Re: Trade Talk (Part Twelve): 2023 Playoff Push Edition

[younggunsmn]

Our 2024/25 cap situation made trading one of KAT/Rudy before the '24 season starts a possibility if not necessity if we don't have great success this year.
Signing Naz didn't cause that or make it more likely, but it does give us a nice contingency should that scenario play out as we will have a ready made replacement and can be more flexible in what we take back positionally as win-now pieces in a KAT/Rudy trade.

[Norseman79]

So as we said, we have a four-man rotation at the power forward/center position of Towns, Reid, Rudy, and Anderson.

We have Edwards, McDaniels, Minot, Prince, and Moore at the 2/3 (possibly NAW)

Conley and McClaughlin at PG.

It is so painfully obvious We need to add another point guard that can actually play. I have to imagine that Connolly already has something in mind.

Clark is basically coming for Moore's position, and if we sign NAW where does Moore play? To me, Moore is expendable.

Prince and Minott will be fighting for time, honestly losing Prince could hurt. There were games where he helped a ton of the bench. I don't know that Minot can score the way Prince can. But something does have to give and Prince makes the most sense, especially dollars and cents. I only do this if they are certain Minot is ready.

Nathan Knight is an easy throw in also. As is McClaughlin

So, a package of Prince, Moore, McClaughlin and Knight would clear out about 14 million.

How's this for a potential trade idea...

MN out: Prince, McClaughlin, Moore, Knight
In : Cameron Payne

Phoenix out Payne
In Prince, McClaughlin, Moore and Knight

This gives Phoenix a chance to actually add players to their roster while giving Minnesota a quality backup point guard and some cap space.

[TimberKat]

It is so painfully obvious We need to add another point guard that can actually play. I have to imagine that Connolly already has something in mind.

So, a package of Prince, Moore, McClaughlin and Knight would clear out about 14 million.

How's this for a potential trade idea...

MN out: Prince, McClaughlin, Moore, Knight
In : Cameron Payne

Phoenix out Payne
In Prince, McClaughlin, Moore and Knight

This gives Phoenix a chance to actually add players to their roster while giving Minnesota a quality backup point guard and some cap space.

I like your idea of gather 14M for a quality player but I think Suns want to keep Payne. I would even throw in one or two 2nd round picks if we could pull that off.

[Norseman79]

It is so painfully obvious We need to add another point guard that can actually play. I have to imagine that Connolly already has something in mind.

So, a package of Prince, Moore, McClaughlin and Knight would clear out about 14 million.

How's this for a potential trade idea...

MN out: Prince, McClaughlin, Moore, Knight
In : Cameron Payne

Phoenix out Payne
In Prince, McClaughlin, Moore and Knight

This gives Phoenix a chance to actually add players to their roster while giving Minnesota a quality backup point guard and some cap space.

I like your idea of gather 14M for a quality player but I think Suns want to keep Payne. I would even throw in one or two 2nd round picks if we could pull that off.

They may want to keep him, but they are so cap strapped especially by keeping Ayton they need to fill out their roster. Two of the guys we are sending played meaningful minutes last year, knight has shown some flashes and moore just got started

[Neeva]

A lot of Knicks fans want to pair Kat with Brunson and they have rumors of Kat and his gf looking for a place in NYC… hmmm.. Maybe the knicks get desperate and overpay.

[Klomp]

That's fair, but they are forced into it and frankly they are still centers regardless if you have two of them on the floor. What I mean is if I play two SGs I don't call one a SF or PG or whatever... for no other reason than a sense of order I guess? 100 mil at center prevents paying a PF, PG or rounding out a roster through more measured allocation of resources.

I don’t really view them all as centers in the traditional sense.

I think if you ask what position is their best and offer the least deficiencies, they are viewed as centers. I think when you play two centers and that it is called "twin towers" it is kind of self affirming what it is.

The only reason why that may be the case is because of their height. Their skill sets do not match up with those of traditional centers. Anderson, McDaniels, etc. are also this way on the roster.

They are unconventional players, and their lack of conventionality up and down the roster makes them a harder team to match up with.

[SO_MONEY]

I don’t really view them all as centers in the traditional sense.

I think if you ask what position is their best and offer the least deficiencies, they are viewed as centers. I think when you play two centers and that it is called "twin towers" it is kind of self affirming what it is.

The only reason why that may be the case is because of their height. Their skill sets do not match up with those of traditional centers. Anderson, McDaniels, etc. are also this way on the roster.

They are unconventional players, and their lack of conventionality up and down the roster makes them a harder team to match up with.

I would say KAT is the "new" traditional.

I guess my point is I not going to compare what was once expected of a center to what teams are looking for now. Same goes for PF which neither of them are. Every position is becoming more skilled and more versatile and playing two centers (one who isn't modern) keeps potential skill off the court.

[Klomp]

I would say KAT is the "new" traditional.

I guess my point is I not going to compare what was once expected of a center to what teams are looking for now. Same goes for PF which neither of them are. Every position is becoming more skilled and more versatile and playing two centers (one who isn't modern) keeps potential skill off the court.

Good points.

One thing that favors the team’s current approach is that the centers have a better overall talent level compared to the rest of the league. Putting out more skill at say PG or SF, you’re not going to get the cream of the crop.

[SO_MONEY]

I would say KAT is the "new" traditional.

I guess my point is I not going to compare what was once expected of a center to what teams are looking for now. Same goes for PF which neither of them are. Every position is becoming more skilled and more versatile and playing two centers (one who isn't modern) keeps potential skill off the court.

Good points.

One thing that favors the team’s current approach is that the centers have a better overall talent level compared to the rest of the league. Putting out more skill at say PG or SF, you’re not going to get the cream of the crop.

There is definitely positional scarcity at the 5, but skill differential between a 4 and 5 is pretty vast, including perimeter defense, ball handling and passing, KAT shoots better than most 4's, rebounds better than many, but there are drawbacks that really hurt you with how the game has evolved.

Here is an example of the way the game has evolved, the guy we just drafted, his best position might turn out to be center, we will see if he grows and inch or so, but he could certainly be a small ball 5 as is. But look at all the skills he has and his outside shooting is less of a concern as a 5 because he will probably be average to above average with minimal improvement. As a SF I absolutely hate the pick, at PF I hate it too but for different reasons, as a 5, I am, much, much much higher on it. He could be fantastic there, he has the potential to do a ton of things most centers even now can't touch.

[MN7725]

A lot of Knicks fans want to pair Kat with Brunson and they have rumors of Kat and his gf looking for a place in NYC… hmmm.. Maybe the knicks get desperate and overpay.

Not sure that Thibs was a fan of KAT
he signed Taj, Dieng to big extension, Aldrich even though they all play essentially the same position

That might not matter though since Thibs isn't the ones making moves
the Knicks GM traded for Cam Reddish and then Thibs didn't play him

[SO_MONEY]

A lot of Knicks fans want to pair Kat with Brunson and they have rumors of Kat and his gf looking for a place in NYC… hmmm.. Maybe the knicks get desperate and overpay.

Not sure that Thibs was a fan of KAT
he signed Taj, Dieng to big extension, Aldrich even though they all play essentially the same position

That might not matter though since Thibs isn't the ones making moves
the Knicks GM traded for Cam Reddish and then Thibs didn't play him

He is from NY, so it might just be he calls it home...

Probably the likeliest explanation for home shopping.

[Norseman79]

Honestly I think the Nets would be more likely than the Knicks

[minimus]

For God sake...

Read on Twitter

We have one last chance to justify whole experiment. Let me explain what it means:

1) they will play from 25 Aug till 10 Sep. He wont be able to recover

2) Gobert will play two weeks in different time zone. Diffecrence between MIN and Jakarta is 12 (!!!) hours

3) climate in Jakarta is not mild and pleasant, especially when you are 30yo, 7'1 bigman

[Baseline81]

For God sake...

Read on Twitter

We have one last chance to justify whole experiment. Let me explain what it means:

1) they will play from 25 Aug till 10 Sep. He wont be able to recover

2) Gobert will play two weeks in different time zone. Diffecrence between MIN and Jakarta is 12 (!!!) hours

3) climate in Jakarta is not mild and pleasant, especially when you are 30yo, 7'1 bigman

A stark contrast from Wembanyama who will skip the World Cup to focus on his rookie season.

Obviously, as a fan of the Wolves, I am disappointed to see this from Gobert. With that said, I completely understand why he would choose to play, though.

[minimus]

For God sake...

Read on Twitter

We have one last chance to justify whole experiment. Let me explain what it means:

1) they will play from 25 Aug till 10 Sep. He wont be able to recover

2) Gobert will play two weeks in different time zone. Diffecrence between MIN and Jakarta is 12 (!!!) hours

3) climate in Jakarta is not mild and pleasant, especially when you are 30yo, 7'1 bigman

A stark contrast from Wembanyama who will skip the World Cup to focus on his rookie season.

Obviously, as a fan of the Wolves, I am disappointed to see this from Gobert. With that said, I completely understand why he would choose to play, though.

Next year will be Olympic Game sin Paris with Wemby. Meanwhile MIN just resigned Reid, which means that MIN wants to run it back, it is basically one year starting from now for Gobert-Towns experiment.

[twolves31]

For God sake...

Read on Twitter

We have one last chance to justify whole experiment. Let me explain what it means:

1) they will play from 25 Aug till 10 Sep. He wont be able to recover

2) Gobert will play two weeks in different time zone. Diffecrence between MIN and Jakarta is 12 (!!!) hours

3) climate in Jakarta is not mild and pleasant, especially when you are 30yo, 7'1 bigman

Do the Wolves have the power to shut this down? Tell him, You're 30 and we are paying you 41,000,000 this season to come in fresh after working out and building more chemistry with your teammates. If you want to play in FIBA next season so be, but this season we need you fresh to see if this experiment is worth continuing. Follow young wise Wemby.

[Norseman79]

Given this development do you think there's a large percentage that they would consider moving Rudy?

[Note30]

For God sake...

Read on Twitter

We have one last chance to justify whole experiment. Let me explain what it means:

1) they will play from 25 Aug till 10 Sep. He wont be able to recover

2) Gobert will play two weeks in different time zone. Diffecrence between MIN and Jakarta is 12 (!!!) hours

3) climate in Jakarta is not mild and pleasant, especially when you are 30yo, 7'1 bigman

A stark contrast from Wembanyama who will skip the World Cup to focus on his rookie season.

Obviously, as a fan of the Wolves, I am disappointed to see this from Gobert. With that said, I completely understand why he would choose to play, though.

It's an embarrassing that an 18 year old undrafted rookie has his priorities in better order than a 30 year old.

Maybe it's why he's never managed to improve his game.

And for what too. This isn't the Olympics. It's like who cares? It means nothing. I never seen someone make it into the HOF because they won the world cup.

Rudy is a blockhead.

[Note30]

Given this development do you think there's a large percentage that they would consider moving Rudy?

For what though, he's basically got zero trade value.

[bluethunder0005]

You all are insane if you think it's a major problem that Gobert is playing in this. Guess if that's a problem then Ant shouldn't play either right? The vast majority of foreign NBA players play in these events, it's a big deal to them and their age is irrelevant for example Marc Gasol played at 34 in 2019.