Minnesota Sports Forum

One reason to spend big on a player like Barnes would be the salary floor. If the salary cap is 90 million we need to be at 90% of the cap or 81 million, so if Garnett retires we will need to spend 20+ million just to hit the salary floor. Lets say we miss out on every big free agent, we will have to give a 15+ million 1 or 2 year deal to a player like Jeremy Lin or Eric Gordon just to hit the floor. Would you rather pay Barnes 20 or Lin 15? Now if we get a top pick and draft Ingram, I would look to sign a big such as Ryan Anderson or Terrence Jones. Another reason to add talent now would be, in a few years once we start to sign our players to big contracts it will be impossible to sign a good player. We can add veterans to cheap contracts but adding actual core players will be a lot harder to do. Swinging for the fences on a young 3 and D player such as Barnes might just be the move that helps us take a big step. Now we don't necessarily have to do it this year, we could sign someone to a big one year contract to hit the floor and try for a big free agent in the Summer of 17.

I don't think the penalty for being under the salary cap floor is much of a penalty.

I say go all in on Cousins. I would deal pek bazz lavine and top pick this year for him. Simply hes the best player that is attainable out there. Cousins towns and wiggins should be great.

crazysauce wrote:I say go all in on Cousins. I would deal pek bazz lavine and top pick this year for him. Simply hes the best player that is attainable out there. Cousins towns and wiggins should be great.

Living up to your username with that idea!

Penalty for not meeting the salary floor is dispersing the money you need to get to the floor among your current players

Hypothetically, would you rather sign Harrison Barnes OR Allen Crabbe AND Ryan Anderson? I'll take the latter.

Camden wrote:Hypothetically, would you rather sign Harrison Barnes OR Allen Crabbe AND Ryan Anderson? I'll take the latter.

Barnes easily. Highest FG% and 3PT% and only plus defender of the bunch. Also the most versatile of the bunch. Could see him playing minutes at SG-PF

Camden wrote:Hypothetically, would you rather sign Harrison Barnes OR Allen Crabbe AND Ryan Anderson? I'll take the latter.

It all depends who we draft honestly. If we get Simmons or Ingram then there is no need for Barnes, but if we end up with Dunn or Skal we should go after a guy like Barnes.

northernhoops wrote:

Camden wrote:Hypothetically, would you rather sign Harrison Barnes OR Allen Crabbe AND Ryan Anderson? I'll take the latter.

Barnes easily. Highest FG% and 3PT% and only plus defender of the bunch. Also the most versatile of the bunch. Could see him playing minutes at SG-PF

Crabbe career slashes: 44.6 FG%, 37.6 3P%, 81.6 FT%
Barnes career slashes: 44.4 FG%, 37.6 3P%, 74.5 FT%

Crabbe 2015-16 shooting: 46.5 FG% on 9.2 FGA, 38.4 3P% (1.4 - 3.7 per game), 83.9 FT%
Barnes 2015-16 shooting: 47.1 FG% on 9.9 FGA, 39.5 3P% (1.1 - 2.9 per game), 84.1 FT%

Shooting-wise, they're very similar in terms of efficiency with Crabbe being the better volume 3P shooter (he's also deadly from both corners). I think people sleep on the season Crabbe's having after filling in for Batum sporadically last season. Also, Crabbe's not too shabby on defense himself. He's been in and out at SG and SF this season depending on whatever Portland needs to do matchup-wise.

The real difference between the two is what it'll take to sign Barnes is probably double what Crabbe will get based on hype and "potential". Crabbe reminds me of Danny Green and I'd rather us pursue him than Barnes, and if we feel frisky, we could pursue Anderson as well.

Cam, What is your take on Evan Fournier? Nicholson had a strong start to his career and then tailed off. I think he would be a good pickup and might have some upside as you mentioned.