Does Carney's arrival....

[prefuse73]

..mean that the FO is working something up to get McCants out of town. If we keep gomes and bring back telfair, we have pleny of people (foye,brewer,miller & carney) that can play SG. Is there an upgrade over Collins out there that can add a legit 7ft athletic defensive presence that can rotate in with Love and Jefferson?

Any thoughts?

Jefferson - Person X - Collins
Love - Jefferson -
Miller - Gomes
Brewer - Miller - Carney
Foye - Telfair

[4ho5ive]

I would hope not. For everything that Carney brings with energy and defense, we could still really use the offensive prowess of McCants. Nobody on the team minus Al really has the ability to get off their own shot or get to the basket. He just needs to tap into that potential

I want to go shrinks route and let him start and see if he really matured. If not we build up his value, if so, we can keep him long term.

[dunkonu21]

I think McCants spot on the team is more safe than Gomes'. Even if Gomes gives us a good deal, the potential of those two is vastly different in McCants favor. Rashad has 20 ppg potential, Gomes is never going to score more than 15 ppg I would venture. McCants is an explosive athlete even after his surgery, much more than Gomes has ever dreamed of being. McCants is also just as strong as Gomes, despite being a good 3 inches shorter and 50 pounds less than him. Their attitude is also very different, I don't think Gomes has the hunger that McCants does, which is one of the main reasons that Gomes with never be anything more than a bench player on a good team. McCants could be a starter for us for the next 5 years if he solves a couple solvable problems. The talent is there for him it's all about learning from your mistakes and being more coachable. McCants may not be as mature as Gomes right now, which is why everyone loves Gomes so, but that is not a reason to throw away talent that fits this team well for a "nice" guy. For all we know Gomes was overachieving for a bad team last year. At least we saw McCants play with KG and be successful, which is proof enough for me.

[Devilzsidewalk]

I wouldn't hand Carney the keys over to McCants' role so easily. He was a starter/6th man and he won some games for us, Carney has to prove himself first to get into that.

Miller at SG isn't my favorite idea because of defense and his rebounding, I'd rather have him at SF. Ideally, I'm liking McCants/Miller as the best 2/3 right now. Its Gomes I don't know what to do with. Originally before all this stuff went down, I had Gomes as possible starter at SF or PT starter at PF against certain lineups, but with Miller here as a full time 35 mpg guy, Gomes is hard to peg. He may very well still be the starting PF w/ Jefferson like last year until Love proves his worth as Love shouldn't get a starting spot yet either.

Bottom line is we have lots of bodies, but Love, Brewer, and Carney all need to earn their minutes, they don't deserve anything yet. Gomes and McCants have shown enough to me that they should get 25-30 mpg. Miller, Jefferson, and Foye are proven starters. Everybody else has to earn their stripes first, then if they can show they also should be getting 20+ mpg, we can look at trades.

[Wingman]

I hope they keep McCants. I don't think Gomes is anywhere near as good as McCants. Both are bad defenders, although Gomes was playing out of position much of the time, but Gomes can't create for himself or others. If some team offers him more than 3.5 million I wouldn't match it.

[Wingman]

I hope they keep McCants. I don't think Gomes is anywhere near as good as McCants. Both are bad defenders, although Gomes was playing out of position much of the time, but Gomes can't create for himself or others. If some team offers him more than 3.5 million I wouldn't match it.

[Tirion]

Their attitude is also very different, I don't think Gomes has the hunger that McCants does, which is one of the main reasons that Gomes with never be anything more than a bench player on a good team.

I wonder where you got that from.

[MN Die Hard]

I dont think Carney has anything to do with McCants. MN made that trade for the draft pick, and if Carney provides anything worthwhile its a bonus.

[karch34]

Gomes is a much better defensive player at SF than McCants at SG. McCants has more athleticism, but it hasn't led to any consistency. I like McCants and he does have the skills to entice people, but I think the big difference is Gomes is more mature and has a better understanding of the team game,

J.R. Rider, Harold Miner, Kerry Kittles, Ron Mercer, Steve Smith and others probably had more athletic talent and potential than Gomes as well.

I think we keep McCants though.

[karch34]

Their attitude is also very different, I don't think Gomes has the hunger that McCants does, which is one of the main reasons that Gomes with never be anything more than a bench player on a good team.

I wonder where you got that from.

McCants blog. In it he said he's very hungry. Therefore he has to be more hungry than Gomes. Plus McCants gets more emotional, loses focus, and argues with the refs. You could say that Gomes not doing the same is being professional, but it's really a lack of hunger.

[Tirion]

And what exactly does Gomes have to do with McCants's place on the team? It's not Gomes vs. Rashad thing, they play different positions. It's Brewer vs. McCants for a starting sg spot imo.

[dunkonu21]

McCants is always one of the first names mentioned when you hear about who is working hard. He is also the one who has buffed up to god like proportions since being in the NBA. He is also the one who came back from one of the toughest injuries for a bball player. His work ethic has been proven over and over again, I wonder if Tirion and Karch were not paying attention or if it's just selective hearing. He is also someone who wants to take the last shot, which is always a good quality in a player. McCants wants to be a superstar, Gomes knows he can't be one. Why do people want to sign long term bench players when we don't even have our starting five in order yet. Look at Boston, they made a starting five and their bench fell together after. Boston didn't build a champion by signing James Posey, Sam Cassell and PJ Brown and then think "WOW, KG would fit so well with these bench players we should get him too!" Why do you think the Wolves have had such horrible contracts for years and years, signing bench players and hoping they can be starters. We have tried keeping and attracting free agents, it doesn't work. Understand when it's time to try something new, like building through the draft.

[Tirion]

well I hate to break it to you, but I just don't see it.
this is his draft profile, back from 2005:
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Rashad-McCants-12/
all the weaknesses listed there were still pretty obvious in his game last season. and it's not like he's a rookie, it was his second year in the league (technically third). if he's supposedly that hungry, I would like him to work on his defense and ballhandling, but I won't hold my breath over that.

[dunkonu21]

His d is bad and it hurts him a lot yes, but his ball handling is not what is stopping him from being on the floor.

[casey]

MN made that trade for the draft pick, and if Carney provides anything worthwhile its a bonus.

Asked what he considered the best part of the trade, McHale said: “Rodney Carney."

[TMo519]

well I hate to break it to you, but I just don't see it.
this is his draft profile, back from 2005:
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Rashad-McCants-12/
all the weaknesses listed there were still pretty obvious in his game last season. and it's not like he's a rookie, it was his second year in the league (technically third). if he's supposedly that hungry, I would like him to work on his defense and ballhandling, but I won't hold my breath over that.

LOL, his best case: Voshon Lenard. Awesome.

[Kestrel]

His d is bad and it hurts him a lot yes, but his ball handling is not what is stopping him from being on the floor.

What's your answer to that implied question? Something is keeping McCants off the floor. What? He's perhaps too "hungry" to be on the floor? Is it strictly the defense? What can explain his defensive problems, given the work ethic you describe?

Lots of us might say Rashad's unwillingess to play team ball, across all his areas of perceived weakness and strength, has been the problem. Gomes, by contrast, is a young Sam Mitchell whose head is on straight. And yet you seemingly started by praising McCants's attitude, and dishing Gomes for not being hungry enough. Which loses me.

[MN Die Hard]

MN made that trade for the draft pick, and if Carney provides anything worthwhile its a bonus.

Asked what he considered the best part of the trade, McHale said: “Rodney Carney."

Well, I would expect him to hype up the young player. I just have a feeling Carney will be similar to guys like Banks, Green, Snyder, etc....young guys who we all got excited about because they had high expectations at one time or another in another city.

If Carney catches on long term that's great. I just dont have my hopes up too much.

[karch34]

McCants is always one of the first names mentioned when you hear about who is working hard. He is also the one who has buffed up to god like proportions since being in the NBA. He is also the one who came back from one of the toughest injuries for a bball player. His work ethic has been proven over and over again, I wonder if Tirion and Karch were not paying attention or if it's just selective hearing. He is also someone who wants to take the last shot, which is always a good quality in a player. McCants wants to be a superstar, Gomes knows he can't be one. Why do people want to sign long term bench players when we don't even have our starting five in order yet. Look at Boston, they made a starting five and their bench fell together after. Boston didn't build a champion by signing James Posey, Sam Cassell and PJ Brown and then think "WOW, KG would fit so well with these bench players we should get him too!" Why do you think the Wolves have had such horrible contracts for years and years, signing bench players and hoping they can be starters. We have tried keeping and attracting free agents, it doesn't work. Understand when it's time to try something new, like building through the draft.

But if he's really working that hard and is arguably the most talented player on the team that he would get more minutes and a starting role? Some of it seems like spin doctoring. I liked the pick when we got him, want to see him succeed, but you're making your opinion of McCants (which you are entitled to) sound like fact so you can have some Gomes vs. McCants argument even though they don't play the same position.

BTW. I think every NBA player wants to be a superstar.

[Devilzsidewalk]

BTW. I think every NBA player wants to be a superstar.

I think Madsen is cool with just being a really really good player