2023 summer league

[younggunsmn]

Keyonte George is good. Not sure if he’ll develop into a starting point or a scorer off the bench, but he looks good. Kessler/George is a nice start for Utah on the return for Rudy (along with 3 more FRPs from us and the Lakers pick they got for our spare parts).

Don't forget they also got Talen Horton-Tucker for Beverly and absorbed Collins with the cap space they opened up getting off of Gobert's contract.

Kessler is the one that really hurts though.
That and having to wait another 6 years to see how the rest of the picks play out.

[jpatrick]

Keyonte George is good. Not sure if he’ll develop into a starting point or a scorer off the bench, but he looks good. Kessler/George is a nice start for Utah on the return for Rudy (along with 3 more FRPs from us and the Lakers pick they got for our spare parts).

Don't forget they also got Talen Horton-Tucker for Beverly and absorbed Collins with the cap space they opened up getting off of Gobert's contract.

Kessler is the one that really hurts though.
That and having to wait another 6 years to see how the rest of the picks play out.

That trade is just pain. I will say, outside of that trade, I pretty much love every move Connelly has made here though.

[Klomp]

I’m not giving up on Minott because of that athleticism and effort on defense but he has no offensive skills at all. He dunks if open. I don’t see much else. I was hoping he’d develop a bit more of a shot, handle, passing, something. My hope was he was a Jerami Grant starter kit. He’s got time but he’s got to start making skill development jumps.

He's got good touch around the rim, is a great cutter, and has good post footwork and body control combined with his length to be able to make a lot of crafty buckets near the rim. Great in transition.

He doesn't have to have those other things, especially not now to be a helpful rotation player.

In our system he's got to be able to shoot the 3 well enough for the other team to not just leave him wide open in the corner.

I see a Brandon Clarke - esque path for him to being an NBA rotation player as an athletic springy energy big, but he's got a ways to go in both strength and BBIQ to get there.

He's more of a 4/3 than a 4/5 though....are Miller and Minott the new Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion?!

[younggunsmn]

Keyonte George is good. Not sure if he’ll develop into a starting point or a scorer off the bench, but he looks good. Kessler/George is a nice start for Utah on the return for Rudy (along with 3 more FRPs from us and the Lakers pick they got for our spare parts).

Don't forget they also got Talen Horton-Tucker for Beverly and absorbed Collins with the cap space they opened up getting off of Gobert's contract.

Kessler is the one that really hurts though.
That and having to wait another 6 years to see how the rest of the picks play out.

That trade is just pain. I will say, outside of that trade, I pretty much love every move Connelly has made here though.

I agree, I like most of his other moves, especially the Conley/Russell swap.
I can't disagree with anything he's done this summer so far, and a nice surprise trading into the draft for Miller.

I really really didn't like sending 2 future 2nds to move up 3 spots from 29>26 for Wendell Moore Jr. though, plenty of good players left at that point in the draft.

[Klomp]

I really really didn't like sending 2 future 2nds to move up 3 spots from 29>26 for Wendell Moore Jr. though, plenty of good players left at that point in the draft.

Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't. But it's that aggressive mindset to get the guy you want that led to a trade like we made for Miller as well. His mistakes haven't necessarily made him gun-shy, and I like that.

[younggunsmn]

I really really didn't like sending 2 future 2nds to move up 3 spots from 29>26 for Wendell Moore Jr. though, plenty of good players left at that point in the draft.

Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't. But it's that aggressive mindset to get the guy you want that led to a trade like we made for Miller as well. His mistakes haven't necessarily made him gun-shy, and I like that.

Well the trade value on the Miller move was really good, and the value on the Moore move was really really really bad for that point of the draft.

Going against the grain and being willing to overpay just because you are sure you are right, something that will get you in trouble more often than not.

He might need to lean into his staff more on things like trade value, but he definitely has an eye for talent and has a clear vision for the type of character he wants in the players he brings in. Those are good things.

[Klomp]

I really really didn't like sending 2 future 2nds to move up 3 spots from 29>26 for Wendell Moore Jr. though, plenty of good players left at that point in the draft.

Fair point on the trade up, but I'm not ready to give up hope on Moore yet. I think he can provide a bit of a steadying presence to the back-end of the roster, at worst. He fits the prototype we seem to be targeting of these bigger guards who can do a little bit of everything.

[minimus]

I got to say hi to Walker Kessler and got his autograph.

Did you say that we miss him?

[minimus]

I really really didn't like sending 2 future 2nds to move up 3 spots from 29>26 for Wendell Moore Jr. though, plenty of good players left at that point in the draft.

Fair point on the trade up, but I'm not ready to give up hope on Moore yet. I think he can provide a bit of a steadying presence to the back-end of the roster, at worst. He fits the prototype we seem to be targeting of these bigger guards who can do a little bit of everything.

During first SL game I noticed that WMJ forced almost every 3pt shot in first half, but once someone (Trevion Williams?!) hit him with perfect cross court pass, he made 3pt shot. Also Moore was good at finding cutters. I wish we ran more pick-n-rolls, but our SL bigs almost immediately slip without setting actual screens.

To sum up: In structered offense and defense Moore will be good. But we need to forget about him beign backup PG. He clearly is not it.

P.S. I watched almost entire shootaround before first SL game. WMJ looked miles ahead other guys in terms of practice 3pt shots, I noticed that other guys were awful, but WMJ was confident, his shooting releasу was quick, smooth and accurate.

UPD: yes, it was Trevion Williams basically the best passer in roster. You can imagine Towns/Anderson/Conley making this skip pass, when Gobert running towards rim.

Watch on YouTube

[minimus]

I also think that it was good to see Minot and Miller limits during second SL game. I hope coaches see it as well and help young players to play within limits or push limits by adjusting trainings and practices.

[gandlogo]

I will say, outside of that trade, I pretty much love every move Connelly has made here though.

Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

[jpatrick]

I will say, outside of that trade, I pretty much love every move Connelly has made here though.

Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

Yeah, that’s probably the appropriate response. I do wonder if the new owners got involved and pressured the move because it certainly wasn’t his M.O. in Denver or sense. He is/was a scout at heart, so giving all his picks away for a quick fix just didn’t seem like something he’s want to do.

[gandlogo]

I will say, outside of that trade, I pretty much love every move Connelly has made here though.

Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

Yeah, that’s probably the appropriate response. I do wonder if the new owners got involved and pressured the move because it certainly wasn’t his M.O. in Denver or sense. He is/was a scout at heart, so giving all his picks away for a quick fix just didn’t seem like something he’s want to do.

I'm glad you took it the right way (mostly funny with a little truth behind it) - because right or wrong, the Gobert trade is what most of us grade him on. But, you are correct that many of his other moves look like they have/will help the team. And hopefully that's what all of us here want.

[Klomp]

I do wonder if the new owners got involved and pressured the move because it certainly wasn’t his M.O. in Denver or sense. He is/was a scout at heart, so giving all his picks away for a quick fix just didn’t seem like something he’s want to do.

I think that's actually a misconception of Connelly. While yes he's a scout at heart and built Denver through the draft, he's not afraid to let go of draft picks.

[urinesane]

Is this the Connelly thread?

[younggunsmn]

Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

Yeah, that’s probably the appropriate response. I do wonder if the new owners got involved and pressured the move because it certainly wasn’t his M.O. in Denver or sense. He is/was a scout at heart, so giving all his picks away for a quick fix just didn’t seem like something he’s want to do.

I'm glad you took it the right way (mostly funny with a little truth behind it) - because right or wrong, the Gobert trade is what most of us grade him on. But, you are correct that many of his other moves look like they have/will help the team. And hopefully that's what all of us here want.

LOL I almost spit out my food when I read that. That is one way of putting it.

After a year of thinking about it, I don't think it was owners, I think Connelly was fixated on adding that particular player and was willing to do it no matter the cost because he believed in his mind it would make us a title team.
He knew it was awful value, he knew how it was going to be perceived, but he also believed he was right.

He does have a tremendous amount to make up for as that one move will dwarf everything else as far as long term impact.
The wheels could have come completely off with another bad move or two, but thus far he's steering the ship in the right direction.
There's a big salary cap iceberg on the horizon he is going to have to navigate.
Someone without his history might have been fired over that trade, but then again someone without his history might not have been allowed to take that big a swing by ownership.

[younggunsmn]

It was a pretty good performance by Miller and Minott until the 4th quarter, lack of talent around them was pretty apparent though.
Definitely could have used Moore.

Utah runs a really good system though, impressed with their coaching and ability to just plug guys into their system.
it's not going to be long before they are back in the playoffs.

[urinesane]

Yeah, that’s probably the appropriate response. I do wonder if the new owners got involved and pressured the move because it certainly wasn’t his M.O. in Denver or sense. He is/was a scout at heart, so giving all his picks away for a quick fix just didn’t seem like something he’s want to do.

I'm glad you took it the right way (mostly funny with a little truth behind it) - because right or wrong, the Gobert trade is what most of us grade him on. But, you are correct that many of his other moves look like they have/will help the team. And hopefully that's what all of us here want.

LOL I almost spit out my food when I read that. That is one way of putting it.

After a year of thinking about it, I don't think it was owners, I think Connelly was fixated on adding that particular player and was willing to do it no matter the cost because he believed in his mind it would make us a title team.
He knew it was awful value, he knew how it was going to be perceived, but he also believed he was right.

What's this based on?

[Battletrigger]

I'm glad you took it the right way (mostly funny with a little truth behind it) - because right or wrong, the Gobert trade is what most of us grade him on. But, you are correct that many of his other moves look like they have/will help the team. And hopefully that's what all of us here want.

LOL I almost spit out my food when I read that. That is one way of putting it.

After a year of thinking about it, I don't think it was owners, I think Connelly was fixated on adding that particular player and was willing to do it no matter the cost because he believed in his mind it would make us a title team.
He knew it was awful value, he knew how it was going to be perceived, but he also believed he was right.

What's this based on?

Read again the first sentence.

[Nick K]

Wolves play Atlanta today at 3pm CST on ESPN2.

We'll probably see a lot of guys who haven't played much. Moore has been hurt but I'd like to see him get some run if it's ok.

So far it's been Miller, Minott and B Williams and not much else.