McHale: Miller not on Trading Block

[shrink]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolve ... LanchO7DiU

McHale: Miller isn't on the trading block

The Wolves coach said rumors of a possible deal with the Nets aren't true, and he knows Miller's shooting struggles won't last forever.

Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale says there is nothing to the rumors that guard/forward Mike Miller might be traded to the New Jersey Nets.

"This is the NBA. If a good trade comes along, you do something," McHale said. "But I would like to keep the core of this group together and let them develop into what they can be."

Regarding Miller, who was acquired in a 2008 draft-day deal with Memphis, McHale said: "First of all, I can tell you that Mike has been unbelievable. Mike is such a great guy. His ability to rebound, pass the ball, defend out there -- he's been doing so many good things for us.

"The thing everybody looks at is he's not making shots right now. These are shots he normally makes. He's going to make those shots, I'm not worried about that. Mike Miller is not on the market. Someone told me that; that is not true."

[karch34]

I guess the only part that concerns me is I would think this is a question for the front office, which I thought McHale was no longer a part of.

[Devilzsidewalk]

I think its more "he's not on the trading block for miscellaneous garbage, we want something good, not your random expirings"

[jpatrick]

Hmmm....I guess McHale does still speak for the front office. This is probably just pre-trade mumbo jumbo anyway, nothing kills trade value more than to say someone is on the block.

The bigger questions is should we be trading Miller. Even though he's not scoring, he's basically playing point forward on this team. Foye seems to really struggle at the point w/o Miller on the floor. I'd say of late our best lineup has been Foye, Carney, Miller, Love and Jefferson. And the point of moving him now as opposed to waiting is to free up 2009 cap space, for who? I hear Marvin Williams name but I've seen him a half dozen times this year and he has done nothing to impress me. I don't know what he is...he's not a big time scorer, not a shooter, not a ball handler, not a great defensive player, not a glue guy hustler or engery guy. Why is he going to be worth 11m a year? Because he's young and was the #2 pick in the draft. To me he's a slightly longer Ryan Gomes. (to be fair ATL runs absolutely no plays for the guy and his only shots come on kick outs or when the ball is rotated to him)

I'd be open to trading Miller because I don't see him on this team after next year (we could trade him next year of course), but I need more than expiring contracts back.

[Krapinsky]

Hmmm....I guess McHale does still speak for the front office. This is probably just pre-trade mumbo jumbo anyway, nothing kills trade value more than to say someone is on the block.

The bigger questions is should we be trading Miller. Even though he's not scoring, he's basically playing point forward on this team. Foye seems to really struggle at the point w/o Miller on the floor. I'd say of late our best lineup has been Foye, Carney, Miller, Love and Jefferson. And the point of moving him now as opposed to waiting is to free up 2009 cap space, for who? I hear Marvin Williams name but I've seen him a half dozen times this year and he has done nothing to impress me. I don't know what he is...he's not a big time scorer, not a shooter, not a ball handler, not a great defensive player, not a glue guy hustler or engery guy. Why is he going to be worth 11m a year? Because he's young and was the #2 pick in the draft. To me he's a slightly longer Ryan Gomes. (to be fair ATL runs absolutely no plays for the guy and his only shots come on kick outs or when the ball is rotated to him)

I'd be open to trading Miller because I don't see him on this team after next year (we could trade him next year of course), but I need more than expiring contracts back.

I agree with you on Williams.

7-8 million for him is as far as I would go. Otherwise, I try for Childress or Ariza. I'm also not ready to give up on Brewer. If we sign WIlliams what happens to Brewer/Gomes?

[the_bruce]

Miller will be busting out an average of 15\5\5 post all star break. Book it.

I somewhat agree on Williams too. I mean is he that much of an upgrade to Gomes or Carney? I doubt it honestly.

[Chance1117]

From what I get on the article Mchale is saying Miller is doing what the Wolves need from him. So in Mchale eyes there is not reason to put him "on the trading block." Mchale goes on to say that if a good trade comes along you do something. I think this basically means he hasn't gotten an offer that he wants yet. I think he is happy if Miller stays but if a good deal is proposed he is going to jump on it.

[deeney0]

Yes, Williams is a big improvement over Gomes/Carney, who are never going to be anything more than bench players on a good team. Williams is only 22 and had improved markedly every year in the league.

[TDWOLVESFAN]

We're winning with Miller not shooting like we know he can. I can't wait to see us when he is hitting his shot. Al Jefferson will have one less defensive player to deal with when he gets the ball in the post. It will spread the floor for us and we should see more open layups with players cutting through the lane.

Hmmm.... more 3's, less pounding on Al and more layups. Sounds like more wins.

[jpatrick]

Yes, Williams is a big improvement over Gomes/Carney, who are never going to be anything more than bench players on a good team. Williams is only 22 and had improved markedly every year in the league.

Really? I never paid much attention to him before this year, so you may be right. But I have not been that impressed with him when I have seen him this year. Just going off numbers his stats from the past three years are all about the same. He's developed a three point shot this year, although he still makes less than one a game, and his rebounding has gone up slightly, but I attribute that to Horford being out thus more boards from him to get.

He could be a huge improvment but I haven't seen it in the time I've seen him. What does he do that's so much better than Gomes/Carney/Brewer besides being 22 and a former second overall pick? I also worry that Hawks fans seem much more willing to pony up for a 30 year old PG that doesn't play defense than their former #2 overall pick.

[4ho5ive]

Unless Gomes is playing the Warriors or another up tempo team, the only thing he does is stand around waiting for a 3, stand around waiting for a long 2 and passing it directly to the other team. Carney is exciting but people here are getting a little too big on him i think. He's great because we didnt expect anything from him, what happens next year if and when we give him a contract. Brew isnt going to be our 3 of the future, his frame is too thin. He could be a starter at the 2, but that all depends on what we do with Foye in the future.

Williams is a legit SF. He can slash, score, shoot, rebound, D up, and move the ball around. He has mad potential and currently is the 4th, hell sometimes even the 5th option on offense. Nobody here wants him because we are blinded by him being the #2 pick, the cat is good though.

[collin_k41]

The whole trade Miller thing is a conundrum for me.

Keeping Mike Miller

Positives:
-6'8" point-forward who is normally a lights out shooter who doesn't take bad shots
-Is a great passer and rebounder for his position
-Is a hometown boy(relatively---South Dakota) and wants to be here, close to family
-Has a great work ethic, attitude, and is just a great overall guy
-Flat out team player and obviously helps us win games in more ways than just scoring

Negatives:
-Some say he's starting to get old
-He seems injury prone judging by this year but the dude has hit the floor HARD more than a few times
-He has good trade value to teams trying to make a push for the playoffs or championship
-If we traded him it'd free up cap space
-We would lose more games this season, most likely retaining our 1st rounder
-He's a marginal defender

Bottom Line:
Personally, I think the positives outweight the negatives and like Mchale said, he WILL start making shots like the old Mike Miller it's just a matter of when. If the right deal comes along, of course I'd deal him but I really haven't seen much that has peaked my interest so far. If we're trading him just to dump salary I'm totally against it. What top FA would want to come here anyways, for any reason besides money that is? Do we really want to dump Miller to have more money to throw at people or should we keep him and maybe, perhaps entice a few players to jump on our bandwagon after we improve this year and show signs of breaking out the next? The people I would willingly trade right now are Smith, Gomes, Mccants, plus the lower guys like Cardinal, Booth, Collins, Madsen etc. If we don't make a trade that's fine, as we do have 5 guys coming off the books after this season. I kind of hope we look at resigning Carney though. Back to Miller, keep him.

[4ho5ive]

If we keep Miller though, where is the money going to come from to sign players that would want to jump on our bandwagon. I think we need to have a combination of talent and money to get FA's here. If we keep him around thats damn near 10M on the books.

[GopherIt!]

4ho,

you think Brew won't eventually be able to handle the 3 for us?
I was hoping that he would but maybe you are right.

If we wanted Williams that bad couldn't we do a S/T with ATL this offseason
for him using Miller?

I don't know how it would work but I'd rather see us
trade for Brandan Wright or possibly even Julian Wright/Thad Young.
I'm just not feelin' it on Starvin Marvin.

[B Calrissian]

I am all for trading for Julian Wright. Brandan Wright and Young would be harder to get but any of those three would be great to have as long as Foye/Love/Al aren't involved in the trade. And I don't think that the Hawks would do a Miller for Williams s&t deal. If they don't have him on the team next year it will because they wanted to save money and they can't save money by swapping him for Miller.

[Krapinsky]

No on J. Wright. There are plenty of SF's available in the draft with similar talent and question marks.

No on B. Wright. He's a PF in 1-2 years when his body begins filling out.

Yes on T. Young. But why would the Sixers move him? Not going to happen.

I think we need to consider Ariza or Childress as more affordable, more realistic options. If the Hawks keep Willams there is no way they would match a MLE offer for Childress.

[southern wolf]

The problem isn't Miller not making shots, it's more that he's not taking shots. He might miss 2 or 3 then he just focuses completely on rebounding and passing, and won't take another shot for the rest of the game. His FG% isn't that bad this season (45%) and his 3P% isn't that far off his career average.

[Tirion]

There is no positives in current version of Miller.

If he can't shoot, he's done, period.

Yeah, he tries to overcompensate with rebounding and passing, but this isn't nearly enough, cause:

1. With the maturation of Love the Wolves will have one of the best reboundidng frontcourts in the game, there will be no need for another rebounding forward.

2. Miller is the worst defender on this team. He doesn't close out on shooters, he doesn't switch in time, he can't stay in front of his man. That alone nullifies any positive outcome generated by his hustling stats.

3. Miller's PT comes at the expense of more productive players, mainly Carney and Gomes, who both are younger than him (therefore more valuable long-term) and are much better defenders and shooters right now.

4. Sooner or later, opposing teams will start to sag off him and double on Big Al and Foye and if he doesn't find his shooting touch by then, this will cost his team games.

Bottom line: without his shooting Miller is slightly less phisical version of Scalabrini. 8-9 millions per year for that? Are you crazy?

[C.lupus]

We could just keep Miller and draft Earl Clark, who projects to be: Marvin Williams.

[Devilzsidewalk]

Miller is kind of McCants-like sometimes. He should be a midrange king, but instead he's either bombing threes or driving all the way to the rim for the offensive foul.