Gersson Rosas - "Unacceptable!" Current State of Timberwolves

[UnFadeable21]

Edit: We can't post full articles from paid sources, to read the full article go to

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/rosas-calls-upon-for-everyone-with-wolves-to-do-better-including-himself/ar-BB1d2fv8?ocid=uxbndlbing

"We're who our record says we are," Rosas told the Star Tribune. "I didn't anticipate this year to be easy. This was another growing and developing year. But at the same time, we're not up to our capabilities and that's to be competitive. Regardless of who's here, we've got to do a better job of competing game in and game out …

"And when I say everybody, it's everybody. It starts with me and my staff. It starts with coach [Ryan Saunders] and his staff, and it starts with the players."

The frustration has permeated the organization, Rosas said, and added that he understands the anger fans have toward the product the Wolves are currently putting on the floor.

"They're justifiable in being upset," Rosas said.


"It's frustrating and it's disappointing. We should be further ahead," Rosas said. "We've got a group in place here that can be competitive. … We have young players, but we have players that fit our system. We have players that have the potential to grow and develop and make us a winning organization. That's not going to happen overnight. It's going to take time. But we have enough here to be competitive."

[UnFadeable21]

Glen Taylor Weighs In

“I think we should wait until Karl and the guys (Ricky Rubio, Josh Okogie and Juancho Hernangomez) get back so that we’re judging on the full team,” Taylor said.

Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs recently had assistant Becky Hammon replace him as head coach after he was ejected from a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Taylor could make a popular diversity statement by naming hard-driving Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve to coach the Wolves.

“I kid her about that, but I’m not making any changes — I’m talking to Cheryl, and we’re trying to put a really good team together for the Lynx right now,” Taylor said. “She’s planning on coaching them.

“But,” Taylor added, “she’s an interesting person, isn’t she?”

Yes she is. Reeve has coached the Lynx to four WNBA championships. Her hiring to coach the Wolves would be great for the NBA, for Minnesota, and for Taylor, who attends most Lynx games.

“I’ve got to give Ryan the full chance,” said Taylor, who clearly is disappointed in his team’s play.

[Dewey]

Problem...

Kats return will not solve the teams dire need for a leader.

DLo has yet to discover the game is bigger than DLo.

DLo has yet to discover the team is bigger than DLo.

DLo does not solve the teams dire need for a leader.

The F.O. has not shown they have the ability to acquire the personnel (staff,players) necessary to win in the NBA.

Bottom line: no leadership ... no team identity ... no success.

[Jedzz]

Problem...

Kats return will not solve the teams dire need for a leader.

DLo has yet to discover the game is bigger than DLo.

DLo has yet to discover the team is bigger than DLo.

DLo does not solve the teams dire need for a leader.

The F.O. has not shown they have the ability to acquire the personnel (staff,players) necessary to win in the NBA.

Bottom line: no leadership ... no team identity ... no success.

yeah Dlo is the root of all evil this season. Won a game without him. Won three other games with him.
Team also won two games without KaT. Must also be root of evil.

Seems like you have this all figured out.

[Jedzz]

I particularly liked reading the Glen article as a microcosm of Timberwolves era.

Glen brings up Becky Hammon's first shot at coaching a game for Spurs, a long time assistant there actually in the Men's NBA. Instead of inferring some interest in giving Becky Hammon a shot to coach here...Glen suggests instead to imagine him giving Cheryl Reeve a shot to coach the Timberwolves. Reeve would have to make a leap directly from coaching women's WNBA over to instantly being the head coach of Timberwolves in the mens NBA and Glen doesn't see any possible issues occurring during that switch? Why would you even suggest that over Hammon's actual experience coaching in the NBA already and for a franchise like the Spurs? Nothing against Reeve, but is this not an example of how everything seems to happen with Timberwolves? Meanwhile, Glen, who's trying to sell both teams in a package wants to rob Peter (Minnesota Lynx) of their winning coach to pay Paul (Timberwolves). Glen, could you not see the correct way forward if you wanted to give a woman a chance to coach the Timberwolves?

[Calinks]

I know most don't agree but I think the team will start to look better when KAT gets back. Then if we bring in a competent PF, I think we can manage to play roughly .500 ball. I'd like to see those two things happen before I consider blowing it up, I think they will make a world of difference together.

[Baseline81]

I know most don't agree but I think the team will start to look better when KAT gets back. Then if we bring in a competent PF, I think we can manage to play roughly .500 ball. I'd like to see those two things happen before I consider blowing it up, I think they will make a world of difference together.

What?

Most would admit, with Towns, the team has a greater chance of winning games. Those 20+ point defeats won't pop up so often.

[Calinks]

I know most don't agree but I think the team will start to look better when KAT gets back. Then if we bring in a competent PF, I think we can manage to play roughly .500 ball. I'd like to see those two things happen before I consider blowing it up, I think they will make a world of difference together.

What?

Most would admit, with Towns, the team has a greater chance of winning games. Those 20+ point defeats won't pop up so often.

Well I mean, I think the team as a whole will be more tolerable. I think a lot of fans want to tear everything down right now and think the team is hopeless, I still think there is a path to being competitive this season.

[Jedzz]

I know most don't agree but I think the team will start to look better when KAT gets back. Then if we bring in a competent PF, I think we can manage to play roughly .500 ball. I'd like to see those two things happen before I consider blowing it up, I think they will make a world of difference together.

If and when Towns came back, things should already be immensely improved as long as they keep utilizing Vando and McD. If they go back to Layman/Juancho and refusing to play someone like Vando with Towns then .500 might be the only target.

If they actually added a PF of note...to play along with Kat, you are looking at a much more capable team. I just don't see them doing so for a while as they could have done so by now. It takes them much too long to recognize anything about their own players. Which may explain why Rosas has brought countless players here that can't play/don't fit here. I'm not sure they could make the right decision on that PF addition if you paid them to. Oh wait they do pay them to, and Vando and McD sat out watching this joke for how long?

I think McDaniels could be either a SF or PF solution here right now. We all thought he looked frail thin coming in young and would need size yet. But that's simply not the case and the team should have recognized this internally long before this. They should at least now lock this in more and let him play. But be careful of course to watch for moments of significant struggle to remove him before he has any chance to ruin confidence as this team has allowed too often. Yet he is one of the rare examples of someone showing a head prepared to play young already. Durant was always skinny and still is today. People need to let that aspect go.

[younggunsmn]

We need to target ONE GUY as POBO who is a master at only ONE THING: TALENT EVALUATION.
I'm so sick of hearing about culture and fit and accountability over the years, find a man who knows talent.
The only person who has come close in this team's entire existence was Flip Saunders who got us KG and KAT (who was not a slam dunk #1 pre draft).

Rosas is a complete and utter failure in this regard. He has turned over the entire roster sans Okogie and KAT, and the only player you could argue has maintained or increased his value from the asset given up (whether that was a player, cap space, or draft pick) is Beasley.

This draft was an utter failure, he wasted not one but 3 draft picks on Edwards and Bolmaro, who is so bad he can't even get minutes in spanish league games. There was great value from 17-35 and there will be many rotation big who come out of that range. We didnt get one.
Edwards trade value goes down with every game.

And the Wiggins/Russell trade looks worse every day. Both have untradeable contracts and the pick we are giving up, whether it ends up being a top ten 2021 or unprotected 2022, is far and away the best asset in the deal if not the best non-player asset in the league right now short of an unprotected pistons pick. He ignored the metrics that showed D-Lo was one of the 5 worst defenders in the entire league and caved on pick protections even though D-Lo was very quickly wearing out his welcome with the warriors.

So yeah, he's failed and its time to move on. I feel any further moves he makes will be bad because he is awful at the one thing you really need to be good at: Talent Evaluation. I could give a crap about your ability to coddle superstars.
I really think he just fell in love that Edwards had 98% in some size/agility metric and ignored all the video that showed he was just bad at basketball. Its not as bad as Kahn falling in love with smiles, but its close.

The thing about Presti, sure he got great value when his stars wanted out and accumulated a ton of picks.
But he didnt just get good draft picks and take garbage contracts, he got talented veteran players as salary filler and turned them into more assets.
He turned the prospect of stretching carmelo anthony into dennis shroeder by giving up a late 1st, then got great contributions from shroeder and turned him into a late 1st when it was time to rebuild.

Look at what Cleveland has done with a new coach and the 2nd round pick they gave up for drummond (who no one wanted).
They have a top 5 defense and a winning record playing players at traditional positions with nance and drummond locking down the interior and grabbing every rebound and loose ball. And their guards look so much better.
This small ball 5 out crap was a loser from the start. You have to be flexible to have sustained success in this league.

[Jedzz]

Most of Rosas moves have been unacceptable to me regarding talent evaluation both on bringing players in and utilizing that talent in their control.

I could start with the first moves to bring in players like Graham, Ball, Vonleh and then how they were used here, played over others or not played enough. Once the players are brought in I'm usually all about letting go why and just figuring out how best to use them with everyone else. Graham starting games, adding both Ball/Vonleh and then not using their size when often needing it. Then the thought of adding them at all being a huge talent mistake given what they showed before, while here, and since. I'd love to start there and then go one by one through each of the many many players and ask why to it all.

But for me at some point you have to let seasons wasted go and I was ready to after seeing his trades last deadline. I was ready to see him build a team around that entirely new roster. But Rosas then did what he did this offseason and draft and totally messed that chance for a team all up. I've run out of ways to explain this past offseason of decisions away. I no longer want to argue about the stupidity that is the utilization of the players on the roster now. They can't evaluate talent outside or inside or figure out the best way to utilize what they are left with.

It's amazing to still feel this way after a nice win. But a win against the now 5-11 Pelicans isn't changing any of my thoughts. It's going to take so much more yet.

[Jedzz]

Look at what Cleveland has done with a new coach and the 2nd round pick they gave up for drummond (who no one wanted).
They have a top 5 defense and a winning record playing players at traditional positions with nance and drummond locking down the interior and grabbing every rebound and loose ball. And their guards look so much better.
This small ball 5 out crap was a loser from the start. You have to be flexible to have sustained success in this league.

Cleveland beating Nets twice now. Crazy how quickly a team can align itself enough doing a couple things correctly.

[Dewey]

I particularly liked reading the Glen article as a microcosm of Timberwolves era.

Glen brings up Becky Hammon's first shot at coaching a game for Spurs, a long time assistant there actually in the Men's NBA. Instead of inferring some interest in giving Becky Hammon a shot to coach here...Glen suggests instead to imagine him giving Cheryl Reeve a shot to coach the Timberwolves. Reeve would have to make a leap directly from coaching women's WNBA over to instantly being the head coach of Timberwolves in the mens NBA and Glen doesn't see any possible issues occurring during that switch? Why would you even suggest that over Hammon's actual experience coaching in the NBA already and for a franchise like the Spurs? Nothing against Reeve, but is this not an example of how everything seems to happen with Timberwolves? Meanwhile, Glen, who's trying to sell both teams in a package wants to rob Peter (Minnesota Lynx) of their winning coach to pay Paul (Timberwolves). Glen, could you not see the correct way forward if you wanted to give a woman a chance to coach the Timberwolves?

Maybe Glenn thinks either Reeve or Hammon would better fit this culture than a male coach

[Jedzz]

Maybe Glenn thinks either Reeve or Hammon would better fit this culture than a male coach

yeah probably

\

[Klomp]

I particularly liked reading the Glen article as a microcosm of Timberwolves era.

Glen brings up Becky Hammon's first shot at coaching a game for Spurs, a long time assistant there actually in the Men's NBA. Instead of inferring some interest in giving Becky Hammon a shot to coach here...Glen suggests instead to imagine him giving Cheryl Reeve a shot to coach the Timberwolves. Reeve would have to make a leap directly from coaching women's WNBA over to instantly being the head coach of Timberwolves in the mens NBA and Glen doesn't see any possible issues occurring during that switch? Why would you even suggest that over Hammon's actual experience coaching in the NBA already and for a franchise like the Spurs? Nothing against Reeve, but is this not an example of how everything seems to happen with Timberwolves? Meanwhile, Glen, who's trying to sell both teams in a package wants to rob Peter (Minnesota Lynx) of their winning coach to pay Paul (Timberwolves). Glen, could you not see the correct way forward if you wanted to give a woman a chance to coach the Timberwolves?

So many things wrong, I don't know where to start.

[Jedzz]

I particularly liked reading the Glen article as a microcosm of Timberwolves era.

Glen brings up Becky Hammon's first shot at coaching a game for Spurs, a long time assistant there actually in the Men's NBA. Instead of inferring some interest in giving Becky Hammon a shot to coach here...Glen suggests instead to imagine him giving Cheryl Reeve a shot to coach the Timberwolves. Reeve would have to make a leap directly from coaching women's WNBA over to instantly being the head coach of Timberwolves in the mens NBA and Glen doesn't see any possible issues occurring during that switch? Why would you even suggest that over Hammon's actual experience coaching in the NBA already and for a franchise like the Spurs? Nothing against Reeve, but is this not an example of how everything seems to happen with Timberwolves? Meanwhile, Glen, who's trying to sell both teams in a package wants to rob Peter (Minnesota Lynx) of their winning coach to pay Paul (Timberwolves). Glen, could you not see the correct way forward if you wanted to give a woman a chance to coach the Timberwolves?

So many things wrong, I don't know where to start.

Take them one at a time and get started. Don't hold back.

[Dewey]

I know most don't agree but I think the team will start to look better when KAT gets back. Then if we bring in a competent PF, I think we can manage to play roughly .500 ball. I'd like to see those two things happen before I consider blowing it up, I think they will make a world of difference together.

What?

Most would admit, with Towns, the team has a greater chance of winning games. Those 20+ point defeats won't pop up so often.

Well I mean, I think the team as a whole will be more tolerable. I think a lot of fans want to tear everything down right now and think the team is hopeless, I still think there is a path to being competitive this season.

This is the painful part ... it's a "might or might not" theory that will be tested eventually. Then ...
1. Will JV and McD essentially replace Layman & Herm in the rotation long-term? Seems possible.
2. Does JV and McD success allow the team to put more focus on PG/SG toations? Seems possible.

Being able to stablize a rotation with KAT/Reid and McD/JV would be significant to team chemistry. Jury is out but being able to slide Layman/Herm/Davis to the infamous "as needed" reserve roles would better suit their makeup.

DLo/Rubio/McL/Okogie/Culver/Beasley/Ant/Nowell is proving to be a fiasco. The best case is we can eventually get 6 of the 8 into a rotation at PG/SG/SF... the other two join Layman/Herm/Davis. Again, it's all a "might or might not" pathway to the deadline.

[brutalitops]

A team built around an offensive force in KAT sucks without Kat
Weird

[Merc_Porto]

This dude is seeing the roster he has since the pre-season with only a top-3 protected pick and he doesn't do anything to improve the team immediately.

Trade Dlo or trade Rubio or trade Edwards or trade Culver... Whatever. On social media this guy is starting to hit Kahn level of incompetence for some people...

Just do something.

We cannot even blame the fact that we were without KAT this whole time because guess what... Pretty much every team in this league had the same problems to deal...

OKC is doing better than us.

[Jedzz]

A team built around an offensive force in KAT sucks without Kat
Weird

He's only missed like 95% of games stretching deep into last season. They've had time and assets to shore this up. But nah, there is nothing to be critical about here. None of it is Rosas/Ryan's fault or expectation to be theirs. They have 3 more years to figure this out yet.