Minnesota Sports Forum

Hopefully, Gersson Rosas is more interested in looking at ways to trade up from 17 than he is looking at how to trade down from number one.

Here's my ideal draft scenario:

1. Wolves swap #1, Evans and Spellman for Charlotte's #3 and Miles Bridges.
2. Wolves then draft Okongwu at #3
3. Wolves draft Terrell Tyler at #17
4. Wolves draft and stash Poku?evski

If we can't pull off a swap with Charlotte, then my next best scenario would be the same as the above, except the Wolves would draft and keep Wiseman. I'm pretty much on the fence between Wiseman and Okongwu. I lean slightly towards Wiseman, but getting a valuable asset or player like Miles Bridges or a future lightly protected first round pick would be enough to tip the scale in favor or trading down and drafting Okongwu.

This is a cost-effective off-season plan of attack that makes sense to me if I were the decision-maker for the Minnesota Timberwolves. These transactions don't necessarily guarantee the playoffs in 2021, but they quietly accomplish a lot here. They retain their most valuable free agents without overspending. They navigate a bevy of trade offers and draft high-upside two-way players. They also make a sneaky free agent signing to add some versatility to the roster.

NBA Draft:

- Timberwolves select F/C James Wiseman first overall.

- Timberwolves trade the 17th overall pick and the 33rd overall pick to the San Antonio Spurs for the 11th overall pick.

- Timberwolves select G/F Devin Vassell 11th overall.

Free Agency:

- Timberwolves re-sign G Malik Beasley to a three-year, $33-million contract.

- Timberwolves re-sign G Jordan McLaughlin to a three-year, $5-million contract.

- Timberwolves sign G Shaquille Harrison to a three-year, $9-million contract.

- F James Johnson exercises his $16-million player option for the 2020-21 season.

Other Transactions:

- Timberwolves waive G Jacob Evans III.

Roster:

1: D'Angelo Russell / Jordan McLaughlin / Shaquille Harrison
2: Malik Beasley / Josh Okogie / Jaylen Nowell
3: Jarrett Culver / Jake Layman / Devin Vassell
4: Karl-Anthony Towns / James Johnson / Jarred Vanderbilt
5: James Wiseman / Naz Reid / Omari Spellman

thedoper wrote:Tom Crean interview on Edwards. No surprise that he loves the kid.

https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2020/10/27/anthony-edwards-nba-draft-tom-crean

Yep, no surprise. A college coach who doesn't publicly praise his former player heading into the draft is a coach who will never recruit a top player again. Having said that, Crean is quite honest in his assessment of Edwards. And reading between the lines, Crean's comments have cemented my biggest concerns about Edwards. Here are some of those comments:

"The environment he's in, the mentors, the relationship with the coaches, all those things are going to be paramount, because that's really what he needs to thrive. There's no part of his game that he doesn't have a chance to be outstanding at. Does he have to get better as a rebounder? Does he have to be engaged for longer periods of time as a defender? Does he have to continue to improve his footwork and keep his release point where it needs to be? Could he get to the rim more? Yes, and we could go on about does he need to do more of this, and all that."

"When he locks in -- and this is part of him taking it to a higher level -- he was doing some really good things by the end of the year...."

"Way more often than not, he was in our gym at night after home games. There's just a lot there. And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment to bring it out, and my greatest hope is that's what happens."

There are a lot of positives about Edwards that Crean mentions, including his size for his position, athleticism, skill set and potential - the things that make him so intriguing. I believe Crean's comment about Edwards being a great teammate and his empathy. Those qualities fit my sense of him after watching him in extended interviews. And while I see some merit to the Wiggins comparisons, I have also seen Edwards display great passion and competitiveness on the court that we never saw from Wiggins in college or the NBA.

But what still concerns me about Edwards are issues with his commitment and focus. I'm concerned to see his college coach go out of his way to emphasize the environment of the team that drafts him as "paramount." Note that after referring to his environment as paramount, Coach Crean went on to say ""And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment..." I get the value of mentors and coaching for young draftees, but I don't recall seeing any similar comments about Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, James Harden, or Anthony Davis, etc., from their respective college coaches (or from anyone else for that matter). Crean also referred several times to the need for Edwards to be more engaged during games - another comment I don't recall seeing from coaches or analysts about the most successful top draft picks like the ones I listed.

I do like Edwards and drafting him doesn't concern me as much as drafting LaMello Ball. But there are too many concerns or yellow flags associated with Edwards to justify selecting him with the top pick in the draft. His head coach at Georgia, as positive as his comments were, only confirmed my concerns with Edwards.

Again, that's why I've come to the conclusion that, if the Wolves keep the pick, they should take Wiseman.



`

lipoli390 wrote:

thedoper wrote:Tom Crean interview on Edwards. No surprise that he loves the kid.

https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2020/10/27/anthony-edwards-nba-draft-tom-crean

Yep, no surprise. A college coach who doesn't publicly praise his former player heading into the draft is a coach who will never recruit a top player again. Having said that, Crean is quite honest in his assessment of Edwards. And reading between the lines, Crean's comments have cemented my biggest concerns about Edwards. Here are some of those comments:

"The environment he's in, the mentors, the relationship with the coaches, all those things are going to be paramount, because that's really what he needs to thrive. There's no part of his game that he doesn't have a chance to be outstanding at. Does he have to get better as a rebounder? Does he have to be engaged for longer periods of time as a defender? Does he have to continue to improve his footwork and keep his release point where it needs to be? Could he get to the rim more? Yes, and we could go on about does he need to do more of this, and all that."

"When he locks in -- and this is part of him taking it to a higher level -- he was doing some really good things by the end of the year...."

"Way more often than not, he was in our gym at night after home games. There's just a lot there. And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment to bring it out, and my greatest hope is that's what happens."

There are a lot of positives about Edwards that Crean mentions, including his size for his position, athleticism, skill set and potential - the things that make him so intriguing. I believe Crean's comment about Edwards being a great teammate and his empathy. Those qualities fit my sense of him after watching him in extended interviews. And while I see some merit to the Wiggins comparisons, I have also seen Edwards display great passion and competitiveness on the court that we never saw from Wiggins in college or the NBA.

But what still concerns me about Edwards are issues with his commitment and focus. I'm concerned to see his college coach go out of his way to emphasize the environment of the team that drafts him as "paramount." Note that after referring to his environment as paramount, Coach Crean went on to say ""And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment..." I get the value of mentors and coaching for young draftees, but I don't recall seeing any similar comments about Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, James Harden, or Anthony Davis, etc., from their respective college coaches (or from anyone else for that matter). Crean also referred several times to the need for Edwards to be more engaged during games - another comment I don't recall seeing from coaches or analysts about the most successful top draft picks like the ones I listed.

I do like Edwards and drafting him doesn't concern me as much as drafting LaMello Ball. But there are too many concerns or yellow flags associated with Edwards to justify selecting him with the top pick in the draft. His head coach at Georgia, as positive as his comments were, only confirmed my concerns with Edwards.

Again, that's why I've come to the conclusion that, if the Wolves keep the pick, they should take Wiseman.



`

As Crean notes in the interview, Wiseman is a player with the advantage of not having his deficiencies scrutinized because he didn't play. If it's Wiseman it is mainly going to be that we love his body type and his workouts. If there was a year of tape there would be a lot more scrutiny about his weaknesses too. It's a crazy situation where 2 of the 3 top tier prospects didn't play in the typical context we are used to with draft picks. Crean just strikes me as transparent. Edwards' warts are there. I think the upside is real. The upside on Wiseman is real too, I just wish there was more tangible data in game tape to see what Wiseman plays like.

lipoli390 wrote:Here's my ideal draft scenario:

1. Wolves swap #1, Evans and Spellman for Charlotte's #3 and Miles Bridges.
2. Wolves then draft Okongwu at #3
3. Wolves draft Terrell Tyler at #17
4. Wolves draft and stash Poku?evski

If we can't pull off a swap with Charlotte, then my next best scenario would be the same as the above, except the Wolves would draft and keep Wiseman. I'm pretty much on the fence between Wiseman and Okongwu. I lean slightly towards Wiseman, but getting a valuable asset or player like Miles Bridges or a future lightly protected first round pick would be enough to tip the scale in favor or trading down and drafting Okongwu.

I like this idea. Dangle Wiseman for a while. Maybe pull a Webber-Penny like switch like the Magic did to the Warriors.

thedoper wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

thedoper wrote:Tom Crean interview on Edwards. No surprise that he loves the kid.

https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2020/10/27/anthony-edwards-nba-draft-tom-crean

Yep, no surprise. A college coach who doesn't publicly praise his former player heading into the draft is a coach who will never recruit a top player again. Having said that, Crean is quite honest in his assessment of Edwards. And reading between the lines, Crean's comments have cemented my biggest concerns about Edwards. Here are some of those comments:

"The environment he's in, the mentors, the relationship with the coaches, all those things are going to be paramount, because that's really what he needs to thrive. There's no part of his game that he doesn't have a chance to be outstanding at. Does he have to get better as a rebounder? Does he have to be engaged for longer periods of time as a defender? Does he have to continue to improve his footwork and keep his release point where it needs to be? Could he get to the rim more? Yes, and we could go on about does he need to do more of this, and all that."

"When he locks in -- and this is part of him taking it to a higher level -- he was doing some really good things by the end of the year...."

"Way more often than not, he was in our gym at night after home games. There's just a lot there. And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment to bring it out, and my greatest hope is that's what happens."

There are a lot of positives about Edwards that Crean mentions, including his size for his position, athleticism, skill set and potential - the things that make him so intriguing. I believe Crean's comment about Edwards being a great teammate and his empathy. Those qualities fit my sense of him after watching him in extended interviews. And while I see some merit to the Wiggins comparisons, I have also seen Edwards display great passion and competitiveness on the court that we never saw from Wiggins in college or the NBA.

But what still concerns me about Edwards are issues with his commitment and focus. I'm concerned to see his college coach go out of his way to emphasize the environment of the team that drafts him as "paramount." Note that after referring to his environment as paramount, Coach Crean went on to say ""And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment..." I get the value of mentors and coaching for young draftees, but I don't recall seeing any similar comments about Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, James Harden, or Anthony Davis, etc., from their respective college coaches (or from anyone else for that matter). Crean also referred several times to the need for Edwards to be more engaged during games - another comment I don't recall seeing from coaches or analysts about the most successful top draft picks like the ones I listed.

I do like Edwards and drafting him doesn't concern me as much as drafting LaMello Ball. But there are too many concerns or yellow flags associated with Edwards to justify selecting him with the top pick in the draft. His head coach at Georgia, as positive as his comments were, only confirmed my concerns with Edwards.

Again, that's why I've come to the conclusion that, if the Wolves keep the pick, they should take Wiseman.



`

As Crean notes in the interview, Wiseman is a player with the advantage of not having his deficiencies scrutinized because he didn't play. If it's Wiseman it is mainly going to be that we love his body type and his workouts. If there was a year of tape there would be a lot more scrutiny about his weaknesses too. It's a crazy situation where 2 of the 3 top tier prospects didn't play in the typical context we are used to with draft picks. Crean just strikes me as transparent. Edwards' warts are there. I think the upside is real. The upside on Wiseman is real too, I just wish there was more tangible data in game tape to see what Wiseman plays like.

That is completely fair. What would be saying if Edwards only played 3 games as a freshman and not had his game picked apart.

19.6 pts 5.3 rebs 4.6 asts 3.3 stls on 44.4% FG and 38% from 3.

thedoper wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

thedoper wrote:Tom Crean interview on Edwards. No surprise that he loves the kid.

https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2020/10/27/anthony-edwards-nba-draft-tom-crean

Yep, no surprise. A college coach who doesn't publicly praise his former player heading into the draft is a coach who will never recruit a top player again. Having said that, Crean is quite honest in his assessment of Edwards. And reading between the lines, Crean's comments have cemented my biggest concerns about Edwards. Here are some of those comments:

"The environment he's in, the mentors, the relationship with the coaches, all those things are going to be paramount, because that's really what he needs to thrive. There's no part of his game that he doesn't have a chance to be outstanding at. Does he have to get better as a rebounder? Does he have to be engaged for longer periods of time as a defender? Does he have to continue to improve his footwork and keep his release point where it needs to be? Could he get to the rim more? Yes, and we could go on about does he need to do more of this, and all that."

"When he locks in -- and this is part of him taking it to a higher level -- he was doing some really good things by the end of the year...."

"Way more often than not, he was in our gym at night after home games. There's just a lot there. And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment to bring it out, and my greatest hope is that's what happens."

There are a lot of positives about Edwards that Crean mentions, including his size for his position, athleticism, skill set and potential - the things that make him so intriguing. I believe Crean's comment about Edwards being a great teammate and his empathy. Those qualities fit my sense of him after watching him in extended interviews. And while I see some merit to the Wiggins comparisons, I have also seen Edwards display great passion and competitiveness on the court that we never saw from Wiggins in college or the NBA.

But what still concerns me about Edwards are issues with his commitment and focus. I'm concerned to see his college coach go out of his way to emphasize the environment of the team that drafts him as "paramount." Note that after referring to his environment as paramount, Coach Crean went on to say ""And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment..." I get the value of mentors and coaching for young draftees, but I don't recall seeing any similar comments about Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, James Harden, or Anthony Davis, etc., from their respective college coaches (or from anyone else for that matter). Crean also referred several times to the need for Edwards to be more engaged during games - another comment I don't recall seeing from coaches or analysts about the most successful top draft picks like the ones I listed.

I do like Edwards and drafting him doesn't concern me as much as drafting LaMello Ball. But there are too many concerns or yellow flags associated with Edwards to justify selecting him with the top pick in the draft. His head coach at Georgia, as positive as his comments were, only confirmed my concerns with Edwards.

Again, that's why I've come to the conclusion that, if the Wolves keep the pick, they should take Wiseman.



`

As Crean notes in the interview, Wiseman is a player with the advantage of not having his deficiencies scrutinized because he didn't play. If it's Wiseman it is mainly going to be that we love his body type and his workouts. If there was a year of tape there would be a lot more scrutiny about his weaknesses too. It's a crazy situation where 2 of the 3 top tier prospects didn't play in the typical context we are used to with draft picks. Crean just strikes me as transparent. Edwards' warts are there. I think the upside is real. The upside on Wiseman is real too, I just wish there was more tangible data in game tape to see what Wiseman plays like.

On the flip side, much of James Wiseman's offensive game is still a relative secret because he didn't get to play. Most pundits have labeled him as a "raw" offensive player and he is to some degree. But he didn't have the full season to showcase different skills. He has an impressive face-up game and more shooting potential than people give him credit for, but because his season was cut short he doesn't have the college tape to support him. If we're going to say that his deficiencies aren't scrutinized, then it's also fair to say that not all of his strengths are appropriately magnified.

Camden0916 wrote:

thedoper wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

thedoper wrote:Tom Crean interview on Edwards. No surprise that he loves the kid.

https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2020/10/27/anthony-edwards-nba-draft-tom-crean

Yep, no surprise. A college coach who doesn't publicly praise his former player heading into the draft is a coach who will never recruit a top player again. Having said that, Crean is quite honest in his assessment of Edwards. And reading between the lines, Crean's comments have cemented my biggest concerns about Edwards. Here are some of those comments:

"The environment he's in, the mentors, the relationship with the coaches, all those things are going to be paramount, because that's really what he needs to thrive. There's no part of his game that he doesn't have a chance to be outstanding at. Does he have to get better as a rebounder? Does he have to be engaged for longer periods of time as a defender? Does he have to continue to improve his footwork and keep his release point where it needs to be? Could he get to the rim more? Yes, and we could go on about does he need to do more of this, and all that."

"When he locks in -- and this is part of him taking it to a higher level -- he was doing some really good things by the end of the year...."

"Way more often than not, he was in our gym at night after home games. There's just a lot there. And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment to bring it out, and my greatest hope is that's what happens."

There are a lot of positives about Edwards that Crean mentions, including his size for his position, athleticism, skill set and potential - the things that make him so intriguing. I believe Crean's comment about Edwards being a great teammate and his empathy. Those qualities fit my sense of him after watching him in extended interviews. And while I see some merit to the Wiggins comparisons, I have also seen Edwards display great passion and competitiveness on the court that we never saw from Wiggins in college or the NBA.

But what still concerns me about Edwards are issues with his commitment and focus. I'm concerned to see his college coach go out of his way to emphasize the environment of the team that drafts him as "paramount." Note that after referring to his environment as paramount, Coach Crean went on to say ""And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment..." I get the value of mentors and coaching for young draftees, but I don't recall seeing any similar comments about Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, James Harden, or Anthony Davis, etc., from their respective college coaches (or from anyone else for that matter). Crean also referred several times to the need for Edwards to be more engaged during games - another comment I don't recall seeing from coaches or analysts about the most successful top draft picks like the ones I listed.

I do like Edwards and drafting him doesn't concern me as much as drafting LaMello Ball. But there are too many concerns or yellow flags associated with Edwards to justify selecting him with the top pick in the draft. His head coach at Georgia, as positive as his comments were, only confirmed my concerns with Edwards.

Again, that's why I've come to the conclusion that, if the Wolves keep the pick, they should take Wiseman.



`

As Crean notes in the interview, Wiseman is a player with the advantage of not having his deficiencies scrutinized because he didn't play. If it's Wiseman it is mainly going to be that we love his body type and his workouts. If there was a year of tape there would be a lot more scrutiny about his weaknesses too. It's a crazy situation where 2 of the 3 top tier prospects didn't play in the typical context we are used to with draft picks. Crean just strikes me as transparent. Edwards' warts are there. I think the upside is real. The upside on Wiseman is real too, I just wish there was more tangible data in game tape to see what Wiseman plays like.

On the flip side, much of James Wiseman's offensive game is still a relative secret because he didn't get to play. Most pundits have labeled him as a "raw" offensive player and he is to some degree. But he didn't have the full season to showcase different skills. He has an impressive face-up game and more shooting potential than people give him credit for, but because his season was cut short he doesn't have the college tape to support him. If we're going to say that his deficiencies aren't scrutinized, then it's also fair to say that not all of his strengths are appropriately magnified.

Totally. He's much more of an unkown commodity. I personally think the mock drafts putting him down at 6 or 7 are crazy. I think all of us would like to see more of this kid play to be confident either way. Just to reiterate I'm totally fine if this team goes Wiseman. I think Edwards is going to be great and would fit a direct need for this team. I am more uncertain about Wiseman. He could be way better or way worse than the 3 games we saw from him.

thedoper wrote:

Camden0916 wrote:

thedoper wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

thedoper wrote:Tom Crean interview on Edwards. No surprise that he loves the kid.

https://www.si.com/.amp/nba/2020/10/27/anthony-edwards-nba-draft-tom-crean

Yep, no surprise. A college coach who doesn't publicly praise his former player heading into the draft is a coach who will never recruit a top player again. Having said that, Crean is quite honest in his assessment of Edwards. And reading between the lines, Crean's comments have cemented my biggest concerns about Edwards. Here are some of those comments:

"The environment he's in, the mentors, the relationship with the coaches, all those things are going to be paramount, because that's really what he needs to thrive. There's no part of his game that he doesn't have a chance to be outstanding at. Does he have to get better as a rebounder? Does he have to be engaged for longer periods of time as a defender? Does he have to continue to improve his footwork and keep his release point where it needs to be? Could he get to the rim more? Yes, and we could go on about does he need to do more of this, and all that."

"When he locks in -- and this is part of him taking it to a higher level -- he was doing some really good things by the end of the year...."

"Way more often than not, he was in our gym at night after home games. There's just a lot there. And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment to bring it out, and my greatest hope is that's what happens."

There are a lot of positives about Edwards that Crean mentions, including his size for his position, athleticism, skill set and potential - the things that make him so intriguing. I believe Crean's comment about Edwards being a great teammate and his empathy. Those qualities fit my sense of him after watching him in extended interviews. And while I see some merit to the Wiggins comparisons, I have also seen Edwards display great passion and competitiveness on the court that we never saw from Wiggins in college or the NBA.

But what still concerns me about Edwards are issues with his commitment and focus. I'm concerned to see his college coach go out of his way to emphasize the environment of the team that drafts him as "paramount." Note that after referring to his environment as paramount, Coach Crean went on to say ""And again, I always preface it, he needs the right environment..." I get the value of mentors and coaching for young draftees, but I don't recall seeing any similar comments about Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, James Harden, or Anthony Davis, etc., from their respective college coaches (or from anyone else for that matter). Crean also referred several times to the need for Edwards to be more engaged during games - another comment I don't recall seeing from coaches or analysts about the most successful top draft picks like the ones I listed.

I do like Edwards and drafting him doesn't concern me as much as drafting LaMello Ball. But there are too many concerns or yellow flags associated with Edwards to justify selecting him with the top pick in the draft. His head coach at Georgia, as positive as his comments were, only confirmed my concerns with Edwards.

Again, that's why I've come to the conclusion that, if the Wolves keep the pick, they should take Wiseman.



`

As Crean notes in the interview, Wiseman is a player with the advantage of not having his deficiencies scrutinized because he didn't play. If it's Wiseman it is mainly going to be that we love his body type and his workouts. If there was a year of tape there would be a lot more scrutiny about his weaknesses too. It's a crazy situation where 2 of the 3 top tier prospects didn't play in the typical context we are used to with draft picks. Crean just strikes me as transparent. Edwards' warts are there. I think the upside is real. The upside on Wiseman is real too, I just wish there was more tangible data in game tape to see what Wiseman plays like.

On the flip side, much of James Wiseman's offensive game is still a relative secret because he didn't get to play. Most pundits have labeled him as a "raw" offensive player and he is to some degree. But he didn't have the full season to showcase different skills. He has an impressive face-up game and more shooting potential than people give him credit for, but because his season was cut short he doesn't have the college tape to support him. If we're going to say that his deficiencies aren't scrutinized, then it's also fair to say that not all of his strengths are appropriately magnified.

Totally. He's much more of an unkown commodity. I personally think the mock drafts putting him down at 6 or 7 are crazy. I think all of us would like to see more of this kid play to be confident either way. Just to reiterate I'm totally fine if this team goes Wiseman. I think Edwards is going to be great and would fit a direct need for this team. I am more uncertain about Wiseman. He could be way better or way worse than the 3 games we saw from him.

Jonathon Givony previously of draft express is a big believer in some guys getting to the right spot. I think to some extent that's what Crean is talking about. If whoever takes Edwards doesn't have a good program in place he might not be as successful. Yes that could be a reason to steer away especially since we really don't know if the things the wolves are about are good.

I think Crean saying those things about Edwards being a super teammate does make me feel more positive about him. Of course even though Wiggins is likely a more reserved person he is a guy that seems well liked by teammates. It feels like even hyper intense guys like KG and Butler liked the guy even though they were frustrated with his lake of fire on the court. Taj was a big Wiggins guy. So being a great teammate is nice but it only goes so far.

I'm a big fan of Crean after his media work especially during drafts. He had great breakdowns of guys and it wasn't just hype. He does something similar here with Edwards. Crean is pretty media savvy but I tend to be a little more willing to believe him than some coaches.