Minnesota Sports Forum

https://youtu.be/h_DUQj9jW6Q?si=t-rbOFKL9eVr8_SR

I’ve accepted that LeBron won’t be coming here. We have no idea who the Wolves might add to the roster once they move on from the LeBron dream. It’s unlikely to be anyone better than Trey Lyles. So that raises the question: What do we have in Trey Lyles. I think he’s been too easily dismissed in the debate about what to do at the PF position if LeBron doesn’t sign here. He’s not some end-of-bench filler. He has the size, skills and track record to be a significant part of the team’s rotation at the PF position. The highlight video in the link above shows off his perimeter shooting skill, which we all know about. But it also shows a guy with good hands who runs the floor, can put the ball on the deck a bit and pass. He’s a fluid athlete with some very nice skills.

His positional size is unquestionable. He has a 9’0” standing reach, a 7’1.5 wingspan and carries a muscular 245 pounds. In his last NBA season he played in 80 games, averaging 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game while shooting 38.3% from behind the arc. On a 36-minute basis, that’s 12.7 points and 7.7 rebounds. That’s solid and efficient productivity from a player who if he starts would be surrounded by high-end talent - Ant, Lamelo, Jaden and Rudy. I still think we should sign Jeremy Sochan as the defensive/rebounding alternative to the more offense-oriented Trey. Those two would give Finch nice optionality at the PF position. My pitch to Sochan would be that he has a chance to start on a contending team if he ups his offensive game. Meanwhile we could lean heavily on Trey.

How would have people felt about getting
Guerschon Yabusele for the vet min? I think that would have been a pretty nice move. Lyles has way more of an NBA track record than Yabusele did when he come back to the NBA from Europe. There is a world in which Lyles has a similar impact that Yabusele had for the Sixers when he came back. Lyles might be a better option at PF so he might also fit better in that regard and actually has better rebounding numbers for his career.

I'm keeping my expectations to a level of Lyles can be a solid rotation player for the Wolves although it's definitely possible he is pressed into more than that and he might flourish to some extent. It will be interesting to see who else they sign if Lebron takes his talents elsewhere.

I said early on that Lyles checks enough boxes to be the starting PF along side the rest of the Wolves starters. I mean, look what Marbury did for Dean Garrett!

I didn’t like the Yabby fit at all. Olynyk and Love are my other two favorites to provide depth. They likely wouldn’t be part of the regular rotation, but could see minutes due to foul problems or injuries.

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Jul 19, 2026 1:32 am I said early on that Lyles checks enough boxes to be the starting PF along side the rest of the Wolves starters. I mean, look what Marbury did for Dean Garrett!

I didn’t like the Yabby fit at all. Olynyk and Love are my other two favorites to provide depth. They likely wouldn’t be part of the regular rotation, but could see minutes due to foul problems or injuries.

Just curious why didn't you like the fit for Yabby?

Monster wrote: ↑Sun Jul 19, 2026 12:04 am How would have people felt about getting
Guerschon Yabusele for the vet min? I think that would have been a pretty nice move. Lyles has way more of an NBA track record than Yabusele did when he come back to the NBA from Europe. There is a world in which Lyles has a similar impact that Yabusele had for the Sixers when he came back. Lyles might be a better option at PF so he might also fit better in that regard and actually has better rebounding numbers for his career.

I'm keeping my expectations to a level of Lyles can be a solid rotation player for the Wolves although it's definitely possible he is pressed into more than that and he might flourish to some extent. It will be interesting to see who else they sign if Lebron takes his talents elsewhere.

Sounded like we reached out to Yabusele on a contract, and were told no. He was done with the NBA, how it treated him. I'm fine with the Lyles signing, he's been a quality 15ish minute player. And on a min, that's about as good as you can ask for.

Monster wrote: ↑Sun Jul 19, 2026 8:59 am

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Jul 19, 2026 1:32 am I said early on that Lyles checks enough boxes to be the starting PF along side the rest of the Wolves starters. I mean, look what Marbury did for Dean Garrett!

I didn’t like the Yabby fit at all. Olynyk and Love are my other two favorites to provide depth. They likely wouldn’t be part of the regular rotation, but could see minutes due to foul problems or injuries.

Just curious why didn't you like the fit for Yabby?

Ignoring the French Connection, he strikes me as more C than PF. His stats have been rather hit and miss as far as how effective he has been. This team is being built as fast and scrappy. Lyles is a better fit for that than Yabby.

I know Olynyk and Love don’t fit that mold, either, but they have a much deeper track record of contributing to winning than “the Bear”.