Minnesota Sports Forum

60WinTim wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2026 6:29 pm LeBron seems to be trending toward Cleveland. Assuming that is what goes down, Kelly Olynyk is my personal favorite to bring in for one year as we gauge the development of both Rocco and Freeman. Along with Lyles, Olynyk would add to our size up front while still maintaining a threat from the outside. He is the type of player who will not create waves if he is not getting minutes, but can still be productive if he does get minutes. Are list of players that expect to be part of the regular rotation is getting pretty dang full...

Olynyk makes sense. I'd also put Matisse Thubulle on the short list. An extra top notch defender would be nice to have.

Phenom wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2026 2:11 pm

kekgeek wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2026 2:06 pm Still think it’s so dumb you get punished for your player being good. The pistons and Duren are at odds because Duren can get the super max, they don’t want to give him the super max but no other team can offer the super max.

Also the supermax Ant got was one of the reasons the wolves didn’t have the 21st pick. If Ant didn’t make all nba the wolves don’t need to salary dump Conley.

Just a dumb system.

Also it sucks for teams like the Thunder they need to salary dump good role players because they built a really good homegrown team

Anything above the max that a player can get from other teams should be tax exempt.

That's a good idea. Something along those lines where teams would get 1 supermax exception and I think it would also need to be limited to teams who don't have more than 1 player at or above the 30% max, otherwise it just favors the teams who can withstand the tax more easily (LA, NY, etc) and would be best if it required the player to be on the team for idk, say 3+ years. I'd like to see the exception affect both tax & apron figures.

kekgeek wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2026 3:47 pm

rapsuperstar31 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2026 2:45 pm Or you could have negotiated better with both Naz and Randle last summer, take a million off each and you don't have to salary dump that 21st pick.

Sure, but think it’s different that teams get punished if their player is good. Kat making all nba made the wolves have to trade him, Brown got traded because of his contract.

Teams are losing star players because they are good and that team is the only team that can offer them that money and it punishes the rest of the team

Yep, players are hitting marks that the market says they are due even though they may not be worth that level of max contract. Like Brown isn't an overall top 5, but is paid like one. The system is rewarding the 2nd, 3rd, 4th tier stars more than their on court value.

13 minutes of Ayo in a partial season with the Wolves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phJAcuUtY5s

My opinion is shifting to Jaden as our starting PF, along with LaMelo, Ayo, ANT and Rudy. That's a lineup with a lot of punch on both ends of the floor!

60WinTim wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 4:42 pm 13 minutes of Ayo in a partial season with the Wolves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phJAcuUtY5s

My opinion is shifting to Jaden as our starting PF, along with LaMelo, Ayo, ANT and Rudy. That's a lineup with a lot of punch on both ends of the floor!

Yeah, it will be very interesting who the 5th starter is. Starting Ayo is probably the highest percentage bet, as he's among our five best and highest paid players. Plus he's kind of someone that can fit into any lineup since he can be effective with or without a lot of touches. All the other options either need touches (Shannon, Bones) or are very limited with their touches (Green, Clark, Lyles). But....there is a ton of precedent for having one of your five best players come off the bench, so who knows??

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 4:50 pm Yeah, it will be very interesting who the 5th starter is. Starting Ayo is probably the highest percentage bet, as he's among our five best and highest paid players. Plus he's kind of someone that can fit into any lineup since he can be effective with or without a lot of touches. All the other options either need touches (Shannon, Bones) or are very limited with their touches (Green, Clark, Lyles). But....there is a ton of precedent for having one of your five best players come off the bench, so who knows??

I really really hope not. Use Ayo as the 6th man who also closes a lot of games. Play Green at the 3 if Jaden is started the season as the 4. Plus it's a no brainer to give Green some run to increase his value in case a deal materializes before the trade deadline.

TheGrey08 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:16 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 4:50 pm Yeah, it will be very interesting who the 5th starter is. Starting Ayo is probably the highest percentage bet, as he's among our five best and highest paid players. Plus he's kind of someone that can fit into any lineup since he can be effective with or without a lot of touches. All the other options either need touches (Shannon, Bones) or are very limited with their touches (Green, Clark, Lyles). But....there is a ton of precedent for having one of your five best players come off the bench, so who knows??

I really really hope not. Use Ayo as the 6th man who also closes a lot of games. Play Green at the 3 if Jaden is started the season as the 4. Plus it's a no brainer to give Green some run to increase his value in case a deal materializes before the trade deadline.

I think that's a good way to go too. I really don't have a strong opinion on it; in Finch I trust, LOL.

I probably wouldn't like it if Trey Lyles started, as I feel like that's a bridge too far. I think you can get away with an offensively limited 3&D wing that can hit open 3's as a token starter (like Green or an improved Clark) versus a mediocre PF that's starting simply because he's kinda big.

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:23 pm I think that's a good way to go too. I really don't have a strong opinion on it; in Finch I trust, LOL.

I probably wouldn't like it if Trey Lyles started, as I feel like that's a bridge too far. I think you can get away with an offensively limited 3&D wing that can hit open 3's as a token starter (like Green or an improved Clark) versus a mediocre PF that's starting simply because he's kinda big.

If Clark works on his 3s this summer that would be an interesting fit as well. Could even see them plug in the guy they feel is the best matchup on a given night (including Lyles or w/e PF they sign on nights they feel they just need the size).

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:23 pm

TheGrey08 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:16 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 4:50 pm Yeah, it will be very interesting who the 5th starter is. Starting Ayo is probably the highest percentage bet, as he's among our five best and highest paid players. Plus he's kind of someone that can fit into any lineup since he can be effective with or without a lot of touches. All the other options either need touches (Shannon, Bones) or are very limited with their touches (Green, Clark, Lyles). But....there is a ton of precedent for having one of your five best players come off the bench, so who knows??

I really really hope not. Use Ayo as the 6th man who also closes a lot of games. Play Green at the 3 if Jaden is started the season as the 4. Plus it's a no brainer to give Green some run to increase his value in case a deal materializes before the trade deadline.

I think that's a good way to go too. I really don't have a strong opinion on it; in Finch I trust, LOL.

I probably wouldn't like it if Trey Lyles started, as I feel like that's a bridge too far. I think you can get away with an offensively limited 3&D wing that can hit open 3's as a token starter (like Green or an improved Clark) versus a mediocre PF that's starting simply because he's kinda big.

I trust Finchy too, but I suspect he's on his knees every night praying for LeBron or a trade that brings in a true PF. Kyle Thiege talked today on Dane's pod about his concerns about Jaden at the 4. He said he was looking at Zion in the stands last night, and said you just can't believe how huge he looks in person. But then he said he can't imagine trying to guard him with a guy named Slim! I agree, and think we'd be doing Jaden a big disservice if we lined him up against guys 50 pounds or more bigger than him. I feel like we're not letting Jaden continue to develop at his best positional fit if we make him get banged up by PFs that are far stronger and bigger than him.

Maybe Finchie will have to roll out a starting lineup based on situation if TC isn't able to land a real PF. There are teams out there with PFs who aren't physically superior to Jaden...look at San Antonio last year (although to be fair, they fixed their size issue by getting Tobias). Let Jaden start at the 4 against them with Ayo, Green or someone else at the 3. But I don't think Finchie is going to want to sacrifice Slim to the likes of Zion, Giannis, Banchero, Gordon and Ju...he would be completely overpowered, and the chance of injury would increase. I agree that Lyles probably isn't an everyday starting PF on a contending NBA team, but a spot start against the bruisers might make sense.

TheGrey08 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:37 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:23 pm I think that's a good way to go too. I really don't have a strong opinion on it; in Finch I trust, LOL.

I probably wouldn't like it if Trey Lyles started, as I feel like that's a bridge too far. I think you can get away with an offensively limited 3&D wing that can hit open 3's as a token starter (like Green or an improved Clark) versus a mediocre PF that's starting simply because he's kinda big.

If Clark works on his 3s this summer that would be an interesting fit as well. Could even see them plug in the guy they feel is the best matchup on a given night (including Lyles or w/e PF they sign on nights they feel they just need the size).

I just said the same thing, Grey...Finchy's just gonna have to make it work day by day depending on matchups.

Our projected starting PF

Jaden McDaniels = 185 pounds


The rest of the projected starting PFs in the Western Conference

Chet Holmgren = 208 pounds
Tobias Harris = 228 pounds
Aaron Gordon = 235 pounds
Draymond Green = 230 pounds
Jabari Smith = 220 pounds
Deni Avdija = 228 pounds
Rui Hachimura = 230 pounds (or Kawhi again?? = 225 pounds)
Sandro Mamukelashvili = 240 pounds
Cam Boozer = 253 pounds
JJJ = 242 pounds
PJ Washington = 230 pounds
Miles Bridges = 225 pounds
Keegan Murray = 225 pounds
Zion Williamson = 284 pounds