Who's the target? Jimmy Buckets?

[Mstermisty [enjin:6864008]]

This off-season is huge. Watching other teams make bold moves to improve their teams while the Wolves bring in lumps of Cole Aldrich and Hill's bag of primo weed has gotten old. It's time to add a player or two that will actually move the needle and get us into the playoffs and hopefully beyond.

My guess is Jimmy Butler is going to be the #1 target. He fits perfectly: Thibs guy, still only 27, tough defender, steps up at the end of games. And beyond that his contract is great: 18.5 Million next year, 19.8 the following year, and 19.8 the 3rd year, where he actually has a player option. So he wouldn't break the bank and we would have some flexibility down the road. But now the real question: could we offer enough to attain him? Would Lavine and the 8th pick be enough? Another question: would you give up Wiggins if we kept everyone else and our pick?

If not Jimmy, who? In my opinion the only player not on the table is Towns. I heard someone mention making a run at Deandre Jordan in another thread. Is Milsap possible? Who else?

[AbeVigodaLive]

We can start with what Boston was rumored to have to give up to get Butler. LaVine and the 8th doesn't get the Bulls to pick up the phone. Wiggins + 8th + ?... might...

_____________________________

And to be fair, both Jordan Hill and Cole Aldrich were significant rotation guys last season on teams much better than the Wolves.

With the disappointing Wolves, Jordan Hill played only 47 minutes all season. Aldrich is finishing up his worst season since his rookie one.

How much of it is on them? Thibs? Wolves lore?



[Note: The moves were largely heralded last summer because both were legit rotation guys picked up relatively cheap.]

[60WinTim]

Wiggins + #8 for Paul George.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I believe we absolutely have to bolster the two forward positions. Here would be my targets, by tier:

Tier I guys:
SF - Jimmy Butler, Paul George
PF - Paul Milsap (Unrestricted Free Agent)

- We'd have to trade Wiggins to have any chance at Butler or George. However, both are legit SFs that can score, rebound, pass, and defend and have at least 4 or 5 years left of peak performance years. We would have to hope LaVine eventually recovers fully from his injury and becomes our starting SG.
- Millsap would cost us a bundle, but we wouldn't have to trade anyone to get him. The guy can defend really well and give us a lot more scoring punch than Gorgui. The downside is that he is getting old.

Tier 2 guys:
SF - Robert Covington (team option), Rudy Gay (player option)
PF - Taj Gibson (unrestricted free agent)

- Covington is a great wing defender and rebounder. He gets a bunch of steals too. I'm not a big fan of Gay as a 1st or 2nd option scorer, but on our squad he could be re-purposed to focus on defense and rebounding since KAT and Wig would do more of the scoring. He could also play small ball 4.
- Taj Gibson could start next to KAT and hold his own, with Dieng and Bjelly still getting some minutes at the 4.

Tier 3
SF - PJ Tucker
PF - James Johnson

- Both these guys are UFAs this offseason, so wouldn't cost us any players to get either one. I could see Tucker as a starting SF that plays 25-28 minutes per game, with LaVine and Wiggins still getting significant time together against smaller lineups.
- James Johnson is more of a small-ball 4, so he'd likely come off the bench and sub for Dieng or whoever else we might have starting at 4. Given how Bjelly played defensively this season off the bench, I'm not sure James Johnson would be a big priority for me.

[Lipoli390]

Wiggins + #8 for Paul George.

Paul George is definitely the guy we should pursue if we're willing to pull the trigger on a major trade involving Wiggins or LaVine. I think he's a better player than Butler. He's also a little younger and, except for his one freak gruesome injury, he's been more durable than Butler. Also, if the Pacers don't make the playoffs this season, they're going to have to consider blowing things up. Wiggins + our pick would be a fair price. I'm not sure I'd do that deal if I were in Thibs' shoes. But I wouldn't complain about it if it happened.

We should be clear about a few things regarding trades:

1. We're not going to get a Butler or George caliber player without giving up Wiggins or Towns. Because of his injury, LaVine won't get it done. It's likely he'll come back fine from the injury, but that bit of uncertainty before he completely proved himself diminishes his trade value enough to take him off the table as a viable main piece in a deal for an all-star caliber player like George or Butler.

2. We should not include Rubio in any trade for a forward because we'd have absolutely no one to fill the PG position at an NBA caliber level much less Ricky's level.

3. We should not consider trading Towns, period.

[Lipoli390]

Stepping back from what should happen to what Thibs will likely do, I don't think Thibs will trade Wiggins or Towns. Most likely move will be signing Gibson as FA. Then one other FA signing beyond that.

[60WinTim]

Stepping back from what should happen to what Thibs will likely do, I don't think Thibs will trade Wiggins or Towns. Most likely move will be signing Gibson as FA. Then one other FA signing beyond that.

Yeah, I tend to agree. Although it kind of hinges on what the Gibson-Thibs relationship was like. I have no idea...

Backup PG, which I thought would be a strength going into the season, is as murky as ever. I have no idea what Thibs plans are there, but the thought of going into next season with some sort of Tyus-Dunn tandem makes me puke.

[Edit: I should say that I really like Dunn's defensive chops. But the rest of his game might need more than just another season of seasoning... ]

[TXviking [enjin:6602528]]

Not clear on the rules, can we even trade Lavine? He's not cleared for practice yet. Or is it buyer beware?

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Wiggins + #8 for Paul George.

Paul George is going to LAL or staying in Indiana. It would be a mistake for anyone else to trade for him.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I don't see the point trading Wiggins for a Butler or George. Neither of those guys put us above the Spurs, Warriors, etc. I would rather have Wiggins for the down the line while the window of potential contention is actually open than try to go all in now and need to catch multiple breaks for it to matter. If we can add solid rotation guys I think we can make the playoffs so what's the difference between being a 7 or 8 versus a 4 or 5? We're talking about adding guys who have better peers in our own conference already. Shouldn't we just be trying to make the playoffs and then in 4 years have Towns and Wiggins be the stars in their prime while everyone else is looking on the wrong side of 30?