. I'm not Wigs."

lipoli390 wrote:

Big O wrote:From Butler interview in strib
"Q: You're this team's best player, Thibs calls you "MVP caliber." Are you its most talented?

A: Who, me? Hell no, Wigs is. Wigs is the most talented by far. I see him do things and I'm like wow, like how? The crazy part is that was at 40 percent. Just think if you're 80 percent or what if you just go as hard as you can, 100? Wigs is easily the most talented person on this team.

Q: Will he get there?

A: Playing with me, you've got no choice because I'm going to get on your nerves every single day until you do what I know you can do, what I expect of you, what we expect of you. Then it's going to make winning a lot easier.

Q: What could you have done with that?

A: I don't know, I don't even want to think about that because I don't got that, I don't got that. I'm going to be who I am. I'm not Wigs."

Wow. I love Jimmy's candor. I'm a bit surprised he didn't mention KAT as well, but instead focused exclusively on Wiggins. Does he really believe Wiggins is more talented than Towns or did he instead single out Wiggins in an effort to light a fire under him? I guess it doesn't really matter. I just like that Jimmy is focused on pushing Wiggins. He'll either break Wiggins or help turn Wiggins into the player he can be. I also like that Butler is so high on Wiggins' talent.

As I've mentioned before, a friend of mine is good friends with a former Wolves player who hangs with KG. The former Wolves player told my friend that KG said Wiggins "has no heart." I was also told by someone inside the organization that Wiggins couldn't stand KG and I'm not surprised based on KG's view of him. I can see how a guy like KG could piss off and demoralize someone like Wiggins. In contrast, I like the way Butler is dealing with Wiggins. Instead of simply dismissing Wiggins as having no heart, he publicly praises his talent and then says Wiggins will reach his potential because he is "going to get on [Andrew's] nerves every single day until he does." It's tough, but positive and tempered with a touch of humor.