Minnesota Sports Forum

TeamRicky wrote:Per Q's post I did some research on 3 and D types and I put a list together of guys that are at least plausible: Iman Shumpert, Jae Crowder, PJ Tucker, Alec Burks, Lance Stephenson, Jodie Meeks, Anthony Morrow, Moe Harkless, Martell Webster, KJ McDaniels

PJ tucker, KJ McDaniels, or Jane Crowder. Any of those 3 for sure.

I'm curious, is a person still deemed crazy to think LaVine has a good chance to be the #1 on this team with Wiggins the #2? I think its been rather noticeable since the last 1/3 of last season.

TheFuture wrote:I'm curious, is a person still deemed crazy to think LaVine has a good chance to be the #1 on this team with Wiggins the #2? I think its been rather noticeable since the last 1/3 of last season.

Lavine has all the physical tools to be the #1, on par with Wiggins and Towns, but unlike Wiggins he didn't have an NBA father coaching him up since he learned to walk! That fire that burns so clearly in Lavine suggests yes, he could IMO.

TheFuture wrote:I'm curious, is a person still deemed crazy to think LaVine has a good chance to be the #1 on this team with Wiggins the #2? I think its been rather noticeable since the last 1/3 of last season.

I felt that last year year before the season started. It was the moment at the State Fair. Asking them about the dunk contest. LaVine said he would win it. Wiggins didn't. LaVine just has more of a swagger to him and I think it is very likely given his skillset, personality, and drive. It doesn't hurt that he was confident in himself to go pro after not starting in college. That pissed him off and he should have been. I am not sure Wiggins gets pissed off.

TheFuture wrote:I'm curious, is a person still deemed crazy to think LaVine has a good chance to be the #1 on this team with Wiggins the #2? I think its been rather noticeable since the last 1/3 of last season.

It's certainly possible, although Zach still seems quite dependent on his jumper falling, whereas Wiggins is far superior to creating contact and generating offense at the line. Of course, players like Michael Redd, Ray Allen, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and many other great scorers in the past also primarily relied on jump shooting. Time will tell.

The thing Wiggins has to watch out for is complacency. Martin, Zach (now that he's at SG), and Bazz are all offensively-oriented players that basically have big "Feed Me" signs hanging from their necks. Wiggins can't just expect to be spoon-fed plays all night if all these guys are healthy. He's going to have to create better opportunities for himself by running the floor harder and getting involved in other ways.

Q12543 wrote:

TheFuture wrote:I'm curious, is a person still deemed crazy to think LaVine has a good chance to be the #1 on this team with Wiggins the #2? I think its been rather noticeable since the last 1/3 of last season.

It's certainly possible, although Zach still seems quite dependent on his jumper falling, whereas Wiggins is far superior to creating contact and generating offense at the line. Of course, players like Michael Redd, Ray Allen, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and many other great scorers in the past also primarily relied on jump shooting. Time will tell.

The thing Wiggins has to watch out for is complacency. Martin, Zach (now that he's at SG), and Bazz are all offensively-oriented players that basically have big "Feed Me" signs hanging from their necks. Wiggins can't just expect to be spoon-fed plays all night if all these guys are healthy. He's going to have to create better opportunities for himself by running the floor harder and getting involved in other ways.

Totally agree Q. With some of these guys on the floor with him, if he chooses to defer he's going to find plenty of takers. It is going to almost force him to become more aggressive if he wants to get his.

I suggested before the season last year that I could see LaVine potentially being the alpha-dog on this team in the future. My reasons for that were that he has the "killer" or aggressive mentality all of the greats have/had, he has the best handle on the team other than Rubio (different reasons), his jumper's a bigger strength than Wiggins' is, and he's been blessed with size AND freakish athletic ability. That's quite a package. The only question is, "Will LaVine work hard enough?" Everything I've read and heard about would suggest that LaVine will work hard enough. His work ethic is supreme.

I'll pump the brakes because he is just 20-years old, but that topic has been brought up on the board in the past.

I don't think Wiggins will care one bit if he's not the go-to guy on any team. He's so pro-team. Though I will say he started to flash more aggressiveness and emotion toward the end of the year. He looked so thrilled anytime he had a chance to dunk on a guy, and I think what we're seeing is kind of like a turtle coming out of its shell in respect to this demeanor on the court. LaVine is more of an off the cuff or heart on the shoulder type of guy. You'll see it in his body more readily, but by all accounts both these kids work really hard and want to be the best player ever, it's just a matter of presentation to us. The important thing for us is regardless of which guy becomes the better player, we want them to develop a killer 1-2 punch with tremendous chemistry. Either way the Wolves win, and as fans we win too.

LaVine on Martin with move: "Not any conversation, but he's been cool with it. He's still helping me and everything like that."

http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/shootaround-access-oct-7-wolves-vs-thunder

It's not a perfect comp but I've always thought Wiggins and Lavine could be sort of a Marbury KG combo. Lavine will take a shot make a play anytime will not back down. Will he learn to defend? Wiggins will score but will he take the big shots? He will defend that seems very likely. This has been said since the idea we could acquire Wiggins was brought up Lavine being an alpha dog on offense. He fits well with Towns also who might be more like KG than Wiggins. Rubio has played with SGs who love to score when he played in Europe. This team has a bunch of young guys who have the potential to fit really well together.