RGM Lottery Summits

[APerna]

Hey posters,

First of all, I'm sorry that your team wasn't able to make the playoffs. You know I'm in the same boat, so I definitely identify with you. I am looking to put together NBA Summits for the fourteen Lottery teams as the playoffs get underway...that should keep things interesting for all parties...

I put together a ton of these on the NFL forums heading into next weekend's draft and they have been wildly successful. I hope for the same here, and I know the population of these boards will lend itself to many responses.

Editor Chris Reina and I have put together these seven question for you all to answer, with the best answers making it into posted pieces on our main page. The only thing that I ask is that you please limit your responses to two sentences per question. Please try your best to heed that request, it makes the Summits easier to read and quicker to put together.

Thanks gang, and best of luck in the Lottery.

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
2. Where were the team

[kandiking]

1. make the allen iverson trade last year, and therefore never trade KG
2. Low Post offense, offensive rebounding, i'm pretty sure that's about it
3. al jefferson, sebastian telfair, kirk snyder, Ryan Gomes
4. Rashad Mccants, Gerald Green
5. Judging by history, not very confident in Mchale, but judging for since the KG trade, i'm hopeful that we can turn some expirings into something, maybe.
6. a defensive 5, a defensive point guard that can distribute
7. with the #3 pick, i'd choose brook lopez.

[deeney0]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

Reset the clock to 2004, undo the three years of mistakes leading up to the KG trade.

2. Where were the team

[shrink]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

With KG, MIN was a threat to make the play-offs every year, but injuries (Brandon, Szczerbiak, Cassell, Sprewell), egotistical flame-outs (Marbury, Cassell), seemed to me to make the Wolves snakebit from getting past the first round. MIN fans love Garnett, but a trade was due; we're happy with Al Jefferson and several Celtics played better than expected, but I don't think we had illusions about making the play-offs in 2008. after the KG trade.

2. Where were the team

[Steve_Holiday]

I would echo most of these sentiments:

1. what could have been done to make the playoffs?
even with kg, this team was not making the playoffs.

2. what were the team's biggest strengths?
power forward and...? pride? this team could have been a lot worse. they pulled out some big wins and elected not to tank at the end of the season.

3. who had a surprisingly effective season?
jefferson exceeded expectations. telfair may not be with the team next year, but he definitely showed he belongs in the league somewhere. foye rallied back from injury nicely.

4. who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
I remember completely talking myself into corey brewer last year, but he's still incredibly raw. although I agree that rashad and gerald were ineffective, neither came as a surprise to me.

5. how confident are you in the front office going into the offseason?
although mchale's mistakes have been well-documented, I don't believe he is as horrible as everyone makes him out to be. that said, after the kg disaster, I really don't think he should be gm of this team. post-kg mchale is like bush's second term in office: an injustice we are all resigned to accept.

6. what are the team's biggest needs in the draft?
defensive center, true point guard...an all-star player at any position.

7. if the lottery plays out true, who would you like your team to select?
mayo.

[PaintPatrol]

1. what could have been done to make the playoffs?
There is Nothing we could have done to make the playoffs this year

2. what were the team's biggest strengths?
Big Al

3. who had a surprisingly effective season?
Telfair really suprised me as a distributor

4. who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Foye only because of his injury

5. how confident are you in the front office going into the offseason?
Not very confident I have a feeling they will overpay our FA's but hopefully they learned their lesson

6. what are the team's biggest needs in the draft?
defensive center that can hit 10-15' shot would be ideal and a wing that brings it on both ends of the floor

7. if the lottery plays out true, who would you like your team to select?
OJ Mayo

[TrentTuckerForever]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

2008 was a rebuilding year, no way the Wolves could have made the playoffs in the West.

2. Where were the team

[revprodeji]

I keep meaning to do this.

[Devilzsidewalk]

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

traded young players and draft picks for veterans. Of course that'd be a totally stupid idea unless you're getting CP3 or something.

2. Where were the team

[shrink]

On question #5, I focused on McHale, but I think it should be pointed out the Glen Taylor also made an effort to get MIN's house in order financially. Last year at this time, we had several overpaid contracts on unwanted players. Its true that McHale deserves credit for being able to whittle Mike James, Mark Blount, Trenton Hassell and Ricky Davis to two year deals, expirings, and even a 1st round pick. However, it should be noted then Glen Taylor also coughed up the dough to buy out four players, most notably Juwon Howard and Troy Hudson. By paying these guys not to play for us, he opened up more minutes for our youth, and I'd imagine, changed the attitude of the club house. Right now, we have only one bad contract (Jaric), and if you asked me if that was possible a year ago, I'd have said, "No way."

[revprodeji]

I am gonna do this without looking at other answers. So if I miss something no laughing at me.

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

-A token answer would be "dont trade KG and get vets" but I think that is the wrong answer. I think the best chance this team would have had to make the playoffs this year would have been to have a healthy Foye all year, have a healthy Ratliff playing 20min a night next to Al. (most teams would miss the playoffs if they lost 2 starters) I think that would improve our team. Also making the Green-Snyder trade earlier and establishing a solid rotation.

Ratliff
Jefferson
Gomes
Jaric
Foye
(Bench of Cookie/Bassy/Shad/Snyder/Brewer/Richard)
-We establish our vets and our play becomes different. Instead this year we focused on younger guys auditioning for the future and learning. Our focus was never on playoffs, never on tanking, but rather on growing.

2. Where were the team