Trade Talk (Part 15): Trade Deadline Day (and onwards!)

[BlacJacMac]

MIN Out: Towns, #27, #37, 2028 1st swap rights
MIN In: Bridges, Murray

Atlanta In: Towns, DFS
Atlanta Out: Murray, Capela, ATL 1st, Johnson

Nets In: Johnson, Capela, #27, #37, 2028 1st Swap
Nets Out: Bridges, DFS


Wolves lineup post trade with Anderson resigned

Murray/Conley
Edwards/NAW
Bridges/McDaniels
Reid/Anderson
Gobert

Pushing McDaniels to the bench doesn’t maximize our talents. I like Bridges, but he is more valuable on other teams.

Like I said upthread, one of the reasons I'd rather cut BRK out of the deal and take Johnson.

[Note30]

MIN Out: Towns, #27, #37, 2028 1st swap rights
MIN In: Bridges, Murray

Atlanta In: Towns, DFS
Atlanta Out: Murray, Capela, ATL 1st, Johnson

Nets In: Johnson, Capela, #27, #37, 2028 1st Swap
Nets Out: Bridges, DFS


Wolves lineup post trade with Anderson resigned

Murray/Conley
Edwards/NAW
Bridges/McDaniels
Reid/Anderson
Gobert

Pushing McDaniels to the bench doesn’t maximize our talents. I like Bridges, but he is more valuable on other teams.

Like I said upthread, one of the reasons I'd rather cut BRK out of the deal and take Johnson.

I don't know who out of Bridges or Murray is actually a #2 option.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I do not understand the hype around Murray. He is a ball eater and will hurt ANT development. The best PG near ANT is Mike unselfish player who don’t care if Ant take 25 shoot per night and is willing to teach young’s guys.


What we missing to win a championship is shooting specially from the e bench when Rudy and Slomo ply together.
We need one player able to
Be consistent at 12-15 , Jordan Clarkson style . Unformtunatly our finance do not allowed much. Which create the debate around KAT. But we will never get
Someone better than KAT easily.

[frankenwolf]

What trade will make the Timberwolves better next year? After all, this team got the the WCF, lost by a minimal margin while not playing their best ball and "everyone" wants to get rid of Towns. Who the H#$L can the Timberwolves get that would make this team any better NOW?

No trades for me, run it back with most of our top 8 players. They can win the whole thing next year.

[shrink]

What trade will make the Timberwolves better next year? After all, this team got the the WCF, lost by a minimal margin while not playing their best ball and "everyone" wants to get rid of Towns. Who the H#$L can the Timberwolves get that would make this team any better NOW?

No trades for me, run it back with most of our top 8 players. They can win the whole thing next year.

Yes! I’m glad you’re thinking about winning championships, because that should be our goal right now.

In my mind, Denver is still the best team in the West - better than DAL, better than OKC if they don’t add serious size, and better than us. However, as I have been saying for over a year, the Wolves are constructed to challenge a team like Denver, where we can match the Nuggets typical advantages in size, defense on their scorers, and they have no good answer for Ant. KAT is vital to beating the Nuggets, and most of these Towns trades I see greatly reduce our chances of beating DEN again next year in the playoffs, and they’d be celebrating if they say us trade KAT.

[shrink]

One other point. There is folklore that if you stay put, you’re losing ground, but it’s not true. Yes, other teams in the West will make moves to get better next year. But the Wolves will get better as well, regardless of whether they make a move or not.

Players like McDaniels, NAW, Naz and especially Ant are all young and their games will grow. They have an additional advantage that they all have gotten experience in big games that many young players have not, so some growing pains are already behind them. We will also be better because of team continuity, when we bring back all seven of our best players and coach, which most competitors cannot match.

There are drags. Mike Connelly didn’t show it last year, but he’s getting older. Except for KAT, the whole team avoided injuries. There will be less easy games in the West, and we might not end with as good a record. However, even if we do nothing, I have no doubt that with the growth of our players and our team continuity, we will be a better team next year, and have an even better chance at winning it all.

[Norseman79]

I do not understand the hype around Murray. He is a ball eater and will hurt ANT development. The best PG near ANT is Mike unselfish player who don’t care if Ant take 25 shoot per night and is willing to teach young’s guys.


What we missing to win a championship is shooting specially from the e bench when Rudy and Slomo ply together.
We need one player able to
Be consistent at 12-15 , Jordan Clarkson style . Unformtunatly our finance do not allowed much. Which create the debate around KAT. But we will never get
Someone better than KAT easily.

He is a legit 1rst team all defensive talent at point guard with 3 and D ability. Murray took 18 shot per game this year, 3 more than Kat, while playing off guard. He and Edwards would work fine offensively.

[Klomp]

I do not understand the hype around Murray. He is a ball eater and will hurt ANT development. The best PG near ANT is Mike unselfish player who don’t care if Ant take 25 shoot per night and is willing to teach young’s guys.

Part of why Mike is best for Ant right now is because we are getting so much shot volume from our PF position.....not only Karl, but Naz too. Those two (and Ant) sit in the top 62 of the NBA in shot volume per 100 possession. That's just never going to be a recipe for a top-shelf offense.

[Klomp]

What trade will make the Timberwolves better next year? After all, this team got the the WCF, lost by a minimal margin while not playing their best ball and "everyone" wants to get rid of Towns. Who the H#$L can the Timberwolves get that would make this team any better NOW?

No trades for me, run it back with most of our top 8 players. They can win the whole thing next year.

I totally understand and respect this viewpoint. However, I'd caution that it's the same mentality that the Lakers had last year.

[frankenwolf]

What trade will make the Timberwolves better next year? After all, this team got the the WCF, lost by a minimal margin while not playing their best ball and "everyone" wants to get rid of Towns. Who the H#$L can the Timberwolves get that would make this team any better NOW?

No trades for me, run it back with most of our top 8 players. They can win the whole thing next year.

I totally understand and respect this viewpoint. However, I'd caution that it's the same mentality that the Lakers had last year.

Sure, but the Lakers are OLD
There were obvious holes in the Lakers last year and this year that they decided to gloss over. I know the TC and management are reviewing this year to see what they could tweak for next year, but I think our top 7 players are much better than most of the West. Growth from within will happen, since Ant and Slim are only 22.

[shrink]

What trade will make the Timberwolves better next year? After all, this team got the the WCF, lost by a minimal margin while not playing their best ball and "everyone" wants to get rid of Towns. Who the H#$L can the Timberwolves get that would make this team any better NOW?

No trades for me, run it back with most of our top 8 players. They can win the whole thing next year.

I totally understand and respect this viewpoint. However, I'd caution that it's the same mentality that the Lakers had last year.

Sure, but the Lakers are OLD
There were obvious holes in the Lakers last year and this year that they decided to gloss over. I know the TC and management are reviewing this year to see what they could tweak for next year, but I think our top 7 players are much better than most of the West. Growth from within will happen, since Ant and Slim are only 22.

The Lakers had just rebuilt their team too at the deadline for the final two months of the season.

We added Mike Conley and NAW 14 months ago, so we have a better prediction that it works.

[Norseman79]

Would you? Would they?

ATL out: Murray, Hunter, 25 & 29 firsts
In: Towns

MN out: Towns
In: Murray, Hunter, 25&29 firsts.

PG: Murray, Conley
SG: Edwards, NAW
SF: McDaniels, Hunter(if not starting at 4)
PF: Hunter or Reid, Smith (FA)
C: Gobert, Wiseman (FA)

Hot take, sign James Wiseman and Jalen Smith.

[Norseman79]

Would you? Would they?

ATL out: Murray, Hunter, 25 & 29 firsts
In: Towns

MN out: Towns
In: Murray, Hunter, 25&29 firsts.

PG: Murray, Conley
SG: Edwards, NAW
SF: McDaniels, Hunter(if not starting at 4)
PF: Hunter or Reid, Smith (FA)
C: Gobert, Wiseman (FA)

Hot take, sign James Wiseman and Jalen Smith.

Imagine running a small ball lineup out of

Murray
Naw
Edwards
Hunter
McDaniels

[shrink]

He is a legit 1rst team all defensive talent at point guard with 3 and D ability.

I think people believed that he could become that level of defensive player when he was in San Antonio, but he never really became this.

[minimus]

He is a legit 1rst team all defensive talent at point guard with 3 and D ability.

I think people believed that he could become that level of defensive player when he was in San Antonio, but he never really became this.

I will put it this way: we need a low profile high impact player next to Edwards, Gobert, rather than high profile, low impact guy. In other words we need Derrick White type of player, not Murray type of player.

[shrink]

He is a legit 1rst team all defensive talent at point guard with 3 and D ability.

I think people believed that he could become that level of defensive player when he was in San Antonio, but he never really became this.

I will put it this way: we need a low profile high impact player next to Edwards, Gobert, rather than high profile, low impact guy. In other words we need Derrick White type of player, not Murray type of player.

And especially not Trae Young.

[minimus]

I think people believed that he could become that level of defensive player when he was in San Antonio, but he never really became this.

I will put it this way: we need a low profile high impact player next to Edwards, Gobert, rather than high profile, low impact guy. In other words we need Derrick White type of player, not Murray type of player.

And especially not Trae Young.

Agree. After reading some comments I am thinking that Garland is close to this category as well. TC needs to continue to identify and get guys such as Mike Conley, NAW. Just like Jerry West (RIP The Legend) said about Shaun Livingston in GSW

Read on Twitter

[shrink]

An historic, basic, economics adage is to “buy low and sell high.” Right now, many of the Wolves are at high peaks in trade value. The winning season, the individual and team awards, and the dispelling of myths likely has led to interest in many of the players in our rotation.

Now, because of real reasons like team direction, continuity, loyalty etc, I don’t expect any trades. But a heartless team and GM could probably up the potential talent/pick armory of the Wolves by making a trade or two, particularly for players whose trade value is likely to drop. My favorite Branch Rickey quote is “Trade a player a year too early, not a year too late.”

[shrink]

In line with my previous post, I wanted to ask you x-and-o guys a question.

Suppose we traded Gobert, and didn’t get a big back. That slides Towns back to his optimal position at center, and Naz becomes our PF, and we run a five out offense that clears driving lanes for Ant. However, KAT + Naz line ups have been horrible defensively for years. KAT comes out in drop coverage to blow up our defenses, and Naz was slow-footed and neglectful in help coverage.

My question is: Could it work going forward? KAT and Naz are both much better defensively. Towns has seen how effective drop coverage can be, watching the league’s best do it. And Naz is no longer a pudgy back up center. He has changed his body and is now a more mobile big wing. Could these two suddenly pair adequately enough on defense next year, if Gobert was traded?

[m2002brian]

In line with my previous post, I wanted to ask you x-and-o guys a question.

Suppose we traded Gobert, and didn’t get a big back. That slides Towns back to his optimal position at center, and Naz becomes our PF, and we run a five out offense that clears driving lanes for Ant. However, KAT + Naz line ups have been horrible defensively for years. KAT comes out in drop coverage to blow up our defenses, and Naz was slow-footed and neglectful in help coverage.

My question is: Could it work going forward? KAT and Naz are both much better defensively. Towns has seen how effective drop coverage can be, watching the league’s best do it. And Naz is no longer a pudgy back up center. He has changed his body and is now a more mobile big wing. Could these two suddenly pair adequately enough on defense next year, if Gobert was traded?

Towns can’t be an anchor.
The reason he works on Jokic is because he can focus on just man to man defense.
When he would get switched onto Gordon, and Rudy on Jokic, that’s when we saw Gordon getting lob dunks.
Because….. KAT is completely lost on defense unless he’s playing straight up man. He helps at the wrong time, from the wrong places and he rotates (or doesn’t) late or to the wrong man. If you just take a game and make you’re focus on watching KAT’s defense, you will be astounded be the amount of times he just looks completely lost out there.