Minnesota Sports Forum

Just curious because it was rumored today. Would you do Khris Middleton for Ricky Rubio straight up?

I voted no, but I can see why some would. People sleep on Middleton. He's a very good and underrated player locked up on a very reasonable deal.

At this current moment I would vote no. But if they had a plan about the future at the pg position I would say yes. I think middleton is fair value for Ricky

Middleton was a 2nd round pick in 2012. The same draft D. Green went in the 2nd round.

History... The Wolves drafted Doug West as a 2nd round pick in 1989. Not bad. Granted, he was the classic "decent stats on a bad team" kind of guy, but he was a starter for multiple years. Nice get.

Fast forward 27 years... what other 2nd round picks have panned out from a team that has had more than 30 of them... including several right at the beginning of the round?

Pekovic #31 in 2008. Definitely.
Howard Eisley in 1994? Not really, considering the Wolves traded him after 34 games.
Craig Smith in 2006? He was at least a rotation-type guy. Even if it was for lousy teams.

That's it folks. I know the 2nd rd. is hit or miss... but that's a lot of missing.

kekgeek1 wrote:At this current moment I would vote no. But if they had a plan about the future at the pg position I would say yes. I think middleton is fair value for Ricky

Tough to say. No Rubio leaves a huge hole in the backcourt. But the Wolves are still a team trying to build an identity, so gathering the very best assets is still a primary goal.

They're close in age. Close in salary. The one difference with their respective careers is that I think there's more certainty about who Rubio will be as a player. He is what he is... both good and bad. He hasn't made a leap.

Middleton has... incrementally, although not to the All Star level. But here's the sticking point... if you think he's at his plateau, passing on him and keeping Rubio makes sense. But, if you're in the camp that thinks Middleton is not done improving (it's been 4 straight seasons of noticeable, tangible and obvious improvement)... it might be more difficult to pass him up.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:Middleton was a 2nd round pick in 2012. The same draft D. Green went in the 2nd round.

History... The Wolves drafted Doug West as a 2nd round pick in 1989. Not bad. Granted, he was the classic "decent stats on a bad team" kind of guy, but he was a starter for multiple years. Nice get.

Fast forward 27 years... what other 2nd round picks have panned out from a team that has had more than 30 of them... including several right at the beginning of the round?

Pekovic #31 in 2008. Definitely.
Howard Eisley in 1994? Not really, considering the Wolves traded him after 34 games.
Craig Smith in 2006? He was at least a rotation-type guy. Even if it was for lousy teams.

That's it folks. I know the 2nd rd. is hit or miss... but that's a lot of missing.

Your point still stands but Belly seems worthy of mention. When Hummel is better than pretty much any other 2nd round pick over that time...well that's not too good.

Back to this trade...Middleton is just the sort of player that the Wolves seem to need right now. It's a very tempting trade. It would leave a hole at PG but it also means the Wolves could fill it either with a draft pick and or this team would suddenly be a great destination for any FA PG this summer with a bunch of young talent and a wide open starting spot.

I have said in another thread regarding this topic that both teams would likely revisit this trade come draft time. When both teams know where they will be drafting and who will be available then.

Right now, It is the right move for both teams to not do that deal so I would say no for now.

monsterpile wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:Middleton was a 2nd round pick in 2012. The same draft D. Green went in the 2nd round.

History... The Wolves drafted Doug West as a 2nd round pick in 1989. Not bad. Granted, he was the classic "decent stats on a bad team" kind of guy, but he was a starter for multiple years. Nice get.

Fast forward 27 years... what other 2nd round picks have panned out from a team that has had more than 30 of them... including several right at the beginning of the round?

Pekovic #31 in 2008. Definitely.
Howard Eisley in 1994? Not really, considering the Wolves traded him after 34 games.
Craig Smith in 2006? He was at least a rotation-type guy. Even if it was for lousy teams.

That's it folks. I know the 2nd rd. is hit or miss... but that's a lot of missing.

Your point still stands but Belly seems worthy of mention. When Hummel is better than pretty much any other 2nd round pick over that time...well that's not too good.

Back to this trade...Middleton is just the sort of player that the Wolves seem to need right now. It's a very tempting trade. It would leave a hole at PG but it also means the Wolves could fill it either with a draft pick and or this team would suddenly be a great destination for any FA PG this summer with a bunch of young talent and a wide open starting spot.

Bjelica is averaging 4.5 ppg and 3.2 reb and hasn't lived up to expectations for a team on pace for 55 losses.

I'm not ready to put him in the "hit" group just yet. Maybe someday... but is it more likely he pans out and plays a few hundred games as a rotation guy or ends up deep on the bench for a few years before leaving the league?

I think both are possibilities at the moment.

[Note: But you bring up a good point. Maybe I missed somebody who the Wolves picked up by having another team draft the guy? For example, the Wolves drafted Mario Chalmers, but only because it was part of a trade with Miami, so I can't give the Wolves credit. But maybe the Wolves have been on the other end of something like that?]

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

monsterpile wrote:

AbeVigodaLive wrote:Middleton was a 2nd round pick in 2012. The same draft D. Green went in the 2nd round.

History... The Wolves drafted Doug West as a 2nd round pick in 1989. Not bad. Granted, he was the classic "decent stats on a bad team" kind of guy, but he was a starter for multiple years. Nice get.

Fast forward 27 years... what other 2nd round picks have panned out from a team that has had more than 30 of them... including several right at the beginning of the round?

Pekovic #31 in 2008. Definitely.
Howard Eisley in 1994? Not really, considering the Wolves traded him after 34 games.
Craig Smith in 2006? He was at least a rotation-type guy. Even if it was for lousy teams.

That's it folks. I know the 2nd rd. is hit or miss... but that's a lot of missing.

Your point still stands but Belly seems worthy of mention. When Hummel is better than pretty much any other 2nd round pick over that time...well that's not too good.

Back to this trade...Middleton is just the sort of player that the Wolves seem to need right now. It's a very tempting trade. It would leave a hole at PG but it also means the Wolves could fill it either with a draft pick and or this team would suddenly be a great destination for any FA PG this summer with a bunch of young talent and a wide open starting spot.

Bjelica is averaging 4.5 ppg and 3.2 reb and hasn't lived up to expectations for a team on pace for 55 losses.

I'm not ready to put him in the "hit" group just yet. Maybe someday... but is it more likely he pans out and plays a few hundred games as a rotation guy or ends up deep on the bench for a few years before leaving the league?

I think both are possibilities at the moment.

[Note: But you bring up a good point. Maybe I missed somebody who the Wolves picked up by having another team draft the guy? For example, the Wolves drafted Mario Chalmers, but only because it was part of a trade with Miami, so I can't give the Wolves credit. But maybe the Wolves have been on the other end of something like that?]

Fair enough like I said I thought Belly was worth mentioning.

The Wolves have traded so much the past few years in the late 1st and 2nd rounds and had a ton of picks and not much to show for it. I don't think you missed anyone. The only other thing worth mentioning is Bojan Dubljevic looks like a good pick at this point but he isn't over here yet and won't be for another year and a half. He isn't exactly a hit yet but he isn't Henk Norel either. My guess is at the very least Dubljevic is worth at least a high 2nd rounder in trade value so that's something.

i am first who would? I am surprised, where are all those people with Pork-O-Meter at 80s and higher :-D