Monster wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 12:01 pm
During the playoffs I've been texting a couple guys I went to college with. One is a Nuggets fan and the other a Kings fan. Kings fan is really enjoying watching the Wolves. I was saying how the Wolves have some nice young players and was thinking about mentioning the Wolves have 2 draft picks to add players in the draft. I looked to see what picks the Kings and Nuggets have...Kings have the Bulls 2nd round pick. That's the total of draft picks those 2 teams have in 2025.
Fascinating, isn’t it. We traded all those picks and players for Rudy, but we’re headed into this off season with the 17th and 31st picks. Meanwhile, we have some impressive young talent from the past few drafts following the Rudy trade, including TSJ, Clark, Miller, and last year’s #7 pick, Rob Dillingham. And while I’ve soured a bit on Minott, I’m not ready to write him off entirely as a potential quality NBA player. So kudos to Tim Connelly for how he’s managed our assets and identified young talent.
Part of the original plan with that Rudy trade was to get us into deep playoff runs while still early in Ant and Jaden's career so that by the time we reached the vaunted Second Timeline they would be grizzled playoff vets while still only being in their mid-to-late 20s. Mission accomplished!
But to your point, we almost don't need draft picks every year because it's really hard to get them playing time. Obviously picks can still be used as trade capital, but still, the cupboard is hardly empty despite all the 1sts traded in the Rudy deal.
It does help to have a some things go your way in terms of the draft but that's also why sometimes acquiring a pick here and there can pay off. Having #17 and #31 this year is about the best case scenario for picks that Connelly acquired. Again this type of thing is why I was less worried about the draft picks traded away in the Gobert deal. If the Wolves wanted to go in on making a deal for a higher end player this off-season they actually have a collection of assets that a team could legitimately consider. That's the criticism of the Gobert deal that I thought was true. What could the Wolves had done with a package like that or in a couple separate moves.
I hope the Wolves end up with at least another young player from this draft. I'll probably be shocked if Connelly doesn't make some sort of trade involving this year's draft.
Welp, the draft conversation is getting close to heating up, isn't it?
A bit of disappointing news today -- Yaxel is withdrawing from the draft to go play at Michigan next season. Yaxel was on my list of prospects that would be interesting for the Wolves. It's not so much that we won't be able to get him, but his withdrawal reduces the number of potential bigs that might have been available at #31.
Last night I was looking at cheap tickets and I could fly to Vegas for summer league for a pretty cheap price and stay for 4 days. Anyone else going this year? I'm on the fence but very tempted to go. I also wanna see the Sphere.
Monster wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 1:03 pm
Last night I was looking at cheap tickets and I could fly to Vegas for summer league for a pretty cheap price and stay for 4 days. Anyone else going this year? I'm on the fence but very tempted to go. I also wanna see the Sphere.
It might be a good year to go if we have a couple new draft picks, and it's a terrific experience. I also want to see the Sphere, but we've ruled out going to Vegas this year because we're not Backstreet Boys fans.
Monster wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 1:03 pm
Last night I was looking at cheap tickets and I could fly to Vegas for summer league for a pretty cheap price and stay for 4 days. Anyone else going this year? I'm on the fence but very tempted to go. I also wanna see the Sphere.
It might be a good year to go if we have a couple new draft picks, and it's a terrific experience. I also want to see the Sphere, but we've ruled out going to Vegas this year because we're not Backstreet Boys fans.
Heh, you know the season is over (or about to be) if folks are starting to look at the Vegas Summer League dates!
I seriously wonder how much run Clark and Shannon will get. I really don't see the value in it for them at this point other than a token game or two. Dillingham could probably use the full experience again just given his age and where he's at in his development curve.
Monster wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 1:03 pm
Last night I was looking at cheap tickets and I could fly to Vegas for summer league for a pretty cheap price and stay for 4 days. Anyone else going this year? I'm on the fence but very tempted to go. I also wanna see the Sphere.
It might be a good year to go if we have a couple new draft picks, and it's a terrific experience. I also want to see the Sphere, but we've ruled out going to Vegas this year because we're not Backstreet Boys fans.
Heh, you know the season is over (or about to be) if folks are starting to look at the Vegas Summer League dates!
I seriously wonder how much run Clark and Shannon will get. I really don't see the value in it for them at this point other than a token game or two. Dillingham could probably use the full experience again just given his age and where he's at in his development curve.
Yeah Q I was thinking about that too. I mean those guys have proven more than Miller and Minott at this point. I doubt Minott plays though but Miller might. I would assume Jesse Edwards will play.
FNG I'd like to go to an event at the Sphere but I would settle for just seeing the outside if there is nothing I really wanted to see inside. Just checked the price to see the nifty nature movie...yeah I would just see the outside and call it good for now. Lol
60WinTim wrote: ↑Fri May 30, 2025 8:03 am
Rasheer Fleming and Asa Newell had a workout at Portland yesterday, along with post-workout interviews. Newell said his next workout is in Chicago.
My personal top 3 for pick #17 are Fleming, Newell and Sorber.
[/quote
It's interesting that NBAdraft.net has the Wolves taking Newell at 17. Some here may worry about comments that his weak base may make him ineffective in post defense...shades of Naz.
I will add that NBAdraft.net also has a consensus draft which I put more stock in, and all three of your guys are gone by 17...but a couple just barely. That just tells me (without doing much research) that you have picked three good players, and it's not unlikely that one or more could drop to 17.
