Game 4, 4/27: Lakers at Timberwolves, 2:30 p.m.

[Loaf_of_bread]

I thought that Reaves shot was going in for sure.

The Lakers just ran out of shooting luck at the end of the game.
Maybe that had something to do with JJ Redick doing his best Mike Malone impression and forgetting he could sub players out.
Luka and LeBron complaining after the game about a no call when an out of control Luka tripped and fell is garbage.
They don't want to talk about the 6 or 7 times we got called for fouls where they stumbled and fell and no one touched them over the past 2 games.

Proud of the team never giving up and kept chipping away and playing hard even when things weren't going well.
Ant and Julius with 68 points, 9 assists, and only ONE TURNOVER combined.
That's valuing the possession and that's what winning looks like.

The Lakers had much better spacing offensively today around Luka and LeBron and that resulted in tons of open 3's.
You can tell they worked on that.
They can't afford to have Hayes or a non shooter out there on offense any more than we can afford to have Gobert out there.

But our anticipation and reaction on the rotations was slow today, not nearly as crisp as it was in game 3.
There were multiple times a defender just plain gave up after the 4th or 5th pass.

That small lineup the Lakers run is super vulnerable defensively though, LeBron is basically the only defender who isn't food once we get into the paint.

Ant's patience in probing the defense and ability to control his handle while doing so has leveled up since the regular season.
I don't know how much of that is growth from Ant, and how much of it is the Lakers defense lacking a true POA defender and most of their defenders just plain being food out there, as well as just plain being gassed in the 4th quarter.

I expect the Lakers to ratchet the ball pressure up a lot in game 4 like they did early in game 2.

Rudy was again abysmal and that idiot temper tantrum elbowing Lebron in the back of the head boxing out on an LA free throw cost us 3 free throws and a possession and could have cost us the game.

He has to be better. You can tell his head is just not in a good place right now.

Game 5 is next. You are being too critical of rudy.. yes he can play better.. essentially everyone could play better. Julius and Jaden are throwing down.

[winforlose]

Jaden is averaging 19.75 points per game on fairly efficient shooting (minus game 2 which was inefficient.) Randle is playing like he wants to disprove his reputation and get paid. NAW has had his minutes slip to under 12 and might be losing some value on his next contract. Ant did a lot of the things we don’t want him to do late game. No pass shots, too much dribbling before making a move, hesitant to pass, ect… the difference is tonight it was all going in. When it works it is beautiful, when it doesn’t work it is calamitous. For better or worse this is what Ant is right now. 3-1 and well on his way to multiple NBA records.

[life_saver]

Ant's playmaking has improved so much...dude is such a quick learner

[life_saver]

I feel like the biggest change I've seen with Wolves so far in 2025 is the low turnover rate..this was the biggest issue of the team in recent years but they finally have reduced turnover rate over last half of season...that's helping on both ends of the floor, really limiting the fastbreak opportunities for the opposition too. So far in this series, Ant just has 6 turnovers which is crazy low for his usage rate

[BlacJacMac]

I feel like the biggest change I've seen with Wolves so far in 2025 is the low turnover rate..this was the biggest issue of the team in recent years but they finally have reduced turnover rate over last half of season...that's helping on both ends of the floor, really limiting the fastbreak opportunities for the opposition too. So far in this series, Ant just has 6 turnovers which is crazy low for his usage rate

87 minutes between Ant and Julius tonight and they combined for ONE turnover.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Ant's playmaking has improved so much...dude is such a quick learner

Yes that's the main point. I think Mike talking to him a lot finally works quite well. The way he play right now is insane. He is our best PG and tonight he was double, sometimes triple many times and still find a way to play well. He grow up a lot right now.

[guest81]

No one has made more money right now than Randle. Went from having to attach a pick to get rid of him to him probably getting a max deal

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[TimberKat]

No one has made more money right now than Randle. Went from having to attach a pick to get rid of him to him probably getting a max deal

That could end up being a problem for Wolves. I don't think he is a max player and don't want to lockup a bunch of salary on him. Maybe we could trade him for KD without have to attach too many pieces now? Let Suns give him a max? Either that or lose him in free agency for nothing.

[winforlose]

No one has made more money right now than Randle. Went from having to attach a pick to get rid of him to him probably getting a max deal

That could end up being a problem for Wolves. I don't think he is a max player and don't want to lockup a bunch of salary on him. Maybe we could trade him for KD without have to attach too many pieces now? Let Suns give him a max? Either that or lose him in free agency for nothing.

Does it work like that? Can we max him and trade him for KD? I am pretty sure we cannot because of hard cap (not to mention sign and trade rules.) Maybe if we maxed him and then traded him mid season, but I have questions about the rules of trading players who opt out and the resign. Can we trade them within the first year?

[TimberKat]

No one has made more money right now than Randle. Went from having to attach a pick to get rid of him to him probably getting a max deal

That could end up being a problem for Wolves. I don't think he is a max player and don't want to lockup a bunch of salary on him. Maybe we could trade him for KD without have to attach too many pieces now? Let Suns give him a max? Either that or lose him in free agency for nothing.

Does it work like that? Can we max him and trade him for KD? I am pretty sure we cannot because of hard cap (not to mention sign and trade rules.) Maybe if we maxed him and then traded him mid season, but I have questions about the rules of trading players who opt out and the resign. Can we trade them within the first year?

I don't know. Can we trade him before his Opt in/out decision? Like during NBA draft night? So just Conley+Randle? Or if he opt out, we basically have nothing?

[cmoss84]

I've been saying this for awhile...Randle and Rudy for KD.

[TimberKat]

That could end up being a problem for Wolves. I don't think he is a max player and don't want to lockup a bunch of salary on him. Maybe we could trade him for KD without have to attach too many pieces now? Let Suns give him a max? Either that or lose him in free agency for nothing.

Does it work like that? Can we max him and trade him for KD? I am pretty sure we cannot because of hard cap (not to mention sign and trade rules.) Maybe if we maxed him and then traded him mid season, but I have questions about the rules of trading players who opt out and the resign. Can we trade them within the first year?

I don't know. Can we trade him before his Opt in/out decision? Like during NBA draft night? So just Conley+Randle? Or if he opt out, we basically have nothing?

I did a little research on this. My take is as soon as the playoffs ends by a team, they can make trades. The salary match is this year's salary. As soon as finals is done, the salary match is next year's. Player Option is usually exercised on June 30th. Therefore, as soon as Wolves season ends, they can trade Randle until June 30th without worry about his option. Suns would work out the new contract before the trade so he ops out on June 30th and sign the new one.

[winforlose]

Does it work like that? Can we max him and trade him for KD? I am pretty sure we cannot because of hard cap (not to mention sign and trade rules.) Maybe if we maxed him and then traded him mid season, but I have questions about the rules of trading players who opt out and the resign. Can we trade them within the first year?

I don't know. Can we trade him before his Opt in/out decision? Like during NBA draft night? So just Conley+Randle? Or if he opt out, we basically have nothing?

I did a little research on this. My take is as soon as the playoffs ends by a team, they can make trades. The salary match is this year's salary. As soon as finals is done, the salary match is next year's. Player Option is usually exercised on June 30th. Therefore, as soon as Wolves season ends, they can trade Randle until June 30th without worry about his option. Suns would work out the new contract before the trade so he ops out on June 30th and sign the new one.

Yeah, but then you are trading him at the present contract rate. If you wanted him to make 45 or 50 with the Suns and you want that value reflected in the trade he must opt out and sign a new deal with bird rights. The question then becomes what does that look like. I am 99% sure we get hard capped in a sign and trade player for player. If we don’t S&T but rather sign, hold, then seek to trade, what is the restriction? Is it 3 months, 12 months, or player has a no trade clause?

[shrink]

Does it work like that? Can we max him and trade him for KD? I am pretty sure we cannot because of hard cap (not to mention sign and trade rules.) Maybe if we maxed him and then traded him mid season, but I have questions about the rules of trading players who opt out and the resign. Can we trade them within the first year?

I don't know. Can we trade him before his Opt in/out decision? Like during NBA draft night? So just Conley+Randle? Or if he opt out, we basically have nothing?

I did a little research on this. My take is as soon as the playoffs ends by a team, they can make trades. The salary match is this year's salary. As soon as finals is done, the salary match is next year's. Player Option is usually exercised on June 30th. Therefore, as soon as Wolves season ends, they can trade Randle until June 30th without worry about his option. Suns would work out the new contract before the trade so he ops out on June 30th and sign the new one.

This is incorrect. Players that aren’t under contract for the following year, like expirings, are ineligible to be traded.

Randle would need to pick up his option to be eligible to be traded this year.

(We’d also have to throw a series to end early, since it’s the only way this team would avoid being NBA champs!)

[TimberKat]

I don't know. Can we trade him before his Opt in/out decision? Like during NBA draft night? So just Conley+Randle? Or if he opt out, we basically have nothing?

I did a little research on this. My take is as soon as the playoffs ends by a team, they can make trades. The salary match is this year's salary. As soon as finals is done, the salary match is next year's. Player Option is usually exercised on June 30th. Therefore, as soon as Wolves season ends, they can trade Randle until June 30th without worry about his option. Suns would work out the new contract before the trade so he ops out on June 30th and sign the new one.

This is incorrect. Players that aren’t under contract for the following year, like expirings, are ineligible to be traded.

Randle would need to pick up his option to be eligible to be traded this year.

(We’d also have to throw a series to end early, since it’s the only way this team would avoid being NBA champs!)

So if Twolves don't make it to the finals, would Randle be considered under contract until the finals ended? Can they trade him during that time?
If he is considered a free agent but signs a new contract, when can we trade him? I assume he can't sign the new one until free agent signing begins?
If we make it to the finals that is a different story, maybe we pull a Nico special and trade Ant

[shrink]

Players that aren’t under contract for the following year, like expirings, are ineligible to be traded.

Randle would need to pick up his option to be eligible to be traded this year.

(We’d also have to throw a series to end early, since it’s the only way this team would avoid being NBA champs!)

So if Twolves don't make it to the finals, would Randle be considered under contract until the finals ended? Can they trade him during that time?
If he is considered a free agent but signs a new contract, when can we trade him? I assume he can't sign the new one until free agent signing begins?
If we make it to the finals that is a different story, maybe we pull a Nico special and trade Ant

LOL!

He is under contract, but after the deadline, teams can’t trade players who don’t have guaranteed contracts for the next year or more. Randle has a player option, and until he signs it, we can’t trade him before the moratorium.

No one has ever asked me the earliest a player can choose to pick up a player option before! Since the player controls the process, there is usually no reason for them not to wait until the deadline day, in case things change just before it. However, if Randle WANTED to be traded, I suppose he could pick it up early to facilitate a trade. I doubt there is a limit in contracts for how early a player can choose to exercise his option.

The last thing I’d mention is that trades do occur after the deadline, before the season starts happen, but they are rare - maybe only one or two a year. The limited number of tradeable players is one factor, but also trades are much easier at the draft, because teams can use picks (who can become any team need) to adjust trade values, and until both teams see who is still available on a draft board, they don’t know how valuable the pick is to them. Still, it is one legal path that could be used to make a trade - but only after Randle picks up his option,

[thinktank]

If Ant had better touch on layups and around the rim he would then approach 1st team all nba.. not quite sure if that can be practiced.. that aspect unfortunately will keep him from superstar status.

How dare you doubt him.

[Biff Cooper]

Neither Conley or Gobert are versatile enough to be on the floor against the lineup the Lakers put out there the entire second half. If the Lakers are going to continue rolling with that lineup, you need to sit Coley and Gobert / rest them up for the next series. They should not be getting 25 and 26 minutes like they did yesterday. That is just stupid. If our guys need a rest, NAW, Clark, or TSJ are much more versatile options.

Assuming we make it to next round, Gobert is going to have a huge task against Jokic or Zubac, and Conley can hopefully find someone under 6'-7" to guard.

[TimberKat]

Neither Conley or Gobert are versatile enough to be on the floor against the lineup the Lakers put out there the entire second half. If the Lakers are going to continue rolling with that lineup, you need to sit Coley and Gobert / rest them up for the next series. They should not be getting 25 and 26 minutes like they did yesterday. That is just stupid. If our guys need a rest, NAW, Clark, or TSJ are much more versatile options.

Assuming we make it to next round, Gobert is going to have a huge task against Jokic or Zubac, and Conley can hopefully find someone under 6'-7" to guard.

Sit Conley maybe good but the 20 mins Gobert played was still valuable. Use Randle+Naz to close the game seems to work well. I think Gobert should just relax and play his game. Sit out the last 10 mins is fine as long as the Randle+Naz combo works. It hasn't work all season but works for Lakers and that is fine.