Wolves almost drafted Greek Freak

[Carlos Danger]

It's click bait. But fun story if you like "what ifs" :

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2015/11/17/report-timberwolves-nearly-picked-giannis-antetokounmpo-over-shabazz-muhammad/

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Giannis, KG/Bjelly, Towns, Wiggins, and Rubio. That's a top 5 defense right there.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Giannis, KG/Bjelly, Towns, Wiggins, and Rubio. That's a top 5 defense right there.

Rubio/Wiggins/Giannis/Towns/Gobert. That's a get the fuck off my floor level of defense.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Giannis, KG/Bjelly, Towns, Wiggins, and Rubio. That's a top 5 defense right there.

Rubio/Wiggins/Giannis/Towns/Gobert. That's a get the fuck off my floor level of defense.

Hell, that would be illegal in 49 states. May be we could get away with it in Texas.

[Carlos Danger]

I admit - I have fun with those type of "what ifs". But all of us know deep down that in reality - things don't happen in a vacuum. I think even the article alludes to the fact that if the Wolves did draft Giannis, then it's entirely possible they don't finish last and win the right to draft Towns. Still - fun to think about - ha!

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I admit - I have fun with those type of "what ifs". But all of us know deep down that in reality - things don't happen in a vacuum. I think even the article alludes to the fact that if the Wolves did draft Giannis, then it's entirely possible they don't finish last and win the right to draft Towns. Still - fun to think about - ha!

The thing is though do you think year 2 Giannis was good enough over Wiggins (and then Wiggins over Zach and Martin) to help us win that many more games last year? We were getting consistently blown out last year. We would have clearly been better with Rudy over Dieng because of the massive defensive upgrade at the rim where we were awful, but was Giannis that good last year where we think we win out of the bottom 3. I don't think so. I don't think his 13/7 is enough to get us out of the bottom 3 and then who knows if the lottery plays out the same. Maybe we were destined to get Towns as KG walks off into the sunset. Some of the hindsight changes can reasonably still lead to the result we have today. Also the team would actually be Rubio/Lavine/Giannis/Love/Gobert which one could argue is just as good for different reasons.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I admit - I have fun with those type of "what ifs". But all of us know deep down that in reality - things don't happen in a vacuum. I think even the article alludes to the fact that if the Wolves did draft Giannis, then it's entirely possible they don't finish last and win the right to draft Towns. Still - fun to think about - ha!

The thing is though do you think year 2 Giannis was good enough over Wiggins (and then Wiggins over Zach and Martin) to help us win that many more games last year? We were getting consistently blown out last year. We would have clearly been better with Rudy over Dieng because of the massive defensive upgrade at the rim where we were awful, but was Giannis that good last year where we think we win out of the bottom 3. I don't think so. I don't think his 13/7 is enough to get us out of the bottom 3 and then who knows if the lottery plays out the same. Maybe we were destined to get Towns as KG walks off into the sunset. Some of the hindsight changes can reasonably still lead to the result we have today. Also the team would actually be Rubio/Lavine/Giannis/Love/Gobert which one could argue is just as good for different reasons.

Forget about Giannis (yes, he would have helped A LOT). Utah's season... and future... changed entirely when Gobert was inserted into the lineup.

His impact last season defensively was off the charts. They had the league's best defense in multiple categories over the past 30 games or so. Statistically, he was the best rim protector in the L. With him... the Wolves don't finish in the bottom 3. With him AND Giannis AND Wiggins... they might not finish in the bottom 10 even with all the injuries.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I admit - I have fun with those type of "what ifs". But all of us know deep down that in reality - things don't happen in a vacuum. I think even the article alludes to the fact that if the Wolves did draft Giannis, then it's entirely possible they don't finish last and win the right to draft Towns. Still - fun to think about - ha!

The thing is though do you think year 2 Giannis was good enough over Wiggins (and then Wiggins over Zach and Martin) to help us win that many more games last year? We were getting consistently blown out last year. We would have clearly been better with Rudy over Dieng because of the massive defensive upgrade at the rim where we were awful, but was Giannis that good last year where we think we win out of the bottom 3. I don't think so. I don't think his 13/7 is enough to get us out of the bottom 3 and then who knows if the lottery plays out the same. Maybe we were destined to get Towns as KG walks off into the sunset. Some of the hindsight changes can reasonably still lead to the result we have today. Also the team would actually be Rubio/Lavine/Giannis/Love/Gobert which one could argue is just as good for different reasons.

Forget about Giannis (yes, he would have helped A LOT). Utah's season... and future... changed entirely when Gobert was inserted into the lineup.

His impact last season defensively was off the charts. They had the league's best defense in multiple categories over the past 30 games or so. Statistically, he was the best rim protector in the L. With him... the Wolves don't finish in the bottom 3. With him AND Giannis AND Wiggins... they might not finish in the bottom 10 even with all the injuries.

Well, Giannis' win shares on a much better team would have put us in 4th, 1 win better than the Lakers and that's with him getting credited with win shares on a better team so yes it is reasonable to say we still might have been bottom 3 with him. Gobert on the other hand was worth almost 10 wins last year which would have cleared the Magic for 5th which is why I took him out of the scenario for possibly still ending up with Towns.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I admit - I have fun with those type of "what ifs". But all of us know deep down that in reality - things don't happen in a vacuum. I think even the article alludes to the fact that if the Wolves did draft Giannis, then it's entirely possible they don't finish last and win the right to draft Towns. Still - fun to think about - ha!

The thing is though do you think year 2 Giannis was good enough over Wiggins (and then Wiggins over Zach and Martin) to help us win that many more games last year? We were getting consistently blown out last year. We would have clearly been better with Rudy over Dieng because of the massive defensive upgrade at the rim where we were awful, but was Giannis that good last year where we think we win out of the bottom 3. I don't think so. I don't think his 13/7 is enough to get us out of the bottom 3 and then who knows if the lottery plays out the same. Maybe we were destined to get Towns as KG walks off into the sunset. Some of the hindsight changes can reasonably still lead to the result we have today. Also the team would actually be Rubio/Lavine/Giannis/Love/Gobert which one could argue is just as good for different reasons.

Forget about Giannis (yes, he would have helped A LOT). Utah's season... and future... changed entirely when Gobert was inserted into the lineup.

His impact last season defensively was off the charts. They had the league's best defense in multiple categories over the past 30 games or so. Statistically, he was the best rim protector in the L. With him... the Wolves don't finish in the bottom 3. With him AND Giannis AND Wiggins... they might not finish in the bottom 10 even with all the injuries.

Well, Giannis' win shares on a much better team would have put us in 4th, 1 win better than the Lakers and that's with him getting credited with win shares on a better team so yes it is reasonable to say we still might have been bottom 3 with him.

With him AND Gobert?

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I admit - I have fun with those type of "what ifs". But all of us know deep down that in reality - things don't happen in a vacuum. I think even the article alludes to the fact that if the Wolves did draft Giannis, then it's entirely possible they don't finish last and win the right to draft Towns. Still - fun to think about - ha!

The thing is though do you think year 2 Giannis was good enough over Wiggins (and then Wiggins over Zach and Martin) to help us win that many more games last year? We were getting consistently blown out last year. We would have clearly been better with Rudy over Dieng because of the massive defensive upgrade at the rim where we were awful, but was Giannis that good last year where we think we win out of the bottom 3. I don't think so. I don't think his 13/7 is enough to get us out of the bottom 3 and then who knows if the lottery plays out the same. Maybe we were destined to get Towns as KG walks off into the sunset. Some of the hindsight changes can reasonably still lead to the result we have today. Also the team would actually be Rubio/Lavine/Giannis/Love/Gobert which one could argue is just as good for different reasons.

Forget about Giannis (yes, he would have helped A LOT). Utah's season... and future... changed entirely when Gobert was inserted into the lineup.

His impact last season defensively was off the charts. They had the league's best defense in multiple categories over the past 30 games or so. Statistically, he was the best rim protector in the L. With him... the Wolves don't finish in the bottom 3. With him AND Giannis AND Wiggins... they might not finish in the bottom 10 even with all the injuries.

Well, Giannis' win shares on a much better team would have put us in 4th, 1 win better than the Lakers and that's with him getting credited with win shares on a better team so yes it is reasonable to say we still might have been bottom 3 with him.

With him AND Gobert?

I took Gobert out when I said he would have been a significant upgrade over Dieng. My argument was just Giannis still allowing us to get Towns.