Wolves Talent Depth Chart

[Breakdown777]

We usually make one of these around the trade deadline and the draft, so I thought I'd start one up. Basically, let's number our assets so other fans know how we gauge value. If someone wants to average everyone's list to make a consensus, that's doable. Otherwise you can make your own assumptions based on the individual MN fan rankings.
Also, feel free to argue the ranks that others have posted.
Here's mine (ranked in tiers. nobody is un-tradeable, but the further down, the more tradeable)

1. Love
2. Rubio

I personally wouldn't trade Love or Rubio unless we get a Borderline Superstar in return.
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3. #2 pick
4. Beasley
5. Wes

If BPA at #2 is D. Williams, then one of Love,Beas,#2 needs to move to help balance the roster and upgrade SG or C.
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6. A. Randolph

I don't want to move Randolph after just getting him, but he is available if we get an offer we can't refuse. There are probably value-issues here, but most MN fans value him quite a bit.
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7. Ridnour
8. Tolliver
9. Darko - only here because probably nobody else wants him

Neutral. The only way I see us moving these players is if they are deal-breakers or we get a better replacement.
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10. Webster
11. Pekovic
12. Flynn - Hopefully he's worth more than this to other teams, but he's useless in MN.
13. #20
14. Ellington
15. Lazar

All of these are being shopped extensively in an effort to move up, get a pick in the 2012 draft, or combine with better assets for a really good player.
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Did I forget anybody? I'll make sure to edit this if I did. I'd be interested to see some other takes on the situation.

[AQuintus]

W
3. #2 pick
4. Beasley
5. Wes

If BPA at #2 is D. Williams, then one of these needs to move to help balance the roster and upgrade SG or C.

Except that Williams is a PF, so moving a wing to make room for him doesn't make any sense.

[Breakdown777]

W
3. #2 pick
4. Beasley
5. Wes

If BPA at #2 is D. Williams, then one of these needs to move to help balance the roster and upgrade SG or C.

Except that Williams is a PF, so moving a wing to make room for him doesn't make any sense.

edited the OP. Thanks. Forgot that Wes is in there. In my view, Wes, Beas, and Williams should all be SF. Beas and Williams are SF/PF, where Wes is a SF/SG/PF.

[AQuintus]

edited the OP. Thanks. Forgot that Wes is in there. In my view, Wes, Beas, and Williams should all be SF. Beas and Williams are SF/PF, where Wes is a SF/SG/PF.

I'm not even sure that I buy that Williams is a SF/PF. I agree with draftexpress that he can play SF and be good, but if he ever wants to be a special player, Williams will have to be a full time PF.

I wrote in the trade Love thread a pipe dream trade of Beasley, Love, and Darko (plus other assets if needed) for and un-extended Dwight Howard. If it looks like Dwight won't resign with them, I wonder if that's something that Orlando would do. Minnesota takes on a ton of risk of Dwight leaving in FA and leaving us with nothing, but it allows us to play Williams and Johnson at their natural positions and instantly makes us a title contender.

[JMillott]

#1. Kevin Love - An allstar but really not a game changer or franchise guy in my eyes
#2. #2 overall pick - In a better draft i'd have maybe ranked this asset #1.
#3. Ricky Rubio - I've still got some hope that he'll be a pretty good PG but I just don't him as superstar
#4. Luke Ridnour - An impact player as a back up and a solid starter and veteran
#5a. Michael Beasley - Potential he has but his best chance to be an impact starter is at PF and he isn't beating out Love anytime soon.
#5b. Wesley Johnson - Had a very bland rookie year, that said I still think in a better system next to the right perimeter players that he could be a rich mans Allan Houston.
#7a. Anthony Randolph - Clearly has talent and at both ends of the court for that matter, if he develops offensively he could be a Lamar Odom type someday with better defensive impact.
#7b. #20 overall pick - I think even though this draft looks devoid of stars that they can hope to find a solid player with this pick and a cheap one.
#9. Martell Webster - Same story as Wesley Johnson, next to the right types of perimeter players he could be a major asset off the bench.
#10. Tolliver - A solid veteran role player that knows his game and plays within himself, if he is the 8th man he's likely helping quite a bit.
After that it doesn't really matter.

[[RCG]]

1. Love
2. Rubio
3. #2
4. Beasley
5. Johnson
6. Randolph
7. Ridnour
8. Milicic
9. Tolliver
10. Webster
11. Pekovic
12. Flynn
13. #20

[Breakdown777]

1. Love
2. Rubio
3. #2
4. Beasley
5. Johnson
6. Randolph
7. Ridnour
8. Milicic
9. Tolliver
10. Webster
11. Pekovic
12. Flynn
13. #20

Well hopefully a few more entries are posted, as this is identical to mine except Darko/Tolly are switched and you left of Ellington and Lazar (justifiable, they are both pretty useless and will be included in any deal if necessary).

[Devilzsidewalk]

Rubio ahead of the #2 pick is too optimistic for me. He's got to show his confidence in the NBA first. That PG position is so ridiculously deep and guys are going to be gunning for him hard, he's in for a major **** storm. Hope he can hang

[Breakdown777]

Rubio ahead of the #2 pick is too optimistic for me. He's got to show his confidence in the NBA first. That PG position is so ridiculously deep and guys are going to be gunning for him hard, he's in for a major **** storm. Hope he can hang

Good point. While I think the wolves view Rubio as more valuable and are in turn less likely to move him, I can see how some may think that a #2 pick is more valuable since Rubio hasn't proved much since he was drafted.

[eyeteeth]

Rubio ahead of the #2 pick is too optimistic for me. He's got to show his confidence in the NBA first. That PG position is so ridiculously deep and guys are going to be gunning for him hard, he's in for a major **** storm. Hope he can hang

Good point. While I think the wolves view Rubio as more valuable and are in turn less likely to move him, I can see how some may think that a #2 pick is more valuable since Rubio hasn't proved much since he was drafted.

In the real world, though, this is not just about basketball ability and maximizing return value. Rubio is untradable because Kahn hitched his wagon to Rubio a while ago. Rubio is a recognizable face and a very marketable commodity. The story of the Wolves attempts to get him over here is also known far and wide, even by non-basketball fans. These are all really valuable things to a team that is fighting for market presence in a crowded league and even more crowded Minnesota sports world. Nothing in the #2 pick even registers in this way.

Rubio will be here next year no matter what.



Trading Depth Chart:
Untradable:
Rubio, Love,

Tradable but only for the perfect deal (in other words, we get the better end):
Beasley, Ridnour

Technically tradable, but worth more to us than to you:
Randolph, Tolliver

On the market but expensive:
#2, Johnson, Webster

On the block:
Pekovic, Ellington, Hayward, Darko,

We'll throw in a new car:
Flynn

[C.lupus]

I had just a few slight changes to Breakdown's breakdown:

1. Love
2. Rubio
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3. #2 pick - value is here but probability of being traded is greater than the next 4 guys
4. Beasley
5. Wes
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6. Ridnour
7. A. Randolph
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8. Tolliver
9. Webster
10. Darko
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11. Pekovic
12. #20
13. Ellington
14. Lazar
15. Flynn - he gone. Zero value to this team now.

[jpatrick]

I think it comes down to whether the asset has more value to the Wolves or to other teams.

Rubio, Love - virtually untradeable because they are the faces of the franchise and therefore have more value to the Wolves.

Beasley, Ridnour - probably won't be traded because they have more value to the Wolves than to other teams. Beasley is our only hope for a go to scorer and his trade value is in the dumps while Ridnour doesn't have alot of value around the league but has value here because he is a nice mentor for Rubio.

Johnson, Randolph, Tolliver, Pek, Darko, Ellington, Webster, #20 - value is about the same around the league as it is here therefore will be moved if trade balances out the roster. Randolph's value is hurt somewhat with us because he's up for an extension the same year as Love and Beas.

#2 - probably will be traded because the value around the league is more than the value to us because the player most likely to be taken, Williams, is a bad fit here.

Flynn - no value here might have minimal value around the league thus most likely out the door.

In the end, I'm conviced we'll trade some combination of the #2, Beasley, Johnson, Randolph and the filler players (not all those guys but one or two of them) for a 23 to 28 year old upgrade at SG or C. I'm still hopeful we can land a Bynum, Lopez or Bogut at center but might have to settle for a Kaman or Varajeao type. Outside of Iggy, I'm not sure a young vet who is a major upgrade at SG is available (I don't see Gordon as available).

[Biff Cooper]

I am much higher on Pek than most. He's had a year to adjust to the NBA game, and as long as they don't bring in another center should have the chance to make some big strides next season.

[C.lupus]

I actually like Pek, too. I just don't like the Darko/Pek/Love combination. I think one of Darko and Pek needs to go for a center upgrade and I doubt anybody wants Darko so...

[Geaux_Hawks]

Could Horford net the Hawks Love & Randolph??.. Just asking..

[C.lupus]

Probably not but a Horford/Williams front court would be intriguing.

[Breakdown777]

I'm a big Pek supporter as well. I expected to see him used to move up in the draft, but now I doubt that since we don't want to get any younger. In a different system where he actually would get looks set up for him on offense he'd be a very valuable player (think about that Philly game, when he was given the ball in the post for once.)

In my mind he is the guy that is going to need to be included in any deal where we get an upgrade. He's still young but has a lot of potential, he doesn't have a backbreaking contract, and he can score in the post. I think most teams we deal with are going to ask for Randolph, and once we say no, they will want Pek.

[Worm Guts]

I'm a big Pek supporter as well. I expected to see him used to move up in the draft, but now I doubt that since we don't want to get any younger. In a different system where he actually would get looks set up for him on offense he'd be a very valuable player (think about that Philly game, when he was given the ball in the post for once.)

.

Don't rule out the possibility of a different system next year.

[Breakdown777]

I'm a big Pek supporter as well. I expected to see him used to move up in the draft, but now I doubt that since we don't want to get any younger. In a different system where he actually would get looks set up for him on offense he'd be a very valuable player (think about that Philly game, when he was given the ball in the post for once.)

.

Don't rule out the possibility of a different system next year.

I'm not. But it still seems like opposing teams will be asking for Randolph, Pek, or the 20 as a cherry on top in any deal for a good veteran.

And does anyone here think that in a different system....Jonny Flynn could be worth something? I know he's basically done here, and Rubio coming over really puts the nail in the coffin....but wouldn't it be something to see MN trade Flynn to a team that uses pick and roll....then MN switches to more pick and roll....then Flynn blows up on the new team....then everyone one this board spontaneously combusts shouting WHY!?!?!? like the interlude part of that CEE-LO song?

[Biff Cooper]

I actually like Pek, too. I just don't like the Darko/Pek/Love combination. I think one of Darko and Pek needs to go for a center upgrade and I doubt anybody wants Darko so...

Of the people that have rated the talent on the roster, he seems to be getting 11th, 12th, or doesn't matter ratings.

If Pek can get to the point where he doesn't get a foul every 3 minutes he's on the court, I see him as a decent combo to Love. They're not going to protect the rim, but Pek should be able to use his strength and bulk to really wear the opposing bigs out on both ends of the court.

Darko was very frustrating the last part of the year. The Wolves told him that it was his big opportunity this past year and he didn't take advantage of it. I'd hope they keep Pek over Darko if they are getting rid of one of them.