Not a Prince nor Layman find Favors in Minneapolis

[Domejandro]

MIN: Derrick Favors
OUT: Taurean Prince and Jake Layman

Why for Minnesota? Shore up a massive rebounding and defensive hole at Power-Forward while freeing up a roster spot.

OKC: Taurean Prince and Jake Layman
OUT: Derrick Favors

Why for Oklahoma City? Save $10.2 million in salary next season.

[chefdan]

MIN: Derrick Favors
OUT: Taurean Prince and Jake Layman

Why for Minnesota? Shore up a massive rebounding and defensive hole at Power-Forward while freeing up a roster spot.

OKC: Taurean Prince and Jake Layman
OUT: Derrick Favors

Why for Oklahoma City? Save $10.2 million in salary next season.

I'm not 100% sure of the quality of Minnesota's depth chart but how does Favors fit in to the front court rotation of KAT, Vanderbilt, McDaniels & Reid?

I think the wolves would be better off trying to consolidate for a better quality 3/4 using Beasley and fillers until McDaniels develops a bit more.

Sent from my AMN-LX2 using RealGM mobile app

[jbk1234]

I kind of agree that all of Prince, Layman, and Favors are bench players and that the Wolves need a starting PF.

[babyjax13]

I think Favors can start at power forward for Minnesota and be very good defensively there. He is decent in pnr and especially passing out of the short roll, but with his decline in vertical explosiveness he is much less of a threat on that end.

[Nate the Great]

I sometimes wonder if some trade proposals are concocted just to give the thread an amusing title.

[Domejandro]

MIN: Derrick Favors
OUT: Taurean Prince and Jake Layman

Why for Minnesota? Shore up a massive rebounding and defensive hole at Power-Forward while freeing up a roster spot.

OKC: Taurean Prince and Jake Layman
OUT: Derrick Favors

Why for Oklahoma City? Save $10.2 million in salary next season.

I'm not 100% sure of the quality of Minnesota's depth chart but how does Favors fit in to the front court rotation of KAT, Vanderbilt, McDaniels & Reid?

I think the wolves would be better off trying to consolidate for a better quality 3/4 using Beasley and fillers until McDaniels develops a bit more.

Sent from my AMN-LX2 using RealGM mobile app

Jaden McDaniels is a Small-Forward, he is 100% not a Power-Forward on Minnesota. The big depth chart is currently….

Jarred Vanderbilt / Josh Okogie / Taurean Prince
Karl-Anthony Towns / Naz Reid

[shrink]

I mentioned this on the Wolves board, but it’s probably worth repeating here.

The best fit next to Towns is a big bruiser who can rebound and defend, and I’ve been frustrated that the Wolves can’t seem to find this guy for the last two years. It doesn’t seem like a difficult task. The guy doesn’t even need to score - although if he can hit a wide open three, like many bigs these days, it would definitely be a plus. I even called him just a “Derrick Favors-type.”

So why have the Wolves failed at this? Part of it may simply be .. they’re the Wolves. But a larger part may be that while ten years ago, every team has a Derrick Favors-type of two at the 4, the current NBA has more and more teams playing 6-6 to 6-8, big swingmen playing the PF position, running around outside and shooting three’s.

If Favors still has tread on the tires, he’d help, so I’m okay with the trade. But, like others have mentioned, what KAT really need is a guy that starts in front of Vanderbilt.

So how short is the list of players in today’s NBA that fit these criteria: Starting PF 6-9, 240 lbs or bigger?

[Texas Chuck]

So how short is the list of players in today’s NBA that fit these criteria: Starting PF 6-9, 240 lbs or bigger?

How important to you is mobility? Because if not, then just go get a center. Guys like Pau and Dirk who were skilled, but center-sized played next to traditional centers much of their careers.

My concern is what it was with Dirk. Dirk was best at defending bigger players close to the basket, but certainly wasn't a guy you wanted anchoring your defense so Dallas found their best success pairing with defensive centers -- Bradley then Damp/Diop then Haywood, and of course ultimately with Tyson.

But Dirk while weak defensively in space, never wavered on effort. Is that Towns yet? And if he can't defend a position other than center, than I think you are going to need to accept maybe an undersized guy but who plays big. PJ Tucker or Chuck Hayes before him. Obviously Draymond is off the table, but a guy like him.

I just don't know enough about Towns's specific defensive shortcomings to know what's best. But if you trust him out in space at all, I'd go get a center who can rim run on offense and protect the paint on defense. If he can't then I want a mobile PF much more than a bruiser. And I'd tell my guards you gotta help rebound.

[zimpy27]

Minny need a defensive anchor at the 4. A vocal player that can set the whole defense.

Draymond-like defensively is the player they need. Is Favors that?

[MoneyTalks41890]

Minny need a defensive anchor at the 4. A vocal player that can set the whole defense.

Draymond-like defensively is the player they need. Is Favors that?

He is decidedly not but the price is right.

I’m meh on this deal for OKC. Probably ok.

Good thread title btw.

[babyjax13]

Minny need a defensive anchor at the 4. A vocal player that can set the whole defense.

Draymond-like defensively is the player they need. Is Favors that?

He is decidedly not but the price is right.

I’m meh on this deal for OKC. Probably ok.

Good thread title btw.

Favors has great lateral mobility for his size, but injuries meant that you aren't getting consistent results. Can Favors contain ball-handlers if he gets switched on to them? Better than many centers, but I don't think he's 'elite' in that regard. I think you can easily start him at power forward when playing primarily off-ball players (e.g. Jamychal Green) and he can have a positive impact on defense. But if you are putting him on say Jayson Tatum or Harrison Barnes, he is no longer well-suited to those matchups. The Favors of old was an absolute terror on defense, probably one of the most laterally mobile center-sized players I've ever seen. Albeit, I think most players would struggle in those matchups, and most of the other players that would struggle don't have the advantage of also being good rim-protectors (Favors is no longer elite) and elite rebounders.

[shrink]

So how short is the list of players in today’s NBA that fit these criteria: Starting PF 6-9, 240 lbs or bigger?

How important to you is mobility? Because if not, then just go get a center. Guys like Pau and Dirk who were skilled, but center-sized played next to traditional centers much of their careers.

My concern is what it was with Dirk. Dirk was best at defending bigger players close to the basket, but certainly wasn't a guy you wanted anchoring your defense so Dallas found their best success pairing with defensive centers -- Bradley then Damp/Diop then Haywood, and of course ultimately with Tyson.

But Dirk while weak defensively in space, never wavered on effort. Is that Towns yet? And if he can't defend a position other than center, than I think you are going to need to accept maybe an undersized guy but who plays big. PJ Tucker or Chuck Hayes before him. Obviously Draymond is off the table, but a guy like him.

I just don't know enough about Towns's specific defensive shortcomings to know what's best. But if you trust him out in space at all, I'd go get a center who can rim run on offense and protect the paint on defense. If he can't then I want a mobile PF much more than a bruiser. And I'd tell my guards you gotta help rebound.

Good post. And it is especially rare to find a poster that asks about specifics on Towns’ defensive issues, rather than just proclaim Towns is just lazy.

Towns’ problem on defense has been the opposite. Towns has a good defensive rookie year with Garnett in his ear, but Years 2-4 he was pretty bad. It was never from a lack of effort, but rather he would be too aggressive in defensive assignments, and break team coverage. MIN has always struggled to stop the point of attack, and when a guard comes rolling towards the rim, KAT would come out of the drop coverage and try to make a stop himself. This often ended in fouls, or the player making a pass to a guy underneath in the area that Towns just vacated. Surprisingly, Towns had consistently good numbers defending players 1-on-1 down low, he was always just too aggressive and a bad decision-maker in team defense.

The other thing that doesn’t get mentioned about Towns is that his defense has improved. Year 5 was an improvement, but Year 6 he made a significant leap. The numbers don’t necessarily show it, since he was saddled with some very poor defenders in DLo, Ant and Beasley, but the difference was very clear. Towns listens to everything that is said about him, and his defense (and body) are even better this year, and MIN’s defense has been surprisingly good this year.
—
I like the Dirk analogy. And you may be right that the guy I’m looking for is a center (or those classic bruiser PF’s from 10-20 years ago are mostly classified as centers in today’s NBA. Unfortunately, Towns sees himself as a center, and I’m not sure MIN can tell their best player to change his position. I am encouraged by the defensive leap that Jokic made from horrible-to-only-somewhat-bad, and that came from asking him how HE wanted to play defense. That may be the answer for Towns though, because he clearly seems more engaged when he’s out challenging players, rather than waiting under the rim. So maybe a center is what they need, if they can convince Towns that is the answer,