Minnesota Sports Forum

AbeVigodaLive wrote:Speaking of VORP... D'Angelo Russell has gone above +1.4 one time in 6 seasons... with +3.4 in 2019.

If he doesn't reach closer to that level this season... will we be at the point where 2019 can be chalked up as an outlier or anomaly?

Yes. I think this season will be a critical one for DLO. So far in his career, Russell has been a classic underachiever as he's bounced around from team to team. There's a reason none of his three prior teams has wanted to keep him. I have no doubt he has the talent to replicate what he did in 2019. He'll have enough talent around him to help him reach his potential - certainly as much talent as he had with the Nets in 2019. We'll see if Russell is a true competitor who is committed to the game and to winning or just a talented, weed-smoking dude who just likes to have a good time.

SImmons will not be traded until the season begins. I don't think our Wolves land him.

(I say this because I'm a horrible prognosticator)

lipoli390 wrote:

Yes. I think this season will be a critical one for DLO. So far in his career, Russell has been a classic underachiever as he's bounced around from team to team. There's a reason none of his three prior teams has wanted to keep him. I have no doubt he has the talent to replicate what he did in 2019. He'll have enough talent around him to help him reach his potential - certainly as much talent as he had with the Nets in 2019. We'll see if Russell is a true competitor who is committed to the game and to winning or just a talented, weed-smoking dude who just likes to have a good time.

Does anyone on the Wolves hate losing? The players will say the right thing, but seems like a good time group.

bleedspeed177 wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

Yes. I think this season will be a critical one for DLO. So far in his career, Russell has been a classic underachiever as he's bounced around from team to team. There's a reason none of his three prior teams has wanted to keep him. I have no doubt he has the talent to replicate what he did in 2019. He'll have enough talent around him to help him reach his potential - certainly as much talent as he had with the Nets in 2019. We'll see if Russell is a true competitor who is committed to the game and to winning or just a talented, weed-smoking dude who just likes to have a good time.

Does anyone on the Wolves hate losing? The players will say the right thing, but seems like a good time group.

Pat Beverly, Ant is trending that way too. That's about it lol

BloopOracle wrote:

bleedspeed177 wrote:

lipoli390 wrote:

Yes. I think this season will be a critical one for DLO. So far in his career, Russell has been a classic underachiever as he's bounced around from team to team. There's a reason none of his three prior teams has wanted to keep him. I have no doubt he has the talent to replicate what he did in 2019. He'll have enough talent around him to help him reach his potential - certainly as much talent as he had with the Nets in 2019. We'll see if Russell is a true competitor who is committed to the game and to winning or just a talented, weed-smoking dude who just likes to have a good time.

Does anyone on the Wolves hate losing? The players will say the right thing, but seems like a good time group.

Pat Beverly, Ant is trending that way too. That's about it lol

Certainly Beverley. Maybe Prince, but I'm only basing that on how pissed off he was when the reporter asked him why his Baylor team got outrebounded by Yale. I don't know about Okogie, but he may be in the "hates to lose" group. McKinley Wright has that dog in him, but we don't know if he will ever shoot well enough to be in a rotation.

Unfortunately I disagree on Ant. Many of the things I love about him...his pure joy for the game and his happy, almost childlike demeanor...are also characteristics I believe that will prevent him from ever being in the HOF (although the talent is there without question).

Further, as much as I love Simmons' game and will give up almost anything to bring him in, he's not known as a guy who hates to lose. His elite defense is more a factor of extreme physical gifts combined with a solid understanding of team defense. I still want him, although I admit I do worry a little about his casual attitude on the court.

It's a real shame that Steph Curry exudes joy while playing the game. He shouldn't be out there smiling and having fun despite making millions of dollars playing a sport. He'll never be great. He's broken records, won a handful of awards, and won multiple championships, but damn him for cracking a smile. He'll be a first-year eligible Hall of Fame inductee when it's all said and done unless he keeps shimmying after threes and smiling on the court.

Camden wrote:It's a real shame that Steph Curry exudes joy while playing the game. He shouldn't be out there smiling and having fun despite making millions of dollars playing a sport. He'll never be great. He's broken records, won a handful of awards, and won multiple championships, but damn him for cracking a smile. He'll be a first-year eligible Hall of Fame inductee when it's all said and done unless he keeps shimmying after threes and smiling on the court.

Yeah. It's tough for us to really know for certain who hates to lose and who doesn't care.

Players can say whatever they want. Meh. They can scowl or smile or whatever. Meh.

I guess we could point to a lack of progress or focus or whatever in the details... but even then... we don't really know.

Camden wrote:It's a real shame that Steph Curry exudes joy while playing the game. He shouldn't be out there smiling and having fun despite making millions of dollars playing a sport. He'll never be great. He's broken records, won a handful of awards, and won multiple championships, but damn him for cracking a smile. He'll be a first-year eligible Hall of Fame inductee when it's all said and done unless he keeps shimmying after threes and smiling on the court.

Well, nothing can replace elite skill levels (Curry is the best shooter alive), BUT do the Warriors win multiple titles without Draymond Green? I'm not so sure. That guy is the heart and soul of the team. You need a team skillful enough to hang with anyone, but when the going gets tough and a team really needs to dig deep, you need some real dogs. It's the entire reason Milwaukee added Tucker and Portis to their roster.

Q12543 wrote:

Camden wrote:It's a real shame that Steph Curry exudes joy while playing the game. He shouldn't be out there smiling and having fun despite making millions of dollars playing a sport. He'll never be great. He's broken records, won a handful of awards, and won multiple championships, but damn him for cracking a smile. He'll be a first-year eligible Hall of Fame inductee when it's all said and done unless he keeps shimmying after threes and smiling on the court.

Well, nothing can replace elite skill levels (Curry is the best shooter alive), BUT do the Warriors win multiple titles without Draymond Green? I'm not so sure. That guy is the heart and soul of the team. You need a team skillful enough to hang with anyone, but when the going gets tough and a team really needs to dig deep, you need some real dogs. It's the entire reason Milwaukee added Tucker and Portis to their roster.

Absolutely, right. But does a player have to have a show certain temperament or attitude on the court to prove that he cares about winning? I'm not so sure. Obviously, you probably don't want your best hooper giggling on the final possession, but guys can and should enjoy what they do. Celebrate, talk shit to your opponent, smile, etc. as long as you're engaged in the game. The last part of that is most important. It's what drove a lot of us Wolves fans insane when Andrew Wiggins was on the roster. I haven't seen anything through one year that would make me think that Anthony Edwards' personality or demeanor on the court is going to hold him back.

Camden wrote:

Q12543 wrote:

Camden wrote:It's a real shame that Steph Curry exudes joy while playing the game. He shouldn't be out there smiling and having fun despite making millions of dollars playing a sport. He'll never be great. He's broken records, won a handful of awards, and won multiple championships, but damn him for cracking a smile. He'll be a first-year eligible Hall of Fame inductee when it's all said and done unless he keeps shimmying after threes and smiling on the court.

Well, nothing can replace elite skill levels (Curry is the best shooter alive), BUT do the Warriors win multiple titles without Draymond Green? I'm not so sure. That guy is the heart and soul of the team. You need a team skillful enough to hang with anyone, but when the going gets tough and a team really needs to dig deep, you need some real dogs. It's the entire reason Milwaukee added Tucker and Portis to their roster.

Absolutely, right. But does a player have to have a show certain temperament or attitude on the court to prove that he cares about winning? I'm not so sure. Obviously, you probably don't want your best hooper giggling on the final possession, but guys can and should enjoy what they do. Celebrate, talk shit to your opponent, smile, etc. as long as you're engaged in the game. The last part of that is most important. It's what drove a lot of us Wolves fans insane when Andrew Wiggins was on the roster. I haven't seen anything through one year that would make me think that Anthony Edwards' personality or demeanor on the court is going to hold him back.

Don't disagree, but I think there are legit questions whether KAT, Ant, and DLO have the collective competitive drive and will to do what is necessary to claw and scratch our way to a win. I personally think DLO lacks the desire; KAT has the desire but lacks the emotional fortitude; and Ant the jury is still out.