The Rosas Strategy

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Dane Moore
@DaneMooreNBA
Again this evening Gersson Rosas reiterated that the Wolves will positionally function "one point guard, three wings and one five"

According to Rosas, this is how the new signings fit into that:
-- Ty Wallace falls in the PG bin
-- Jake Layman as a wing
-- Noah Vonleh as a five

-- No three-point shooting added, only subtracted.

Ty Wallace running the offense will he painful to watch. And I only see one really good ball-handler, Teague, on the roster. And as you said, no three-point shooting added. This is going to be a tough season. There had better be a really clear long-range plan.

Jon Krawczynski
@JonKrawczynski
I asked Rosas if the Wallace waiver claim was based on the Jones offer sheet. He said it was more a matter of wanting to get a free look at Wallace, who they think can initiate offense.


Shooting is a concern, but i think rosas is hoping for internal growth mixed in eith a more free flowing modern offense.


I think we can get about 10 3's a game from cov, kat, and wiggs.

Teague is capable, but often turned down those looks. Thats 1 or 2 more every game.
Culver, they have high hopes for.
Napier will let it fly.
Vonleh has added the 3 ball.
Okogie should be better.

As much as wed like to get more 3's, our guys were never comfortable taking them.

We averaged 10/28 makes last year. Rockets lead the league at 16/45.

We just need to take more.


Alan Horton
@WolvesRadio
The dreaded "long-2" -- shots from 16 to 23 feet.

MIN took 11 per game last season, 5th most in NBA.

They've taken a TOTAL of 9 in 3 games at summer league.

[Monster]

Dane Moore
@DaneMooreNBA
Again this evening Gersson Rosas reiterated that the Wolves will positionally function "one point guard, three wings and one five"

According to Rosas, this is how the new signings fit into that:
-- Ty Wallace falls in the PG bin
-- Jake Layman as a wing
-- Noah Vonleh as a five

-- No three-point shooting added, only subtracted.

Ty Wallace running the offense will he painful to watch. And I only see one really good ball-handler, Teague, on the roster. And as you said, no three-point shooting added. This is going to be a tough season. There had better be a really clear long-range plan.

Napier is a pretty good ball handler.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Assuming 10 three-pointers a game from Towns, Covington, and Wiggins -- of all people -- is an incredibly bold take.

If that somehow was true, Towns would be taking about 15 threes a game and cashing in on about six of them, which would be insanity.

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Assuming 10 three-pointers a game from Towns, Covington, and Wiggins -- of all people -- is an incredibly bold take.

If that somehow was true, Towns would be taking about 15 threes a game and cashing in on about six of them, which would be insanity.

Im expecting us to play faster, and yeah maybe 9~10 from those 3 is high.

Last year:
Roco 2.5/6.7
Kat 1.8/4.6
Wiggs 1.6/4.8

They averaged about 16 attempts and about 6 makes a game. I don't think it's impossible for them to each have one more make per game. Again, im hoping for a more space and pace style, more drive and kicks for kat, more corner 3s from wiggs, and roco just being roco.

We lost some shooters, but we kept are highest volume guys. No one else (current holdovers from last year) made more than 1 3pter game, so im expecting improvement in that area.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I have no doubt we will take more 3's this upcoming season. But keep in mind we are waaaaaaaay behind the rest of the league. All this does is keep us from falling behind further. The real issue will be accuracy. Of course we all hope for internal growth and improvement, but we've seen for literally a decade plus that this franchise - no matter who is in charge - has not been able to develop shooters.

[Lipoli390]

Dane Moore
@DaneMooreNBA
Again this evening Gersson Rosas reiterated that the Wolves will positionally function "one point guard, three wings and one five"

According to Rosas, this is how the new signings fit into that:
-- Ty Wallace falls in the PG bin
-- Jake Layman as a wing
-- Noah Vonleh as a five

-- No three-point shooting added, only subtracted.

Ty Wallace running the offense will he painful to watch. And I only see one really good ball-handler, Teague, on the roster. And as you said, no three-point shooting added. This is going to be a tough season. There had better be a really clear long-range plan.

Napier is a pretty good ball handler.

OK, then maybe we have two. But I don't see them playing together. So we won't have two good ball-handlers on the court at the same time, which I think is minimally necessary to be a really good NBA team today. Moreover, our best ball-handler Teague has had a hard time staying healthy, and in any event, is not part of this team's long or mid-range future.

As I look at where we're at, I really hope Rosas is playing chess and not checkers. If he's playing chess, then what he's done this summer so far is thoughtfully and meticulously designed to set things up for future moves that will turn the Wolves into a playoff team on track to become a contender by the 3rd season of KAT's 5-year deal. In other words, it's one-step back to set things up for multiple steps forward over the next two years.

If that is what Rosas is doing, I can't fault him for it. He was handed a 37-win team with no cap room and contracts that are difficult to move. Wiggins' trade value is about as low as it will every be (barring serious injury). The trade value of Wiggins and Gorgui can only go up as the remaining length of their respective contracts gets shorter. The different style of play Rosas and Saunders want to adopt could improve Andrew's play and further increase his trade value. If Gorgui's play picks up where he left off late last season, his trade value should go be enhanced. Teague's trade value will likely go up as the February trade deadline approaches. There will be a contending or two that will see him as a piece that can get them over the hump without any financial risk given his expiring contract.

So we'll have to endure another lottery season and look forward to a top 10 pick next June. Meanwhile, we have to hope that Culver shows signs of becoming the next Brandon Roy or Jimmy Butler and that Nowell looks like the draft steal I think he was. Bates-Diop looks impressive in Summer League. My one criticism of Rosas is that he didn't move Covington to get Garland. I think he'll regret it, but I hope he doesn't.

In the meantime, Rosas should be shopping Covington before he gets hurt again this season for future picks or promising young high-upside talent. We'd bottom out even more, but that would fit better with what appears to be the Rosas long-range strategy. I love Covington's game, but a 29-year old Covington coming off knee surgery with a history of pretty poor durability just doesn't make sense for the long-range strategy that Rosas appears to be implementing.

[Monster]

Dane Moore
@DaneMooreNBA
Again this evening Gersson Rosas reiterated that the Wolves will positionally function "one point guard, three wings and one five"

According to Rosas, this is how the new signings fit into that:
-- Ty Wallace falls in the PG bin
-- Jake Layman as a wing
-- Noah Vonleh as a five

-- No three-point shooting added, only subtracted.

Ty Wallace running the offense will he painful to watch. And I only see one really good ball-handler, Teague, on the roster. And as you said, no three-point shooting added. This is going to be a tough season. There had better be a really clear long-range plan.

Napier is a pretty good ball handler.

OK, then maybe we have two. But I don't see them playing together. So we won't have two good ball-handlers on the court at the same time, which I think is minimally necessary to be a really good NBA team today. Moreover, our best ball-handler Teague has had a hard time staying healthy, and in any event, is not part of this team's long or mid-range future.

As I look at where we're at, I really hope Rosas is playing chess and not checkers. If he's playing chess, then what he's done this summer so far is thoughtfully and meticulously designed to set things up for future moves that will turn the Wolves into a playoff team on track to become a contender by the 3rd season of KAT's 5-year deal. In other words, it's one-step back to set things up for multiple steps forward over the next two years.

If that is what Rosas is doing, I can't fault him for it. He was handed a 37-win team with no cap room and contracts that are difficult to move. Wiggins' trade value is about as low as it will every be (barring serious injury). The trade value of Wiggins and Gorgui can only go up as the remaining length of their respective contracts gets shorter. The different style of play Rosas and Saunders want to adopt could improve Andrew's play and further increase his trade value. If Gorgui's play picks up where he left off late last season, his trade value should go be enhanced. Teague's trade value will likely go up as the February trade deadline approaches. There will be a contending or two that will see him as a piece that can get them over the hump without any financial risk given his expiring contract.

So we'll have to endure another lottery season and look forward to a top 10 pick next June. Meanwhile, we have to hope that Culver shows signs of becoming the next Brandon Roy or Jimmy Butler and that Nowell looks like the draft steal I think he was. Bates-Diop looks impressive in Summer League. My one criticism of Rosas is that he didn't move Covington to get Garland. I think he'll regret it, but I hope he doesn't.

In the meantime, Rosas should be shopping Covington before he gets hurt again this season for future picks or promising young high-upside talent. We'd bottom out even more, but that would fit better with what appears to be the Rosas long-range strategy. I love Covington's game, but a 29-year old Covington coming off knee surgery with a history of pretty poor durability just doesn't make sense for the long-range strategy that Rosas appears to be implementing.

I think trading Covington is certainly in the future for the Wolves. There is risk in dealing him later but I also think dealing him without getting someone back that can play now has some risk also. Why wait i'll Give my reasons not in order of importance:

1. This roster may already struggle to get over 30 wins and trading Covington a guy that helps on both ends of the court would be pretty brutal. I would send a bad message to the team and probably Towns.

2. Ok yes let's trade Covington. For assets? Ok sure but to me I'd like to look at getting a young player back. Other than PG what do you want back? A few months PROBABLY won't give you answers to where this team needs to fill in but right now it's pretty much Towns and Culver. Sure we don't even know what Culver is but you don't pick a guy top 6 after trading up and then keep him to not consider him some sort of core piece. Waiting to see things play out some may give more clarity of what you can get.

3. Time may open up some options on the market. Russell is the obvious one but you never know who will be available or that team will want to make a move to be a contender. This season looks to be WIDE OPEN so you may have even have 15 teams thinking not only playoff but a championship. That could make the bidding for a guy like Covington who has a likely easily tradable contract go pretty high.

4. There have been reports that Covington May have been a piece in moving salary to get Russell. He isn't untouchable but I think if he is moved it's for a guy they REALLY want. They didn't give him up to move up to get Garland so there is a limit. Also worth noting how many wing sized guys this team is adding. Also I get the feeling Rosas is gonna take one more shot at Wiggins being good and see what happens. Covington certainly could be on the move and I would be fine with that but a team is likely gonna have to bring a very good offer.

Also high level ball handlers that are starting level players are pretty hard to acquire. That's probably some of why Culver's stock was as high as it is. He may not be elite but being crafty and smart making decisions with the ball and having feel for the game at his age and experience is probably considered above average and intriguing for that reason. We will see how it plays out. I also think if this team does get up and down the floor having pretty much every player on the roster being able to handle the ball at either an average or above average ability for their position (compared to an average player) can mitigate some of not having a couple really good ball handler creators on the perimeter. Towns taking another offensive leap and becoming basically the best offensive big in all of basketball would make a big difference too.

[AbeVigodaLive]

monster... it's been mentioned before...

But is making a move for Russell the right one... considering the guy could have just signed here without costing the Wolves nearly as much in assets a week ago? If nothing else, it shows that he's either only in it for himself (which him mentioning how much he understands the NBA business repeatedly in recent comments) or incredibly myopic.

[Monster]

monster... it's been mentioned before...

But is making a move for Russell the right one... considering the guy could have just signed here without costing the Wolves nearly as much in assets a week ago? If nothing else, it shows that he's either only in it for himself (which him mentioning how much he understands the NBA business repeatedly in recent comments) or incredibly myopic.

I was just being lazy throwing his name out there as a "possibility". I don't really think it's particularly likely he ends up here. Could he get moved? Sure. Would I still want him? Eh I don't really know but I'm not really worried about it at this point. If he is the star level player some think he is then why would GS even move him? They could be looking at a guy they can have as part of the foundation of their franchise for as many as 10 years.

[KiwiMatt]

Rosa has mentioned several times that we will be running a 1 PG, 3 Wings, 1 Center lineup. Based on that this is what our current depth chart looks like.

Teague / Napier / Wallace
Okogie / Culver / Nowell
Wiggins / Layman / Graham
Covington / Bates - Diop
Towns / Vonleh / Dieng / Bell

2 way contracts:
Terrell (combo guard)
Reid (center)