Minnesota Sports Forum

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:22 am

FNG wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 8:24 am Let's say we trade Naz or Jaden for a very good PG. Does anyone think Ant and Ju would immediately give up their need to be ball dominant and let the new guy run the offense? I don't. Finchy made some preseason comments that he intended Ant and Ju to play more off ball, but I haven't seen any change from last year, and Finchy allows it. That's why I think a coaching change is more in order than trading valuable assets for a starting PG.

There never was nor is a reality where those two were gonna be off ball more- the offense has to run through them.

Regarding a trade, the question is: what problem are we trying to solve? Which requires answering a few questions

1) is this the core roster you want, can you build on it? Is Randle a part of that core? Is Rudy?
2) if the answer to all of those is yes, then are there tweaks the roster needs or will internal development be the answer?
3) if no to question 1, then you need to have a very serious conversation about what the framework of this core needs to be going forward - what does it require to succeed?
4) they need figure out what this year is really about. Are you genuinely going to compete against the top of the league and go for it or is it time to recalibrate and develop, make small but economic moves, and aim for a year or two target.

Everyone wants a point guard and I'm kinda a little perplexed. A real point guard wouldn't have saved them these last few games... They just needed to take them seriously. They get a 10 point lead at the end of games and think it's over! Ant just needed to play better at the end on Phoenix, Randle just needed to play better, McDaniels just needed to play better!

If these guys can't raise there level of commitment, attention to detail and seriousness about their professions... Tyus Jones walking through the door isn't going to change that.

The Wolves give up a ton of bad turnovers that lead to easy makes on the other end. When they can set the defense they are pretty good. So if a new point guard can erase those plays, even twice a game, those loses are wins.

DNatagal wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:42 am

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:22 am

FNG wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 8:24 am Let's say we trade Naz or Jaden for a very good PG. Does anyone think Ant and Ju would immediately give up their need to be ball dominant and let the new guy run the offense? I don't. Finchy made some preseason comments that he intended Ant and Ju to play more off ball, but I haven't seen any change from last year, and Finchy allows it. That's why I think a coaching change is more in order than trading valuable assets for a starting PG.

There never was nor is a reality where those two were gonna be off ball more- the offense has to run through them.

Regarding a trade, the question is: what problem are we trying to solve? Which requires answering a few questions

1) is this the core roster you want, can you build on it? Is Randle a part of that core? Is Rudy?
2) if the answer to all of those is yes, then are there tweaks the roster needs or will internal development be the answer?
3) if no to question 1, then you need to have a very serious conversation about what the framework of this core needs to be going forward - what does it require to succeed?
4) they need figure out what this year is really about. Are you genuinely going to compete against the top of the league and go for it or is it time to recalibrate and develop, make small but economic moves, and aim for a year or two target.

Everyone wants a point guard and I'm kinda a little perplexed. A real point guard wouldn't have saved them these last few games... They just needed to take them seriously. They get a 10 point lead at the end of games and think it's over! Ant just needed to play better at the end on Phoenix, Randle just needed to play better, McDaniels just needed to play better!

If these guys can't raise there level of commitment, attention to detail and seriousness about their professions... Tyus Jones walking through the door isn't going to change that.

The Wolves give up a ton of bad turnovers that lead to easy makes on the other end. When they can set the defense they are pretty good. So if a new point guard can erase those plays, even twice a game, those loses are wins.

Unless that point guard is supplanting Julius then it doesn't matter, the offense is still going to be run through him and Ant. That's just the set up of this team, I agree that replacing DDV in the starting lineup with a better ball handler, a good glue guy and a high level defender, and then allow Dante to provide more scoring punch off the bench would be a huge boon for this team, but how are you acquiring that right now?

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:55 am

DNatagal wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:42 am

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:22 am

There never was nor is a reality where those two were gonna be off ball more- the offense has to run through them.

Regarding a trade, the question is: what problem are we trying to solve? Which requires answering a few questions

1) is this the core roster you want, can you build on it? Is Randle a part of that core? Is Rudy?
2) if the answer to all of those is yes, then are there tweaks the roster needs or will internal development be the answer?
3) if no to question 1, then you need to have a very serious conversation about what the framework of this core needs to be going forward - what does it require to succeed?
4) they need figure out what this year is really about. Are you genuinely going to compete against the top of the league and go for it or is it time to recalibrate and develop, make small but economic moves, and aim for a year or two target.

Everyone wants a point guard and I'm kinda a little perplexed. A real point guard wouldn't have saved them these last few games... They just needed to take them seriously. They get a 10 point lead at the end of games and think it's over! Ant just needed to play better at the end on Phoenix, Randle just needed to play better, McDaniels just needed to play better!

If these guys can't raise there level of commitment, attention to detail and seriousness about their professions... Tyus Jones walking through the door isn't going to change that.

The Wolves give up a ton of bad turnovers that lead to easy makes on the other end. When they can set the defense they are pretty good. So if a new point guard can erase those plays, even twice a game, those loses are wins.

Unless that point guard is supplanting Julius then it doesn't matter, the offense is still going to be run through him and Ant. That's just the set up of this team, I agree that replacing DDV in the starting lineup with a better ball handler, a good glue guy and a high level defender, and then allow Dante to provide more scoring punch off the bench would be a huge boon for this team, but how are you acquiring that right now?

Right or wrong, if we are talking about someone like Tyus it won't make as much of a difference if Ant and Julius aren't willing to defer. If it was someone with the cachet of Ja, for instance, I could see them buying in more, as they seem to have done with one another. Again, right or wrong is one thing, reality is another.

Also I think the biggest reason point guard is on the minds of many has to do with the trade market. It just so happens that big name point guards are heading the market.

Phenom wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 2:45 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:55 am

DNatagal wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:42 am
The Wolves give up a ton of bad turnovers that lead to easy makes on the other end. When they can set the defense they are pretty good. So if a new point guard can erase those plays, even twice a game, those loses are wins.

Unless that point guard is supplanting Julius then it doesn't matter, the offense is still going to be run through him and Ant. That's just the set up of this team, I agree that replacing DDV in the starting lineup with a better ball handler, a good glue guy and a high level defender, and then allow Dante to provide more scoring punch off the bench would be a huge boon for this team, but how are you acquiring that right now?

Right or wrong, if we are talking about someone like Tyus it won't make as much of a difference if Ant and Julius aren't willing to defer. If it was someone with the cachet of Ja, for instance, I could see them buying in more, as they seem to have done with one another. Again, right or wrong is one thing, reality is another.

Also I think the biggest reason point guard is on the minds of many has to do with the trade market. It just so happens that big name point guards are heading the market.

It felt like Ant and Julius did defer in that first game bringing the ball up against Portland and ran down the court, and than Mike, Donte, and Rob couldn't handle the full court pressure.

Phenom wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 2:45 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:55 am

DNatagal wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:42 am
The Wolves give up a ton of bad turnovers that lead to easy makes on the other end. When they can set the defense they are pretty good. So if a new point guard can erase those plays, even twice a game, those loses are wins.

Unless that point guard is supplanting Julius then it doesn't matter, the offense is still going to be run through him and Ant. That's just the set up of this team, I agree that replacing DDV in the starting lineup with a better ball handler, a good glue guy and a high level defender, and then allow Dante to provide more scoring punch off the bench would be a huge boon for this team, but how are you acquiring that right now?

Right or wrong, if we are talking about someone like Tyus it won't make as much of a difference if Ant and Julius aren't willing to defer. If it was someone with the cachet of Ja, for instance, I could see them buying in more, as they seem to have done with one another. Again, right or wrong is one thing, reality is another.

Also I think the biggest reason point guard is on the minds of many has to do with the trade market. It just so happens that big name point guards are heading the market.

Ja and Melo? Please no

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 3:33 pm

Phenom wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 2:45 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 10:55 am

Unless that point guard is supplanting Julius then it doesn't matter, the offense is still going to be run through him and Ant. That's just the set up of this team, I agree that replacing DDV in the starting lineup with a better ball handler, a good glue guy and a high level defender, and then allow Dante to provide more scoring punch off the bench would be a huge boon for this team, but how are you acquiring that right now?

Right or wrong, if we are talking about someone like Tyus it won't make as much of a difference if Ant and Julius aren't willing to defer. If it was someone with the cachet of Ja, for instance, I could see them buying in more, as they seem to have done with one another. Again, right or wrong is one thing, reality is another.

Also I think the biggest reason point guard is on the minds of many has to do with the trade market. It just so happens that big name point guards are heading the market.

Ja and Melo? Please no

They are definitely high risk, high reward and it's why they are available at all. The idea is coming to Minnesota and playing with Ant will rejuvenate and bring the best out of them. It could also go down in flames.

Phenom wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 5:45 pm

AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 3:33 pm

Phenom wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 2:45 pm

Right or wrong, if we are talking about someone like Tyus it won't make as much of a difference if Ant and Julius aren't willing to defer. If it was someone with the cachet of Ja, for instance, I could see them buying in more, as they seem to have done with one another. Again, right or wrong is one thing, reality is another.

Also I think the biggest reason point guard is on the minds of many has to do with the trade market. It just so happens that big name point guards are heading the market.

Ja and Melo? Please no

They are definitely high risk, high reward and it's why they are available at all. The idea is coming to Minnesota and playing with Ant will rejuvenate and bring the best out of them. It could also go down in flames.

But it's bad team building. Look at Milwaukee-desperate move after desperate move and now they're pretty much stuck with a bad roster, wasting away what little is left of Gannis's prime.

The situation with Ant and Jaden obviously isn't the same because of their age, but if this team wants to content for real over the next few years I believe adding these players on their current contracts would be deeply unserious

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 3:02 pm
It felt like Ant and Julius did defer in that first game bringing the ball up against Portland and ran down the court, and than Mike, Donte, and Rob couldn't handle the full court pressure.

I was at that game… the Wolves guards were so freaking bad! They need a point guard that can handle backcourt pressure and not turn the ball over. #CoolisRight

Sundog wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 6:28 pm

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 26, 2025 3:02 pm
It felt like Ant and Julius did defer in that first game bringing the ball up against Portland and ran down the court, and than Mike, Donte, and Rob couldn't handle the full court pressure.

I was at that game… the Wolves guards were so freaking bad! They need a point guard that can handle backcourt pressure and not turn the ball over. #CoolisRight

Love it Dog!

I don’t think the Wolves underperformance this season is attributable to any particular position. Two teams with better records have more turnovers per game than the Wolves while the Rockets and Pistons have only slightly fewer turnovers. Regarding the PG position, what PG did we lose from last season when we made the Western Conference Finals? Did Mike Conley’s game deteriorate that much from last April to this November? The only meaningful difference in personnel between last season and this one is the loss of NAW. He wasn’t a PG although he could shoulder some of the ball-handling.

So what’s the team’s problem? I’m not sure. A few things seem obvious. We don’t space the floor well. We don’t move the ball around as much as we should or move without the ball as much as the top teams like OKC. All of that strikes me as a coaching issue. Ant, Randle and Rudy turn the ball over too much but it’s not ball pressure causing those turnovers for the most part; instead, it’s over-dribbling and poor decision-making (Ant and Randle) and poor hands (Rudy). The thought that we can fix what ails us by trading for a PG seems to miss the mark. If we were to bring back NAW would we be as good as we were last season when we finished strong and made the Conference Finals? I don’t know. There’s something wrong with this team that transcends position. Regarding the PG position, play Rob and accept the growing pains.

We’re not a win-now team in my view. Yes, I’d like to win now, but our two more talented players - Ant and Jaden — are 24 and 25 years old respectively with multiple years left on their contracts. Win-now teams are those whose best players are in their 30s or who have a star on an expiring contract. In other words, we have some runway to reset things for a championship run in the next couple years and maybe even later this season. I’d love to have Derrick White on the Wolves but swapping Randle for White won’t make us a championship contender in my view. I think we need a new head coach and we need to change the way we play. We need a Phil Jackson who will come in and tell Ant what Phil told Michael — “You’re going to score fewer points but we’re going to be a better team because of it.” Ant and Randle need to stop stalling the ball and we need ball movement. We need all-out effort throughout every game - which we’re not getting. Ja Morant wouldn’t change the effort quotient.

Again, I don’t know exactly what’s wrong with this team. I think it’s multiple things of which the head coach is one major factor. I’m sure it’s not a simple matter of trading for a PG. And I think it would be a mistake to trade for a PG before we put Rob to the test because we might have an adequate PG already on the roster if he had the opportunity to play more than 10 minutes a game and be on the court with our best players. Let’s find out and if Rob isn’t cutting it after a couple months as our starting PG at 25 minutes per game then we can consider making a move close to the trade deadline.