I Still Know What They Should Do This Summer: Minnesota Timberwolves

[gswhoops]

Russell and Towns are your core pieces. Talented, but potentially fatally flawed unless you can surround them with a LOT of defense, an issue compounded by the Beasley trade. IMO, a Russell/Beasley backcourt long-term is not sustainable. Start Culver, and hope he can build on his defense while turning things around on offense. Re-sign Beasley but with the plan of using him as a microwave 6th man who keeps the offense flowing when Dlo sits.

Gordon for JJ + Okogie + #16 is tired but gets repeated because it makes a ton of sense. Gordon is a guy who's still young enough to grow with the Wolves core, is probably undervalued from playing out of position, and fits a big need if you are committed to keeping KAT at the 5.

Draft Okoro at 3 and hope/pray you can teach him how to shoot.

KAT/Reid
Gordon
Okoro/Hernangomez
Culver/Beasley
Russell

[rugbyrugger23]

Russell and Towns are your core pieces. Talented, but potentially fatally flawed unless you can surround them with a LOT of defense, an issue compounded by the Beasley trade. IMO, a Russell/Beasley backcourt long-term is not sustainable. Start Culver, and hope he can build on his defense while turning things around on offense. Re-sign Beasley but with the plan of using him as a microwave 6th man who keeps the offense flowing when Dlo sits.

Gordon for JJ + Okogie + #16 is tired but gets repeated because it makes a ton of sense. Gordon is a guy who's still young enough to grow with the Wolves core, is probably undervalued from playing out of position, and fits a big need if you are committed to keeping KAT at the 5.

Draft Okoro at 3 and hope/pray you can teach him how to shoot.

KAT/Reid
Gordon
Okoro/Hernangomez
Culver/Beasley
Russell

Wolves fan who understand team better than me can weigh in, but Okogie was starting more and looked studly on D. It would be interesting outside of draft hype, who is preferred: Okogie or Culver.

I think attaching either to #16 and JJ for Gordon is overpay.

JJ + #16 + Spellman or Vanderbilt or Evans and if pressed + #33 for A. Gordon. Personally I rather go after Oubre Jr. or Winslow.

[Domejandro]

Honestly, Minnesota’s defense is so bad that I would hate to lose Josh Okogie. I would happily offer Minnesota’s pick and more for Isaac, but all indications show that Gordon will be the one out the door.

Minnesota 100% intends to make a major trade, but I am expecting a brutally bad trade off-season because of COVID-19.

[gswhoops]

Honestly, Minnesota’s defense is so bad that I would hate to lose Josh Okogie. I would happily offer Minnesota’s pick and more for Isaac, but all indications show that Gordon will be the one out the door.

Minnesota 100% intends to make a major trade, but I am expecting a brutally bad trade off-season because of COVID-19.

Yeah Isaac would be the perfect compliment to KAT. I just don’t see Orlando trading him for anything less than a Godfather offer at this point.

[Neeva]

Honestly, Minnesota’s defense is so bad that I would hate to lose Josh Okogie. I would happily offer Minnesota’s pick and more for Isaac, but all indications show that Gordon will be the one out the door.

Minnesota 100% intends to make a major trade, but I am expecting a brutally bad trade off-season because of COVID-19.

Yeah Isaac would be the perfect compliment to KAT. I just don’t see Orlando trading him for anything less than a Godfather offer at this point.

He’s not even an all star though(in the east) and has health concerns. I just don’t see teams offering a godfather deal .

[shrink]

I am in the minority on this board, the Wolves board, and local MIN pundits, but I don’t think Aaron Gordon is what MIN needs.

MIN will certainly need defense, and Gordon has that in his rep, but I believe the key attribute for MIN will be a defender who is also a threat to spread the floor. MIN as a team has one advantage - Karl Anthony Towns is a match up nightmare for opposing coaches. He is a great scorer from both inside and outside, so most centers can’t guard both aspects of his game.

The shocking example last season was when MIN played the Jazz In a back to back. In the first game, Towns torched Gobert from the three point line, in a 20 point win. The next game, Quinn Snyder actually had Gobert play Towns man-to-man, chasing him around out to the three point line. I was shocked! Gobert is historically one of the greatest players in the game underneath for altering opponents shots - and Utah was forced to go away from that strength. If you’re curious, Gobert did an admirable job and the Jazz won the second game, but moving Gobert outside was definitely good for the Wolves team offense.

Anyway, this only happened because Covington, a career 38% three point shooter, was Towns’ PF. The Jazz couldn’t simply put a more mobile PF to defend Towns, and let Gobert stay under the basket helping the team and daring “his” man to make three’s. I don’t think this happens if Towns’ partner is Gordon, who was a 30% 3P% guy last year. Gordon is a better overall player than Covington, but AG is not as good as RoCo in the two areas the Wolves need desperately - defense AND 3-point shooting.

I think Gordon is a realistic trade target that we could see in Minnesota in the next nine months. Perhaps he even starts to trend upward after all these years in a better situation. However, I think if MIN acquires him, they may be throwing away their only advantage, and locking into a team of mediocrity ... or worse.

[gswhoops]

I am in the minority on this board, the Wolves board, and local MIN pundits, but I don’t think Aaron Gordon is what MIN needs.

MIN will certainly need defense, and Gordon has that in his rep, but I believe the key attribute for MIN will be a defender who is also a threat to spread the floor. MIN as a team has one advantage - Karl Anthony Towns is a match up nightmare for opposing coaches. He is a great scorer from both inside and outside, so most centers can’t guard both aspects of his game.

The shocking example last season was when MIN played the Jazz In a back to back. In the first game, Towns torched Gobert from the three point line, in a 20 point win. The next game, Quinn Snyder actually had Gobert play Towns man-to-man, chasing him around out to the three point line. I was shocked! Gobert is historically one of the greatest players in the game underneath for altering opponents shots - and Utah was forced to go away from that strength. If you’re curious, Gobert did an admirable job and the Jazz won the second game, but moving Gobert outside was definitely good for the Wolves team offense.

Anyway, this only happened because Covington, a career 38% three point shooter, was Towns’ PF. The Jazz couldn’t simply put a more mobile PF to defend Towns, and let Gobert stay under the basket helping the team and daring “his” man to make three’s. I don’t think this happens if Towns’ partner is Gordon, who was a 30% 3P% guy last year. Gordon is a better overall player than Covington, but AG is not as good as RoCo in the two areas the Wolves need desperately - defense AND 3-point shooting.

I think Gordon is a realistic trade target that we could see in Minnesota in the next nine months. Perhaps he even starts to trend upward after all these years in a better situation. However, I think if MIN acquires him, they may be throwing away their only advantage, and locking into a team of mediocrity ... or worse.

All points well taken. But my immediate thought is....there aren’t a lot of 4s (or 3/4s) who are plus defenders and 35%+ 3pt shooters, and those guys tend not to be available. Is it better to take a chance on a guy who could grow into that role or stand pat?

[shrink]

All points well taken. But my immediate thought is....there aren’t a lot of 4s (or 3/4s) who are plus defenders and 35%+ 3pt shooters, and those guys tend not to be available. Is it better to take a chance on a guy who could grow into that role or stand pat?

It might be. Gordon is young, but I may be biased about his chances of growing. Arguably his best season was in 2016. I know he hasn’t been in a great situation, but this is very unusual for any young player to not grow for so long.

You’re also right about availability. I don’t have a great alternative that MIN could likely pry from another team. MIN is a hard team to see a path for.

Who’s the next young Covington that nobody sees coming?

[gswhoops]

All points well taken. But my immediate thought is....there aren’t a lot of 4s (or 3/4s) who are plus defenders and 35%+ 3pt shooters, and those guys tend not to be available. Is it better to take a chance on a guy who could grow into that role or stand pat?

It might be. Gordon is young, but I may be biased about his chances of growing. Arguably his best season was in 2016. I know he hasn’t been in a great situation, but this is very unusual for any young player to not grow for so long.

You’re also right about availability. I don’t have a great alternative that MIN could likely pry from another team. MIN is a hard team to see a path for.

Who’s the next young Covington that nobody sees coming?

If I knew I’d keep him for us