Minnesota Sports Forum

I would happily trade Wiggins and his contract for 50 cents on the dollar right now. If we could get a draft pick or a rotational player, that would be best case scenario. If it gives us flexibility in a year from now or at the trade deadline to take on a bigger contract, we have to do it. Wiggins, Dieng and Teague are the 3 main barriers to competing for a top 3-4 spot in the West. (Not counting Thibs as a top 3 barrier).

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:We will not make the playoffs if we trade Butler and that's just something you can't do going into KAT's contract negotiations. We're a .500 team without Jimmy. That's not good enough in the West and that step back may finish off this franchise for another decade.

I disagree. We would probably be fighting for the last spot just like this year. Jimmy's not going to play 82 anyway. I think holding on to Butler has a better chance of harming us for the next decade than trading him does.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. We were sub .500 without Jimmy. He played 59 games last year. Swapping his minutes with a rookie is just not gonna be a playoff team. You trade him to Memphis who was out of the playoffs last year and you seal our fate of not making it into the playoffs this year.

khans2k5 wrote:

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:We will not make the playoffs if we trade Butler and that's just something you can't do going into KAT's contract negotiations. We're a .500 team without Jimmy. That's not good enough in the West and that step back may finish off this franchise for another decade.

I disagree. We would probably be fighting for the last spot just like this year. Jimmy's not going to play 82 anyway. I think holding on to Butler has a better chance of harming us for the next decade than trading him does.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. We were sub .500 without Jimmy. He played 59 games last year. Swapping his minutes with a rookie is just not gonna be a playoff team. You trade him to Memphis who was out of the playoffs last year and you seal our fate of not making it into the playoffs this year.

But I'm expecting this to be the year Wiggins goes from an average player who can score in volume to a superstar.

It's gonna happen. This time.

WildWolf2813 wrote:

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:We will not make the playoffs if we trade Butler and that's just something you can't do going into KAT's contract negotiations. We're a .500 team without Jimmy. That's not good enough in the West and that step back may finish off this franchise for another decade.

I disagree. We would probably be fighting for the last spot just like this year. Jimmy's not going to play 82 anyway. I think holding on to Butler has a better chance of harming us for the next decade than trading him does.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:We will not make the playoffs if we trade Butler and that's just something you can't do going into KAT's contract negotiations. We're a .500 team without Jimmy. That's not good enough in the West and that step back may finish off this franchise for another decade.

I disagree. We would probably be fighting for the last spot just like this year. Jimmy's not going to play 82 anyway. I think holding on to Butler has a better chance of harming us for the next decade than trading him does.

Without Jimmy? No way.

At the rate this offseason is going, Denver and LA are gonna take 2 playoff spots. We might be one of the ones out. It's illogical to think we could trade or let Jimmy go and improve.

Woah, I didn't say we would improve this year. I said we would be fighting for the last spot just like last year. But I think our long term outlook would be better.

khans2k5 wrote:

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:We will not make the playoffs if we trade Butler and that's just something you can't do going into KAT's contract negotiations. We're a .500 team without Jimmy. That's not good enough in the West and that step back may finish off this franchise for another decade.

I disagree. We would probably be fighting for the last spot just like this year. Jimmy's not going to play 82 anyway. I think holding on to Butler has a better chance of harming us for the next decade than trading him does.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. We were sub .500 without Jimmy. He played 59 games last year. Swapping his minutes with a rookie is just not gonna be a playoff team. You trade him to Memphis who was out of the playoffs last year and you seal our fate of not making it into the playoffs this year.

Yeah we can disagree on this. I'm also thinking if KAT is as good as everyone believes he is, couldn't we make him the focal point of the offense and let him blossom? If he's getting 25+ - 12+ shouldn't he be able to carry us to the 8th spot? I mean after you add whatever we get from a potential Butler deal. We would still have a good, younger roster to build around.

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:

CoolBreeze44 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:We will not make the playoffs if we trade Butler and that's just something you can't do going into KAT's contract negotiations. We're a .500 team without Jimmy. That's not good enough in the West and that step back may finish off this franchise for another decade.

I disagree. We would probably be fighting for the last spot just like this year. Jimmy's not going to play 82 anyway. I think holding on to Butler has a better chance of harming us for the next decade than trading him does.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. We were sub .500 without Jimmy. He played 59 games last year. Swapping his minutes with a rookie is just not gonna be a playoff team. You trade him to Memphis who was out of the playoffs last year and you seal our fate of not making it into the playoffs this year.

Yeah we can disagree on this. I'm also thinking if KAT is as good as everyone believes he is, couldn't we make him the focal point of the offense and let him blossom? If he's getting 25+ - 12+ shouldn't he be able to carry us to the 8th spot? I mean after you add whatever we get from a potential Butler deal. We would still have a good, younger roster to build around.

Kevin Love's 25/12 couldn't get us to the playoffs so why would KAT's? We've seen this play out before and it never resulted in a playoff birth so I don't understand the confidence with an even younger roster than that team to make the playoffs.

Duke13 wrote:I just saw a report Memphis is looking to unload the #4 pick along with Parson. Not 100% sure but I'm guessing he has two year left on his deal. I'm not gonna say there is no way Wig reaches his potential, but I'd say it's unlikely at this point. I'd be willing to do this deal I think, could we possibly try and include Gorgi in the deal?

Maybe I'm struggling not having a high lottery pick after so many year of having one. And I know I'm plenty ready to move on from Wig

So I heard a podcast today with Bill Simmons and Chris Vernon, the Memphis play-by-play guy.

They mentioned Harrison Barnes (AND the #5 pick) for the #4 and Parsons' contract.

I know most people realize Memphis wouldn't do the OP deal. But this sorta reveals just how unlikely it is.

If you believe that the KAT/Butler duo under Thibodeau will eventually contend for the Western Conference championship, then you don't trade Butler this summer. I'm with Cool in concluding that a KAT/Butler duo will not challenge Golden State or even Houston next season. My evidence? The fact that the Wolves needed a home win the last game of the season just to make the playoffs in a season when everyone but Butler was largely healthy and Gibson had a career year. And if we end up in the bottom 4 and a first round playoff exit next season with KAT and Butler as I think we will, then I don't see Butler hanging around as a free agent. And even if he does stay, his career history tells us he can't be counted on to play more than 65-67 games. Moreover, even when healthy, he's simply not at the same level as a James Harden, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant or LeBron James. Recall also that Butler played in all but one of our most unacceptable losses last season -- including the home loss to Atlanta.

If we want the Wolves to have the best chance of making the playoffs next season, then we should keep Butler. That's the likely floor for a Butler/KAT led Wolves team, but the ceiling isn't much higher than the floor. To contend for a championship in the long run, the Wolves need to add another elite player young enough to peak and remain at his peak concurrently with KAT's peak years at the same time the Warriors begin to decline through age or attrition. The only way the Wolves can possibly do that is to trade Butler this summer.

I think Memphis would swap their #4 pick, Parsons and their #32 pick for Butler. I think the #4 pick could land us an elite talent. The #20 and 32 picks would give us two chances to land at least one very solid young player. Putting those three picks together with KAT, Wiggins and Tyus Jones probably puts us back in the lottery, but it gives us a young foundation of players who can grow together and possibly develop into a title contender in the post-Warriors era. That's much better in my view than being a cap-strapped 6th, 7th or 8th seed worried about whether Butler will bolt next summer as a FA or push us far above the luxury tax with no chance of adding the personnel we'd need to become a contender.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

Duke13 wrote:I just saw a report Memphis is looking to unload the #4 pick along with Parson. Not 100% sure but I'm guessing he has two year left on his deal. I'm not gonna say there is no way Wig reaches his potential, but I'd say it's unlikely at this point. I'd be willing to do this deal I think, could we possibly try and include Gorgi in the deal?

Maybe I'm struggling not having a high lottery pick after so many year of having one. And I know I'm plenty ready to move on from Wig

So I heard a podcast today with Bill Simmons and Chris Vernon, the Memphis play-by-play guy.

They mentioned Harrison Barnes (AND the #5 pick) for the #4 and Parsons' contract.

I know most people realize Memphis wouldn't do the OP deal. But this sorta reveals just how unlikely it is.

Honestly, I think the Barnes + No. 5 pick is even more unreasonable than the Wiggins idea.

Camden wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

Duke13 wrote:I just saw a report Memphis is looking to unload the #4 pick along with Parson. Not 100% sure but I'm guessing he has two year left on his deal. I'm not gonna say there is no way Wig reaches his potential, but I'd say it's unlikely at this point. I'd be willing to do this deal I think, could we possibly try and include Gorgi in the deal?

Maybe I'm struggling not having a high lottery pick after so many year of having one. And I know I'm plenty ready to move on from Wig

So I heard a podcast today with Bill Simmons and Chris Vernon, the Memphis play-by-play guy.

They mentioned Harrison Barnes (AND the #5 pick) for the #4 and Parsons' contract.

I know most people realize Memphis wouldn't do the OP deal. But this sorta reveals just how unlikely it is.

Honestly, I think the Barnes + No. 5 pick is even more unreasonable than the Wiggins idea.

Are you saying...

Wiggins > Barnes + #5?