Bold Predictions

[shangrila]

That is quite possibly the worst offseason I've seen for Minnesota. Congratulations.

[Devilzsidewalk]

If Kahn was mercifully fired, and I became the GM of the team before the draft:

Order of business:
1> Undo the abomination of last year's draft: Use cap space to get a legitimate starting point guard by sending Flynn and taking 1 or 2 bad (but expiring) contracts from New Orleans for Collinson

2>Try to unload Rubio (the great Spanish hype) on some sucker for a draft pick, or most likely to move up in the next years draft

3> Draft Cousins and thank my lucky starts a potential franchise player is still there at 4

4> Move Jefferson (tough decision ) for Deng and pick from the Bulls - Cousins upside makes AJ expandable and I fill the position of need with legit starter/18pts/very good defender/winner

5>Try to fill the rest of the positions the best I can, and wait till next year when expirings come off and I have fairly high pick via Rubio trade, to grab a legit SG through draft or trade

So line up of Collinson, "SG" (to be addressed next year), Deng, Cousins/Love, Darko/Cousins - at least 30 wins, more if Cousins develops quicker - then playoffs next season

So here you are, I promise to deliver a team, that goes to the playoffs with a year and stays there for a long time, built around all-star Center and a good young PG. If you think it's a pipe dream just follow Sacramento next year, it could've been you

it couldn't have been us because we didn't have the 4th pick that garnered the most important piece, Tyreke Evans. Also you don't even know the pertinent players names, how much could you really know about these guys

[revprodeji]

That is quite possibly the worst offseason I've seen for Minnesota. Congratulations.

yup. I think I would have easily quit being a fan if that happened.

[TrentTuckerForever]

After Stoudemire leaves for Miami, Jefferson and Sessions are traded to Phoenix for Steve Nash and a future first.

[funkatron101]

1. Al Jefferson gets traded and returns to form as a 23/11 beast. RealGMers continue to bash Kahn as an idiot who traded away a star player, despite the fact that months earlier they considered Al trash.

2. Flynn has a breakout year. Rubio trade talk heats up.

3. Wes Johnson under performs. One of the players picked #7 - #10 will shine, leaving RealGMers to yet again bash the Wolves for not selecting said player.

4. Rambis gets fired at the end of the season.

5. Kevin Love turns into a cancer.

Sorry for the doom and gloom.

[Esohny]

1. Al Jefferson gets traded and returns to form as a 23/11 beast. RealGMers continue to bash Kahn as an idiot who traded away a star player, despite the fact that months earlier they considered Al trash.

2. Flynn has a breakout year. Rubio trade talk heats up.

3. Wes Johnson under performs. One of the players picked #7 - #10 will shine, leaving RealGMers to yet again bash the Wolves for not selecting said player.

4. Rambis gets fired at the end of the season.

5. Kevin Love turns into a cancer.

Sorry for the doom and gloom.

Jeez. Come towards the light, Funkytown.

[funkatron101]

1. Al Jefferson gets traded and returns to form as a 23/11 beast. RealGMers continue to bash Kahn as an idiot who traded away a star player, despite the fact that months earlier they considered Al trash.

2. Flynn has a breakout year. Rubio trade talk heats up.

3. Wes Johnson under performs. One of the players picked #7 - #10 will shine, leaving RealGMers to yet again bash the Wolves for not selecting said player.

4. Rambis gets fired at the end of the season.

5. Kevin Love turns into a cancer.

Sorry for the doom and gloom.

Jeez. Come towards the light, Funkytown.

Um, Wayne Ellington starts a game!

[hammel123]

If Kahn was mercifully fired, and I became the GM of the team before this year's the draft:

it couldn't have been us because we didn't have the 4th pick that garnered the most important piece, Tyreke Evans. Also you don't even know the pertinent players names, how much could you really know about these guys

not sure what you mean, Cousins was still there at 4 when you picked Johnson instead. That's a mistake I'm trying to highlight, I think you'll see if Cousins can play irrespective of Evans.

What other players on your roster that I haven't mentioned are worth talking about as more than just rotation guys

[jade_hippo]

If Kahn was mercifully fired, and I became the GM of the team before this year's the draft:

it couldn't have been us because we didn't have the 4th pick that garnered the most important piece, Tyreke Evans. Also you don't even know the pertinent players names, how much could you really know about these guys

not sure what you mean, Cousins was still there at 4 when you picked Johnson instead. That's a mistake I'm trying to highlight, I think you'll see if Cousins can play irrespective of Evans.

What other players on your roster that I haven't mentioned are worth talking about as more than just rotation guys

I think Kahn has a goal of making this a moving, athletic team. Al doesn't fit that, not only does Cousins not fit that, but he's been foul prone in HS and in college in addition to being in terrible shape. When making the rounds before the draft with Favors his agent bragged him up saying he's in the best shape of his life and was consistantly out of gas before favors. Johnson doesn't blow us away as a pick, but he fits and he fits well and will continue to fit for a long time. (not saying i agree with Johnson over Cousins, but it works logicallly)

[ritt0093]

Minnesota will be in the top 15 in team defense.

[fmi-agent]

Boos were heard at the 2010 draft party over the trade of Babbitt+Gomes for Martell Webster....When all is said and done, this fact will be like an (admittedly far, far smaller scale) version of the way Philly NFL fans booed the choice of McNabb over Ricky Williams.

Darko will be great.

Rubio will never sign with the T-Wolves at anything resembling the rookie scale.

The upcoming free agent signings will make it pointless for all but 2 or 3 teams to think about championship contention for the next several years. With teams like ours desperate for revenue/value, we'll see the Kansas City Timberwolves...or perhaps the General Mills Timberwolves, competing with the FedEx Grizzlies, the Eli Lilly Pacers, Lowe's Bobcats, etc.

[4ho5ive]

If Kahn was mercifully fired, and I became the GM of the team before the draft:

Order of business:
1> Undo the abomination of last year's draft: Use cap space to get a legitimate starting point guard by sending Flynn and taking 1 or 2 bad (but expiring) contracts from New Orleans for Collinson

2>Try to unload Rubio (the great Spanish hype) on some sucker for a draft pick, or most likely to move up in the next years draft

3> Draft Cousins and thank my lucky starts a potential franchise player is still there at 4

4> Move Jefferson (tough decision ) for Deng and pick from the Bulls - Cousins upside makes AJ expandable and I fill the position of need with legit starter/18pts/very good defender/winner

5>Try to fill the rest of the positions the best I can, and wait till next year when expirings come off and I have fairly high pick via Rubio trade, to grab a legit SG through draft or trade

So line up of Collinson, "SG" (to be addressed next year), Deng, Cousins/Love, Darko/Cousins - at least 30 wins, more if Cousins develops quicker - then playoffs next season

So here you are, I promise to deliver a team, that goes to the playoffs with a year and stays there for a long time, built around all-star Center and a good young PG. If you think it's a pipe dream just follow Sacramento next year, it could've been you

I missed the bold prediction.

[jade_hippo]

Boos were heard at the 2010 draft party over the trade of Babbitt+Gomes for Martell Webster....When all is said and done, this fact will be like an (admittedly far, far smaller scale) version of the way Philly NFL fans booed the choice of McNabb over Ricky Williams.

Darko will be great.

Rubio will never sign with the T-Wolves at anything resembling the rookie scale.

The upcoming free agent signings will make it pointless for all but 2 or 3 teams to think about championship contention for the next several years. With teams like ours desperate for revenue/value, we'll see the Kansas City Timberwolves...or perhaps the General Mills Timberwolves, competing with the FedEx Grizzlies, the Eli Lilly Pacers, Lowe's Bobcats, etc.

Pretty distopian outlook for the NBA. I think the 2000s Pistons and late 90's 76'ers proved that with enough defense you can compete with anyone. As for the Las Vegas Desertwolves, I think Taylor would have done that long ago if he had it in his heart.

[southern wolf]

Boos were heard at the 2010 draft party over the trade of Babbitt+Gomes for Martell Webster....When all is said and done, this fact will be like an (admittedly far, far smaller scale) version of the way Philly NFL fans booed the choice of McNabb over Ricky Williams.

Darko will be great.

Rubio will never sign with the T-Wolves at anything resembling the rookie scale.

The upcoming free agent signings will make it pointless for all but 2 or 3 teams to think about championship contention for the next several years. With teams like ours desperate for revenue/value, we'll see the Kansas City Timberwolves...or perhaps the General Mills Timberwolves, competing with the FedEx Grizzlies, the Eli Lilly Pacers, Lowe's Bobcats, etc.

Maybe we'll be the first team relocated overseas and move to London. There's a bold prediction.

[hammel123]

If Kahn was mercifully fired, and I became the GM of the team before the draft:

...

So line up of Collinson, "SG" (to be addressed next year), Deng, Cousins/Love, Darko/Cousins - at least 30 wins, more if Cousins develops quicker - then playoffs next season

I missed the bold prediction.

[skorff26]

I forgot one, Clippers sign Gay and we then go and overpay for Morrow by several million.

[dunkonu21]

Minnesota will be in the top 15 in team defense.

I may have just jizzed in my pants.

[4ho5ive]

If Kahn was mercifully fired, and I became the GM of the team before the draft:

...

So line up of Collinson, "SG" (to be addressed next year), Deng, Cousins/Love, Darko/Cousins - at least 30 wins, more if Cousins develops quicker - then playoffs next season

I missed the bold prediction.

That's pretty good, except for the whole not actually drafting Cousins thing.

[Swimmer]

-We will be one of the 5 worst teams in the NBA.

-By midseason, everyone on the boards will be looking for a way to dump Webster for an expiring.

+Wes Johnson makes the all rookie 2nd team.

-Flynn shows minimal improvements.

+Sessions has a better year then last year and plays more by the end of the year

+Corey Brewer becomes our best wing player.

-Ellington becomes the odd man out

+Hayward becomes a fan favorite because of his hustle and earns about 15 minutes a game.

-Al Jefferson gets traded this offseason, then completely recovers and plays with a chip on his shoulder and becomes an all-star while putting up 22/11 next year.

-Darko plays solid and puts up 10/6, but with Jefferson's emergence Minnesota fans sour on Darko and he starts to grumble by the end of the year

-Pekovic takes longer to adjust then we like

-Hollins doesn't play much at all

+Love puts up 18/12 and just misses the all-star team.

Totally agree with everything except the Love projections.

[Esohny]

I find it amusing (or depressing) that this thread has basically turned into the evil parallel universe version of the optimism thread.




I also have to say that predicting bad things for the Wolves isn't particularly bold.