The Nickeil Alexander-Walker (NAW) Thread

[KGdaBom]

Read on Twitter

Made me laugh! Maybe we’ll look at the trade this way soon!

DLo 6/7 3s, 18 pts, 5 last in the first 1/2 tonight. Maybe a better conversation is does DLo or Wiggins has higher value at this point?

What a difference a day makes.

[m2002brian]

Read on Twitter

Made me laugh! Maybe we’ll look at the trade this way soon!

DLo 6/7 3s, 18 pts, 5 last in the first 1/2 tonight. Maybe a better conversation is does DLo or Wiggins has higher value at this point?

What a difference a day makes.

No debate. NAW plays defense and fits well within the team concept much better than DLo

[BlacJacMac]

Read on Twitter

Made me laugh! Maybe we’ll look at the trade this way soon!

DLo 6/7 3s, 18 pts, 5 last in the first 1/2 tonight. Maybe a better conversation is does DLo or Wiggins has higher value at this point?

What a difference a day makes.

Aren't you the guy who says a loss is a loss?

And he scored 5 points in 23 second half minutes.

You can't win with DLo.

[KGdaBom]

DLo 6/7 3s, 18 pts, 5 last in the first 1/2 tonight. Maybe a better conversation is does DLo or Wiggins has higher value at this point?

What a difference a day makes.

Aren't you the guy who says a loss is a loss?

And he scored 5 points in 23 second half minutes.

You can't win with DLo.

Don't read anything more or less into what I say than what I say. Russell played much better game 2 than game 1.

[frankenwolf]

What a difference a day makes.

Aren't you the guy who says a loss is a loss?

And he scored 5 points in 23 second half minutes.

You can't win with DLo.

Don't read anything more or less into what I say than what I say. Russell played much better game 2 than game 1.

Yes he did. . . and they still lost. His point still stands.

[KGdaBom]

Aren't you the guy who says a loss is a loss?

And he scored 5 points in 23 second half minutes.

You can't win with DLo.

Don't read anything more or less into what I say than what I say. Russell played much better game 2 than game 1.

Yes he did. . . and they still lost. His point still stands.

If you want to pin that choke job on D'Lo be my guest. I believe every game the Lakers lost this year was his fault and his fault only.

[winforlose]

I am watching Flagrant Howls and Jim Pete is the guest star today. He said “Minnesota has outscored Phoenix by 42 points in his 60 minutes. Is that not an X factor?” It’s funny, I actually think NAW had a bad game 2 with a series of defensive blunders that allowed Beal to score. But, hearing this, maybe I am just spoiled. I am so used to excellence in defense now, that when defense is still good or great I cannot help but think, why isn’t it excellent. Props to NAW, and especially when he is out there with Jaden.

[younggunsmn]

DLo 6/7 3s, 18 pts, 5 last in the first 1/2 tonight. Maybe a better conversation is does DLo or Wiggins has higher value at this point?

What a difference a day makes.

No debate. NAW plays defense and fits well within the team concept much better than DLo

NAW is so, so, so much better than D-Lo.

D-Lo can hit 10 3's and he will still lose you the game because he sucks so bad at everything else and brings everyone else on the team down with his attitude and lack of effort.

Can you imagine if the Lakers had traded for Conley and NAW instead of D-Lo and Beasley?

One player that NAW kind of reminds me a bit of is KCP from the Nuggets, who also bounced around a bit before he developed into the 3+D guy he is now.

I really hope we can sign NAW to an extension this summer and keep him here for many years.
He's going to be an absolute bargain next year at 4.3 million.
He should be eligible for the same deal Naz got where we can extend him for up to the average salary (or MLE) and not have to do any special cap gymnastics. Maybe 3/30 or something like that.

[wolves_89]

What a difference a day makes.

No debate. NAW plays defense and fits well within the team concept much better than DLo

NAW is so, so, so much better than D-Lo.

D-Lo can hit 10 3's and he will still lose you the game because he sucks so bad at everything else and brings everyone else on the team down with his attitude and lack of effort.

Can you imagine if the Lakers had traded for Conley and NAW instead of D-Lo and Beasley?

One player that NAW kind of reminds me a bit of is KCP from the Nuggets, who also bounced around a bit before he developed into the 3+D guy he is now.

I really hope we can sign NAW to an extension this summer and keep him here for many years.
He's going to be an absolute bargain next year at 4.3 million.
He should be eligible for the same deal Naz got where we can extend him for up to the average salary (or MLE) and not have to do any special cap gymnastics. Maybe 3/30 or something like that.

Unfortunately, since NAW signed a 2-year deal I don't believe he is eligible for an extension. The Wolves will have to wait until after the 2024-25 season and then re-sign him using his bird rights.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

What a difference a day makes.

No debate. NAW plays defense and fits well within the team concept much better than DLo

NAW is so, so, so much better than D-Lo.

D-Lo can hit 10 3's and he will still lose you the game because he sucks so bad at everything else and brings everyone else on the team down with his attitude and lack of effort.

Can you imagine if the Lakers had traded for Conley and NAW instead of D-Lo and Beasley?

One player that NAW kind of reminds me a bit of is KCP from the Nuggets, who also bounced around a bit before he developed into the 3+D guy he is now.

I really hope we can sign NAW to an extension this summer and keep him here for many years.
He's going to be an absolute bargain next year at 4.3 million.
He should be eligible for the same deal Naz got where we can extend him for up to the average salary (or MLE) and not have to do any special cap gymnastics. Maybe 3/30 or something like that.

That's would have been a nightmare for me. Lebron got probably one more ring if they got Mike and NAW. I love Mike but dislike the Fakers a lot

[Klomp]

One player that NAW kind of reminds me a bit of is KCP from the Nuggets, who also bounced around a bit before he developed into the 3+D guy he is now.

Both were lottery picks who were probably asked to do way too much because their teams lacked the infrastructure to compete. We saw that here plenty of times over the last 15 years, with guys like Corey Brewer, Randy Foye, Wayne Ellington, Wes Johnson. All of these guys carved out long careers even though their starts in Minnesota were relatively disappointing. Johnson had the shortest career of all of them at just 9 years.

[BlacJacMac]

One player that NAW kind of reminds me a bit of is KCP from the Nuggets, who also bounced around a bit before he developed into the 3+D guy he is now.

Both were lottery picks who were probably asked to do way too much because their teams lacked the infrastructure to compete. We saw that here plenty of times over the last 15 years, with guys like Corey Brewer, Randy Foye, Wayne Ellington, Wes Johnson. All of these guys carved out long careers even though their starts in Minnesota were relatively disappointing. Johnson had the shortest career of all of them at just 9 years.

NAW was 17th, so a bit outside that. But the amazing thing is the transformation he's gone through.

He was drafted as a scorer (not a shooter) that didn't play any defense and was given way too big of an offensive role in New Orleans where he really struggled to score efficiently and didn't defend at all.

Its in Utah where he really reinvented himself as a defensive oriented, low usage back-up PG and started to see an uptick in his 3pt shooting.

And then he took off here, with the Playoff series against Denver being his real coming out party.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

[winforlose]

Read on Twitter

I agree. But, I think people are starting to notice. I don’t how long he will be underrated, or how good his being well known will be for our future .

[Klomp]

I agree. But, I think people are starting to notice. I don’t how long he will be underrated, or how good his being well known will be for our future .

His next contract will be 4-5 times what he currently makes

[frankenwolf]

I agree. But, I think people are starting to notice. I don’t how long he will be underrated, or how good his being well known will be for our future .

His next contract will be 4-5 times what he currently makes

I know we have talked about this before, but could he become the starting PG with his next contract? Or is he going away because the Wolves can't afford another 16-20M a year contract?

[Klomp]

I agree. But, I think people are starting to notice. I don’t how long he will be underrated, or how good his being well known will be for our future .

His next contract will be 4-5 times what he currently makes

I know we have talked about this before, but could he become the starting PG with his next contract? Or is he going away because the Wolves can't afford another 16-20M a year contract?

I think it's possible, but would likely depend on other moves the team has or will make

[shrink]

His next contract will be 4-5 times what he currently makes

I know we have talked about this before, but could he become the starting PG with his next contract? Or is he going away because the Wolves can't afford another 16-20M a year contract?

I think it's possible, but would likely depend on other moves the team has or will make

Yes, and whether Ant can rapidly improve his ability as a facilitator. The NBA is moving away from traditional PG’s doing all the ball-handling, and often putting the ball in the hands of their best playmaker. Ant is improving, but he’s just 22 and still struggles. If he can become half the smart passer that Conley is, I think NAW could become our starting .. “other guard.” But Ant has to make a big leap - I don’t want us to look like PG-less PHX in their first two playoff games.

(I would also add that the front office’s projections of Ant as a ball handler will be a factor on whether we use Bird rights to keep Monte Morris. If Ant throws the ball around like he did in the first quarter of Game 1, it would be tough to count on Conley as our main guy. If Ant continues to play like he did in Game 2, seeing the double team and making good passes, we might let Morris walk, and offer MacLaughlin a contract for the minimum to be our 3rd/2nd back up PG. Ownership’s willingness to pay lux taxes will also factor into the Morris decision, but by making the trade, we have him for the playoffs, and the option this summer.)

[Klomp]

I know we have talked about this before, but could he become the starting PG with his next contract? Or is he going away because the Wolves can't afford another 16-20M a year contract?

I think it's possible, but would likely depend on other moves the team has or will make

Yes, and whether Ant can rapidly improve his ability as a facilitator. The NBA is moving away from traditional PG’s doing all the ball-handling, and often putting the ball in the hands of their best playmaker. Ant is improving, but he’s just 22 and still struggles. If he can become half the smart passer that Conley is, I think NAW could become our starting .. “other guard.” But Ant has to make a big leap - I don’t want us to look like PG-less PHX in their first two playoff games.

(I would also add that the front office’s projections of Ant as a ball handler will be a factor on whether we use Bird rights to keep Monte Morris. If Ant throws the ball around like he did in the first quarter of Game 1, it would be tough to count on Conley as our main guy. If Ant continues to play like he did in Game 2, seeing the double team and making good passes, we might let Morris walk, and offer MacLaughlin a contract for the minimum to be our 3rd/2nd back up PG. Ownership’s willingness to pay lux taxes will also factor into the Morris decision, but by making the trade, we have him for the playoffs, and the option this summer.)

A big part of the Suns' issue is that they have zero point guards in the rotation, not just the starting lineup. You can make an Ant/NAW starting backcourt work if your third/fourth guard is a PG.