Minnesota Sports Forum

Free agent guard Ish Smith has agreed to a one-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

PorkChop wrote:Watching team's that were already way better than Wolves making moves to get better is interesting. The Wolves have to sit on their hands and watch. How will this team make the playoffs again? The team's ahead of them will be better.

We need a lot to go incredibly right - good health, improvement from a couple key guys, DLO giving a shit about defense, etc.. Additional help clearly ain't coming unless Rosas pulls a rabbit out of his hat via trade.

Free agent F Markieff Morris is finalizing a deal with the Miami Heat, sources tell ESPN.

kekgeek1 wrote:Free agent F Markieff Morris is finalizing a deal with the Miami Heat, sources tell ESPN.

You have to be kidding me. They should just sign Kawhi, why stop?

Our only hope for a 4 is a trade now right? Boy Rosas should be on the hot seat now. Crazy.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

kekgeek1 wrote:Free agent F Markieff Morris is finalizing a deal with the Miami Heat, sources tell ESPN.

You have to be kidding me. They should just sign Kawhi, why stop?

Lol. Well, at least he didn't re-sign with the Lakers. :).

thedoper wrote:Our only hope for a 4 is a trade now right? Boy Rosas should be on the hot seat now. Crazy.

Yep. But I think Rosas made that clear from the beginning, saying that the only way we build this summer is through trades. My take on that is that Rosas is big-game hunting. In the meantime, opportunities and less sexy but potentially shrewd options pass him buy.

I think Rosas is still fixated on John Collins. The problem for him is that he doesn't have cap space to threaten an offer, which means the only way he gets Collins is to make Atlanta and offer they can't refuse, agree to pay Collins a max deal and hope the Hawks really don't want to give Collins a max. The price at the trade deadline for Collins was apparently, Beasley and a future 1st round pick (not sure what if any protection it would have had). I suspect the price tag has gone up. But as we saw in the DLO trade, Rosas is pretty easy to fleece when he's fixated on a player.

Gersson's interest in Markkanen is baffling. After spending most of his draft night news conference talking about the team's need for a defensive big who can protect the rim and rebound, it makes absolutely no sense to pursue Markkanen.

If Gersson wants to make a fairly big splash and actually acquire the type of player he described in his news conference, then he should trade for Myles Turner. Note that Turner has been absent from any trade talk reports or rumors. Yet, it's clear the Pacers have been shopping him. That tells me his market value isn't as high as some might think - probably because of his durability issues and recent toe surgery that will keep him out the first couple months of the season. So this is probably a good time for Rosas to make a move for Turner. Of course, there's a significant downside risk for the Wolves based on Turner's physical health. But that would be the big move for a defensive big if that's what Rosas wants to do. Rosas would just need to make sure he doesn't overpay. Beasley straight up for Turner would be more than fair for the Pacers. We could through in Juancho or Culver as well. I wouldn't give up McDaniels, Naz, Vanderbilt or any future 1st round picks for him. I might include Philly's 2022 second round pick.

If it were up to me, I'd looked for a FA signing or more minor sign-and-trade deal for Tony Bradley, Hartenstein, Kleber or WCS.

Free agent guard George Hill plans to sign with the Bucks after clearing waivers and the opening of league year Aug. 6, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The veteran PG is set to return to Milwaukee.

The rich get richer:

Adrian Wojnarowski: Free agent guard Kendrick Nunn has agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, source tells ESPN. Deal includes a player option. Nunn turned down significantly more money to chase a title with the Lakers. - via Twitter wojespn

Carmelo Anthony and Malik Monk are also signing with the Lakers.

There are really only two teams that have a decided advantage over all others in free agency - the Lakers and Heat. The Clippers might be a third. Those are the two or three teams in destination cities - places that the modern NBA player tens to find attractive based on the climate and glitz. Other teams have to earn it. Milwaukee has earned its places as a team attractive to a vet PG like George Hill. Golden State has built a team from the ground up that remains an attractive destination for free agents who want to win.

The Wolves have thus far failed to build a foundation through the draft that free agents find attractive. Our weather is bad. Our metro size and culture are OK. But we had the 6th worst record in the League last season and the 3rd worst the season before. And we also are capped out and close to the luxury tax line, which means we can't make it financially attractive to sign here either. Build it and they will come. The Wolves front office has thus far failed to build anything worth coming to in the minds of the free agents who could move the needle.