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(I hope this doesn't get locked as a flame thread. It's not meant as such)

I was at the Timberwolves Draft "Party" at the Lifetime Fitness downtown. I watched every pick until the 35th when they closed things down. I want to clarify that I went to a Timberwolves game last season and thought it was the most depressing sporting event that I had ever seen.

I was wrong.

I cannot put into words the underwhelming sensation of watching your team. A team you've been rooting for through thick and thin. Through Pooh Richardson and KG. Completely faceplant in front of its most interested fans. (diehard is implied just by being in attendance at the "party")

The place was packed in two gyms. About 200 people. We were excited. But everyone had a look of hope on their faces. After all we had THREE PICKS in the first round. Valuable expiring or team option contracts, and plenty of cap room. It only made sense to make a big splash and get your team back on the map.

After the logical pick of Wes Johnson at 4. We waited and waited, hoping for a trade to be announced with Minnesota picking up a potential star or improved draft position. 16 is a long wait from 4.

Nothing.

Then Luke Babbitt is announced. Stunned silence. Of all the positions of need. A one dimensional outside shooting SF was not what people wanted to hear. People started to get up and look at other fans faces. Then the exodus began. A quarter of the Timberwolves most diehard fans just gave up.

But wait Babbitt is traded! AWESOME! action, we're excited. I'm holding my breath. Our 16th pick to Portland with one of our most valuable assets, the contract of Gomes for Martell Webster.

Martel Webster. Silence fills the two rooms. The Gomes contract was a big trading piece. Everyone knows this. These fans are well aware that we just traded a first rounder and our trade leverage for a backup.

Another quarter of the crowd dips out. Jim Peterson and Tom Hanneman try to upsell this debacle to the crowd. There are scattered boos. But Minnesota nice still reigns. "We're getting an athletic veteran" they say.

Martell is 23.

The Wolves are not making a splash. But there is always hope at 23. maybe even a big trade involving Love or Jefferson.

Trevor Booker at 23. Groans. Most people stare at the ground. This no-name from Clemson just got drafted. Debacle. But wait, a trade is announced on the big screen. We're sending Booker and 1 of the second rounders for the 30th and 35th.

Stares, silence. Some old guy starts laughing out loud in the back. We just traded down.

We then use the 30th for Lazar Hayward. A 6'5 forward. People are resigned to it at this stage. The 35th is a European, Nemanja Bjelica.

I get up and walk out.

A wealth of picks, a valuable contracts and we end up with

Wes Johnson. The obvious no-brainer.
Martell Webster a career backup.
A 6'5 forward and a European throwaway.

I want to make two points. The Wolves need to discover or create passion for their team. They failed tonight on a scale I cannot even fully comprehend at this hour. Those diehard fans, willing to spend money on everything from concessions to season tickets left without a spark.

That is not how you rebuild a fanbase.

Secondly, free agency is likely to be dull for the Wolves. No Lebron, Wade or Bosh. What does that leave our cap space for? 2nd tier players. Building through the draft was our best hope of following in New Orleans, OK City and Portland's footprints. Thats now shot. Jefferson is for sure to be traded but probably for peanuts because we can't attach any picks or Gomes to him. Wasted opportunity.


Sorry to be a downer, but this night barring a startling update has been a bust.

Well, I agree the optimism all of us had going into the draft was the highest its been in awhile...we were really let down. Too bad Kahn doesn't know it yet. Webster is a good player though, I'm not gonna call for Kahns head just yet. Lets wait til we see the players play first, and til this offseason is finished.

Meh, I coveted Wes Johnson so I'm not at all disappointed with that. If we had only 1 pick in this draft and it was the 4, would anybody (other than Cousins sack huggers) be disappointed? Wes is the only pick that matters. Outside the top 5, the draft is a total crapshoot. I'm glad we got a proven player who can contribute and is still young.

Just based on Johnson, the draft was a success. And believe it or not, the season doesn't start tomorrow! There are still many trades and FA! So don't drive by Kahn's house spraying a mack 10 just yet.

AndyDoggy wrote:Jim Peterson and Tom Hanneman try to upsell this debacle to the crowd. There are scattered boos. But Minnesota nice still reigns. "We're getting an athletic veteran" they say.

Martell is 23.

And yet he is still a 5 year VETERAN.

If Wes Johnson or Martell Webster can play the two then I believe that this was actually a successful draft. We went into this draft needing scorers at the two and three posititions so if one of our two incoming players can play the two this seemed alright to me. Babbitt wasn't gonna play the two, but I believe that Webster has the potential to be a JR Smith like electric scorer off the bench.

One thing I remember rev saying is that the 2 and 3 are virtually interchangeable in our offense. So its a matter if one of them can defend the 2, which Webster can.

Oh man I thought this was going to be another positivity thread. I guess not.

Hopefully Cousins is the next Beasley, Wes Johnson was the safe pick and hopefully Rubio makes him look like a stud.

i like webster a lot but he is not worth the 16 and Gomes
why didnt we just go for Anderson?

also why are we taking so many players that cant play for 2-4 years its really annoying,we need talent
whats the point of them being in another country???????

I'll say this. Wes Johnson was the right pick at 4. Safe but correct.

My beef is with 16 and 23. We literally dumped those for a career backup in Webster who for all I know may turn into the next big thing.

Doubtful but anything is possible.

@Klomp Also, there is no way that he is a veteran, regardless of the 5 years he's been in the league. Veterans are leaders in both performance and profile. He has shown neither. We all know that. Dumping Gomes valuable contract on top of it, was just stupidity.

The 23rd to move back for a 6'5 guy who played PF and a European stiff was just epically inept.

In an ideal world. We package 16 and 23 with AL and probably Gomes to move into the top 10 with another pick and probably an actually experienced veteran coming our way not one who worked a European style platoon system in Portland.

@Krapinsky Why be positive over a faceplant. Stop trying to find justifications for this draft. There is obviously a long offseason ahead. But traditionally most major moves that aren't FA or lateral trades happen on draft night, because of the added value of the draft picks. Nothing. No improvement. When we can't break .500 again this year remember why.

Also this may be the first time I've ever agreed with Chad Ford on anything, but here is part of his grade for the Wolves.

The head-scratcher was the Wolves' decision to trade the 16th pick and Ryan Gomes for Martell Webster. So the Wolves gave up two significant assets (Gomes' contract wasn't guaranteed, which made it valuable); plus, Webster has been marginal in his career so far. How the Wolves plan to play more than two of these guys along with Corey Brewer remains to be seen.

I want to reinforce that I want to be positive, but the experience at the "draft party" and just the reality of drafting and trading for 3 SG/SFs to put behind Brewer while dumping Gomes contract and not moving Al is just too much to see as a rainbow of hope.

Good summary of the draft last night. Who knows, it may turn out to be a decent draft night. But after all of the hype and waiting, last night felt like getting punched in the stomach. A complete cluster of a draft, which is leaving me bewildered. I spent a whole year defending Kahn to casual fans and fans of other teams. It appears as though I was wrong about him.

I was extremely underwhelmed with what happened last night, and it's going to be an extremely long season. At least I still have Rubio to look forward to I guess.

AndyDoggy wrote:The 23rd to move back for a 6'5 guy who played PF and a European stiff was just epically inept.

The fact that he played PF in college is actually a good thing. It shows that he has the toughness and versatility to switch off his man, and can defend in the post.

European stiff? Harsh. Ronzone knows his stuff. Going into the draft, the two internationals I had my eye on were Bjelica and Prestes. I am very happy with those two picks.

I think the problem with the majority of Wolves fans disappointed with the draft is that they get so caught up with the big names, the sexy picks. Cousins was a sexy pick. Whiteside too. Anderson. These are a few of the names people thought we needed. Why? Because these are the names the media has thrown down our throats for the past 2-3 months.

But now Sac gets to deal with two red flag guys who play the same position, while they also traded for Dalembert in his contract year, so I'm sure he'll expect time too.

Meanwhile, we drafted 2 high character guys, high BBIQ, fit needs, and found a few nice Euro prospects.

If you've never agreed with Chad Ford on anything why start now? Ford, as a draft enthusiast is going to overvalue draft picks. Webster is better than Gomes. If you don't think so, then you only watch boxscores and don't realize that defensive is 50% of the game. And at 16 I really didn't like anyone at that spot. Babbit was the best value pick, but fact is, Babbit may not be any better than Adam Morrison -- a player many thought was the best player in the draft at the time, which shows how little people actually know about draft picks.

I just don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be. I would rather have Webster -- high character, good defense -- than Beasley.

Klomp wrote:One thing I remember rev saying is that the 2 and 3 are virtually interchangeable in our offense. So its a matter if one of them can defend the 2, which Webster can.

Rev also said that Al would absolutely 100% be traded on draft night.

Klomp wrote:I think the problem with the majority of Wolves fans disappointed with the draft is that they get so caught up with the big names, the sexy picks. Cousins was a sexy pick. Whiteside too. Anderson. These are a few of the names people thought we needed. Why? Because these are the names the media has thrown down our throats for the past 2-3 months.

But now Sac gets to deal with two red flag guys who play the same position, while they also traded for Dalembert in his contract year, so I'm sure he'll expect time too.

Meanwhile, we drafted 2 high character guys, high BBIQ, fit needs, and found a few nice Euro prospects.

Anderson a sexy pick????????? he wasnt talked up by many people
spurs got a steal(and they always do)

i actually think anderson will have a better year than johnson

fattymcgee wrote:Rev also said that Al would absolutely 100% be traded on draft night.

He never said on draft night....

wolves_fan_82au wrote:

Klomp wrote:I think the problem with the majority of Wolves fans disappointed with the draft is that they get so caught up with the big names, the sexy picks. Cousins was a sexy pick. Whiteside too. Anderson. These are a few of the names people thought we needed. Why? Because these are the names the media has thrown down our throats for the past 2-3 months.

But now Sac gets to deal with two red flag guys who play the same position, while they also traded for Dalembert in his contract year, so I'm sure he'll expect time too.

Meanwhile, we drafted 2 high character guys, high BBIQ, fit needs, and found a few nice Euro prospects.

Anderson a sexy pick????????? he wasnt talked up by many people
spurs got a steal(and they always do)

i actually think anderson will have a better year than johnson

We seldom agree, but I have to agree on Anderson. He was the obvious pick at 16. Probably BPA, an actual SG, and wouldn't have cost us the Gomes contract. I would have MUCH rather taken Anderson and just cut Gomes than take what actually happened.

I was pretty pissed last night, but now I'm just underwhelmed. We got some good players, and we got better; no one is saying otherwise. The problem is just that the value wasn't where it should have been with the guys we got.

I'm OK with Wesley Johnson. The only thing that would have left me as "excited" on Draft Night would be if we were picking #2 (but Stern decided against that) or had Favors dropped to us.

Since we were stuck with the 4th pick, Johnson has grown on me. I think he's going to be better than most give him credit for.