Minnesota Sports Forum

TeamRicky wrote:I see that the Wolves have an interest in Pau Gasol per ESPN. He's 35, so he's only a short term fix, so I'd rather spend our money elsewhere.

So much for trading Ricky!

petecorcoran wrote:

TeamRicky wrote:I see that the Wolves have an interest in Pau Gasol per ESPN. He's 35, so he's only a short term fix, so I'd rather spend our money elsewhere.

And I think just the opposite... we can't afford long term deals. Gasol may be too expensive for a couple of years, but we have the money now. Figure out what he's worth for 3 years and give him 80-90% of that for two years. We'd lose Bird rights, but so what. We just don't want a lot of money clogging the system when our young players come looking for their money. In the meantime, he gets a bigger chunk of money now and can sign one last deal in two years, hopefully with us.

Yeah I'd be plenty intrigued with a 2 year deal for Pau. He is still a very good do it all PF/C. I really doubt he would come here but I wouldn't turn him down.

monsterpile wrote:

petecorcoran wrote:

TeamRicky wrote:I see that the Wolves have an interest in Pau Gasol per ESPN. He's 35, so he's only a short term fix, so I'd rather spend our money elsewhere.

And I think just the opposite... we can't afford long term deals. Gasol may be too expensive for a couple of years, but we have the money now. Figure out what he's worth for 3 years and give him 80-90% of that for two years. We'd lose Bird rights, but so what. We just don't want a lot of money clogging the system when our young players come looking for their money. In the meantime, he gets a bigger chunk of money now and can sign one last deal in two years, hopefully with us.

Yeah I'd be plenty intrigued with a 2 year deal for Pau. He is still a very good do it all PF/C. I really doubt he would come here but I wouldn't turn him down.

I agree with you if we can't get anyone else worthwhile to sign. I'd rather have Gasol on a 1 or 2 year deal than have unused cap space.

OKC sounds like they may dump Kanter for just cap space. He is signed for a decent chunk of money but 17-18 million the next 2-3 years doesn't sound that bad really. I know he has issues on D but the guy put up 12 and 8 in 21 mpg for OKC last year. He would be a nice compliment to Towns Dieng and the other guys since he has bulk. Sort of a Pek only more skilled but worse defensively. Maybe Thibs could help him some defensively so he wasn't completely terrible there?

Ok Kanter probably isn't coming here but it is intriguing to me and I know he has flaws but the dude can bring you some good things.

60WinTim wrote:I am just figuring out that Thibs is not even pretending to go after any of the top tier FAs. We will have to wait until most of them commit, then we will go fishing. Which includes guys like Brandon Bass.

This means Deng is likely a no-go. :-(

Ta-Da!

http://www.startribune.com/wolves-bide-time-on-free-agency-moves-though-luol-deng-might-have-interest/385132711/

With the way free aency is going right now, it might be smarter to not sign anyone and wait for opportunities to trade and absorb contracts from other teams that are outbidding each other.

Example, Warriors and OKC are looking to add horford but needs to clear space to do so. I will look for opportunities to get kanter or bogut form those teams. Their contract look like bargains now compared to what is happening now and both are good fits to the team. They are 2 different type of bigs but would be good additions to the roster.

worldK wrote:With the way free aency is going right now, it might be smarter to not sign anyone and wait for opportunities to trade and absorb contracts from other teams that are outbidding each other.

Example, Warriors and OKC are looking to add horford but needs to clear space to do so. I will look for opportunities to get kanter or bogut form those teams. Their contract look like bargains now compared to what is happening now and both are good fits to the team. They are 2 different type of bigs but would be good additions to the roster.

How much space does OKC need to land Horford? Any possibility we can trade pekovic for kanter to give them the extra 7 mil or so they may need to do that?

I'm not familiar with OKC's cap space. I'm assuming they'd need to completely dump a player like Kanter for nothing in order to make this deal, but with the new cap space im not sure.

TheFuture wrote:

worldK wrote:With the way free aency is going right now, it might be smarter to not sign anyone and wait for opportunities to trade and absorb contracts from other teams that are outbidding each other.

Example, Warriors and OKC are looking to add horford but needs to clear space to do so. I will look for opportunities to get kanter or bogut form those teams. Their contract look like bargains now compared to what is happening now and both are good fits to the team. They are 2 different type of bigs but would be good additions to the roster.

How much space does OKC need to land Horford? Any possibility we can trade pekovic for kanter to give them the extra 7 mil or so they may need to do that?

I'm not familiar with OKC's cap space. I'm assuming they'd need to completely dump a player like Kanter for nothing in order to make this deal, but with the new cap space im not sure.

That depends...did they pick up their options on Ilyasova and Morrow? If not, their payroll is at only $42 million. So they could give Horford a max contract, and then sign Durant to a 1-year max even though it puts them over the cap. They still could sign both Horford and Durant if they have picked up Ilyasova and Morrow's option, but they would be in serious danger of going into the lux tax...and OkC has not been willing to do that before.

Kanter is unplayable defensively at arguably the most important defensive position on the court. I'd rather keep that money for Dieng than get Kanter.

longstrangetrip wrote:

TheFuture wrote:

worldK wrote:With the way free aency is going right now, it might be smarter to not sign anyone and wait for opportunities to trade and absorb contracts from other teams that are outbidding each other.

Example, Warriors and OKC are looking to add horford but needs to clear space to do so. I will look for opportunities to get kanter or bogut form those teams. Their contract look like bargains now compared to what is happening now and both are good fits to the team. They are 2 different type of bigs but would be good additions to the roster.

How much space does OKC need to land Horford? Any possibility we can trade pekovic for kanter to give them the extra 7 mil or so they may need to do that?

I'm not familiar with OKC's cap space. I'm assuming they'd need to completely dump a player like Kanter for nothing in order to make this deal, but with the new cap space im not sure.

That depends...did they pick up their options on Ilyasova and Morrow? If not, their payroll is at only $42 million. So they could give Horford a max contract, and then sign Durant to a 1-year max even though it puts them over the cap. They still could sign both Horford and Durant if they have picked up Ilyasova and Morrow's option, but they would be in serious danger of going into the lux tax...and OkC has not been willing to do that before.

It doesn't make sense for okc to have horford, adams and kanter together with durant also able to play 4 very well. Kanter will have to go if they are looking to add horford to the team. Illyasova and morrow could be cut to avoild luxury tax or moved to add depth or retain as they are players who can shoot. I will look for opportubity to get kanter as he gives us that inside bruiser/rebounder we are looking for with pek likely done.