Pups vs Raptors GDT

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Okogie and Hernangomez won't be starting next season. Crabbe and Culver might not even be rotation players next season -- or on the team. Obviously, there are some real holes on the team despite some intriguing youth. Two first-round draft picks and some wiggle room in free agency could make a bunch of difference.

[KG4Ever]

Raptors top two bigs were out: Gasol and Ibaka as well as Norman Powell.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

DLO, a team worst -22 and 6 turnovers. Wolves gave up its 2021 draft picks for this clown. Looks like he was outplayed by a G-Leaguer, McLaughlin tonight. I know its one game for Wolves, but last Warriors game he gave up -48.

lol such a trash take. Literally game 1 for Russell against the defending champs who happen to have the second best record in the NBA.

[Coolbreeze44]

Well I guess we got a clear picture of what our D will be like against competent teams.

Yeah, hopefully Rosas went into this eyes wide open. Not sure if KAT and DLO can be coached up on D after 5 years in the league. All we can hope is that he somehow creates an offensive juggernaut that can be a perennial playoff team. But hard to see these two anchoring a team that can compete with the real big boys for a Conference or NBA title.

That's basically been my take.

[KG4Ever]

DLO, a team worst -22 and 6 turnovers. Wolves gave up its 2021 draft picks for this clown. Looks like he was outplayed by a G-Leaguer, McLaughlin tonight. I know its one game for Wolves, but last Warriors game he gave up -48.

lol such a trash take. Literally game 1 for Russell against the defending champs who happen to have the second best record in the NBA.

Its the truth, chew on that. McLaughlin had no problem against the mighty Raptors. DLO in his last two games is -22 and -48, I call that "trash."

[thedoper]

Okogie and Hernangomez won't be starting next season. Crabbe and Culver might not even be rotation players next season -- or on the team. Obviously, there are some real holes on the team despite some intriguing youth. Two first-round draft picks and some wiggle room in free agency could make a bunch of difference.

Yes if it weren't the Timberwolves. We'd have to strike draft gold to get two contributors who play both sides of the floor. I think Rosas trades at least one of the picks.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Okogie and Hernangomez won't be starting next season. Crabbe and Culver might not even be rotation players next season -- or on the team. Obviously, there are some real holes on the team despite some intriguing youth. Two first-round draft picks and some wiggle room in free agency could make a bunch of difference.

Yes if it weren't the Timberwolves. We'd have to strike draft gold to get two contributors who play both sides of the floor. I think Rosas trades at least one of the picks.

I fully expect Rosas to trade one or both of the picks. But I think he has some avenues to further improving this team in the off-season and it's clear what we can focus on now -- defense, defense, and defense.

With that said, I still think he could make a real attempt to get Devin Booker as well.

[Lipoli390]

Okogie and Hernangomez won't be starting next season. Crabbe and Culver might not even be rotation players next season -- or on the team. Obviously, there are some real holes on the team despite some intriguing youth. Two first-round draft picks and some wiggle room in free agency could make a bunch of difference.

Yes if it weren't the Timberwolves. We'd have to strike draft gold to get two contributors who play both sides of the floor. I think Rosas trades at least one of the picks.

I fully expect Rosas to trade one or both of the picks. But I think he has some avenues to further improving this team in the off-season and it's clear what we can focus on now -- defense, defense, and defense.

With that said, I still think he could make a real attempt to get Devin Booker as well.

You might be right about Rosas pursuing Booker. That wouldn't surprise me. But if he does, then we'd have three max players who can't defend. That can't work in my view if Rosas truly intends for this team to become a championship contender. If the Wolves pursue another max player it will have to be a two-way defensive star and I can't think of any realistic options among current NBA players. Otherwise, Rosas will have to find that sort of player in the draft or split what would be max money among a couple of top-notch defenders that he's able to acquire through trade and/or free agency. As you said, the focus this summer has to be on defense, defense, defense.... And the most important addition has to be a defensive big. Of course, that means we need a head coach who will play a defensive big alongside KAT.

The Wolves will have some valuable trade assets when draft day arrives, including what will likely be a lottery pick in the 6-11 range, the 16th or 17th pick from Brooklyn, Culver, Okogie and Naz Reid. G-Gomez has some value as well, and Beasley could be valuable as a sign-and-trade asset. I could see the Suns having interest in some combination of those assets in exchange for Booker and I can also see the Wizards interested in some combination of those assets in exchange for Beal. Unfortunately, both Booker and Beal are poor defenders, although I'm not sure who's worse. At the moment, I can't think of any defensive stoppers in their prime or younger who the Wolves could realistically get in a trade or through free agency next summer.

Question: Do you think a different head coach could get significantly more defensively out of KAT and DLO, or at least more out of the team as a whole defensively with those two as our featured offensive stars?

[AbeVigodaLive]

Raptors top two bigs were out: Gasol and Ibaka as well as Norman Powell.

Abe's Late Night DVR Review:

- Fred VanVleet was guarding Karl Towns... A LOT, especially in the 2nd half. VanVleet is 6'1"
Towns shot 5 - 13 fg. What Houston is doing... what Toronto did tonight... it's more than a fluke. (Towns passed pretty damn well though)

- Fun first half.

- Piranhas. Dammit. They foul a lot. But they're World Champs. The get the benefit of the doubt. And they're rewarded for competing... HARD. Good for Toronto fans.

- I like Kyle Lowry. I think? What a whiner. So annoying.

- Well, guys who get traded... are traded for a reason.
Johnson hit two threes... then overlooked passing to Towns in the post to force a three that was blocked.
Beasley struggled.
D. Russell made some really lazy passes, off the wrong foot, casual, pretty rough.
Hernangomez missed some bunnies.

(Granted, each did SOMETHING to show us why the Wolves went for them, too.)

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Okogie and Hernangomez won't be starting next season. Crabbe and Culver might not even be rotation players next season -- or on the team. Obviously, there are some real holes on the team despite some intriguing youth. Two first-round draft picks and some wiggle room in free agency could make a bunch of difference.

Yes if it weren't the Timberwolves. We'd have to strike draft gold to get two contributors who play both sides of the floor. I think Rosas trades at least one of the picks.

I fully expect Rosas to trade one or both of the picks. But I think he has some avenues to further improving this team in the off-season and it's clear what we can focus on now -- defense, defense, and defense.

With that said, I still think he could make a real attempt to get Devin Booker as well.

You might be right about Rosas pursuing Booker. That wouldn't surprise me. But if he does, then we'd have three max players who can't defend. That can't work in my view if Rosas truly intends for this team to become a championship contender. If the Wolves pursue another max player it will have to be a two-way defensive star and I can't think of any realistic options among current NBA players. Otherwise, Rosas will have to find that sort of player in the draft or split what would be max money among a couple of top-notch defenders that he's able to acquire through trade and/or free agency. As you said, the focus this summer has to be on defense, defense, defense.... And the most important addition has to be a defensive big. Of course, that means we need a head coach who will play a defensive big alongside KAT.

The Wolves will have some valuable trade assets when draft day arrives, including what will likely be a lottery pick in the 6-11 range, the 16th or 17th pick from Brooklyn, Culver, Okogie and Naz Reid. G-Gomez has some value as well, and Beasley could be valuable as a sign-and-trade asset. I could see the Suns having interest in some combination of those assets in exchange for Booker and I can also see the Wizards interested in some combination of those assets in exchange for Beal. Unfortunately, both Booker and Beal are poor defenders, although I'm not sure who's worse. At the moment, I can't think of any defensive stoppers in their prime or younger who the Wolves could realistically get in a trade or through free agency next summer.

Question: Do you think a different head coach could get significantly more defensively out of KAT and DLO, or at least more out of the team as a whole defensively with those two as our featured offensive stars?

I think the answer is yes, especially if those guys feel like they are in a legit playoff race. But they will need to be paired with guys that are really good defensively and can lead on that end. I go back a few years to when KAT and Wiggins had KG and Prince in the starting lineup with them. That lineup was elite defensively.

I think the real problem will be finding guys that are elite defensively AND can keep a defense honest offensively. You can get away with one Okogie or Hollis-Jefferson type player on the floor at a time, but if you have two, it really bogs things down on the other end. This is why Covington was such a valuable asset to contending teams.