Trade Talk (Part 16): Early Season Anxiety Edition

[moss_is_1]

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As I expected. Would take a perfect swing of things for Randle to be moved, which is fine. I think he's been good for the most part and obviously the injury didn't help. With how it is now I'd think NAW is the most likely to be gone. Clarke showing he can play, while having Ant, Jaden, Rob, Mike playing in his position right now and DDV coming back with TSJ waiting after using a late 1st on him it would seem he's expendable. Some time might offer a bad 1st but likely we could get some 2nds or a backup bigman.

[Klomp]

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OK reading through this now for those who don't have a subscription, a couple interesting points:

- doesn't seem like a big move is on the horizon, repeats Finch's words after the ATL game that they think improvement is coming internally
- Wolves are the 8th best team in record since Dec 1st, since January 5th Ortg, 10th Defrtg

OK, I'm starting to regain some of my optimism.....

Here is a big part of where I think the fans' perception differs from the team's perspective on things:

I think there has been a huge shift in the team since Dec. 1 (I technically like to use Nov. 29 as my starting point, but whatever).

Minnesota is 23-12 this season when holding the opponent to 115 points or less. This happened just 12 times in the first 19 games (5-7 record), but 23 times since Dec. 1 (18-5 record).

These last two losses I chalk up more to exhaustion and a lack of reliable options. Yes, there is blame to go around for that, be it to Finch or others. But realistically, most teams can be expected to lose a game when like five of your best players are out.

[shrink]

Seems like I thought. I hope we see something around vet mins.

Apron rules are killers

[Klomp]

Butler has such a superiority complex, he can't help himself....

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[minimus]

Butler has such a superiority complex, he can't help himself....

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It will be such an irony to get traded for a guy that you blamed

[moss_is_1]

If Dallas was trying to move Pj Washington for a guard, I wish we could get in and jump all over trying to snag him.

[BlacJacMac]

If Dallas was trying to move Pj Washington for a guard, I wish we could get in and jump all over trying to snag him.

That's a tough contract to match. And I don't think we have a guard outside of Ant or Donte that would interest them.

Maybe some kind of 3-way where Randle goes to a 3rd team who sends a guard to Dallas. But that 3rd team would need to covet Randle over PJ to not cut us out...

[minimus]

It's true that without Randle we lost two very winnable games. But I have just realized that when DDV is healthy MIN can still promote Reid as starting PF AND have either Rob or DDV as 6th man from the bench. The problem right now is that without Randle MIN don't have third reliable big. I feel like TC still can fine tune this roster by using and developing already existing roster and adding small (read non expensive) parts:

- increase Reid role in offense
- get Kyle Anderson type of role player who can defend SF/PF and even sometimes C and rebound. If he can pass the ball, then I will be okay if he is not a shooter
- gradually increase Dillingham minutes
- increase Clark role in defense

I would absolutely avoid guys such as Isaiah Stewart who don't understand their role or can not be coached.

This is how I hope our rotation will look like at the beginning of next season:

Gobert/???/Reid
Reid/McDaniels/Miller
McDaniels/Clark
Edwards/DDV/TJ
Dillingham/???/Conley

I am kind of disappointed in Miller and Minott. It is true that both TJ and Clark have much more experience than Miller and Minott, but I expected more from both forwards. But I hope TC can both re-sign Reid AND sign quality FA. If in addition DET give us FRP and TC finds a rotational player it will an excellent off-season. Unfortunately, I don't see NAW coming back and I believe that Randle will gone as well for financial reasons.

[winforlose]

It's true that without Randle we lost two very winnable games. But I have just realized that when DDV is healthy MIN can still promote Reid as starting PF AND have either Rob or DDV as 6th man from the bench. The problem right now is that without Randle MIN don't have third reliable big. I feel like TC still can fine tune this roster by using and developing already existing roster and adding small (read non expensive) parts:

- increase Reid role in offense
- get Kyle Anderson type of role player who can defend SF/PF and even sometimes C and rebound. If he can pass the ball, then I will be okay if he is not a shooter
- gradually increase Dillingham minutes
- increase Clark role in defense

I would absolutely avoid guys such as Isaiah Stewart who don't understand their role or can not be coached.

This is how I hope our rotation will look like at the beginning of next season:

Gobert/???/Reid
Reid/McDaniels/Miller
McDaniels/Clark
Edwards/DDV/TJ
Dillingham/???/Conley

I am kind of disappointed in Miller and Minott. It is true that both TJ and Clark have much more experience than Miller and Minott, but I expected more from both forwards. But I hope TC can both re-sign Reid AND sign quality FA. If in addition DET give us FRP and TC finds a rotational player it will an excellent off-season. Unfortunately, I don't see NAW coming back and I believe that Randle will gone as well for financial reasons.

Blaming Miller and Minott for Finch not playing them is an interesting choice. I blame Finch’s stubbornness and playing favorites personally. Any minute that Garza plays over Miller is a wasted minute, unless Garza is in the long term plans and Miller is not. That approach also devalues Miller in trade (how other teams read this is Miller is worse than Garza.) Minott could easily have played more minutes and give the starters more rest. The starters over use is probably why the defense looks so bad end of game.


Our backcourt scored (not including Ant’s end of game shot,) 40 points. Ant/Mike/Dilly/NAW combined for 40 points. Our starting front court scored 71. That is why we lost. We need guard help, and getting more out of backup C would be super.

[Klomp]

Thoughts on this trade construction:
Julius Randle for Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk

[BlacJacMac]

Thoughts on this trade construction:
Julius Randle for Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk

Yes, please.

Poeltl is a very good player that gives a legit back-up to Rudy that really helps with our rebounding problems.

Olynyk gives us a scrappy bench player that can hit the 3.

[moss_is_1]

If Dallas was trying to move Pj Washington for a guard, I wish we could get in and jump all over trying to snag him.

That's a tough contract to match. And I don't think we have a guard outside of Ant or Donte that would interest them.

Maybe some kind of 3-way where Randle goes to a 3rd team who sends a guard to Dallas. But that 3rd team would need to covet Randle over PJ to not cut us out...

That's what I was thinking as well. Would require someone to want Randle, or think he'd opt out. Maybe Portland for Simons, or Utah for Sexton?

Dallas - Pj for a guard
3rd team - Randle for a guard and wing or a center?
Wolves - Randle for Pj and other piece.

Depending what we got with Pj could see us dangling that Detroit 1st.

[winforlose]

Thoughts on this trade construction:
Julius Randle for Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk

Is this step one in trading Gobert next year? If yes, then I kinda get it. If no, I don’t understand it at all. I think we need a Myles Turner type C and not a Gobert type C to fully unlock Ant. That said, I like Olynyk as a backup.

[fattymcgee]

delete

[Klomp]

Let's get crazy....

Anthony Edwards for Tyrese Haliburton

Indiana has a logjam at point guard, with Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell both behind Haliburton. Minnesota has a logjam at shooting guard, with Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker behind Edwards.

[cmoss84]

Let's get crazy....

Anthony Edwards for Tyrese Haliburton

Indiana has a logjam at point guard, with Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell both behind Haliburton. Minnesota has a logjam at shooting guard, with Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker behind Edwards.

No.
Also. I bet nobody wants Beal...but Butler is insistent on Suns.

[MN7725]

Thoughts on this trade construction:
Julius Randle for Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk

Poeltl is too good to be backup, but is at a good salary to maybe move to a team that needs a C like GSW or LAL

Rui
Finney Smith

KA/Payton

idk

[Klomp]

Thoughts on this trade construction:
Julius Randle for Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk

Poeltl is too good to be backup, but is at a good salary to maybe move to a team that needs a C like GSW or LAL

This is basically what I am thinking.....use him to wind out the season, and move in the summer.

[Howard Cosell]

I’m not going to lose all hope in Durant coming to Minnesota until I see an official Shams post of Durant being traded somewhere else.

Keep hope alive!
Keep hope alive!
Keep hope alive!

[shrink]

Butler has such a superiority complex, he can't help himself....

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It will be such an irony to get traded for a guy that you blamed

That made me laugh!

I’m not sure Jimmy is worth more than Wiggins either.