2010 versus 2011

[cpfsf]

I want to wait till 2011. All of these guys I'm suggesting played for the Celtics (they actually all played together for two years). I also want to note that all of these guys are unrestricted.

Perkins: We would have arguably the best front court in the NBA with Love, Jefferson, Perkins, and Pekovic (imagine how many rebounds we can grab). Love and Pekovic with Flynn or Rubio coming off the bench is simply ridiculous.

Delonte West: He's always been a favorite target of mine for quite a while (people here thought I was nuts for proposing a McCants/West trade before the season even started). He's just an all around good player.

I like this 2011 class. That's when I think Rubio's coming over, two more lottery seasons isn't out of the question, and a lot of these guys would be a perfect fit for the team.

[jade_hippo]

bold statement for the future:only people who will be on the opening day roster this year who will be on the team the next time we make the playoffs will be Ryan Gomes and Kevin Love.

[Worm Guts]

If we wait until 2011, there would be less cap space to spend. Players get raises and need extensions, new players get drafted.

[casey]

If we wait until 2011, there would be less cap space to spend. Players get raises and need extensions, new players get drafted.

That's only if you have good players. Luckily for us we don't have that problem.

[skorff26]

I didn't vote, I think we should try to make a big splash in 2010, but if the free agents aren't interested or something else comes up then we should use our cap space to trade for 2011 expirings + future assets and use our cap space in 2011.

So try to sign one of JJ, Lebron, Kobe, Gay?, Wade, Roy, Amare?, Ginoboli?, Bosh?, or a big name through a trade and if none will sign with us, then we use our cap space to get assets and try again in 2011

[4ho5ive]

If we wait until 2011, there would be less cap space to spend. Players get raises and need extensions, new players get drafted.

The FA class of 2011 does not make me raise an extension

[shrink]

Personally, I'm a value investor, and if we can't find the right trades or players in 2010, I'm willing to wait until 2011.

However, I think this would be unacceptable to the average Wolves fan. They've waited a long time for us to be relevant, and 2010 has been mentioned for a while as the target. Taylor lost $20 mil last season, because his product isn't good enough to draw in casual fans. Many of the posters here understand the cyclic nature of the NBA and finances, but we're not the average fan, who wants entertainment and wins right now if they are going to plunk down $200 a night to go see a game.

I think Taylor and Kahn have to try very hard to make 2010 the season that the wolves reappear as a legitimate basketball presence.

[cpfsf]

Personally, I'm a value investor, and if we can't find the right trades or players in 2010, I'm willing to wait until 2011.

However, I think this would be unacceptable to the average Wolves fan. They've waited a long time for us to be relevant, and 2010 has been mentioned for a while as the target. Taylor lost $20 mil last season, because his product isn't good enough to draw in casual fans. Many of the posters here understand the cyclic nature of the NBA and finances, but we're not the average fan, who wants entertainment and wins right now if they are going to plunk down $200 a night to go see a game.

I think Taylor and Kahn have to try very hard to make 2010 the season that the wolves reappear as a legitimate basketball presence.

Don't we have a 17 month plan though? I can only assume we are waiting for 2011. And while some here consider the possibility of signing players in 2011, nobody mentioned a specific target.

Seriously guys, no love for West and Perkins? I'm not asking for Bosh or James, these players are realistically obtainable and fill immediate needs. As I mentioned before, both of them have already played with Gomes and Jefferson (not my main point, but it doesn't hurt). Perkins may hop on over when he sees that Garnett, Allen, Wallace, and Pierce are two years older and may look for a younger contending team to play for when he is entering his prime. The big question mark is if the Cavs can afford to bring West back. The Wolves of course can easily make his car payments and I bet he'd sign if he can become a starter.

As for filling an immediate need, we get a true center in Kendrick Perkins (who would be 26 if he signed him in 2011). Love and Jefferson can be full time forwards. He is 20th in the NBA in RPG and 6th in BPG, so he would give us an upgrade on the defensive end. Grrr, every time I try to search his name, I type Glen Perkins.

Delonte West (who would be 28 if we sign him in two year) is a legitimate combo guard (I would much rather see West play shooting guard than Rubio or Flynn). He's good at pretty much everything: 11.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, .457 FG%, .399 3P%. He is more than a decent defender and could become a steal if we grab him.

There is no doubt about it, we would have the most best rebounding team in the NBA with arguably the best frontcourt and the best point guards all on one team.

Rubio/Flynn
West/Ellington
Gomes/Brewer
Jefferson/Love
Perkins/Pekovic
+ 2 years of draft picks

[Worm Guts]

Don't we have a 17 month plan though? I can only assume we are waiting for 2011. And while some here consider the possibility of signing players in 2011, nobody mentioned a specific target.

17 months from when Kahn started is the beginning of the 2010-2011 season.

[Devilzsidewalk]

I agree with Worm Guts, we should adjust our free agency plan to the earliest possible opportunity to offer Budinger a max deal

[Worm Guts]

Seriously guys, no love for West and Perkins? I'm not asking for Bosh or James, these players are realistically obtainable and fill immediate needs. As I mentioned before, both of them have already played with Gomes and Jefferson (not my main point, but it doesn't hurt). Perkins may hop on over when he sees that Garnett, Allen, Wallace, and Pierce are two years older and may look for a younger contending team to play for when he is entering his prime. The big question mark is if the Cavs can afford to bring West back. The Wolves of course can easily make his car payments and I bet he'd sign if he can become a starter.

As for filling an immediate need, we get a true center in Kendrick Perkins (who would be 26 if he signed him in 2011). Love and Jefferson can be full time forwards. He is 20th in the NBA in RPG and 6th in BPG, so he would give us an upgrade on the defensive end. Grrr, every time I try to search his name, I type Glen Perkins.

West isn't really a guy that's worth targeting or waiting for, maybe Perkins. It's always better to win sooner rather than later, but you can't force opportunities that aren't there. If I'm Kahn, I'm gonna do the best I can to get impact players in 2010 but I rather wait until 2011 than make a bad move just for the sake of making a move.

[Esohny]

If we still need a 3rd big after next year, I'm all for Perkins, he seems to fit exactly what we'd like there. I would expect that we'd likely take a center in next year's draft though, since we've got the picks, and there should be a number of good prospects.

[cpfsf]

I think focusing all the money on two classes is a bad choice because we probably would just give our pick to LAC after the 2010-11 season (likely missing the playoffs) only to spend more on 2011 to fill the rest. Either **** or get off the pot.

Well, glad to see a lot like Perkins as an option, but I'm not ready to give up on West yet. I don't want to see Flynn and Rubio together frequently on the court. I may be the minority here (I'm not sure how everyone else stands) but I don't like it and I don't believe that's Kahn's intentions either. We're the only ones here who consider it a possibility. West brings versatility as a legitimate combo guard and West brings that (I love his all around game). Plus, few can dispute the realistic chance of grabbing both Perkins and West.

One player I also considered as a possibility is Andrei Kirilenko. By 2011 he will be 30 years old. He may be on the decline, but if he's still effective on the defensive end I think he may be worth the risk. With that said, who instead of West or Perkins would you rather opt for (has to be realistic).

[Esohny]

Honestly, before signing West, I'd rather draft Evan Turner. Not that West isn't solid, but I'm just not as high on him or his ceiling.

Ronnie Brewer from Utah would be another option; he's a RFA next year, but I'd rather have him than West, he's big SG with great defense who can score a bit(shooting still needs to improve, but good at getting to the line I think).

[cpfsf]

Honestly, before signing West, I'd rather draft Evan Turner. Not that West isn't solid, but I'm just not as high on him or his ceiling.

Ronnie Brewer from Utah would be another option; he's a RFA next year, but I'd rather have him than West, he's big SG with great defense who can score a bit(shooting still needs to improve, but good at getting to the line I think).

Not going to really help my argument, but I think West has already neared his ceiling, he's 26 and played in the NBA for 5 seasons. I just think he's one of the best role players in the NBA because of his abilities.

Of course, we can always get Turner and West

I think I could see us trading down for G/F Al-Farouq Aminu or Cole Aldrich (who's from Minnesota which I'm sure you all know). It's unfortunate that next years draft looks loaded in power forwards.

Be pretty interesting if we can have Ronnie+Corey Brewer, but I don't think we need both (unless we can get Corey for cheap). I like Ronnie, but I don't see Utah parting with him and they will probably match any offer. Okur and AK47 are free agents too in 2011, but Brewer sounds like he will be a more important priority.

[Esohny]

Well, Ronnie is RFA in 2010, so it's possible that Utah will have enough money on the books that they won't want to match.

[cpfsf]

Well, Ronnie is RFA in 2010, so it's possible that Utah will have enough money on the books that they won't want to match.

Probably just depends on Boozer, but I expect them to try trading AK47 to unload his ridiculous contract. Just wondering, do you want both Ronnie and Corey or just Ronnie?

[Esohny]

Well, I'd want Ronnie regardless of whether we keep Corey. Brewer should be able to play SF and Ronnie SG if they're both on the team. I have doubts about Corey making the cut after this season though; if he doesn't show something, I think he's gone.

I would also expect them to try to unload AK-47, I just have doubts about anyone wanting to take him on for so much money. I'm not sure what the Jazz could give up to induce someone to do that.

[cpfsf]

I don't see us needing both. Neither shoot well and I wouldn't want them on the court at the same time. I think just one Brewer is enough, but my issue with Ronnie is I think we would have to overpay him while we can get Corey for a lot less. Bet we wouldn't have to use the team option and sign him to a smaller offer (I don't expect much improvement).

[Devilzsidewalk]

I think 2010 is toast. The theory before was that there were going to be all these teams with the ability to re-make their team into a super contender in one offseason with their boatloads of cap space, and players probably had dreams of allstars teaming up to get huge contracts and forge a big time contender at the same time, but now the cap is going to drop drastically and an adjustment to the CBA is on the horizon and I think a lot of guys are going to look grab extensions ASAP w/ their current teams. Or at least thats what I decided in the last 60 seconds seeing wiretaps that Roy and J Johnson are both working on extensions.