The Wisdom in Doing Nothing

[AndyDoggy]

Hey folks, I rarely post but I've been reading the forums on here for nearly 8 years. I have a few thoughts that I'd welcome feedback on.

Firstly, I'm a big fan of what Kahn was been doing so far. He inherited a major mess of large contracts and lack of talent. He appears to be making moves that are aimed at building the team through picks and acquiring expiring contracts. I could go over his moves since becoming GM but I think you're all familiar with them.

Secondly, the talent we have on this team is concentrated in depth at two positions. Point Guard and Power Forward. I think Rubio and Flynn are great talents that could become amazing players in this league. Sessions, I see as expendable and with some value on the trading block. Jefferson and Love, I see as similar to Rubio and Flynn in that they both possess talent but unfortunately at the same position at which they cannot currently dominate the way we need a first option to.

Thirdly, we have a glut of players at the SG and SF spots that are either early in their careers or on their way out of league. I'm impressed with what Brewer, Ellington, and Gomes bring but don't consider any of them as second options. Aside from Gomes and his contract I'd be happy to see them stay and develop further. At the big man spots I expect Cardinal, Pavlovic, Blount, Wilkins and Tucker to be off the books at the end of the season or like Pecherov traded at the beginning of the next one.

I want to emphasis that cleaning our roster of lame contracts and players rightfully appears to be a priority for Kahn. I do not see any FAs or trade bait worth going after at the moment. Which brings me to my main point. Lets build this team around a core of Flynn, Rubio, Jefferson, and Love. There are always skilled SGs and SFs to be found in the draft versus PGs and PFs that are a little more rare. Evan Turner is a great example of the talent available in the draft. He is right in our 1st pick range. Combined with the multiple first and second rounders that the Wolves have and continue to acquire I see the next few years drafts as the place to do the most good.

Doesn't standing pat as I saw another poster say make sense for the long term improvement of our team?

Is there any player outside LBJ, Howard, Paul, Kobe, Wade, Durant and Bosh worth throwing big money at or expiring contracts for? I don't see it, plus I think those first option players are going to be locked up by their teams anyways.

[funkatron101]

I wouldn't say that Kahn "He inherited a major mess of large contracts" in fact most of them were traded away by the time he took over.

Personally I think outside of Joe Johnson and Rudy Gay, there aren't many FA out there worth taking a shot at. Don't rule out a trade this off-season, or early next season, however. That cap-space is going to come in handy.

[invno1]

Kinda looks like the path Hawks have traveled and now have some hard decsions to make as the youth develops all of a sudden it's payday and when 2 players become elidgible one year then 2 the next it's brutal. I think they missed the time to cash in their youth for a vet or 2 and a run.
Khan is letting the game come to him and that's very sweet and at some point he will cash in...dont know excatly when that will present itself but it will.

[john2jer]

Completely agree with all of that, except for I feel they need to target a free agent or a trade with their cap space during the 2010 off-season, since they really only have 2010 and 2011 as years with cap space. Eventually Love and Flynn will need contract extensions with hefty raises, meaning no longer able to add talent to the team.

So we focus on developing around Jefferson, Love, Flynn, and Rubio, plus our 2010 draft picks, and whoever the best young wing we can get with our cap space.

But as far as this season, it's best to stand pat, unless we find a ridiculous offer where we can pair Sessions/Gomes to a team looking for a young point guard and in need of cutting salary.

[cpfsf]

Hey folks, I rarely post but I've been reading the forums on here for nearly 8 years. I have a few thoughts that I'd welcome feedback on.

Firstly, I'm a big fan of what Kahn was been doing so far. He inherited a major mess of large contracts and lack of talent. He appears to be making moves that are aimed at building the team through picks and acquiring expiring contracts. I could go over his moves since becoming GM but I think you're all familiar with them.

I thought Kahn inherited a work of art. Love, Jefferson, Miller, Pekovic, #6. Not bad. I'm going to be in the minority, but I thought McHale was pretty awesome (as a coach and GM) when he pressed the reset button. It took some balls to trade Mayo.

Secondly, the talent we have on this team is concentrated in depth at two positions. Point Guard and Power Forward. I think Rubio and Flynn are great talents that could become amazing players in this league. Sessions, I see as expendable and with some value on the trading block. Jefferson and Love, I see as similar to Rubio and Flynn in that they both possess talent but unfortunately at the same position at which they cannot currently dominate the way we need a first option to.

Agreed, but I don't believe we'll be seeing Flynn and Rubio on the court together. I think Sessions wasn't as huge of a steal as people claim he is.

Thirdly, we have a glut of players at the SG and SF spots that are either early in their careers or on their way out of league. I'm impressed with what Brewer, Ellington, and Gomes bring but don't consider any of them as second options. Aside from Gomes and his contract I'd be happy to see them stay and develop further. At the big man spots I expect Cardinal, Pavlovic, Blount, Wilkins and Tucker to be off the books at the end of the season or like Pecherov traded at the beginning of the next one.

Of our G/F's, Brewer and maybe Ellington are the only guys I think I'd keep.

I want to emphasis that cleaning our roster of lame contracts and players rightfully appears to be a priority for Kahn. I do not see any FAs or trade bait worth going after at the moment. Which brings me to my main point. Lets build this team around a core of Flynn, Rubio, Jefferson, and Love. There are always skilled SGs and SFs to be found in the draft versus PGs and PFs that are a little more rare. Evan Turner is a great example of the talent available in the draft. He is right in our 1st pick range. Combined with the multiple first and second rounders that the Wolves have and continue to acquire I see the next few years drafts as the place to do the most good.

I think this summer there will be no shortage of power forwards: Boozer, Davis, Favors, Bosh, Patterson, are Motiejunas are just a few. In fact, I bet we could have acquired Booze if we didn't have so many power forwards already since his only motivation is money it seems.

Doesn't standing pat as I saw another poster say make sense for the long term improvement of our team?

Is there any player outside LBJ, Howard, Paul, Kobe, Wade, Durant and Bosh worth throwing big money at or expiring contracts for? I don't see it, plus I think those first option players are going to be locked up by their teams anyways.

Ya, no need to put a bandage on a flesh wound. Reallythe prom can wait go to the hospital. JJ would be nice, but that's a dream. I bet Rudy Gay can only be acquired with a max deal.

[funkatron101]

I thought Kahn inherited a work of art. Love, Jefferson, Miller, Pekovic, #6. Not bad. I'm going to be in the minority, but I thought McHale was pretty awesome (as a coach and GM) when he pressed the reset button. It took some balls to trade Mayo.

Yep. Kahn did a lot of crazy finagling, but McHale set him up pretty well. It doesn't excuse all of his previous mistakes, but I think McHale ended on a high note. It wasn't nearly the mess that Kahn portrayed it to be.

[cpfsf]

I thought Kahn inherited a work of art. Love, Jefferson, Miller, Pekovic, #6. Not bad. I'm going to be in the minority, but I thought McHale was pretty awesome (as a coach and GM) when he pressed the reset button. It took some balls to trade Mayo.

Yep. Kahn did a lot of crazy finagling, but McHale set him up pretty well. It doesn't excuse all of his previous mistakes, but I think McHale ended on a high note. It wasn't nearly the mess that Kahn portrayed it to be.

The thing that makes me hate Kahn is when he says it will take 2-3 years to rebuild. He doesn't seem to have a lot of confidence for a team that positioned themselves for 2010. I guess if nothing happens in 2010, he can say, "Well I said 2-3 years. It's all part of the plan". I swear this guy is the joker, just wearing a different suit.

[allweneedisLOVE]

Sessions needs to start so he can show Rambis what he is capable of. How can our starting PG have games where he gets 1-2 assists? Ridiculous.

[AndyDoggy]

I thought Kahn inherited a nice package: Love, Jefferson, Miller, Pekovic, #6. Not bad. I'm going to be in the minority, but I thought McHale was pretty awesome (as a coach and GM) when he pressed the reset button. It took some balls to trade Mayo.

While I'm a fan of both Love and Jefferson, Mchale's drafting of Love just serves as a backup to the PF with Jefferson. This was and is an inherited obstacle for Kahn.

Miller was far from a talent following his last season with us and I see him as a bust with his being forced on the Wizards in order to get Foye.

Pekovic is a great player over in Europe but who knows when he'll be with the squad. I don't see him as a quality inheritance for Kahn to work with.

The #6 pick was the best thing Mchale left outside Jefferson/Love. I'll agree to that. But looking over all of this combined with the salary gluts of Telfair, Madsen, and others that didn't leave Kahn much to work with.

I wouldn't say that Kahn "He inherited a major mess of large contracts" in fact most of them were traded away by the time he took over.

Look back to where we were as Kahn was taking over and ask yourself if the team then wasn't the most dysfunctional in the league. I certainly didn't envy Kahn when he took over.

Personally I think outside of Joe Johnson and Rudy Gay, there aren't many FA out there worth taking a shot at. Don't rule out a trade this off-season, or early next season, however. That cap-space is going to come in handy.

I don't see anything in JJ or Gay worth throwing big contracts at. Maybe thats just me. I love the cap space and I'm certain the Wolves will make a play but as invno1 says there is going to be a need for cap room to keep the talent we have now and will acquire through our draft picks.

Kinda looks like the path Hawks have traveled and now have some hard decsions to make as the youth develops all of a sudden it's payday and when 2 players become elidgible one year then 2 the next it's brutal. I think they missed the time to cash in their youth for a vet or 2 and a run.
Khan is letting the game come to him and that's very sweet and at some point he will cash in...dont know excatly when that will present itself but it will.

I think staying as far under the cap as we can without retarding the progress we'll need to make as a team should be a priority. Cap Space allows a team to control it's own destiny and cherry pick deals for players on our terms. Look at all the teams that have a bulging roster of rich contracts and how hamstrung they are when it comes to making moves of any kind.

Agreed, but I don't believe we'll be seeing Flynn and Rubio on the court together. I think Sessions wasn't as huge of a steal as people claim he is.

I'd love to see Flynn in a Bobby Jackson type 6th man role. He already has the up-tempo game that would suit that role.

[moss_is_1]

The triangle really doesn't favor pgs getting high assist numbers. Plus Sessions gets his minutes when Flynn struggles. Sessions is a great backup pg. But really I agree with standing pat, unless we could sign Rudy Gay to a reasonable offer, not a max deal. Or a sign and trade for him. Unless a star announces he wants out.

[john2jer]

I don't understand the obsession with assist in the triangle offense. If a point guard doesn't get an assist, it's not the end of the world. The idea behind an assist is a good pass that sets up a basket. Well in the triangle everyone needs to be able to pass for the system to work. So a PG's assists are divided throughout the team. The PG isn't being wasted if he's a good passer, just means that the supposed "weaklink" in the offense is stronger than needed. Nothing wrong with that.

Players that lead the league in assists are in either PG dominant offenses that involve a lot of ball pounding, or they run a lot of pick and roll.

The greater concern is if the offense is doing it's job, which is providing open looks, thus baskets for the team.

Hell, long term, what if Flynn ends up being our long term PG, develops into a great player, but never averages over 6 assists a game? Doesn't that keep his value down, thus making it easier to sign him for less?

Random rambling, hopefully that made sense to someone besides me.

[allweneedisLOVE]

Good post john, taught me some new things!

[moss_is_1]

great post john. Also its not like anyone else on our team had assists. we had 11 yesterday....

[AndyDoggy]

(Adding my voice to the chorus for John) Well said. How does a player like Rubio and a 6th man like Flynn fit in the triangle?

Also, how would the crop of shooting guards in this years draft look in the triangle system?

[invno1]

Ranjon Rando did not look very good until KG & Allen were brought in. Vets do speed up the development of youth. Flynn would improve at a much faster pace given equal opportunity.
I sincerely hope Rudy Gay is not on Timberwolves radar.

[moss_is_1]

(Adding my voice to the chorus for John) Well said. How does a player like Rubio and a 6th man like Flynn fit in the triangle?

Also, how would the crop of shooting guards in this years draft look in the triangle system?

Evan Turner would be perfect in the triangle. Great ball-handler and all around player. Henry could space the floor, he isn't a great ballhandler or passer but we need shooting.

[john2jer]

(Adding my voice to the chorus for John) Well said. How does a player like Rubio and a 6th man like Flynn fit in the triangle?

Also, how would the crop of shooting guards in this years draft look in the triangle system?

One of the things I've mentioned about a twist to the triangle is having Brewer make the entry pass to start the offense, then he makes the ball side cut to the corner, leaving Flynn in the pinch-post with Love. That's where the pick and roll and backdoor cuts come in.

Now with Rubio, he could fill that role as well, but if he keeps developing his shot, which it looks better, he can play the Derrick Fisher role. But hopefully not predominantly because he's an amazing pick and roll player. Flynn's pretty good as well, but not as good as Rubio in the regard.

I think as the players develop you'll likely see more freedom in the offense, with the triangle mostly being something to fall back on in the half-court.

As far as the guys in the draft, I think Turner definitely fits in the triangle, kind of in the Kobe/MJ role, and Henry can shoot the hell out of the ball and is built like a mack truck. If a SG has great size, can shoot, and can post up, then he'll be amazing in the offense. It's the SGs who's only skills involve slashing and shooting that struggle. The triangle is based on the triple post option, meaning having guys who can post up, be it the low post or high post. Turner can definitely do that. Henry hopefully develops that, or at least shows it more.

[cpfsf]

While I'm a fan of both Love and Jefferson, Mchale's drafting of Love just serves as a backup to the PF with Jefferson. This was and is an inherited obstacle for Kahn.

Miller was far from a talent following his last season with us and I see him as a bust with his being forced on the Wizards in order to get Foye.

Every player has their own obstacles. Mayo for example hasn't progressed at all since his rookie season, he's just been on cruise control this year (it's official, that's his new nickname). If I was asked who would I want between Love and Mayo, I would pick Love without hesitation. Having the best rebounding duo in the NBA is something I can live with.

I'm a proponent of resigning Miller. He doesn't have my complete backing of course because it depends on what happens on the draft, his health, free agents (yadda yadda yadda you get the point, I think he's an option). I don't know why everyone rips on Miller. He had a career high 4.5 APG here and had one of the best rebounding years in his career as well.

Miller wasn't really forced on the Wizards, they wanted both guys. Miller looked like the starting shooting guard while Foye looked like the perfect insurance policy if Arenas became injured. They wanted both. Even LAC offered us Camby for Mike Miller, but in the end everything worked out fine.

Pekovic is a great player over in Europe but who knows when he'll be with the squad. I don't see him as a quality inheritance for Kahn to work with.

Nobody can really say how good Pekovic is, but all I do know it was rumored that teams were willing to trade for Pekovic and he could have been a lottery pick had his contract not been an issue. For a guy picked in the second round, that's not bad.

Now, this is an article by John Hollinger, take it for what it's worth, but he even claimed Pekovic would have been 3rd on his draft board

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=hollinger_john&month=6&year=2008&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fname%3dhollinger_john%26month%3d6%26year%3d2008

The #6 pick was the best thing Mchale left outside Jefferson/Love. I'll agree to that. But looking over all of this combined with the salary gluts of Telfair, Madsen, and others that didn't leave Kahn much to work with.

McHale had less to work with when he started rebuilding (granted it was his mess).

James Foye Hudson
Davis Jaric McCants Wright
Hassell
Garnett Madsen Reed Smith
Blount Baker Griffin
+pick

He turned this into Gomes, Jefferson, Miami first, Brewer, Houston second, Miller, Love, Pekovic, and the sixth pick in the draft. Of course this was McHale's fault, but there is no way any GM could have gotten a better package than Miller and Love for Mayo and Jaric. It makes no sense, somehow people consider this to be a blunder by McHale.

[GopherIt!]

I think McHale did a decent job from the KG trade onwards:

good
1. The KG trade was solid.
2. Trading Davis & Blount to Miami for what turned into a mid first & Pekovic was a steal 4 us.
3. Getting the Utah pick from Philly for a TPE was a nice move.
4. Turning Hassell into Buckner.
5. Dumping Mike James bitch
6. Dumping Jaric & getting Miller in the Mayo deal was good.
7. Signing Gomes to a deal with a team buyout option was very smart.

not so good
1. Drafting Brewer over Noah not so good.
2. As much as I like Love (& the trade), passing on Lopez in the first place (when we already had Big Al) wasn't necessarily the best decision. A Jefferson-Lopez front line would look pretty sweet right now.
3. Giving Bassy a three year deal.

[cpfsf]

I think McHale did a decent job from the KG trade onwards:

good
1. The KG trade was solid.
2. Trading Davis & Blount to Miami for what turned into a mid first & Pekovic was a steal 4 us.
3. Getting the Utah pick from Philly for a TPE was a nice move.
4. Turning Hassell into Buckner.
5. Dumping Mike James bitch
6. Dumping Jaric & getting Miller in the Mayo deal was good.
7. Signing Gomes to a deal with a team buyout option was very smart.

not so good
1. Drafting Brewer over Noah not so good.
2. As much as I like Love (& the trade), passing on Lopez in the first place (when we already had Big Al) wasn't necessarily the best decision. A Jefferson-Lopez front line would look pretty sweet right now.
3. Giving Bassy a three year deal.

I don't like mentioning what if scenarios because if we had Lopez and Jefferson than Jefferson may never have gotten injured which would have brought in a few more wins and a worse draft pick (no Flynn). More wins could have made McHale keep his job and he might not have traded for Rubio (who knows).

It didn't matter anyway because didn't really skip on Lopez, Memphis drafted him. I'm not sure, but were we ever high on Lopez? I thought he had some bad workouts or something, but I can't remember. Still, we got one of the best players in the draft, do we really need to kick ourselves over this one? I mean we did unload Jaric, grab the best power forward, and set up a trade for Rubio.

As a side note, here was the board's thinking leading up to the draft. http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=791230