Wolves One Last Significant Move?
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 4:40 pm
As we sit here today, our starters are set with Teague, Butler, Wiggins, Gorgui and KAT with Tyus Jones, Belly and Taj our main bench rotation players. You could reverse Gorgui and Taj, but the point is that those are our core 8. Aldrich and Patton round out the roster at 10 with 5 spots to fill.
I can't see this team moving forward with the core 8 I listed above. Glaringly absent from that core group are (1) a solid two-way backup SG or SF, (2) a 3-point shooter, (3) a reliable backup PG, and (4) a shot-blocker/rim protector.
With KAT, Gorgui and Taj, I think don't think we need to focus on trying to get a shot-blocker/rim protector. Of the remaining needs, I think the top priority has to be a reliable back-up two-way wing. I just don't see that need being adequately filled by vet minimum guys like the 37-years old Dunleavy or Casspi. I also see a huge need for a good 3-point shooter in the rotation and another backup PG so we don't have to rely soley or even primarily on Tyus.
So I see the Wolves making one more significant move -- either a free agent acquisition or trade if not a hybrid transaction involving a trade and FA signing. I'm clueless on what that next final significant move is likely to be.
ROTATION WING
There aren't many FAs left who would fit the bill as a rotation wing. Here's my list and my thoughts on each:
1. Afflalo. This is the only guy who seems to check all the boxes. He's a proven solid two-way SG who can play significant minutes well and also hit from distance. He doesn't excite me and, at age 32, he would be part of the win-now strategy we're clearly seeing from the Wolves front office. I'd like to think we could sign him for our $4.3 million room exception, but I suspect he'll cost more than that. Therefore, to sign him, we'd probably have to trade our OKC pick with Aldrich to free up the cap space. But I'd hate to give up that pick for 2 years of Afflalo.
2. CJ Miles. Not sure he's what I'd call a solid 2-way player. But he's a SF who can hit threes fairly well. But he's another option that doesn't excite me and who would probably cost more than the room exception. Again, I'd hate to trade a 1st round pick for this guy.
3. Reggie Bullock. He's a 26 year old SF who hit 38.4% of his threes last season for Detroit. But he also faces a drug suspension and I'm reluctant to commit any precious cap room or our one significant cap exception to someone with substance issues.
4. Tony Allen. Could probably get him for the room exception, but he provides no 3-point shooting and is breaking down physically at age 35. So I don't see him as an answer for our wing rotation guy and I wouldn't sign him for anything other than the vet minimum.
5. Thabo Sefolosha. I see him as the next best thing to Afflalo as a reliable vet two-way wing. But he's not as good a 3-point shooter as Afflalo -- in fact he's not good at all. He's getting up there in years at age 33, so you wonder about even a 2-year commitment. But I think we could get him for the room exception, so I'd consider him.
6. Ian Clark. Fairly young at age 26, but I haven't seen much of him. He shots well from behind the arc last season for Golden State, but he didn't have many attempts and played only 15 minutes per game. I've heard that he's not a particularly good ball handler either. He might be available at the room exception, but I'm not sure I'd use it on him as our main rotation wing off the bench.
7. Anthony Morrow. A 3-point shooter, but not much else. So I don't see him as the 2-way wing we need. Moreover, I'm not sure he has anything left. He didn't shoot well last season and seems to be broken down physically. I wouldn't use the room exception on him.
8. Gerald Green. Still athletic at age 32/33, but not sure he's much of any answer. Still a low IQ player who doesn't get after it defensively. And he's not a particularly good 3-point shooter. Is he worth using our one and only room exception? I'm not sure. Perhaps, assuming we can't get Afflalo, Miles or Thabo.
9. Tyreke Evans. He intrigues me. I know he's had difficulty staying healthy, but at this point how choosy can we be? He's still 27 years old and he can be very good on both sides of the ball.
10. James Young. He's a young highly athletic SG with the Celtics who might be worth taking a chance on, even if it requires using the room exception. He's the guy I'd target if I wanted to infuse the roster with more high upside young after a summer in which we've dramatically aged the team.
10. Rudy Gay. No reports that we've talked with him. But I wonder if we could get him for the nearly $11 million cap space we'd have if we unloaded Aldrich by trading our OKC pick. My sense is he wouldn't come here for that amount, but maybe we can finally get someone here for under market value. And he is coming off Achilles surgery, so perhaps he'd take that amount.
BACKUP PG:
1. Teodosic -- He seems like a long shot. We'd have to trade our OKC pick and use just about all our remaining cap space to sign him. He'd give us the long-range sniper we need and would give us a backup PG who could step in for Teague without much offensive drop off if any. But his defensive is reportedly poor and he's an unknown when it comes to NBA play. It would certainly add some excitement. You make this move only if you're satisfied you can get the rotation wing you need -- Afflalo, Miles or Thabo -- using the RE.
2. Aaron Brooks -- A capable backup up who hits threes. I'd like to think we could get him for the vet minimum and save the RE for a rotation wing. But he might require the RE, in which case getting the rotation wing we need would probably necessitate trading our OKC pick.
3. Beno Udrih -- He's 35 and not very good, but who else is there? :)
I don't see any great options. But if it were up to me, my preferred scenario would be signing Aaron Brooks with our remaining $3 million in cap space and then signing Afflalo using our RE.
What would you do if you were in Thibs' shoes?
I can't see this team moving forward with the core 8 I listed above. Glaringly absent from that core group are (1) a solid two-way backup SG or SF, (2) a 3-point shooter, (3) a reliable backup PG, and (4) a shot-blocker/rim protector.
With KAT, Gorgui and Taj, I think don't think we need to focus on trying to get a shot-blocker/rim protector. Of the remaining needs, I think the top priority has to be a reliable back-up two-way wing. I just don't see that need being adequately filled by vet minimum guys like the 37-years old Dunleavy or Casspi. I also see a huge need for a good 3-point shooter in the rotation and another backup PG so we don't have to rely soley or even primarily on Tyus.
So I see the Wolves making one more significant move -- either a free agent acquisition or trade if not a hybrid transaction involving a trade and FA signing. I'm clueless on what that next final significant move is likely to be.
ROTATION WING
There aren't many FAs left who would fit the bill as a rotation wing. Here's my list and my thoughts on each:
1. Afflalo. This is the only guy who seems to check all the boxes. He's a proven solid two-way SG who can play significant minutes well and also hit from distance. He doesn't excite me and, at age 32, he would be part of the win-now strategy we're clearly seeing from the Wolves front office. I'd like to think we could sign him for our $4.3 million room exception, but I suspect he'll cost more than that. Therefore, to sign him, we'd probably have to trade our OKC pick with Aldrich to free up the cap space. But I'd hate to give up that pick for 2 years of Afflalo.
2. CJ Miles. Not sure he's what I'd call a solid 2-way player. But he's a SF who can hit threes fairly well. But he's another option that doesn't excite me and who would probably cost more than the room exception. Again, I'd hate to trade a 1st round pick for this guy.
3. Reggie Bullock. He's a 26 year old SF who hit 38.4% of his threes last season for Detroit. But he also faces a drug suspension and I'm reluctant to commit any precious cap room or our one significant cap exception to someone with substance issues.
4. Tony Allen. Could probably get him for the room exception, but he provides no 3-point shooting and is breaking down physically at age 35. So I don't see him as an answer for our wing rotation guy and I wouldn't sign him for anything other than the vet minimum.
5. Thabo Sefolosha. I see him as the next best thing to Afflalo as a reliable vet two-way wing. But he's not as good a 3-point shooter as Afflalo -- in fact he's not good at all. He's getting up there in years at age 33, so you wonder about even a 2-year commitment. But I think we could get him for the room exception, so I'd consider him.
6. Ian Clark. Fairly young at age 26, but I haven't seen much of him. He shots well from behind the arc last season for Golden State, but he didn't have many attempts and played only 15 minutes per game. I've heard that he's not a particularly good ball handler either. He might be available at the room exception, but I'm not sure I'd use it on him as our main rotation wing off the bench.
7. Anthony Morrow. A 3-point shooter, but not much else. So I don't see him as the 2-way wing we need. Moreover, I'm not sure he has anything left. He didn't shoot well last season and seems to be broken down physically. I wouldn't use the room exception on him.
8. Gerald Green. Still athletic at age 32/33, but not sure he's much of any answer. Still a low IQ player who doesn't get after it defensively. And he's not a particularly good 3-point shooter. Is he worth using our one and only room exception? I'm not sure. Perhaps, assuming we can't get Afflalo, Miles or Thabo.
9. Tyreke Evans. He intrigues me. I know he's had difficulty staying healthy, but at this point how choosy can we be? He's still 27 years old and he can be very good on both sides of the ball.
10. James Young. He's a young highly athletic SG with the Celtics who might be worth taking a chance on, even if it requires using the room exception. He's the guy I'd target if I wanted to infuse the roster with more high upside young after a summer in which we've dramatically aged the team.
10. Rudy Gay. No reports that we've talked with him. But I wonder if we could get him for the nearly $11 million cap space we'd have if we unloaded Aldrich by trading our OKC pick. My sense is he wouldn't come here for that amount, but maybe we can finally get someone here for under market value. And he is coming off Achilles surgery, so perhaps he'd take that amount.
BACKUP PG:
1. Teodosic -- He seems like a long shot. We'd have to trade our OKC pick and use just about all our remaining cap space to sign him. He'd give us the long-range sniper we need and would give us a backup PG who could step in for Teague without much offensive drop off if any. But his defensive is reportedly poor and he's an unknown when it comes to NBA play. It would certainly add some excitement. You make this move only if you're satisfied you can get the rotation wing you need -- Afflalo, Miles or Thabo -- using the RE.
2. Aaron Brooks -- A capable backup up who hits threes. I'd like to think we could get him for the vet minimum and save the RE for a rotation wing. But he might require the RE, in which case getting the rotation wing we need would probably necessitate trading our OKC pick.
3. Beno Udrih -- He's 35 and not very good, but who else is there? :)
I don't see any great options. But if it were up to me, my preferred scenario would be signing Aaron Brooks with our remaining $3 million in cap space and then signing Afflalo using our RE.
What would you do if you were in Thibs' shoes?