Minnesota Sports Forum

I think there are two benefactors: Shabazz and Budinger. Remember that Brew mostly backed up (or started in place of) Martin, with Flip experimenting with various players backing up Wiggins. Shabazz has appeared to win that position, so that leaves Budinger as next in line to backup Martin if Brewer gets traded.

Flip may also scrap the LaVine-as-PG experiment and instead pick up a free agent PG to back up Mo and then LaVine will compete with Bud for backup SG minutes. We'll see. Boy, that would be jerking LaVine around an awful lot in a fragile stage of his career, but perhaps Flip has seen enough.

Trading Brewer is not going to lead to Flip giving more minutes to Bazz. It's going to lead to more playing time for Bud. If Bud doesn't play well enough that becomes a problem because he doesn't increase his trade value enough to get a decent return for him and we have to deal with minutes going to a guy not playing that well. I just don't see Flip giving Bazz the extra PT.

Even if we were 7-2, getting rid of Brewer was gonna be a good idea.

A smart GM would scour the Earth and try to find the best PG possible that can come in and shoot the ball well. Flip's gonna go sign Brady Heslip because he was here already. Why even have scouts?

Q12543 wrote:I think there are two benefactors: Shabazz and Budinger. Remember that Brew mostly backed up (or started in place of) Martin, with Flip experimenting with various players backing up Wiggins. Shabazz has appeared to win that position, so that leaves Budinger as next in line to backup Martin if Brewer gets traded.

Flip may also scrap the LaVine-as-PG experiment and instead pick up a free agent PG to back up Mo and then LaVine will compete with Bud for backup SG minutes. We'll see. Boy, that would be jerking LaVine around an awful lot in a fragile stage of his career, but perhaps Flip has seen enough.

Q, do you think Lavine has been that bad at point? He didn't have a great weekend, but I think he's been far from an embarrassment there.

The more I think about it the more I think Flip stays strong here and doesn't trade Brewer unless he gets something worthwhile like at least a protected pick. Why?

Brewer can play thats why teams are calling. Right now till someone proves otherwise (bass is making a case) Brewer is the 3rd best Wing on the team behind Martin and Wiggins. I know it would be good to get young guys time but its good to have Brewer out there playing hard with passion and doing his thing. If teams calledf up and ask about Brewer if I was Flip or Milt I'd ask what are you gonna give up? They tell me not much I say go look at the tape from the last 3 games and tell me you don't want that guy on your team you gotta up your offer. I'm not saying the guy is awesome but no reason to give the guy away.

Brewer was drafted here went on the caravan this year he is a guy that I think wants to be here buys in to what Flip is doing etc. He knows his place and while he isn't going o complain about going to a contender I don't think he really wants to leave. I'm not saying don't trade Brewer for sentimental reasons but I think it will give Flip a bit of a pause trading Brewer for nothing when Brewer is who he is.

I agree Bazz would be the guy that benefits the most but I think GR3 would get in there as well. He has the athletic ability to play some defense. Obviously Bud would get more minutes too and honestly I still think the guy can play he won't bring quite as much as Brewer but if healthy and in a decent groove wouldn't be too shabby either. If we trade Brewer I hope Bud plays well enough we can unload him at the deadline.

khans2k5 wrote:Trading Brewer is not going to lead to Flip giving more minutes to Bazz. It's going to lead to more playing time for Bud. If Bud doesn't play well enough that becomes a problem because he doesn't increase his trade value enough to get a decent return for him and we have to deal with minutes going to a guy not playing that well. I just don't see Flip giving Bazz the extra PT.

Khans, that doesn't make sense to me. The team has been bad, Bud has been worse. I just don't see the practicality of playing him to increase his trade value. Playing Bud stunts the development of our young guys. Bazz will definitely gobble up most of Brewer's time.

Cool, His last two games have produced 1 assist, 8 turnovers, and zero steals. That's bad. Not to mention that his shot hasn't really been effective either. In other words, there is literally nothing he's doing well right now. Even his defense looked porous the other night, and that's one area I was previously impressed with (esp. against Canaan of Houston).

I do think Flip needs to be careful though. If he was willing to start him, he has to give him at least 5 or 6 games, no? You can't be jerking around a kid like that too much. On the other hand, I think it was a risk to start him like that. Not sure if he's ready for the deep end like that.

Q, I know he struggled in Texas, but the game doesn't seem to big for him. He has good handles, great quickness, and IQ. If anything I think he is playing too much in a box. In other words, trying not to make mistakes and limiting his ad lib. If he could just let him talent flow I think it would help a lot. Those problems you mentioned over the last two games would follow him to any position he plays.

Q12543 wrote:Cool, His last two games have produced 1 assist, 8 turnovers, and zero steals. That's bad. Not to mention that his shot hasn't really been effective either. In other words, there is literally nothing he's doing well right now. Even his defense looked porous the other night, and that's one area I was previously impressed with (esp. against Canaan of Houston).

I do think Flip needs to be careful though. If he was willing to start him, he has to give him at least 5 or 6 games, no? You can't be jerking around a kid like that too much. On the other hand, I think it was a risk to start him like that. Not sure if he's ready for the deep end like that.

I think the thing for Flip is that with him not wanting to play Williams big minutes he may want a guy to play in case Zach is struggling. He has not played Wiggins at times to protect his confidence so I woudl think he may want to have another option just to give the other 2 guys a break if stuff doesn't go right. Right now developing Zach and Wiggins is a pretty high priority I would think. Even getting a guy thats not that great just to have another option might be a good thing with Zach. Dallas seemed to get to him a little last night. He came back and played hard there at the end, but yeah. Also he hasn't had to play top PGs yet except Jrue so when he starts playing more games against some better players he might struggle more.

Always a chance that Flip is slipping this info to Stein (former ESPN pals) and trying to drive up Brewer's value (Cleveland has a pick from Memphis that could be nice).

Also, this signals that Rubio may be out closer to that 7-8 week time frame rather than 3-4, and YES this team needs another PG because Lavine and Mo is going to lead us to a historically bad season.