Iowa Wolves vs Nets

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

I didnt think he had it in him, but Martin showed some defensive chops tonight eventhough dinwiddie was looking for him.

If martin can be a decent defender and shooter, hes another guy you can play off of wiggs and kat. I think he might have 20+ days left on his NBA days of service, I think thats why they are saving nowell.

[Leado01]

Kekgeek . . . called the Naz . . . well done.

Possibly my favorite win of the season

[Lipoli390]

Welp after this one game I'm comfortable saying we just need to trust the process.

I don't think anyone is saying that. But I can live with losing this season if the wolves battle and young guys show improvement. Tonight they battled and Culver, KBD and Naz looked solid

I agree Kekgeek. For me this season has always been about the team showing heart and the young guys developing.

[Lipoli390]

I didnt think he had it in him, but Martin showed some defensive chops tonight eventhough dinwiddie was looking for him.

If martin can be a decent defender and shooter, hes another guy you can play off of wiggs and kat. I think he might have 20+ days left on his NBA days of service, I think thats why they are saving nowell.

I've been high on Martin since watching him in Summer League. He's a legitimate 3-point shooter. But I also like that he can impact the game with his rebounding and defense when his shots aren't falling.

[Lipoli390]

If im rosas, I'm looking ro trade okogie. Id rather give those minutes to martin and nowell.

I wouldn't trade him for two reasons. First, you rarely trade a guy at his lowest point unless he's a team cancer or wants out and it ends up being an amicable parting of the ways. Second, he has a really strong work ethic and hustles his ass off. You need guys like that at the end of your bench. He can still be of value off the bench when a shot of energy and hustle is needed. Now if he was part of a package that brought in a high-value asset, then sure.

I agree, Q. Okogie has looked bad the past couple weeks, but he's a better player than we've seen. And no matter what, he's always hustling and making things happen in ways that don't necessarily show up in the box score. As you said, that alone makes him valuable as a bench players. He's on a relatively cheap cap-friendly contract as well.

If the Wolves are looking to move players, they should be looking to move Teague and Covington. Those are guys who currently get significant minutes but who aren't good fits for the long-term. Moreover, they are players who could potentially bring back some significant value in return. AS you mentioned, trading Okogie could make sense for the team as part of a package that included Covington and/or Teague. But I don't see anything materializing on that scale until next June's draft. I think Covington will have maximum value leading up to and during the draft. That's when I think this front office can make its mark - either packaging players and picks for young all-star to pair with KAT or to move up in the draft for someone the front office really likes.

[kekgeek]

Welp after this one game I'm comfortable saying we just need to trust the process.

I don't think anyone is saying that. But I can live with losing this season if the wolves battle and young guys show improvement. Tonight they battled and Culver, KBD and Naz looked solid

I agree Kekgeek. For me this season has always been about the team showing heart and the young guys developing.

And that is why I have been super frustrated this season. We were losing and the young guys were not playing or not playing well or team showed little joy or fight in them.

Tonight I thought it was a fun gritty win. I thought the offense moved better and got good looks through offensive movement eventhough the offensive numbers won't look great tonight.

I had fun watching the wolves tonight and that is why I watch to be entertained (I'm most entertained by wins.

I also think I had fun because I have an irrational love for Naz.

Now back to my bitching ways in a couple of days when the wolves lay an egg next game

[Porckchop]

Welp after this one game I'm comfortable saying we just need to trust the process.

I don't think anyone is saying that. But I can live with losing this season if the wolves battle and young guys show improvement. Tonight they battled and Culver, KBD and Naz looked solid

I agree Kekgeek. For me this season has always been about the team showing heart and the young guys developing.

I agree fellas, just a lil tongue tongue and cheek 76ers humor. Don't let this team wind you so tight!

[AbeVigodaLive]

Didn't watch. Again. Sorry... so I have little to add.

BUT...

What the heck is up with Kyrie Irving? He was playing well statistically (29 ppg) when he was injured 11 games in to the season with a "shoulder impingement." Whatever that is. The Nets were 4 - 7 and he was fresh off whining about being booed vs. Boston.

He hasn't played since and is well past his recovery timetable. He's not even close to practicing.

I know the Nets are playing for next season when Durant returns. But what about the other 10 - 13 players? Several of those guys went through the really tough times only to come out of it with a surprise playoff berth last season. Their reward was to be overwhelmed by the Kyrie Irving experience.

Only to see him chill and wait out the season until his buddy returns?

It's no shocker that the Nets have a better record without Irving... but it's probably fleeting considering LaVert is also injured. I just find it interesting that these organizations sort of treat every non-superstar in a callous "you don't matter" sort of way...

What sort of team chemistry/issues will be there next year? Will it even matter... or does talent supercede everything else in the NBA?

[Lipoli390]

Welp after this one game I'm comfortable saying we just need to trust the process.

I don't think anyone is saying that. But I can live with losing this season if the wolves battle and young guys show improvement. Tonight they battled and Culver, KBD and Naz looked solid

I agree Kekgeek. For me this season has always been about the team showing heart and the young guys developing.

And that is why I have been super frustrated this season. We were losing and the young guys were not playing or not playing well or team showed little joy or fight in them.

Tonight I thought it was a fun gritty win. I thought the offense moved better and got good looks through offensive movement eventhough the offensive numbers won't look great tonight.

I had fun watching the wolves tonight and that is why I watch to be entertained (I'm most entertained by wins.

I also think I had fun because I have an irrational love for Naz.

Now back to my bitching ways in a couple of days when the wolves lay an egg next game

If you accept that this is primarily a developmental and evaluation season for the young guys, then you'll have to get used to those young guys not playing well a lot of the time. That's simply part of evaluating and developing young players. But there are three things we should expect to see consistently all season:

1. First, as you've emphasized, we should see effort and fight while understanding that sometimes the intensity of young players can lapse.

2. Second, we should expect to see the organization giving the young guys significant and consistent playing time though bad times and good. They're aren't going to develop and they can't be fully evaluated if they don't play and the G-League experience can only tell you so much. The truth is that young players are going to fail a lot before they succeed. That goes hand and hand with development. I'll add that a significant part of playing the young guys is NOT playing the older guys like Teague.

3. Third, we should expect to see the coaching staff adapt its system to reflect the young players being developed and evaluated. If this coaching staff continues to run a 3-point oriented offense with young players who aren't particularly good 3-point shooters, those young guys won't succeed, won't develop and can't be fully evaluated. Last night's game with more mid-range and post-ups was an encouraging sign that the coaching staff might finally be coming around. I'll add that running plays with ball-movement to close out quarters should NOT be limited to those games when Wiggins and Teague aren't playing. That 1 on 5 crap with Wiggins and Teague to close out quarters (and other times) has to stop.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

If im rosas, I'm looking ro trade okogie. Id rather give those minutes to martin and nowell.

I wouldn't trade him for two reasons. First, you rarely trade a guy at his lowest point unless he's a team cancer or wants out and it ends up being an amicable parting of the ways. Second, he has a really strong work ethic and hustles his ass off. You need guys like that at the end of your bench. He can still be of value off the bench when a shot of energy and hustle is needed. Now if he was part of a package that brought in a high-value asset, then sure.

I agree, Q. Okogie has looked bad the past couple weeks, but he's a better player than we've seen. And no matter what, he's always hustling and making things happen in ways that don't necessarily show up in the box score. As you said, that alone makes him valuable as a bench players. He's on a relatively cheap cap-friendly contract as well.

If the Wolves are looking to move players, they should be looking to move Teague and Covington. Those are guys who currently get significant minutes but who aren't good fits for the long-term. Moreover, they are players who could potentially bring back some significant value in return. AS you mentioned, trading Okogie could make sense for the team as part of a package that included Covington and/or Teague. But I don't see anything materializing on that scale until next June's draft. I think Covington will have maximum value leading up to and during the draft. That's when I think this front office can make its mark - either packaging players and picks for young all-star to pair with KAT or to move up in the draft for someone the front office really likes.

I actually think RoCo is a good fit long-term. He's one of the few players on our roster that can defend and hit a 3, the two things we need more than anything. And he doesn't cost much. He'll be able to play his game for years to come. I can almost guarantee that we will not get equal value back for him.