Post Mortem #27 - Minnesota Timberwolves

[TheGOATRises007]

Here’s my guess

They trade for Jrue Holiday. He helps them win a chip and goes down as the 2020’s Robert Horry, helping 3 teams win a championship

Personally think Jrue Holiday might be cooked as a guy playing heavy minutes in the playoffs.

[Doctor MJ]

Good team and a good season that is a major step up from Wolves' norm for most of their history. I think the franchise should feel good about it...but I'm not sure how to turn this team into a champion by making moves.

If it happens, feels like it's going to have to come from Ant reaching a new tier.

[LibertyPrime]

Lot of clown takes about a guy who for 80% of the year, he was either sat with DNP-CD or saw exclusively garbage time minutes in the 4th when the game was out of reach. While the other 20% being lucky seeing 15 minutes a game. And this was when they ran out of bodies, they literally didn't have a valid PG for awhile and he still saw roughly 15 mins a game(while putting up good numbers).

How do you know he's not ready? How do you know they overpaid for him? If the guy never got one shot.

They played everyone from the janitor to guys who can't dribble like NAW and DDV as PG's....instead of him.

Yes, talking about Dil. Last year at the same time, if you took McCain over him everyone would call you insane.

Now it's the other way around. Single difference?
McCain was stuck behind a corpse(Lowry) but Nurse pulled his head out of his ass and figured it out.
Dil was stuck behind a corpse (Conley) but Finch didn't.


Play the guy regular rotation minutes for 40 games(all the minutes Conley is getting for doing nothing).
20-24 a game. Doesn't need to start, but play every game and not peanut minutes either.

Then decide what he is or isn't. Until then be quiet.

This. Finch doesn't play his rookies. Don't count Rob out just yet.

[LibertyPrime]

Here’s my guess

They trade for Jrue Holiday. He helps them win a chip and goes down as the 2020’s Robert Horry, helping 3 teams win a championship

From your lips to God's ears. Make it happen, Connelly.

[MMyhre]

Good team and a good season that is a major step up from Wolves' norm for most of their history. I think the franchise should feel good about it...but I'm not sure how to turn this team into a champion by making moves.

If it happens, feels like it's going to have to come from Ant reaching a new tier.

Or having a center and a point guard that actually contributes consistently decent in a WCF. Especially one on 109 mill over 3 years

[Chuck Everett]

Here’s my guess

They trade for Jrue Holiday. He helps them win a chip and goes down as the 2020’s Robert Horry, helping 3 teams win a championship

Personally think Jrue Holiday might be cooked as a guy playing heavy minutes in the playoffs.

So many people talking about the Wolves finances want them to trade for Jrue? How? He makes 34+ million dollars next year?

[Hugi Mancura]

I do think either Reid or Randle is gone. Reid deserves to be a starter, if not in Minnesota then somewhere else. They do need someone to take a jump next year, so team can improve. They are not top 3 team in west even if they reached Conference finals and because I think they will lose either Randle or Reid they might be worse next year. They need a better second option and better PG.

[Raps in 4]

Which trade was worse? 5x FRPs for Rudy Gobert or 5x FRPs for Mikal Bridges?

[Domejandro]

Lot of clown takes about a guy who for 80% of the year, he was either sat with DNP-CD or saw exclusively garbage time minutes in the 4th when the game was out of reach. While the other 20% being lucky seeing 15 minutes a game. And this was when they ran out of bodies, they literally didn't have a valid PG for awhile and he still saw roughly 15 mins a game(while putting up good numbers).

How do you know he's not ready? How do you know they overpaid for him? If the guy never got one shot.

They played everyone from the janitor to guys who can't dribble like NAW and DDV as PG's....instead of him.

Yes, talking about Dil. Last year at the same time, if you took McCain over him everyone would call you insane.

Now it's the other way around. Single difference?
McCain was stuck behind a corpse(Lowry) but Nurse pulled his head out of his ass and figured it out.
Dil was stuck behind a corpse (Conley) but Finch didn't.


Play the guy regular rotation minutes for 40 games(all the minutes Conley is getting for doing nothing).
20-24 a game. Doesn't need to start, but play every game and not peanut minutes either.

Then decide what he is or isn't. Until then be quiet.

This. Finch doesn't play his rookies. Don't count Rob out just yet.

I would disagree with folks counting him out, but there is absolutely zero world where Rob Dillingham could play serious minutes for a Playoff team this season. He honestly just wasn't ready for NBA basketball this season.

[Domejandro]

Which trade was worse? 5x FRPs for Rudy Gobert or 5x FRPs for Mikal Bridges?

The Rudy Gobert trade has been great for Minnesota, I genuinely don't know how this tired take survives.

Personally, I am comfortable with the team fully retooling moving forward, but Minnesota has made the Western Conference Finals more times during the Rudy Gobert era than they previously had in their entire team's history.

[baldur]

2 consecutive Western finals and your best player is 23 years old only. Dont understand the doom talks.

Give more minutes to dillingham and Terrence shannon next year.

[Black Jack]

OKC is stacked and Spurs type squads will be coming on strong soon.

My 2 cents is this roster has maxed out and they need to reset, anybody not on Ant's timeline should be shown the door ASAP.

Try to put together a roster that can content for real, this ain't it. Honestly I think GSW had a good shot at beating you guys if Curry didn't get hurt.

[Chuck Everett]

Which trade was worse? 5x FRPs for Rudy Gobert or 5x FRPs for Mikal Bridges?

Neither because there's a good possibility neither team makes it this far without those moves.

[76ciology]

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[Astaluego]

They won't like it and I know it's risky.
Gobert for D. Murray...
Donte for Gafford + 2 SRP.
Randle for DJJ/Bogdanovic + 3/4 SRP...
Send Bogdan's expiring contract + 3/4 SRP to the Nets.
This saves them +/- 20 million (to re-sign Naz and if possible NAW).

I understand Murray is injured, but he's 4 years younger than Rudy and on the court he fits with what the WOLVES do.
He's a good defender, has good size, gives them another scoring threat, and has averaged over 7 assists.
You have Conley/Dillingham to hold up in the regular season until DM returns, who should be in playoff shape.

Gafford/17(Sorber/Yang/Beringer)
Naz/DJJ
McDaniels/NAW
Edwards/Shannon/Clark
*Murray/Dillingham/Conley

[Domejandro]

They won't like it and I know it's risky.
Gobert for D. Murray...
Donte for Gafford + 2 SRP.
Randle for DJJ/Bogdanovic + 3/4 SRP...
Send Bogdan's expiring contract + 3/4 SRP to the Nets.
This saves them +/- 20 million (to re-sign Naz and if possible NAW).

I understand Murray is injured, but he's 4 years younger than Rudy and on the court he fits with what the WOLVES do.
He's a good defender, has good size, gives them another scoring threat, and has averaged over 7 assists.
You have Conley/Dillingham to hold up in the regular season until DM returns, who should be in playoff shape.

Gafford/17(Sorber/Yang/Beringer)
Naz/DJJ
McDaniels/NAW
Edwards/Shannon/Clark
*Murray/Dillingham/Conley

Even prior to ruptured Achilles tendon, I have always pushed against trading for DeJounte Murray. He is a mediocre to subpar defensive player (his reputation is comically unearned) and he is an inefficient scorer. His actual impact has always leaned net-negative, I was astounded at the packages that teams paid for him.

Again, all of that is prior to having the most devastating injury in basketball that will have him out for the majority of next season. It’s honestly a total nonstarter unless New Orleans is willing to kick in serious value (being clear, that would be something like the seventh overall pick).

I am open to trading Rudy Gobert, but that specific target misses the mark by a wide margin without significant supplemental value.

[JDR720]

Which trade was worse? 5x FRPs for Rudy Gobert or 5x FRPs for Mikal Bridges?

Gobert has accolades and, at least at the time, unquestioned (by reasonable people) elite skills.

Bridges has always been a good role player, but not special. He's not a floor or ceiling raiser, Gobert is at least a floor raiser. With him, you'll always have a good defense. His issues have as much to do with his teams not having PG's to throw him lobs as it does himself. Gobert has never played with a legit (good) PG.

[giberish]

I don't see them making major moves. Resign Reid. Probably lose NAW, hope Clarke and/or Shannon can fill the rotation hole.

No obvious PG upgrades and they do like Conley. Probably hope Dillingham can at least be a 15-20 mpg guy as a 2nd year player (it's tough for young rookies to get minutes on contenders).

Gobert moves would be the one potential big move, but they don't particularly need to move him and I don't think anyone's making huge offers so he probably stays.

[Astaluego]

Gobert+DDV LAKERS
Gafford/Reaves/Hachimura WOLVES
Vincent/Knecht MAVS

Does this make sense?

[Wingy]

Lot of clown takes about a guy who for 80% of the year, he was either sat with DNP-CD or saw exclusively garbage time minutes in the 4th when the game was out of reach. While the other 20% being lucky seeing 15 minutes a game. And this was when they ran out of bodies, they literally didn't have a valid PG for awhile and he still saw roughly 15 mins a game(while putting up good numbers).

How do you know he's not ready? How do you know they overpaid for him? If the guy never got one shot.

They played everyone from the janitor to guys who can't dribble like NAW and DDV as PG's....instead of him.

Yes, talking about Dil. Last year at the same time, if you took McCain over him everyone would call you insane.

Now it's the other way around. Single difference?
McCain was stuck behind a corpse(Lowry) but Nurse pulled his head out of his ass and figured it out.
Dil was stuck behind a corpse (Conley) but Finch didn't.


Play the guy regular rotation minutes for 40 games(all the minutes Conley is getting for doing nothing).
20-24 a game. Doesn't need to start, but play every game and not peanut minutes either.

Then decide what he is or isn't. Until then be quiet.

This. Finch doesn't play his rookies. Don't count Rob out just yet.

I would disagree with folks counting him out, but there is absolutely zero world where Rob Dillingham could play serious minutes for a Playoff team this season. He honestly just wasn't ready for NBA basketball this season.

I wouldn’t count him out either, but wonder why they didn’t draft Buzelis instead? Not sure how that guy slipped so far given size/athleticism/shot [potential, but form looks pretty solid]/eye test. Even Arturas Karnisovas struggled to screw up the pick at 12.

He could’ve been brought along slowly (and was in Chi), and backed up Randle/McD.