Minnesota Sports Forum

First off, I haven't been posting much here lately because, well, since Rubio went down I haven't felt the need to say much. It's just plain ugly. We were a half of basketball away from 3-2, and now we're 5-30. Only in Timberwolvesland does bullshit like this happen. Luckily I'm so used to it by this point it barely phases me.

But looking at that bigger picture, this season COULD be best case scenario. Reasons:

*1) This is the big one: Wiggins is FOR REAL. I think everybody hoped we might have a superstar in Wiggins, and from what I've seen, I really think we do. I'm shocked at what he has been able to do offensively at age 19. I did not see this coming at all.

A few observations: (1) He is amazing when he takes the ball to the basket. You really see his elite athleticism on display. Awesome body control. Not to mention he doesn't shy away from contact. This is huge. I see him possibly leading the league in free throw attempts at some point. (2) He's a better passer than I thought. Already when he gets doubled he is finding open guys on the perimeter. Unfortunately we don't have players that can make those shots. (3) I'm not disappointed with his motor. I see a guy who is locked in all the time. Yeah he doesn't show a lot of emotion, but he's in there grinding for balls and diving on the floor. OK he doesn't have the "give me the ball" killer instinct, YET, but already you can see the confidence growing. And Rubio is seeing that--and he's smart enough to know this is the guy who needs the ball. When Rubio comes back look for him to focus on getting the ball to Wiggins. That's what I'm looking forward to watching: those two trying to close out a close game.

Summary: I'm stoked about Wiggins. I would not trade him for 5 Kevin Loves right now. He is only 19! We got him. Thank you Kevin Love.

2) Bazz and Dieng. A good basketball team is made up of at least 8 strong players. Both these guys have proven they can be in the top 8 of a good team. Both are hard workers that continue to get better. Both bring a unique skill set to the table. This was a rare good draft for the Wolves, and it has potential to be great.

3) Rubio's development. Yes it was a small sample size, but behind Wiggins, this was the most important thing to look for this year. Early on he shot the ball better and didn't look like a 4th quarter liability. Also he embraced the leadership role. Again, small sample size, but I was excited about what I saw.

4) Rubio's injury (and to a lesser extent Pek and K-Mart getting injured). These injuries might turn out to be the best thing that happened to this franchise in years. Lets face it, even with a healthy Rubio, Pek, etc., the best case scenario for this squad was 35 to 40 wins and missing the playoffs. While that would have been much more fun to watch than 15 straight losses, these losses set the table for a LEGITIMATE shot at a top 3 pick. Getting a top 3 pick, or even the #1 pick (one time!!!) would be huge. The west right now is LOADED. It's a straight up gunfight. Right now the Wolves have a pea shooter. But how about adding Okafor or Towns, etc? Whoa. Then we have an arsenal.

Final thoughts on things I'm NOT concerned about:

1) Flip. Yeah the team has been terrible. But I don't see the guys quitting. I see them fighting hard and buying into the system. I like the way he is pushing Wiggins. I'm ok with the job he's doing.

2) Thad. Yeah he's been bad. But here's a guy who has been beaten down by being on terrible teams (Sixers last year--uhg), and on top of that he lost his mom this year. I'm confident won't overpay if we decide we want him back. But I also think we will see a much better player once Rubio returns. Thad is a guy who needs the ball in the right spots, not a guy who needs to be the man. In those first 5 games he was our best player, simply by playing in the flow of the game. Now whenever he gets the ball he tries to do too much, with bad results. And he's a terrible rebounder for his position--this will not change. So that said, I don't see him as our starting PF going forward. But a top 8 guy for the right contract? Yes.

Final final thought: Lets get Okafor. I've only seen him play once but I really liked what I saw. Rubio/Wiggins/Okafor. We might be comin'. There is darkness before dawn. But 10+ years of darkness is to much. Still, there's hope. There's always hope.

Terrific post, misty...my thoughts are very similar. This season has been painful to watch especially after the promise of the first 4 1/2 games. But I have the same feeling that there is serendipity in the course of events over the past three years, and the payoff will come. The losing seasons allowed us to draft Muhammad, Dieng and LaVine, who should be important pieces going forward. The petulant Love's desire to leave for the bright lights (and 6th seed) of Cleveland allowed Flip to pick up a terrific piece in Wiggins. And finally, the season-destroying injuries to Rubio/Pek/Martin both gave valuable development time to our youngsters, and almost guaranteed we will be adding either Towns or Okafor next year.

And there is still the very young Ricky Rubio, who teased us pre-injury with some exciting and effective play on both sides of the court. I can't wait to see how fun this team will be next year with Ricky feeding Dieng, Pek, Wiggins, Bazzy, Young, Bennett, Lavine, and either Towns or Okafor. Barring another season of ridiculous injuries, the next ten years will be a lot of fun.

Great post Misty and I'm with you. Its been a tough season and i've even missed some games this year because the team is so hard to watch right now but the re-build will be complete if we secure a top 3 pick. One thing to add that you and long didn't mention is how the coaching staff and ownership situation will unfold as this team gets good....

I'm kind of hoping all that KG talk earlier in the year becomes a reality and he puts an ownership group together and buys out Glen. KG owning the team will help in recruiting free agent vets and it'll add a lot of energy around the team.

If Flip coaches 1-2 more year and brings KG in for a year or two as a free agent and then owner (2 years out) I could really see things starting to role with the young core and a few vets by 2017/2018.

Barring injuries...in 2 years we look stacked

Rubio/Lavine
Wiggins/Martin/FA
Bazz/FA
Okafor or Towns/A_Bennett/FA
Dieng/PEK

Coach/Front Office: Flip/Sam Mitchell/Cassell/Hoiberg/Izzo?
Owner: KG led group

Good to hear from you Misty and maelstrom, don't be strangers.

I couldn't disagree more with point #4. How many lottery picks do we already have on the roster? At least 4 or 5, right? Two happen to be the past two #1 picks in the draft. Despite this, we are on track for a franchise record number of losses and field one of the worst defenses in the history of the NBA.

Hoping for homeruns in the draft is no way to run a franchise, and it has flat-out failed us for a decade now. We have swung and missed so many times it's not even funny. To say, "but this time it will be different!"...Well, I've heard that before.

Winning games. Competing hard. Having a systemic process for player evaluation that relies on progressive methods for talent assessment vs. "gut feel". Making smart, value-based moves, both little and big. Paying attention to roster management and details from the 15th man all they way up to the top. This is a culture that hasn't existed for 10 years.

I see no reason it will change other than through some combination of good luck and an occasional good decision. May be we can somehow stumble into something, but losing a gazillion games has no upside in my opinion.

Q you make a good point but a top 3 pick is a top 3 pick. We could take an alternate path and try to bring in a free agent power forward? What are the chances we sign K Love back? or Aldridge? Draymond Green?

I intentionally left Thad off my list because he's not an answer. I love the guys character but he doesnt stack up.

The reality is the only way to build in an NBA team in MN is thru the draft. Flip has done as best as I could expect over the last 2 years in the draft and I'd expect him to make the right pick next year on a big.

Would a KG owned team and/or a team with a young core like ours change the free agency situation?

Nope, can't agree with your take, q...I see misty's #4 as completely valid. Yes, we do have high draft pick talent on this team, but it's wasted if Ricky isn't running the point. The losses mean nothing to me, other than the obvious point that talent is spread evenly enough throughout the league that an NBA second team is not going to be competitive with any NBA first team...big surprise. Especially if that second team is being directed by a 19-year-old kid who didn't even play PG in college. We're losing because we are missing 3 veteran starters, and forced to rely on a bunch of talented but inexperienced youngsters playing against NBA vets. I don't believe the first 4 1/2 games were an aberration, and I expect to see more of the same when a healthy Ricky returns, especially if he brings a healthy Martin and Pek with him.

I'm more with Q on this.

First, I don't think the injuries have significantly benefitted the development of the young guys overall. Wiggins was going to get major minutes anyway given the lack of any starting caliber SF on the roster. And so was Dieng given Flip's stated intent to significantly limit Pek's minutes. LaVine has seen more minutes because of Rubio's injury, but I'm not sure those minutes have been a net benefit to him. He's been thrown into a nearly impossible position as a starting PG in the NBA as a 19-year old rookie who didn't even play PG in his limited minutes in college. I think it's hurt his confidence and diverted him from developing his game at his more natural SG position. As for the development of Shabazz, that's a product of his worth ethic. His increased playing time this season has been primarily a function of his improved play caused by his hard work and the Corey Brewer trade.

I do agree that the injuries will result in a higher first round pick (1-5 range rather than maybe the 7-10 range). But I honestly don't see any game-changer talent in this draft - no LeBron, Hakeem, MJ, Durant or even any Wiggns. So I don't see a huge difference between a top 3 versus a 5-10 range pick. I'll welcome the higher pick as some consolation for our bad injury luck this season, but it doesn't thrill me. I actually think Flip will trade the pick.

Wrote something similar to this earlier this week.

It's the perfect "Promise of Hope" campaign. The team completely falls apart and battles for the #1 pick (always the best way to market any Hope campaign). But this time, the Wolves get to continue to promote the last Hope campaign as a success (Wiggins).

"C'mon fans. Our plan is working. Just look at Wiggins. Imagine if we add more high picks. We're almost there. Just be patient."

So, now everybody can be excited about Wiggins AND next season's draft pick enough that we forget that the team is right back where it's been more often than any other team since its inception... at the bottom of the league.


[Note: I don't share the optimism of Muhammad or Dieng. Although I like things about both, I don't see either one a starter on a great team... or even a playoff team in the tough West. And rotation guys come and go. Build around Rubio and Wiggins and the hope of next year's pick. Then, rinse and repeat.]

How can some of you say having a higher draft pick is insignificant? How many times have we seen a supreme talent go right before our pick? Not to mention the trade power we could have depending on the circumstance. In all scenarios, that is a good thing. You can't expect to pick the diamond in the rough with a 6-10 pick. Much easier said than done. I'd also ask who some of you think is a similar talent to Towns, Okafor or Mudiay? I like Russell, Harrell and S.Johnson as much as the next guy, but they're not on the same level.

Camden0916 wrote:How can some of you say having a higher draft pick is insignificant? How many times have we seen a supreme talent go right before our pick? Not to mention the trade power we could have depending on the circumstance. In all scenarios, that is a good thing. You can't expect to pick the diamond in the rough with a 6-10 pick. Much easier said than done. I'd also ask who some of you think is a similar talent to Towns, Okafor or Mudiay? I like Russell, Harrell and S.Johnson as much as the next guy, but they're not on the same level.

Agreed, nevermind the fact that going the free agent route hasn't exactly netted this team much over the years. Plus the only FA that will come here are second and third tier players

2nd tier free agent < <<<< top 3 pick