Rumors, Random Thoughts, and non-Threadworthy Posts 18.0 Dave Cowens drove a taxi

[daoneandonly]

Can the Mavs get another lottery pick in this draft, even if they have to eat a huge salary? I think the Bulls fit this idea. They also don't seem to value picks too much and are more inclined to build with trades (although I could be wrong).

Lonzo P.Williams+12 MAVS
Washington+ 22 BULLS
2 SRP(Bulls)+SRP(MAVS)+Gafford HAWKS

Williams stinks and Lonzo is way too injury prone. Really bad idea for Dallas to give up PJ/Gaff for this

[daoneandonly]

Well got rebuffed on Kidd too

Read on Twitter

Idiotic move by Dallas. WOuld be golden opportunity as Chuck mentioned to part ways with Nico/Kidd

[Devilanche]

Do the Knicks know that there are free agents coaches out there?

They have too many picks to trade away

[SkyHook]

Not sure what to say about this

Read on Twitter

There was a small, but vocal, faction on the MIN board that wanted Chris Finch fired, and expected the front office to do it. They complained that he didn’t develop youth properly, that he made bad in-game decisions, that he let Ant free-style too much, and basically, we needed a new coach to get us to the next level. The majority said it was unlikely, Finch is a good coach, that franchise had record regular season and playoff success including upsets, and that MIN wouldn’t dump a coach with his level of success. Then we saw DEN fire Mike Malone, and NYK fire Thibs, which gave them hope.

This news is a clear indicator that the team plans to keep Finch.

Polls of general fans were nearly unanimous that he was a good coach. These MIN posters made me realize that nearly every team probably has a group that loves their team’s players and prospects so much, that anything that doesn’t match those expectations must be the coach’s fault, and he will get scapegoated. If MIN fans, a historically bad franchise, has fans that are unsatisfied with two WCF’s in a row, then every fanbase must have some fans that hate their coach.

I'm a Finch fan, but if I have one nit to pick it's the lack of development of Dillingham, someone that the FO invested heavily into acquiring. I would have loved to see him get a consistent role early on rather than a string of DNPs and inactive games, especially while the team was going through its adjustments at the beginning of the season. That seasoning would have been valuable in the playoffs, imo. Or maybe Finch just isn't sold on him as a player; if that's the case AND he's right, is that an indictment of Connelly and the pre-draft scouting? I don't know.

[Mavrelous]

Who needs telenovelas when we have the NBA

Read on Twitter

[Texas Chuck]

I hope the Knicks tamper with Kidd and the NBA comes down really hard on them and takes away a 2nd.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Steve Nash, step right up.

That's my guess for the Knicks next coach.

-ATG Point God
-On a show with LeBron James

[jayjaysee]

Unrealistic fun… those that know Flagg better than me.. Can you start Lively, AD, Lauri, Flagg, some PG til Kyrie is healthy?

Flagg as the backup SF (playing more like 20-25mpg there) and Lauri as the backup PF(similar to Flagg), AD only playing 10-15mpg at center.. So long boy style just to let everyone be called a starter?

Flagg able to guard on perimeter to make that lineup work? With Lively/AD rim protection is should help?

[ReggiesKnicks]

Unrealistic fun… those that know Flagg better than me.. Can you start Lively, AD, Lauri, Flagg, some PG til Kyrie is healthy?

Flagg as the backup SF (playing more like 20-25mpg there) and Lauri as the backup PF(similar to Flagg), AD only playing 10-15mpg at center.. So long boy style just to let everyone be called a starter?

Flagg able to guard on perimeter to make that lineup work? With Lively/AD rim protection is should help?

Yes you can but it is going to take away a lot of overall spacing.

AD @ 4 is limiting spacing
Flagg @ 2 is limiting spacing and taking away his post-up/face-up game

Flip Lauri+ for Bane

[shrink]

I'm a Finch fan, but if I have one nit to pick it's the lack of development of Dillingham, someone that the FO invested heavily into acquiring. I would have loved to see him get a consistent role early on rather than a string of DNPs and inactive games, especially while the team was going through its adjustments at the beginning of the season. That seasoning would have been valuable in the playoffs, imo. Or maybe Finch just isn't sold on him as a player; if that's the case AND he's right, is that an indictment of Connelly and the pre-draft scouting? I don't know.

What happened was the last minute KAT trade.

Both Connelly and Finch were excited with the draft, and told everyone who would listen that Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr were going to be thrown into the deep end right away and be given rotation minutes from the start. They emphasized that plan later in free agency, when they let Monte Morris and Jordan MacLaughlin walk, despite Mike Conley’s age. (They also didn’t bother getting a rotation back up center in free agency, expecting KAT to take every minute at center that Rudy couldn’t cover, to give Naz Reid more minutes at power forward). The team was going to run it back, and play the rookie guards rotation minutes.

Their plans took a giant U-turn when NYK finally included Donte DiVincenzo in their KAT offer, just before training camp started. Suddenly, Finch had to use those rookie guard minutes to find a way to coordinate DDV into the team, as perhaps the future running mate for Ant for the next three years. Donte’s great end of the season with the Knicks, and his bargain contract, made playing him a priority. It also hurt the guard’s developmental playing time that Nickiel Alexander-Walker started the season as the Wolves’ most consistent player. With Conley, Ant, NAW and DDV all needing guard minutes (MIN likes to say the team has “eight starters”), it meant that unless there were injuries, Dillingham and TSJ’s development needed to come at practice, where, surprisingly, Jaylen Clark flourished, and was the first to get regular rotation minutes! MIN was coming off a season where they got to the Western Conference Finals, and needed to succeed on the fly without KAT.

This season, I suspect Dillingham will get all the minutes he can handle. The team likely can’t afford to keep NAW, and Mike Conley is finally starting to show his age. The Wolves invested a lot to get Dillingham (a distant unprotected 1st and pick swap), so both Connelly and Finch are very high on him. This year we’ll see if they were right.

[jayjaysee]

Unrealistic fun… those that know Flagg better than me.. Can you start Lively, AD, Lauri, Flagg, some PG til Kyrie is healthy?

Flagg as the backup SF (playing more like 20-25mpg there) and Lauri as the backup PF(similar to Flagg), AD only playing 10-15mpg at center.. So long boy style just to let everyone be called a starter?

Flagg able to guard on perimeter to make that lineup work? With Lively/AD rim protection is should help?

Yes you can but it is going to take away a lot of overall spacing.

AD @ 4 is limiting spacing
Flagg @ 2 is limiting spacing and taking away his post-up/face-up game

Flip Lauri+ for Bane

Dallas barely has the “plus” to get Lauri.. won’t have the extra plus to get Bane..

But fair on the lineup not really working.

[Texas Chuck]

But fair on the lineup not really working.

Not sure what you are moving to get Lauri, but if Christie stays, you make him the starter and let Flagg be a super 6th man?

[SkyHook]

I'm a Finch fan, but if I have one nit to pick it's the lack of development of Dillingham, someone that the FO invested heavily into acquiring. I would have loved to see him get a consistent role early on rather than a string of DNPs and inactive games, especially while the team was going through its adjustments at the beginning of the season. That seasoning would have been valuable in the playoffs, imo. Or maybe Finch just isn't sold on him as a player; if that's the case AND he's right, is that an indictment of Connelly and the pre-draft scouting? I don't know.

What happened was the last minute KAT trade.

Both Connelly and Finch were excited with the draft, and told everyone who would listen that Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr were going to be thrown into the deep end right away and be given rotation minutes from the start. They emphasized that plan later in free agency, when they let Monte Morris and Jordan MacLaughlin walk, despite Mike Conley’s age. (They also didn’t bother getting a rotation back up center in free agency, expecting KAT to take every minute at center that Rudy couldn’t cover, to give Naz Reid more minutes at power forward). The team was going to run it back, and play the rookie guards rotation minutes.

Their plans took a giant U-turn when NYK finally included Donte DiVincenzo in their KAT offer, just before training camp started. Suddenly, Finch had to use those rookie guard minutes to find a way to coordinate DDV into the team, as perhaps the future running mate for Ant for the next three years. Donte’s great end of the season with the Knicks, and his bargain contract, made playing him a priority. It also hurt the guard’s developmental playing time that Nickiel Alexander-Walker started the season as the Wolves’ most consistent player. With Conley, Ant, NAW and DDV all needing guard minutes (MIN likes to say the team has “eight starters”), it meant that unless there were injuries, Dillingham and TSJ’s development needed to come at practice, where, surprisingly, Jaylen Clark flourished, and was the first to get regular rotation minutes! MIN was coming off a season where they got to the Western Conference Finals, and needed to succeed on the fly without KAT.

This season, I suspect Dillingham will get all the minutes he can handle. The team likely can’t afford to keep NAW, and Mike Conley is finally starting to show his age. The Wolves invested a lot to get Dillingham (a distant unprotected 1st and pick swap), so both Connelly and Finch are very high on him. This year we’ll see if they were right.

I hope that you're right. Looking forward to seeing it happen.

[MoneyTalks41890]

I hope the Knicks tamper with Kidd and the NBA comes down really hard on them and takes away a 2nd.

Do they have a protected future 2nd swap? Want to make sure it really stings to deter future tampering.

[zimpy27]

Knicks and Mavs have the funniest relationship history

[jbk1234]

Well got rebuffed on Kidd too

Read on Twitter

Idiotic move by Dallas. WOuld be golden opportunity as Chuck mentioned to part ways with Nico/Kidd

The team whose judgment should be questioned here is the Knicks. They fired Thibs with plans A, B, and C being to hire coaches already under contract with other playofff teams. That's some Bad News Bears styled front office management. It's dumb enough to have come from Dolan.

[zimpy27]

Knicks should hire Vogel IMO. He's an underrated coach and he could work a strong defense.

[SkyHook]

Unrealistic fun… those that know Flagg better than me.. Can you start Lively, AD, Lauri, Flagg, some PG til Kyrie is healthy?

Flagg as the backup SF (playing more like 20-25mpg there) and Lauri as the backup PF(similar to Flagg), AD only playing 10-15mpg at center.. So long boy style just to let everyone be called a starter?

Flagg able to guard on perimeter to make that lineup work? With Lively/AD rim protection is should help?

Yes you can but it is going to take away a lot of overall spacing.

AD @ 4 is limiting spacing
Flagg @ 2 is limiting spacing and taking away his post-up/face-up game

Flip Lauri+ for Bane

Dallas barely has the “plus” to get Lauri.. won’t have the extra plus to get Bane..

But fair on the lineup not really working.

I'm genuinely interested to see a "plus" proposal that you think Utah would accept. I just don't believe that there's a deal to be crafted which will ever satisfy both sides, but I'm prepared to be wrong.

[Godaddycurse]

Knicks are waiting to ask for permission for Carlisle and Daigneault next..

[shrink]

This season, I suspect Dillingham will get all the minutes he can handle. The team likely can’t afford to keep NAW, and Mike Conley is finally starting to show his age. The Wolves invested a lot to get Dillingham (a distant unprotected 1st and pick swap), so both Connelly and Finch are very high on him. This year we’ll see if they were right.

I hope that you're right. Looking forward to seeing it happen.

Me too, but since this is the trade board, I’ll mention that many MIN posters wouldn’t mind seeing the team add a vet placeholder PG. The team wants to progress after the two WCF appearances raised everyone’s expectations.