Minnesota Sports Forum

By the way, there are political reasons for Connelly to avoid any big moves. To take a typical Abe angle on front office self-preservation, TC can justify a more conservative course - and therefore a season where perhaps we don't improve much - by saying "I'm new and I wanted to assess the roster and with so much young talent I wanted to give this squad a chance to improve organically".

He can sort of buy a year for himself before making any high-risk/reward type moves.

Q-was-here wrote:By the way, there are political reasons for Connelly to avoid any big moves. To take a typical Abe angle on front office self-preservation, TC can justify a more conservative course - and therefore a season where perhaps we don't improve much - by saying "I'm new and I wanted to assess the roster and with so much young talent I wanted to give this squad a chance to improve organically".

He can sort of buy a year for himself before making any high-risk/reward type moves.

I hope the job security embedded in the structure of the deal makes that not a reality. I like the idea of an ownership stake for the POBO. He's taking care of his own investment. I would suspect that if he makes only minor changes at the beginning it would be for legitimate evaluation rather than self preservation. But Wolves fans absolutely have the right to be cynical and pessimistic.

thedoper wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:By the way, there are political reasons for Connelly to avoid any big moves. To take a typical Abe angle on front office self-preservation, TC can justify a more conservative course - and therefore a season where perhaps we don't improve much - by saying "I'm new and I wanted to assess the roster and with so much young talent I wanted to give this squad a chance to improve organically".

He can sort of buy a year for himself before making any high-risk/reward type moves.

I hope the job security embedded in the structure of the deal makes that not a reality. I like the idea of an ownership stake for the POBO. He's taking care of his own investment. I would suspect that if he makes only minor changes at the beginning it would be for legitimate evaluation rather than self preservation. But Wolves fans absolutely have the right to be cynical and pessimistic.

Yeah, I actually think there is a legit reason to be a bit more conservative. I myself have competing views of what should be done. I do not think the current roster as constructed can be a top four Western Conference team and I'm not sure it gets fixed by adding one mid-level big. That would suggest that perhaps a bigger move or set of moves should be done, but I'm not quite ready to start giving up draft picks and turning over half the roster. Our window is long enough to allow for a year where may be we win 45-49 games again. We can't just expect absolute linear growth that catapults us into contention next year!

Q-was-here wrote:

thedoper wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:By the way, there are political reasons for Connelly to avoid any big moves. To take a typical Abe angle on front office self-preservation, TC can justify a more conservative course - and therefore a season where perhaps we don't improve much - by saying "I'm new and I wanted to assess the roster and with so much young talent I wanted to give this squad a chance to improve organically".

He can sort of buy a year for himself before making any high-risk/reward type moves.

I hope the job security embedded in the structure of the deal makes that not a reality. I like the idea of an ownership stake for the POBO. He's taking care of his own investment. I would suspect that if he makes only minor changes at the beginning it would be for legitimate evaluation rather than self preservation. But Wolves fans absolutely have the right to be cynical and pessimistic.

Yeah, I actually think there is a legit reason to be a bit more conservative. I myself have competing views of what should be done. I do not think the current roster as constructed can be a top four Western Conference team and I'm not sure it gets fixed by adding one mid-level big. That would suggest that perhaps a bigger move or set of moves should be done, but I'm not quite ready to start giving up draft picks and turning over half the roster. Our window is long enough to allow for a year where may be we win 45-49 games again. We can't just expect absolute linear growth that catapults us into contention next year!

Yeah the Dlo negotiation is pretty big as I see it. Old iterations of our management would have gotten run over by a player like DLo asking for the moon, it going public, and the franchise caving or making a bad deal. A good deal extension or good trade without immediately alienating Kat will be a short term test of Connelly's stones.

Edit: and the draft too but I dont see our pick being earth shattering either way.

Its doogie but I have seen it other places as well. The guy Connelly is trying to bring to the organization is Adam Simon. He is the #2 for the Heat behind Pat Riley.

kekgeek1 wrote:Its doogie but I have seen it other places as well. The guy Connelly is trying to bring to the organization is Adam Simon. He is the #2 for the Heat behind Pat Riley.

I've seen a handful of names mentioned, including Darrell Arthur (Memphis), Dell Demps (New Orleans), Matt Lloyd (Orlando), and Adam Simon (Miami), as you noted. I don't have any particular preference here, but I think there could be value in pulling from the Heat organization. They've constantly turned over their roster and had success in doing so at every turn.

Q-was-here wrote:

thedoper wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:By the way, there are political reasons for Connelly to avoid any big moves. To take a typical Abe angle on front office self-preservation, TC can justify a more conservative course - and therefore a season where perhaps we don't improve much - by saying "I'm new and I wanted to assess the roster and with so much young talent I wanted to give this squad a chance to improve organically".

He can sort of buy a year for himself before making any high-risk/reward type moves.

I hope the job security embedded in the structure of the deal makes that not a reality. I like the idea of an ownership stake for the POBO. He's taking care of his own investment. I would suspect that if he makes only minor changes at the beginning it would be for legitimate evaluation rather than self preservation. But Wolves fans absolutely have the right to be cynical and pessimistic.

Yeah, I actually think there is a legit reason to be a bit more conservative. I myself have competing views of what should be done. I do not think the current roster as constructed can be a top four Western Conference team and I'm not sure it gets fixed by adding one mid-level big. That would suggest that perhaps a bigger move or set of moves should be done, but I'm not quite ready to start giving up draft picks and turning over half the roster. Our window is long enough to allow for a year where may be we win 45-49 games again. We can't just expect absolute linear growth that catapults us into contention next year!

Connelly might also look at some of the players currently on the roster more favorably than some on this board does. He acquired Will Barton in the Afflalo trade and he became a key player in the Nuggets becoming a winning team. He was statistically terrible with Portland and after becoming worthwhile for Denver sort of has continued adding worthwhile elements to his game over the years. Is there someone that's still relatively young on the Wolves roster he thinks can take a step forward that people think he is what he is?

Camden wrote:

kekgeek1 wrote:Its doogie but I have seen it other places as well. The guy Connelly is trying to bring to the organization is Adam Simon. He is the #2 for the Heat behind Pat Riley.

I've seen a handful of names mentioned, including Darrell Arthur (Memphis), Dell Demps (New Orleans), Matt Lloyd (Orlando), and Adam Simon (Miami), as you noted. I don't have any particular preference here, but I think there could be value in pulling from the Heat organization. They've constantly turned over their roster and had success in doing so at every turn.

Darrell Arthur turned 34 in March. Feels like he is older than that. He played with Denver for over 4 years so he knows Connelly pretty well. The Wolves don't really have any former players in their front office when it comes to basketball operations unless I'm forgetting someone.

monsterpile wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:

thedoper wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:By the way, there are political reasons for Connelly to avoid any big moves. To take a typical Abe angle on front office self-preservation, TC can justify a more conservative course - and therefore a season where perhaps we don't improve much - by saying "I'm new and I wanted to assess the roster and with so much young talent I wanted to give this squad a chance to improve organically".

He can sort of buy a year for himself before making any high-risk/reward type moves.

I hope the job security embedded in the structure of the deal makes that not a reality. I like the idea of an ownership stake for the POBO. He's taking care of his own investment. I would suspect that if he makes only minor changes at the beginning it would be for legitimate evaluation rather than self preservation. But Wolves fans absolutely have the right to be cynical and pessimistic.

Yeah, I actually think there is a legit reason to be a bit more conservative. I myself have competing views of what should be done. I do not think the current roster as constructed can be a top four Western Conference team and I'm not sure it gets fixed by adding one mid-level big. That would suggest that perhaps a bigger move or set of moves should be done, but I'm not quite ready to start giving up draft picks and turning over half the roster. Our window is long enough to allow for a year where may be we win 45-49 games again. We can't just expect absolute linear growth that catapults us into contention next year!

Connelly might also look at some of the players currently on the roster more favorably than some on this board does. He acquired Will Barton in the Afflalo trade and he became a key player in the Nuggets becoming a winning team. He was statistically terrible with Portland and after becoming worthwhile for Denver sort of has continued adding worthwhile elements to his game over the years. Is there someone that's still relatively young on the Wolves roster he thinks can take a step forward that people think he is what he is?

Well, Nowell is the name I keep bringing up. But unlike Barton with Portland, Nowell was very good statistically last season. The question is how he'd do in a more consistent role as the first guard off the bench (that's only if Beasley goes) and whether his defense can become less of a liability.

Bolmaro is a bit of a wild card, but I was really disappointed watching him play last season. Definitely plays hard, but looked way out of sorts on an NBA court. Not what I was expecting.

Q-was-here wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:

thedoper wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:By the way, there are political reasons for Connelly to avoid any big moves. To take a typical Abe angle on front office self-preservation, TC can justify a more conservative course - and therefore a season where perhaps we don't improve much - by saying "I'm new and I wanted to assess the roster and with so much young talent I wanted to give this squad a chance to improve organically".

He can sort of buy a year for himself before making any high-risk/reward type moves.

I hope the job security embedded in the structure of the deal makes that not a reality. I like the idea of an ownership stake for the POBO. He's taking care of his own investment. I would suspect that if he makes only minor changes at the beginning it would be for legitimate evaluation rather than self preservation. But Wolves fans absolutely have the right to be cynical and pessimistic.

Yeah, I actually think there is a legit reason to be a bit more conservative. I myself have competing views of what should be done. I do not think the current roster as constructed can be a top four Western Conference team and I'm not sure it gets fixed by adding one mid-level big. That would suggest that perhaps a bigger move or set of moves should be done, but I'm not quite ready to start giving up draft picks and turning over half the roster. Our window is long enough to allow for a year where may be we win 45-49 games again. We can't just expect absolute linear growth that catapults us into contention next year!

Connelly might also look at some of the players currently on the roster more favorably than some on this board does. He acquired Will Barton in the Afflalo trade and he became a key player in the Nuggets becoming a winning team. He was statistically terrible with Portland and after becoming worthwhile for Denver sort of has continued adding worthwhile elements to his game over the years. Is there someone that's still relatively young on the Wolves roster he thinks can take a step forward that people think he is what he is?

Well, Nowell is the name I keep bringing up. But unlike Barton with Portland, Nowell was very good statistically last season. The question is how he'd do in a more consistent role as the first guard off the bench (that's only if Beasley goes) and whether his defense can become less of a liability.

Bolmaro is a bit of a wild card, but I was really disappointed watching him play last season. Definitely plays hard, but looked way out of sorts on an NBA court. Not what I was expecting.

My sense is that Nowell plays better the more he plays consistent significant minutes. The more he played in college, the better he was. He put up great numbers in the G-League where he played substantial consistent minutes. And as he's played more with the Wolves he's gotten better. He just strikes me as a guy who works and improves and as a guy who needs minutes to get a rhythm.

As for Bolmaro, I'm not as down on him as you are. he's shooting was problematic, but don't think he looked way out of sorts. If he ends up getting significant minutes I won't be surprised if he takes a big leap forward. He just didn't play close to enough this past season to give us a sense of how good he can be.