Minnesota Sports Forum

Here are my main take-aways about some of the Wolves players after three preseason games divided into three categories: Impressive, Expected, DIsappointing

IMPRESSIVE:

1. Forbes -- We all knew he was an elite 3-point shooter. But I've been pleasantly surprised by the rest of his game. He's shown a nice mid-range game that has surprised me and and has also displayed ballhandling skills and an overall floor game I didn't know he had. So far, I'd say the Forbes acquisition was a really good one.

2. JMac -- He's picked up right where he left off late last season, but looks even better. I just love the way the ball moves and the offensive flows when he's in the game. He's also a pesky on-ball defender who must be a nightmare for opposing teams off the ball the way he flies around intercepting and deflecting passes. And he can hit shots.

3. Naz Reid -- I came down hard on Naz as a bad fit for the Wolves after the first preseason game. I wasn't down on his talent, however, which is why I suggested the Wolves might be able to trade him for a lower first-round pick or two second rounders. But having watching him now through three games, especially the last one against the Clippers, I think he's played his way into the Wolves regular season rotation and I consider him a keeper. I don't agree with those who think he's reached his ceiling. He looked quicker and even more skilled against the Clippers than he's ever looked. He has great hands and terrific footwork. I think his three-point shot will become more consistent. He's a guy who can score 20 points per game if given the chance. He's still not a good defender, but he's a good shot-blocker. I think his rebounding will be better this season. All in all, I like him as a bargain rotation big who can get points and block shots.

3. Nathan Knight -- He showed some potential last session, but he looks better than I thought he'd be. His energy, athleticism and set have been really impressive in his limited action these first two preseason games. It's not a total shock after watching him show some of his talent last season, but I'm still pleasantly surprised by how consistently good he's looked so far. I now understand why Connelly didn't just keep him on a two-way deal.

4. Luka Garza -- The Wolves front office will be guilty of malfeasance if they don't give Paschal's two-way contract to Garza. The former looks slow, overweight and disinterested, while Garza looks like the talented offensive big we saw with the Iowa Hawkeyes. We saw it in three successive players he made in the last few minutes of the game against the Clippers - a terrific pass to a cutter for a bucket, a block on the other end and a terrific hook shot for two points in the paint.

5. Jaylen Nowell -- He might be the most impressive player on this roster do far. His three-point shooting is still somewhat spotty, but his mid-range shooting, finishing at the rim and overall floor game have been terrific. He looks like a 6th man of the year candidate in my eyes.

EXPECTED

1. DLO -- I expected him to come back with the same terrific focus he showed on the defensive end last season and so far he has. He's also made some nifty passes that I expected to see from him this season. Unfortunately, he's also had his all-to-familiar mental lapses resulting in unforced turnovers and he's continued his erratic three-point shooting. I love his consistent effort and the talent is there. I'm still hoping that his three-point shooting becomes more consistent and that he reduces his turnovers, but I'm not expectI got it. I really wish the offense flowed as well with DLO in the game as it does with JMac, but I don't think it ever will. Nevertheless, he hasn't given me any reason to worry. So I expect him to be very solid for the Wolves again this season. The main question for him will be his health. Can he stay on the floor? That's the main question with DLO in my mind.

2. KAT -- He actually looked surprisingly good against the Clippers considering his lack of practice and what must have been a lot of fatigue from his recent illness that landed him in the hospital. As Cam said, KAT can score 20 in his sleep and do it efficiently. As with DLO, I'm still hoping for improvement from KAT. I'll believe it when I see it, but even with no improvement he's an elite offensive player and rebounder.

3. Gobert -- We've only seen him in one game, but that was enough to show that he's who we thought he was. While he hasn't yet showcased his rim protection this preseason, his one game was a reminder of his status as an elite rebounder. I'm not worried about Rudy Gobert. He'll protect the rim and rebound as well as or better than anyone else in the League. I'm hoping we see another level from him offensively. We'll see.

4. Taurean Prince -- He looked great in the first game, but he struggled with his shot against the Clippers. Overall, he's met my expectations. He's looked really healthy with a lot of bounce in his legs. I'm glad Connelly brought him back and I see him as part of the Wolves rotation.

DISAPPOINTING

1. Edwards -- Yes, he's looked good so far this preseason. But I had high very high expectations for him after what he did in the Memphis series last spring and I don't see the big leap forward I was expecting. Instead I see a player
who put on 10 pounds he didn't need - and that might be why he looks ever-so-slightly, but noticeably less explosive. I like his continued focus defensively and I don't see him regressing. Unfortunately, I have yet to see significant signs of the major advancement I was expecting to see in his game. I haven't written off the possibility that he'll take that big leap this season, but so far I'm disappointed in Edwards based on my lofty expectations.

2. McDaniels -- He's definitely taller and I think his ballhandling looks improved. Unfortunately, he's a victim in my eyes of the same lofty expectations I had for Ant after last season. I'm expecting McDaniels to take an even bigger leap forward this season than I was expecting from Ant. So far, in spite fo some brief flashes, I haven't seen enough to avoid feeling disappointed. Thankfully, we're talking three preseason games here, so I'm not panicked by any stretch.

3. Austin Rivers -- His effort and toughness have been as advertised. But his shooting looks terrible. Again, this is just three preseason games, but so far I'm disappointed in Rivers.

4. Kyle Anderson -- I've liked his ballhandling, passing and defense so far. He's clearly a solid, high-IQ player who can function effectively in the point forward role. But he can't shoot. That shouldn't be a surprise since Anderson himself said sometime last year that his shoulder surgery has hurt his shooting ability. If he continues to struggle with his shot the way he has so far this preseason, then his value as a rotation player is questionable. On the other hand, Vando couldn't shoot and was a net positive for the Wolves last season. Anderson doesn't provide the rebounding or disruptive defense that Vando provided, but he does a lot of things well and can provide significant value as a playmaker and defender. I just don't think he'll be the plus than some were expecting him to be.

Good observations Lip.

My big takeaway is that it appears this team can be pretty damn competitive even if they hit some injury issues. We have enough scorers to pick up the slack if a guy like Ant or KAT are out for some period of time. We have enough ball handlers to pick up the slack if DLO goes down for a stretch. Gobert may be the toughest guy to replace.

Overall, I haven't seen anything that would make me want to raise or reduce my wins total prediction. They are a deep, competitive team. I think the only question is if they are amongst the top 6-8 teams in the NBA or are they in that next tier down. I think they are right on the edge.

Q-was-here wrote:Good observations Lip.

My big takeaway is that it appears this team can be pretty damn competitive even if they hit some injury issues. We have enough scorers to pick up the slack if a guy like Ant or KAT are out for some period of time. We have enough ball handlers to pick up the slack if DLO goes down for a stretch. Gobert may be the toughest guy to replace.

Overall, I haven't seen anything that would make me want to raise or reduce my wins total prediction. They are a deep, competitive team. I think the only question is if they are amongst the top 6-8 teams in the NBA or are they in that next tier down. I think they are right on the edge.

I agree, Q. I'm struck by the team's depth. I thought we'd have decent depth before these preseason games, but the depth looks even better than I expected. I agree we're right on the cusp between being a 6th/7th seed as most pundits predict or a 3rd/4th seed. As I mention in the prediction thread, I think the key (other than health) will be the play of Edwards and McDaniels. If they both (especially McDaniels) take a significant step forward, then I see this team in the running for a 3rd or 4th seed in the West.

lipoli390 wrote:

Q-was-here wrote:Good observations Lip.

My big takeaway is that it appears this team can be pretty damn competitive even if they hit some injury issues. We have enough scorers to pick up the slack if a guy like Ant or KAT are out for some period of time. We have enough ball handlers to pick up the slack if DLO goes down for a stretch. Gobert may be the toughest guy to replace.

Overall, I haven't seen anything that would make me want to raise or reduce my wins total prediction. They are a deep, competitive team. I think the only question is if they are amongst the top 6-8 teams in the NBA or are they in that next tier down. I think they are right on the edge.

I agree, Q. I'm struck by the team's depth. I thought we'd have decent depth before these preseason games, but the depth looks even better than I expected. I agree we're right on the cusp between being a 6th/7th seed as most pundits predict or a 3rd/4th seed. As I mention in the prediction thread, I think the key (other than health) will be the play of Edwards and McDaniels. If they both (especially McDaniels) take a significant step forward, then I see this team in the running for a 3rd or 4th seed in the West.

Seems to me McDaniels is still falling short in the "do shit" parts of the game - deflections, rebounds, slashing dunks, loose balls. For a guy that doesn't have to worry about handling the ball or working hard to create shots, he doesn't make a whole lot else happen out there. But if he can play elite level defense and hit the corner 3 consistently, I'll be happy with him. Just not seeing the visions of Scottie Pippen or even Scottie Pippen-Lite unfortunately.

I'm a little surprised that you are down on Ant because he looks a little bigger. I mean he is averaging 17/4/3 on 50% shooting in the preseason in only 25 minutes a night. Comes out to be 23/5/4 if he was playing 34 minutes a night like he did last year with better d. I don't know, I think Ant has looked really good this offseason, also it is going to be hard to average in the high 20s for Ant because if so many options the wolves have on offense.

I have loved Anderson also. Dude has 2 pts this preseason but is a +21 for the preseason while filling up the other statistical categories. Ya he isn't a great shooter but he does so much good on the court and it's not Okogie when he got ball where it was a shot, out of control drive or turnovers, Anderson is putting pressure on the defense while being in control of what he wants to do without being a good shooter.

I agree mostly with the rest of your takeaway just disagree a good amount with those 2 takes.

kekgeek1 wrote:I'm a little surprised that you are down on Ant because he looks a little bigger. I mean he is averaging 17/4/3 on 50% shooting in the preseason in only 25 minutes a night. Comes out to be 23/5/4 if he was playing 34 minutes a night like he did last year with better d. I don't know, I think Ant has looked really good this offseason, also it is going to be hard to average in the high 20s for Ant because if so many options the wolves have on offense.

I have loved Anderson also. Dude has 2 pts this preseason but is a +21 for the preseason while filling up the other statistical categories. Ya he isn't a great shooter but he does so much good on the court and it's not Okogie when he got ball where it was a shot, out of control drive or turnovers, Anderson is putting pressure on the defense while being in control of what he wants to do without being a good shooter.

I agree mostly with the rest of your takeaway just disagree a good amount with those 2 takes.

Fair points, kek. My issue with Ant isn't his numbers. I don't put a lot of stock in preseason game numbers. My concern with Ant is that he doesn't seem as explosive as he's been in the past. I'm attributing what I see to his 10-pound weight gain, but maybe he's just holding back a bit. Again, I'm not down on him. My disappointment stems from my lofty expectations for him this season. He looks a bit more under control than last season, but I can't see him taking a big leap forward if he's even slightly less explosive than he's been. It's all conjecture at this point with only three preseason games to evaluate.

I agree with all you points on Anderson. But his inability to be a perimeter shooting threat significantly caps his value as a rotation player in my view.

I might be in the minority here. I'm a fan of Ant's weight and strength gain. I haven't seen a decrease in explosiveness this preseason, but I have seen him more effectively use his chest/leverage on defense. He can't be easily moved off his spot. I also think the additional weight will make him tougher to stop in the paint. Specifically, I think he'll be able to drive into bigs walling up and dish some punishment while still having the strength to convert the lay. One area we need to see Ant grow this year is free throw rate. My hope is that with the added mass he'll be more aggressive in seeking contact, which will result in more trips to the charity stripe, therefore resulting in an even more efficient scorer.

That's all speculation on my part, but I see his weight gain as a positive.

Another observation. Much like last year, the players on the roster appear to really like each other. That isn't the most important thing, but it absolutely helps. For instance, D'Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, Naz Reid, Wendell Moore Jr., and Josh Minott went paint-balling today. Does it matter that teammates are doing something together off the court? Eh, maybe, maybe not, but I personally tend to think good things happen when you actually like the person you're playing next to.

Camden wrote:Another observation. Much like last year, the players on the roster appear to really like each other. That isn't the most important thing, but it absolutely helps. For instance, D'Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, Naz Reid, Wendell Moore Jr., and Josh Minott went paint-balling today. Does it matter that teammates are doing something together off the court? Eh, maybe, maybe not, but I personally tend to think good things happen when you actually like the person you're playing next to.

I think it matters, Cam. How much? Hard to know. But chemistry and camaraderie matter on such a team-oriented sport like NBA basketball that spans a long 82 game season.

Camden wrote:Another observation. Much like last year, the players on the roster appear to really like each other. That isn't the most important thing, but it absolutely helps. For instance, D'Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, Naz Reid, Wendell Moore Jr., and Josh Minott went paint-balling today. Does it matter that teammates are doing something together off the court? Eh, maybe, maybe not, but I personally tend to think good things happen when you actually like the person you're playing next to.

Agreed, I think anything that impacts your culture is important. Having a good locker room and tight-knit team can only help, not hurt. But it's really hard for us as fans to know how well the whole team meshes away from the court. There is always going to be an element of me-first behavior in the NBA. They are all competing for the next contract.