The Nickeil Alexander-Walker (NAW) Thread

wolves_89 · Post #81 » by **wolves_89** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 6:16 am

If the Wolves can retain NAW and Naz on contracts that start at a combined total of $15M or less for next season, I'll be extremely happy. I'm hoping for something like NAW getting $18M/3 years with Naz at $27M/3 years.

Grubie024 · Post #82 » by **Grubie024** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:33 pm

wolves_89 wrote:If the Wolves can retain NAW and Naz on contracts that start at a combined total of $15M or less for next season, I'll be extremely happy. I'm hoping for something like NAW getting $18M/3 years with Naz at $27M/3 years.

NAW's defense is solid but he's very inconsistent offensively, mostly not good in fact.
If Minott can get it done defensively, he's the better option. I'm very hesitant to extending NAW.

minimus · Post #83 » by **minimus** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:39 pm

Grubie024 wrote:
wolves_89 wrote:If the Wolves can retain NAW and Naz on contracts that start at a combined total of $15M or less for next season, I'll be extremely happy. I'm hoping for something like NAW getting $18M/3 years with Naz at $27M/3 years.

NAW's defense is solid but he's very inconsistent offensively, mostly not good in fact.
If Minott can get it done defensively, he's the better option. I'm very hesitant to extending NAW.

Yeah, I think his unorthodox release is part of inconsistency. But I think his effort and hustle means a lot for this team. At right price we should re-sign him.

Grubie024 · Post #84 » by **Grubie024** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:42 pm

minimus wrote:
Grubie024 wrote:
wolves_89 wrote:If the Wolves can retain NAW and Naz on contracts that start at a combined total of $15M or less for next season, I'll be extremely happy. I'm hoping for something like NAW getting $18M/3 years with Naz at $27M/3 years.

NAW's defense is solid but he's very inconsistent offensively, mostly not good in fact.
If Minott can get it done defensively, he's the better option. I'm very hesitant to extending NAW.

Yeah, I think his unorthodox release is part of inconsistency. But I think his effort and hustle means a lot for this team. At right price we should re-sign him.

Normally I'd agree but money is about to be tighter than it's ever been for this team. Under a new contract, when we're in the luxury tax (which I think would be in a couple years right?) it's really a lot more than it appears.
Still want to see how Minott does. Anyway, I don't strongly disagree with signing NAW, just think it could be a costly mistake potentially.

Post #85 » by **Mamba4Goat** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:23 pm

Wendell Moore, whenever he’s ready which should be sooner rather than later, does a lot of things that NAW does and is way cheaper. If we’re penny pinching letting NAW go to give Moore and Minott legitimate opportunities could make sense.

Post #86 » by **Klomp** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:03 pm

Mamba4Goat wrote:Wendell Moore, whenever he’s ready which should be sooner rather than later, does a lot of things that NAW does and is way cheaper. If we’re penny pinching letting NAW go to give Moore and Minott legitimate opportunities could make sense.

My gut feeling is that the decision might come down to Alexander-Walker vs. Moore for a roster spot, but I'm not so sure it will be Moore who they choose.

minimus · Post #87 » by **minimus** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:36 pm

Klomp wrote:
Mamba4Goat wrote:Wendell Moore, whenever he’s ready which should be sooner rather than later, does a lot of things that NAW does and is way cheaper. If we’re penny pinching letting NAW go to give Moore and Minott legitimate opportunities could make sense.

My gut feeling is that the decision might come down to Alexander-Walker vs. Moore for a roster spot, but I'm not so sure it will be Moore who they choose.

IMO it is not about decision Moore or NAW. First are negotiations with NAW. We need to resign our FAs with team friendly contracts. Moore is known to be hard worker who continuously improves his game, so I see him been productive role player in one year. NAW has shown enough to play Rivers role, but he can improve as well. FO needs to use team options in contract like Gupta does.

Post #88 » by **Klomp** » Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:45 pm

minimus wrote:
Klomp wrote:
Mamba4Goat wrote:Wendell Moore, whenever he’s ready which should be sooner rather than later, does a lot of things that NAW does and is way cheaper. If we’re penny pinching letting NAW go to give Moore and Minott legitimate opportunities could make sense.

My gut feeling is that the decision might come down to Alexander-Walker vs. Moore for a roster spot, but I'm not so sure it will be Moore who they choose.

IMO it is not about decision Moore or NAW. First are negotiations with NAW. We need to resign our FAs with team friendly contracts. Moore is known to be hard worker who continuously improves his game, so I see him been productive role player in one year. NAW has shown enough to play Rivers role, but he can improve as well. FO needs to use team options in contract like Gupta does.

While there could definitely be room for both, my thinking there is that signing NAW to a contract may require using a trade in order to bring in an extra piece. I think ideally both are in the third level of depth. Not that NAW hasn't earned minutes, but I think knowing where we are as a team, we need someone better than him at his positions in order to take that next step. I don't think he's a regular rotation piece in the playoffs yet.

minimus · Post #89 » by **minimus** » Fri Mar 24, 2023 9:36 am

Klomp wrote:
minimus wrote:
Klomp wrote:My gut feeling is that the decision might come down to Alexander-Walker vs. Moore for a roster spot, but I'm not so sure it will be Moore who they choose.

IMO it is not about decision Moore or NAW. First are negotiations with NAW. We need to resign our FAs with team friendly contracts. Moore is known to be hard worker who continuously improves his game, so I see him been productive role player in one year. NAW has shown enough to play Rivers role, but he can improve as well. FO needs to use team options in contract like Gupta does.

While there could definitely be room for both, my thinking there is that signing NAW to a contract may require using a trade in order to bring in an extra piece. I think ideally both are in the third level of depth. Not that NAW hasn't earned minutes, but I think knowing where we are as a team, we need someone better than him at his positions in order to take that next step. I don't think he's a regular rotation piece in the playoffs yet.

Yeah, I agree that neither NAW nor Moore might not be rotational piece in playoff. I wonder which FA we should target this offseason (player and current salary):

Josh Richardson (12 mil)
Will Barton (14 mil)
Bruce Brown Jr. (6.5 mil)
Joe Ingles (6.5 mil)
DDV (4.5 mil)
Austin Reaves (2.5 mil)
Josh Okogie (2 mil)
Theo Maledon (2 mil)
Jevon Carter (2 mil)
Dennis Smith Jr. (2 mil)
Yuta Watanabe (2 mil)

wolves_89 · Post #90 » by **wolves_89** » Fri Mar 24, 2023 9:52 am

I'll be really curious to see what the RFA market looks like for NAW. I can't imagine him getting more than the taxpayer MLE (contract starts at $7.0M/year) and I think there is a fairly high likelihood that he ends up with offers in the $3-5M/year ballpark. If the Wolves make it clear they will match any reasonable offer they could play hardball with him in contract negotiations and end up with a pretty good deal.

minimus · Post #91 » by **minimus** » Fri Mar 24, 2023 10:26 am

wolves_89 wrote:I'll be really curious to see what the RFA market looks like for NAW. I can't imagine him getting more than the taxpayer MLE (contract starts at $7.0M/year) and I think there is a fairly high likelihood that he ends up with offers in the $3-5M/year ballpark. If the Wolves make it clear they will match any reasonable offer they could play hardball with him in contract negotiations and end up with a pretty good deal.

I hope we sign him for Vanderbilt deal: three-year $13.1 million.

minimus · Post #92 » by **minimus** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:03 am

Watch on YouTube

My new (old) favorite player rn

minimus · Post #93 » by **minimus** » Sat Apr 15, 2023 7:33 am

Nickeil
Alexander
Walker

TwolvesFanRome · Post #94 » by **TwolvesFanRome** » Sat Apr 15, 2023 7:38 am

minimus wrote:Nickeil
Alexander
Walker

What a steal in Dlo trade!!!!

minimus · Post #95 » by **minimus** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:08 pm

NAW needs to develop mid range game. He has high release and long arms, if he refines his footwork he will be really a positive player in offense, even in playoffs

Post #96 » by **Klomp** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 1:23 pm

For his defense alone, he's making himself some money this offseason.

TimberKat · Post #97 » by **TimberKat** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 1:46 pm

He is a smaller version of Josh Okogie right now. He looks good because our bench is so bad. If he develops some consistent offense would be great.

Post #98 » by **Klomp** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 1:52 pm

TimberKat wrote:He is a smaller version of Josh Okogie right now. He looks good because our bench is so bad. If he develops some consistent offense would be great.

Okogie shot a career-high .335 3FG% this season, his first time over 30%.
Alexander-Walker has one season below .335, shooting .311 in 2021-22.

minimus · Post #99 » by **minimus** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 2:53 pm

Klomp wrote:
TimberKat wrote:He is a smaller version of Josh Okogie right now. He looks good because our bench is so bad. If he develops some consistent offense would be great.

Okogie shot a career-high .335 3FG% this season, his first time over 30%.
Alexander-Walker has one season below .335, shooting .311 in 2021-22.

There is one big difference: Okogie takes only wiiide open 3s generated by PHO offense around KD, Booker and CP3. We have seen NAW shooting all types of 3pt shots, although in playoffs he attempts only C&S shots.

wolves_89 · Post #100 » by **wolves_89** » Sat Apr 22, 2023 8:51 pm

A couple of other things to consider with NAW are that he has played under 4000 minutes, and he's been traded during the season each of the last two years. A half dozen guys drafted 2 years later have more minutes that he does (for comparison Jaden McDaniels was drafted a year later and has 5700 minutes). The trades have also contributed significantly to him never being able to settle into a role that he can build on. The point being, I think NAW has a pretty significant amount of upside that he still has a decent chance of reaching.