Rubio Plays Squash (the trade rumors)

[GymRat [enjin:6592663]]

Why couldn't you just take towns 1 and wcs at 4 then? You could then use dieng as trade bait with a 2nd rounder to get back into the mid first and get a PG like Tyus and still draft depth at PG with your other one.

I'm not saying Tyus is worth that, or trading Rubio is a good idea, but I don't pass on towns and I'm mildly okay with reaching on wcs if it means pairing the two up again.

Jones
Lavine
Wiggins
Towns
WcS

I like that lineup with martin, muhammed, KG, pek and the rest coming off the bench. I don't know. Just spitballing.

[mrhockey89]

I don't think we'll trade Rubio and I don't think I'd want to either.

It is fun to think about the possibilities though...

I think more likely, if Flip DID make that type of trade (Rubio for #4), would be...

#1 Russell
#4 Okafor (if he slipped past the 76ers), Porzingis if not

What's my reasoning? Flip may end up liking all 3 bigs somewhat similarly (as many have suggested Porzingis has as much upside of any of them), and Russell could also be the best player in the draft.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I'd take Towns and Porzingas in this scenario. I think Porzingas is a good risk to take at 4. PG is the deepest position in the league. I think we could sign someone or trade for someone who can be good enough. Lavine/Wiggins/Porzingas/Towns as the core moving forward. Maybe Philly takes Mudiay over Russell and you can get Towns and Russell. A lot could happen, but at worst we could secure our frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

[mrhockey89]

I'd take Towns and Porzingas in this scenario. I think Porzingas is a good risk to take at 4. PG is the deepest position in the league. I think we could sign someone or trade for someone who can be good enough. Lavine/Wiggins/Porzingas/Towns as the core moving forward. Maybe Philly takes Mudiay over Russell and you can get Towns and Russell. A lot could happen, but at worst we could secure our frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

I just don't see Flip going from having Rubio at the PG (the position that's becoming the most important in the league) to not having one, or at least going with the "wild card" and have no guaranteed primary ball handler to facilitate.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I'd take Towns and Porzingas in this scenario. I think Porzingas is a good risk to take at 4. PG is the deepest position in the league. I think we could sign someone or trade for someone who can be good enough. Lavine/Wiggins/Porzingas/Towns as the core moving forward. Maybe Philly takes Mudiay over Russell and you can get Towns and Russell. A lot could happen, but at worst we could secure our frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

I just don't see Flip going from having Rubio at the PG (the position that's becoming the most important in the league) to not having one, or at least going with the "wild card" and have no guaranteed primary ball handler to facilitate.

He still has Lavine who played PG for most of this season. It's not ideal, but I don't think you pass up a guy like Porzingas because there isn't a clear replacement for Ricky. You have to ask who's going to be better in 3 years. Ricky or Porzingas? That's all that matters and I think Porzingas will be better. We need high end talent and Ricky is not a high end talent. I forgot who tweeted it, but one of the writers I follow for the Wolves said Wiggins' handle has improved greatly this off season so if that is true Lavine and Wiggins are your primary ball handlers and creators. Give a guy like Jeremy Lin 8-10 million for 2 years and you have a suitable and temporary replacement until the long-term one is found.

[mrhockey89]

I'd take Towns and Porzingas in this scenario. I think Porzingas is a good risk to take at 4. PG is the deepest position in the league. I think we could sign someone or trade for someone who can be good enough. Lavine/Wiggins/Porzingas/Towns as the core moving forward. Maybe Philly takes Mudiay over Russell and you can get Towns and Russell. A lot could happen, but at worst we could secure our frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

I just don't see Flip going from having Rubio at the PG (the position that's becoming the most important in the league) to not having one, or at least going with the "wild card" and have no guaranteed primary ball handler to facilitate.

He still has Lavine who played PG for most of this season. It's not ideal, but I don't think you pass up a guy like Porzingas because there isn't a clear replacement for Ricky. You have to ask who's going to be better in 3 years. Ricky or Porzingas? That's all that matters and I think Porzingas will be better. We need high end talent and Ricky is not a high end talent. I forgot who tweeted it, but one of the writers I follow for the Wolves said Wiggins' handle has improved greatly this off season so if that is true Lavine and Wiggins are your primary ball handlers and creators. Give a guy like Jeremy Lin 8-10 million for 2 years and you have a suitable and temporary replacement until the long-term one is found.

LaVine is a SG, not a PG. Flip even has said as much this year. We're in for another 60+ loss season next year if LaVine is our starting PG. (we might be anyway if we trade Rubio and go young again).

I think it's a no brainer that in 3 years that Ricky will be better than a 22-23 year old Porzingis. I think your argument comes into play, at earliest, in 4 years. Porzingis needs a lot of work on his body, and then we have to hope he develops and translates. I don't want Lin...Give me a guy like Ty Lawson 100 times out of 100 over Lin. And wouldn't it make more sense to get Russell with Porzingis than Towns with Porzingis? Similar upside, but a position that would make more sense with the incoming talent, in my opinion.

And again, we're also automatically assuming these guys will all pan out, which history suggests is probably not even a likelihood.

[worldK]

I'd take Towns and Porzingas in this scenario. I think Porzingas is a good risk to take at 4. PG is the deepest position in the league. I think we could sign someone or trade for someone who can be good enough. Lavine/Wiggins/Porzingas/Towns as the core moving forward. Maybe Philly takes Mudiay over Russell and you can get Towns and Russell. A lot could happen, but at worst we could secure our frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

The logical thing to do if this where to go down is to take towns @1 and mudiay @ 4 or russel. Porzingis has load of potential and flip likes him a lot but mudiay has as high of a ceiling as porzingis and makes more sense for us. I like porzingis too but it would be crazy for us to pass on mudiay over porzingis if we trade rubio.

I think the top 3 picks will go like this

#1 minn- towns/okafor
2 lal - towns/okafor
3 phil- russell

I will be surprised if it didn't go like these.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I'd take Towns and Porzingas in this scenario. I think Porzingas is a good risk to take at 4. PG is the deepest position in the league. I think we could sign someone or trade for someone who can be good enough. Lavine/Wiggins/Porzingas/Towns as the core moving forward. Maybe Philly takes Mudiay over Russell and you can get Towns and Russell. A lot could happen, but at worst we could secure our frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

The logical thing to do if this where to go down is to take towns @1 and mudiay @ 4 or russel. Porzingis has load of potential and flip likes him a lot but mudiay has as high of a ceiling as porzingis and makes more sense for us. I like porzingis too but it would be crazy for us to pass on mudiay over porzingis if we trade rubio.

I think the top 3 picks will go like this

#1 minn- towns/okafor
2 lal - towns/okafor
3 phil- russell

I will be surprised if it didn't go like these.

I don't think Mudiay has as high a ceiling as Porzingas. Porzingas comes like AD. The skill is already there, but the frame to execute it isn't. It took AD two years to get the frame needed to make it work in the NBA. Mudiay can't shoot. I'm tired of having a PG who can't shoot. Porzingas can shoot, handle the ball and he plays defense. Putting on muscle is easier than developing a jump shot.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I am so not a fan of Porzingis. Also, Flip wouldn't trade Rubio away to not replace him with somebody. Could see him trying to concoct a way to come away with Russell and Okafor. Me? I'd take Towns at No. 1 and Mudiay at No. 4.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Kristaps-Porzingis-4831/

Things that stick out. He shoots like a guard (great fit in Flip's pick and pop game from midrange). He has very high potential as a PnR defender due to his athleticism allowing him to switch at times and recover at other times. He puts up 1.5 steals and 2 blocks per 40 as a PF. He has his flaws like everyone else, but he has some skills that already give him a good chance of being a good player. Our PnR defense would go from Payne and Dieng to Porzingas and Towns. And he'd have 2 years coming off the bench behind KG before he would be relied on heavily which is plenty of time to build the strength he needs. He's a home run type pick like Lavine was last year.