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Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:43 pm
by AussieWolf3
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:30 pm
At least there is no reason for TC to hold back on anything…
Terrible game, but consistent with the Utah game.
I wonder if this four-game losing streak and decent into the play-in group will put Julius back in play? Just a few days ago I thought we were locked in with the top six guys, but four straight losses including two very winnable ones is tough to stomach.
You can't have TWO stars whose interest in the details of the game come and go and Connelly ain't trading Ant.
It's particularly tough to stomach after how positive everything was going in January and everyone was sticking with them even after the Rockets and Spurs losses. They needed to come on strong after those losses tho and these two lastest ones have really put things back in doubt again.
I will still go to bat for the top 6 players and say that's it's one of the best in the league but the drop off from there is a major issue
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:46 pm
by FNG
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:30 pm
At least there is no reason for TC to hold back on anything…
Terrible game, but consistent with the Utah game.
I wonder if this four-game losing streak and decent into the play-in group will put Julius back in play? Just a few days ago I thought we were locked in with the top six guys, but four straight losses including two very winnable ones is tough to stomach.
You can't have TWO stars whose interest in the details of the game come and go and Connelly ain't trading Ant.
I was thinking the same thing, Q. Before the last two games, I thought there was almost no chance TC would make a move, but now I'm not so sure. Seems weird to be so down on a guy who just put up 30 points on 17 shots, but I thought Ju was terrible tonight.
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:50 pm
by Phenom
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
Phenom wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:32 pm
Definitely need some more bench juice. The rare Ant foul trouble game makes it show.
But why are the Bulls even trading one of their guards? They are historically trade averse and the guards are playing pretty good.
Ayo and Coby are expiring contracts.
The irony is a win would have moved the Wolves into 4th place. The loss only cements their place in the play-in. At least the Warriors lost, so the Wolves have a cushion atop the play-in blob.
But why not just keep them?
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:59 pm
by Q-is-here
AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:43 pm
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:30 pm
At least there is no reason for TC to hold back on anything…
Terrible game, but consistent with the Utah game.
I wonder if this four-game losing streak and decent into the play-in group will put Julius back in play? Just a few days ago I thought we were locked in with the top six guys, but four straight losses including two very winnable ones is tough to stomach.
You can't have TWO stars whose interest in the details of the game come and go and Connelly ain't trading Ant.
It's particularly tough to stomach after how positive everything was going in January and everyone was sticking with them even after the Rockets and Spurs losses. They needed to come on strong after those losses tho and these two lastest ones have really put things back in doubt again.
I will still go to bat for the top 6 players and say that's it's one of the best in the league but the drop off from there is a major issue
Yeah, this is the second game in a row where our bench guards just got blasted by the opposing team's bench guards if you just compare the box scores. It's not even close.
But even with a thin bench, Ant and Julius just can't let these two losses happen.
At minimum, Connelly needs to address the backup guard(s) position. But if these low-intensity/IQ losses keep piling up over the next week, then perhaps he has some even bigger fish to fry.
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:03 pm
by Lipoli390
AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:43 pm
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:30 pm
At least there is no reason for TC to hold back on anything…
Terrible game, but consistent with the Utah game.
I wonder if this four-game losing streak and decent into the play-in group will put Julius back in play? Just a few days ago I thought we were locked in with the top six guys, but four straight losses including two very winnable ones is tough to stomach.
You can't have TWO stars whose interest in the details of the game come and go and Connelly ain't trading Ant.
It's particularly tough to stomach after how positive everything was going in January and everyone was sticking with them even after the Rockets and Spurs losses. They needed to come on strong after those losses tho and these two lastest ones have really put things back in doubt again.
I will still go to bat for the top 6 players and say that's it's one of the best in the league but the drop off from there is a major issue
I think we have a starter problem. Our starting PF had 5 turnovers and was a -8. Rudy was a -1. Our star player, Edwards, hit only 36% of his FG attempts and only 1 of his 8 threes while committing 5 personal fouls. He had only one foul shot attempt the entire game. If we’re a championship team our starters have to perform MUCH better than that against a team like the Bulls. Our starters should have dominated that game, leaving enough of a margin for our bench. I’ll add that our best plus-minus player was a bench guy named Naz Reid. It’s becoming clear we can’t count on this group of starters to bring the consistent intensity and judgment needed to complete for a championship. This isn’t fixable with a trade-deadline deal for another bench player. It will require a more substantial set of moves, a mini-overhaul in the off season.
Certainly, adding Tre Jones this season would be a huge improvement over either Conley or Bone - especially over Conley. But Trey Jones or Coby White won’t bump this team into championship contention with the starters we have. I still think this team has championship talent, but the mentality isn’t there. And I’m coming back to my prior thinking that having two ball-dominant, ball-stalling players together (Randle and Ant) doesn’t work.
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:17 pm
by KiwiMatt
I’m ready for Wolves 2.0 even if it means taking a step backwards for a season or two.
The holes are too great. Adding a guy like Tre Jones does little when you’ve got such an unbalanced roster. Plus why would Chicago want Mike Conley and or Rob Dillingham for him.
I turned it off half way through the 3rd as I could just see where this one was going. Team looks tired, led by Grandpa Conley who simply shouldn’t be playing at this stage. Watching a 10 point led evaporate in minutes while Finch ran with a backcourt of Conley and Bones was painful. Bones isn’t the second coming of Jamal Crawford. Just play Rob Dillingham, he atleast has the highest ceiling of the three. Finch’s obsession with playing Conley is beyond a concern now. Maybe it’s Micah’s turn to take the reins of this franchise.
I’m open to trading anyone outside of Ant, Jaden, Reid, Rudy and Behringer.
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:18 pm
by Q-is-here
Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:03 pm
AussieWolf3 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:43 pm
Q-is-here wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
I wonder if this four-game losing streak and decent into the play-in group will put Julius back in play? Just a few days ago I thought we were locked in with the top six guys, but four straight losses including two very winnable ones is tough to stomach.
You can't have TWO stars whose interest in the details of the game come and go and Connelly ain't trading Ant.
It's particularly tough to stomach after how positive everything was going in January and everyone was sticking with them even after the Rockets and Spurs losses. They needed to come on strong after those losses tho and these two lastest ones have really put things back in doubt again.
I will still go to bat for the top 6 players and say that's it's one of the best in the league but the drop off from there is a major issue
I think we have a starter problem. Our starting PF had 5 turnovers and was a -8. Rudy was a -1. Our star player, Edwards, hit only 36% of his FG attempts and only 1 of his 8 threes while committing 5 personal fouls. He had only one foul shot attempt the entire game. If we’re a championship team our starters have to perform MUCH better than that against a team like the Bulls. Our starters should have dominated that game, leaving enough of a margin for our bench. I’ll add that our best plus-minus player was a bench guy named Naz Reid. It’s becoming clear we can’t count on this group of starters to bring the consistent intensity and judgment needed to complete for a championship. This isn’t fixable with a trade-deadline deal for another bench player. It will require a more substantial set of moves, a mini-overhaul in the off season.
Certainly, adding Tre Jones this season would be a huge improvement over either Conley or Bone - especially over Conley. But Trey Jones or Coby White won’t bump this team into championship contention with the starters we have. I still think this team has championship talent, but the mentality isn’t there. And I’m coming back to my prior thinking that having two ball-dominant, ball-stalling players together (Randle and Ant) doesn’t work.
Funny how the Wolves Basketball Decision Tree always ends up at "Trade Julius", no matter how circuitous of a route one takes!
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:18 pm
by 60WinTim
Phenom wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:50 pm
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
Phenom wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:32 pm
Definitely need some more bench juice. The rare Ant foul trouble game makes it show.
But why are the Bulls even trading one of their guards? They are historically trade averse and the guards are playing pretty good.
Ayo and Coby are expiring contracts.
The irony is a win would have moved the Wolves into 4th place. The loss only cements their place in the play-in. At least the Warriors lost, so the Wolves have a cushion atop the play-in blob.
But why not just keep them?
They are worried about losing them for nothing in the offseason.
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:43 pm
by Lipoli390
KiwiMatt wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:17 pm
I’m ready for Wolves 2.0 even if it means taking a step backwards for a season or two.
The holes are too great. Adding a guy like Tre Jones does little when you’ve got such an unbalanced roster. Plus why would Chicago want Mike Conley and or Rob Dillingham for him.
I turned it off half way through the 3rd as I could just see where this one was going. Team looks tired, led by Grandpa Conley who simply shouldn’t be playing at this stage. Watching a 10 point led evaporate in minutes while Finch ran with a backcourt of Conley and Bones was painful. Bones isn’t the second coming of Jamal Crawford. Just play Rob Dillingham, he atleast has the highest ceiling of the three. Finch’s obsession with playing Conley is beyond a concern now. Maybe it’s Micah’s turn to take the reins of this franchise.
I’m open to trading anyone outside of Ant, Jaden, Reid, Rudy and Behringer.
I’m exactly where you’re at, Matt, except that I’d be open to trading Rudy as well. But my take is that we should hold off on any major trades until the off season when we’ll have more options and can address the team’s problems more comprehensively and build Wolves 2.0 strategically around a core of Ant, Jaden, Naz and Beringer. Of course, if the Celtics knock on our door and offer Derrick White for John Randle and Miller, then hooray. But that’s not going to happen.
The one move I’d be inclined to make right now is replacing Finch with Mike Malone in a last ditch effort to light a fire under what I consider to be an underperforming team. I don’t think Nori is the answer. He’s just an extension of Finch at this point.
Re: Audition night- Bulls/Wolves GDT
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 11:19 pm
by Phenom
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:18 pm
Phenom wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:50 pm
60WinTim wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:37 pm
Ayo and Coby are expiring contracts.
The irony is a win would have moved the Wolves into 4th place. The loss only cements their place in the play-in. At least the Warriors lost, so the Wolves have a cushion atop the play-in blob.
But why not just keep them?
They are worried about losing them for nothing in the offseason.
That's possible but they could just pay them to stay which is their M.O. Their cap sheet is pretty clean, even with Patrick Williams making 18M.