Minnesota Sports Forum

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-trade-rumors-lamarcus-aldridge-kyle-lowry-ricky-rubio/

"As the Timberwolves have begun to play more of their young players, Minnesota has received calls from teams on several of their veterans, including Ed Davis, Ricky Rubio, Juancho Hernangomez and Jake Layman, HoopsHype has learned," wrote Scotto.

Minnesota has also continued to keep tabs on forwards John Collins and Aaron Gordon. Minnesota's first-round pick this season is Top 3 protected, and the Timberwolves also own their first-round pick from 2023 onward, which can be used as trade bait."

I get Rubio but why on earth would teams be looking at giving up assets for the other players?

Maybe the only assets they'd be willing to give up for some of those guys would be cap space.

TheSP wrote:Maybe the only assets they'd be willing to give up for some of those guys would be cap space.

I kind of want to keep Layman, but if we only got expiring contracts and a 2nd round pick or two for the rest of them I would cry tears of happiness!

Trade them all for whatever positive value you can extract for them. The only player worth keeping around in that group would be Ricky Rubio because his value might not be as high as it was this summer and there may be optimism that he can finish the season strong.

Camden wrote:Trade them all for whatever positive value you can extract for them. The only player worth keeping around in that group would be Ricky Rubio because his value might not be as high as it was this summer and there may be optimism that he can finish the season strong.

$17,800,000 next year, no matter how you look at it Rubio is better off the books than on them.

Tactical unit wrote:

Camden wrote:Trade them all for whatever positive value you can extract for them. The only player worth keeping around in that group would be Ricky Rubio because his value might not be as high as it was this summer and there may be optimism that he can finish the season strong.

$17,800,000 next year, no matter how you look at it Rubio is better off the books than on them.

Best time to trade Ricky will be at the trade deadline next season. At that point, he'll be a large expiring contract who could help a contending team down the stretch. Furthermore, his value can only go up from where it's at. He's been having the worst season of his career by far. I think part of it has been lingering effects of Covid, but some of it might be the players around him and a bad head coach in Saunders. He's just starting to play better the past couple weeks and that bodes well for his trade value down the road. If we get a good offer this month, then I'm fine trading him. But I think his value will be higher around this time next season.

I'm starting to like Jake Layman. And he's on a very team-friendly contract. So I wouldn't be eager to trade Jake, although I'm fine trading him for decent value in return. But I'd be thrilled if the Wolves could get anything for Ed Davis. And I'd be happy if we could get decent value in return for Juancho.

My fantasy is a deal that sends Juancho, Culver, and a future lottery-protected first to Atlanta for John Collins. But otherwise, I'm content to roll with what we have the rest of the season. I like the development we've seen from Vandy and McDaniels. Meanwhile Edwards is starting to look worthy of being the first pick in the draft and Nowell is looking like the player I thought he'd be when the Wolves drafted him. And we appear to finally have an NBA-caliber head coach. So let's see how this team finishes the season and how much more development we see in the young guys like Edwards, McDaniels, Nowell and Vandy. Let's see what happens with DLO gets back. This isn't the time for desperation. If this team really needs to do a deal, there will be plenty of opportunities on draft day.

Will Rosas grossly overpay in a trade-deadline deal this season? You might find your answer in the following from Hoopshype on the Wolves interest in John Collins:

With 13 days until the deadline, teams are beginning to sniff around Collins, including the Timberwolves, who Jackie MacMullan says are "dying" to acquire the former 19th overall pick. "Minnesota wants him bad," MacMullan told her former ESPN colleague Bill Simmons (now of The Ringer) Friday on his podcast. "They really want him. I think there are other teams too, but from what I understand, Minnesota particularly." 2 days ago - via radio.com

We all know what happens when Rosas is "dying to acquire" a player. We saw it with DLO as Rosas courted him as a free agent and then ultimately gave up what I'm sure no other team in the League would have even considered giving up to get him. We saw it in somewhat more minor forms when Rosas traded for Ricky after failing to sign him as a free agent before last season and again when Rosas re-signed Juancho to a contract that I doubt any other team would have come close to offering. So as much as I like John Collins, and I do, I dread the deal that Rosas will likely make to get him here.

I think Rosas is the type of GM that when he feels the pressure to win, he goes all out and does everything he can to win. It's his job on the line, wouldn't be shocked at all if on the low end he makes a slight overpay of Culver, lightly protected 1st & a 2nd and I think I would be ok with it. On the high end he pays Culver, Hernangomez, & two lightly protected 1st. Either way I think he will be paying up to add a PF and if it were my job on the line I'd probably do the same. If he doesn't have wins after the trades and new coach to point to.....he'll be fired.

Tactical unit wrote:I think Rosas is the type of GM that when he feels the pressure to win, he goes all out and does everything he can to win. It's his job on the line, wouldn't be shocked at all if on the low end he makes a slight overpay of Culver, lightly protected 1st & a 2nd and I think I would be ok with it. On the high end he pays Culver, Hernangomez, & two lightly protected 1st. Either way I think he will be paying up to add a PF and if it were my job on the line I'd probably do the same. If he doesn't have wins after the trades and new coach to point to.....he'll be fired.

I don't think Rosas was feeling pressured when he overpaid for DLO or even for Juancho. He just loved those players and believed they fit his "vision." But now that the Wolves haven't improved at all since those deals and have the worst record in the League, I suspect he is currently feeling desperate. I certainly appreciate his motivation to save his job. But if I were the owner, I wouldn't let his zeal to save his ass justify a bad deal that fails to significantly move the need forward or that jeopardizes the future of the franchise. If Rosas is feeling desperate now to save his job it's because of dumb moves he's made. You don't fix dumb by allowing dumber.