Minnesota Sports Forum

monsterpile wrote:This seems like a good time to remind people that Bazz actually has a player option for next year for just under 1.8 million. At this point sadly he might actually consider opting in if he wants to stay in the NBA even if he may never play for this team.

The developments with Noel and Muhammad are pretty interesting. You'd think both guys would have come in hellbent on trying to (re)earn those contract offers but both are vastly underperforming. Arguably two of the most disappointing players in the game after leaving about $100M combined on the negotiating table this summer.

Is it concession from the players? Or, are the teams partially to blame here... intentionally or not?

Our inability to develop shooters just continues to amaze me. Bazz is a guy you would have thought could be developed into a reliable corner or spot up 3 guy. Nope. Same with Wiggins. Nope. It seems like you need to come into our franchise with a natural stroke to start with or forget about it.

Q12543 wrote:Our inability to develop shooters just continues to amaze me. Bazz is a guy you would have thought could be developed into a reliable corner or spot up 3 guy. Nope. Same with Wiggins. Nope. It seems like you need to come into our franchise with a natural stroke to start with or forget about it.

Obviously, the franchise has focused instead on the defensive side of the ball in recent years.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

Q12543 wrote:Our inability to develop shooters just continues to amaze me. Bazz is a guy you would have thought could be developed into a reliable corner or spot up 3 guy. Nope. Same with Wiggins. Nope. It seems like you need to come into our franchise with a natural stroke to start with or forget about it.

Obviously, the franchise has focused instead on the defensive side of the ball in recent years.

Lol

Some good news? Jeff Teague and Jimmy Butler have been able to hit 3's so far. Did I just jinx them? My bad.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

monsterpile wrote:This seems like a good time to remind people that Bazz actually has a player option for next year for just under 1.8 million. At this point sadly he might actually consider opting in if he wants to stay in the NBA even if he may never play for this team.

The developments with Noel and Muhammad are pretty interesting. You'd think both guys would have come in hellbent on trying to (re)earn those contract offers but both are vastly underperforming. Arguably two of the most disappointing players in the game after leaving about $100M combined on the negotiating table this summer.

Is it concession from the players? Or, are the teams partially to blame here... intentionally or not?

Interesting thoughts Abe. Noel did have surgery on his thumb so maybe he had some injury excuse for a few of these games. On the other hand maybe some rookie dude that nobody had heard of getting starts on this team is still pretty troubling for him. Is the team somewhat to blame? It's worth considering.

Back to Bazz...he is clearly the most disappointing player on the team. I mean yeah some other guys you may want to see more out of but at least they are doing what they have done before. Bazz has basically played the worst basketball of his career. Both of these guys careers who at worst looked like promising young specialist bench players are looking bad. Noel will get another chance but would you rather have him or Christian Wood a 22 year old multidimensional physically gifted big that's tearing up the Q-league and is another guy that if he could just figure it out...

monsterpile wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

monsterpile wrote:This seems like a good time to remind people that Bazz actually has a player option for next year for just under 1.8 million. At this point sadly he might actually consider opting in if he wants to stay in the NBA even if he may never play for this team.

The developments with Noel and Muhammad are pretty interesting. You'd think both guys would have come in hellbent on trying to (re)earn those contract offers but both are vastly underperforming. Arguably two of the most disappointing players in the game after leaving about $100M combined on the negotiating table this summer.

Is it concession from the players? Or, are the teams partially to blame here... intentionally or not?

Interesting thoughts Abe. Noel did have surgery on his thumb so maybe he had some injury excuse for a few of these games. On the other hand maybe some rookie dude that nobody had heard of getting starts on this team is still pretty troubling for him. Is the team somewhat to blame? It's worth considering.

Back to Bazz...he is clearly the most disappointing player on the team. I mean yeah some other guys you may want to see more out of but at least they are doing what they have done before. Bazz has basically played the worst basketball of his career. Both of these guys careers who at worst looked like promising young specialist bench players are looking bad. Noel will get another chance but would you rather have him or Christian Wood a 22 year old multidimensional physically gifted big that's tearing up the Q-league and is another guy that if he could just figure it out...

Bazz doesn't seem like the guy who would 'play down' to his salary, but maybe he's given up and accepted his last contract.