Minnesota Sports Forum

That is all.

Agreed. He really is emerging as a top 5 or 6 kind of player.

When folks talk about how much they like Thaddeus Young, they have to compare him to other starting PFs: Anthony Davis, Zach Randolph, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka, David Lee, Pau Gasol, David West, Carmelo Anthony, etc., etc.

Yes, Thad Young is a nice NBA player. But when compared to his starting PF peers, he's in the bottom half. The fact that a bottom-half starting PF is our third best player (after Rubio and Pek) should be an indication to folks that we're going to struggle this year.

Q12543 wrote:Agreed. He really is emerging as a top 5 or 6 kind of player.

When folks talk about how much they like Thaddeus Young, they have to compare him to other starting PFs: Anthony Davis, Zach Randolph, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka, David Lee, Pau Gasol, David West, Carmelo Anthony, etc., etc.

Yes, Thad Young is a nice NBA player. But when compared to his starting PF peers, he's in the bottom half. The fact that a bottom-half starting PF is our third best player (after Rubio and Pek) should be an indication to folks that we're going to struggle this year.

And of those 3. Only Pek is a top 10 at his position.

Rubio is somewhere in the 10-20 range to me.

Q12543 wrote:Agreed. He really is emerging as a top 5 or 6 kind of player.

When folks talk about how much they like Thaddeus Young, they have to compare him to other starting PFs: Anthony Davis, Zach Randolph, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka, David Lee, Pau Gasol, David West, Carmelo Anthony, etc., etc.

Yes, Thad Young is a nice NBA player. But when compared to his starting PF peers, he's in the bottom half. The fact that a bottom-half starting PF is our third best player (after Rubio and Pek) should be an indication to folks that we're going to struggle this year.

You're right about Young clearly being in the bottom half of NBA PFs, q. and that's why I see Anthony Bennett as a key to the Wolves' success this year. I predicted 40 wins, but I am assuming that AB shows early in the season that he is capable of starting at PF. If so, with his bulk and incredible length, we are no longer undersized at PF. And in Thad Young, we will have perhaps the best backup PF in the league and a huge asset off the bench AB looked really good in every preseason game (except the second to last game when he was ill and only played 10 minutes), but he is also coming off a terrible rookie year, so I realize that projecting him as a starter is a stretch. But there are well-documented reasons for his failure last year, and those reasons are gone. And we have other evidence...his dominance at UNLV, his promising SL play, and his great preseason... for me to conclude that he will be starting by the 10-15th game. Flip the GM is building for the future, and Flip the coach wants to win now...and both Flips will not be happy with a PF only providing 5 rebounds and will want a bigger PF in the starting lineup now and for the future. He will have to start AB. But if the 2013-4 Bennett turns out to be the true Bennett, and Young is our starting PF all year, the Vegas prediction of 26.5 wins becomes very accurate.

I truly believe Davis emerges as the best PF in the NBA this year. He has the capability to dominate every facet of the game. He will be a top 5 offensive PF, as well as being a top 3 defensive player regardless of position. If their team was better, his skill level is MVP worthy.

I was just looking at the Clippers roster. They've got some size on the frontline-Griffin, Jordan and now Big Baby, plus Barnes is still there. I'm optimistic for our team this year, but like Q mentioned, our "Big 3" is nothing compared to some of these teams. However, I will say our 4-10 guys are pretty good and can beat anybody else.