Minnesota Sports Forum

So now we have Justin Patton and some guy named Jimmy Butler. I liked that trade with the Bulls, but think in order for it to really make sense we need a big move in Free Agency. Anyone else agree?

I think we need to fill out the team with secondary pieces now. We have our top 3. Get a good bench now. If you can get a Millsap or Ibaka for cheaper because of the Butler presence that's fine, but we'll frankly be too top heavy if we blow through all our cap on 1 guy because we need a backup at 4 of the 5 positions on the team now.

bleedspeed177 wrote:So now we have Justin Patton and some guy named Jimmy Butler. I liked that trade with the Bulls, but think in order for it to really make sense we need a big move in Free Agency. Anyone else agree?

I agree. I still want to see us go for it in Free Agency. I think we are going to get a much stronger look from free agents and I think the market is going to dictate competitive prices. My list hasn't changed very much. 1. Ibaka 2.Milsap 3.Galinari 4.Gibson 5. Reddick If we get one of those signings done particularly for a big I would be interested to see what kind of offer Bazz gets. If it is 10 mil or less I like bringing him back.

I don't know what is feasible what is our projected cap space like? I don't really like the idea of needing to shed any contracts to make another big move. I think I would aim lower and try to solidify the bench a little. I mentioned this in another thread but I like the idea of pursuing Taj Gibson to be a rim protector in the starting lineup. I think between Towns, Gorgui, Belly, and Gibson thats a great frontline. Then I would try to pick up a shooter from the wing like Thibs tried to last year with Rush. I figure between those two items the Wolves are probably capped out... Finally, and probably the least popular, I think the Wolves should retain Bazz if he is coming back at 8-10 million. Unless someone gives him a significant contract I don't think the Wolves should just let him go for nothing.

This few under the radar a bit last night. Pek's salary came off the books, effective yesterday. Coincidentally, the difference in salary we took on in the Butler trade about equaled Pek's salary. That means we can still have 20+ mil to spend in FAs if we renounce Bazz and company.

Alan posted his version of the Wolves depth chart:
Rubio Jones
Wiggins
Butler
Dieng Bjelica Patton
Towns Aldrich

So we need to spend $s on a minimum of 2 rotation players. Probably a combo guard that play the 1 or 2, and another wing, and then a wing that can play the 3 or 4. After that, the roster will likely be filled by left overs on vet minimum contracts.

One of the things Thibs needs to figure out is what attribute he weights more heavily in free agency - defense or shooting. Butler certainly goes a looooong ways toward helping our defense, but we still have big-time needs in both areas.

The bottom line is that free agency won't be able to cover all of our remaining holes. Thibs is going to need to count on some fairly significant organic development in one area or the other in order for us to be really good. My guess is that he tilts toward shooting in free agency and makes another run, with Butler's help, at molding the rest of the roster into a much better defensive unit. It didn't work last year, but may be this year they can finally turn it around.....

Q12543 wrote:One of the things Thibs needs to figure out is what attribute he weights more heavily in free agency - defense or shooting. Butler certainly goes a looooong ways toward helping our defense, but we still have big-time needs in both areas.

The bottom line is that free agency won't be able to cover all of our remaining holes. Thibs is going to need to count on some fairly significant organic development in one area or the other in order for us to be really good. My guess is that he tilts toward shooting in free agency and makes another run, with Butler's help, at molding the rest of the roster into a much better defensive unit. It didn't work last year, but may be this year they can finally turn it around.....

He was just on KFAN and I would say he wants 3pt shooting.

Also Barrerio asked him about ricky. He first praised him for the 2nd half of the year. Also said if we can improve we will look to improve

kekgeek1 wrote:

Q12543 wrote:One of the things Thibs needs to figure out is what attribute he weights more heavily in free agency - defense or shooting. Butler certainly goes a looooong ways toward helping our defense, but we still have big-time needs in both areas.

The bottom line is that free agency won't be able to cover all of our remaining holes. Thibs is going to need to count on some fairly significant organic development in one area or the other in order for us to be really good. My guess is that he tilts toward shooting in free agency and makes another run, with Butler's help, at molding the rest of the roster into a much better defensive unit. It didn't work last year, but may be this year they can finally turn it around.....

He was just on KFAN and I would say he wants 3pt shooting.

Also Barrerio asked him about ricky. He first praised him for the 2nd half of the year. Also said if we can improve we will look to improve

Makes sense. I love the fact Rubio has survived on the roster after all this time and rumors of inevitable trade, but I can understand the logic of keeping our options open there. The Wiggins-Butler pairing is not ideal from a spacing perspective.....

Good thread. I've moved on from my misgivings about the Butler deal. It's a reality and it could turn out to be a great move over the short AND long term. Much depends on the moves the Wolves front office makes in what Bleed accurately termed "2017 offseason part 2."

With the draft over and our attractive assets already traded in the Butler deal, Bleed is right that we need to make hay in free agency. At the same time, our resources aren't unlimited, and after absorbing Butler's contract, we no longer have the money to pay a max or near max contract for guys like Millsap, Ibaka or Gallinari. Instread, we'll have to focus on the next tier of free agents like Redick and possibly the tier below that.

Our top priority should be 3-point shooting and based on Thibs response to Barriero a few minutes ago, I'd say that Thibs will likely make that his priority in free agency this summer. Redick strikes me as the best 3-point shooter among the current crop of free agents, but signing him would probably eat up nearly all of our $20 million in cap space. Kyle Korver seems to limited and too old to fit well. It will be interesting to see who Thibs pursues and who we end up with to upgrade our three point shooting.

As Q pointed out, it's hard to see how we can significantly shore up our 3-point shooting and defense with our limited FA resources. And beyond our specific needs, we have a general need to fill and strengthen our bench. I'm excited about our starting five of KAT, Wiggins, Ricky, Gorgui and now Butler. And I like Belly off the bench, but he's coming back from foot surgery and there isn't much else after Belly. So lots of work to do.

I credit Thibs for pulling off the Butler deal in part 1 of our 2017 offseason. But it's not as if the deal wasn't an obvious possibility. Thibs will earn his keep in part 2 where he'll have to be more creative and do things in free agency or even by trade that aren't so obvious to the rest of us.

Just because fleecing Chicago was a possibility doesn't mean you downplay it. Look at the evisceration of Chicago throughout the league in the aftermath, at the very least you should be much more confident in GM Thibs after he just upstaged the entire draft. I don't think we have to shore up THAT much defense in FA either, we already have a plus defender and elite defender now in the starting lineup. Just need some growth from KAT and Wiggins. Go hard after 3 pour shooters and Paul Milsap or Jamychal Green