4 years 20 million for Darko.

[younggunsmn]

My problem with Darko isn't his contract, it's that Kahn has reshaped the roster and the 2010 draft around him.

I don't agree with that. I think it was his intention to trade Al and draft Wes over Cousins regardless if Darko came back or not. If Darko hadn't come back we'd probably be rolling with Pekovic and whatever we could dredge up in trade/FA at C, and maybe we would have taken Whiteside over Hayward.

The Al/Love frontcourt experiment was dead before we acquired Darko.

[Dewey]

My problem with Darko isn't his contract, it's that Kahn has reshaped the roster and the 2010 draft around him.

I don't agree with that. I think it was his intention to trade Al and draft Wes over Cousins regardless if Darko came back or not. If Darko hadn't come back we'd probably be rolling with Pekovic and whatever we could dredge up in trade/FA at C, and maybe we would have taken Whiteside over Hayward.

The Al/Love frontcourt experiment was dead before we acquired Darko.

I think it's pretty clear we had made an early decision to roll with Darko and Love - if we could sign Darko for the right money ... I think it was the right decision for "this" team. But I think we also have to realize that this was likely as 2-way street with management and Jefferson ... seems clear communication was good all the way through the entire process..

[C.lupus]

We aren't building around Darko. Darko fits what we are building.

[Klomp]

We aren't building around Darko. Darko fits what we are building.

Bingo.

[Esohny]

We aren't building around Darko. Darko fits what we are building.

I do agree with that. Darko fits what Rambis/Kahn want; I don't think they see him as the key cog.

[Worm Guts]

That's sort of skirting the question. Did we make roster decisions to make room for Darko? I think we did. Above that, did we make major roster decisions to make room for Darko (passing on Cousins, trading Al)? I'm not sure.

[Esohny]

That's sort of skirting the question. Did we make roster decisions to make room for Darko? I think we did. Above that, did we make major roster decisions to make room for Darko (passing on Cousins, trading Al)? I'm not sure.

I honestly think the writing has been on the wall for quite a while in terms of trading Jefferson, so I don't think one had anything to do with the other.

I REALLY hope that they picked Johnson over Cousins because they had high regard for Johnson, not because they thought that picking Cousins would "get in Darko's way." The former is a somewhat defendable decision, the latter is not.

[C.lupus]

IDK, maybe I'm drinking too much Kahnaid but I think all of the roster decisions (including Cousins) have been made with system fit in mind. Johnson fits the system better than Cousins. On top of that, Cousins didn't work out here and evidently really unimpressed Kahn/Rambis in his interview. I don't think Darko had anything to do with that decision. Kahn certainly isn't afraid to bring in two guys at the same position.

[prefuse73]

We were and are not in position to draft for the system and pass BPA. I think they actually thought that Wes was a better prospect period (all things considered). We never know for sure, but I was hoping to take cousins and then trade him for Wes plus another asset, but perhaps they felt that it was so close, potential wise, that they didn't want to leave it up to chance after what happened it the so-called Tyreke Evans deal.

[TMo519]

You also have to consider though, best player available for the Wolves isn't necessarily the best player available for, say, the Kings. Personally, I think Cousins would have bombed here if he was expected to be the franchise guy. With the Kings, you got Tyreke there already, and I think that combo will be awesome. But here, I was just not a fan of it at all, and I guess there will be no way to truly prove that it would have bombed, but my gut says it was a terrible fit and I don't think he was the best player available for the Wolves.

I understand the system fit/need vs. BPA argument, but you do have to consider your vision for your franchise and where potential draftees fit in that vision. Management clearly didn't see it with Cousins, but they did with Wes. If Cousins blows up in Sactown, that's not even necessarily an indicator that the Wolves should have taken him IMO. But I can easily see why some would make that argument that they should have. Let's just hope the FO made the right choice.

[mandurugo]

You also have to consider though, best player available for the Wolves isn't necessarily the best player available for, say, the Kings. Personally, I think Cousins would have bombed here if he was expected to be the franchise guy. With the Kings, you got Tyreke there already, and I think that combo will be awesome. But here, I was just not a fan of it at all, and I guess there will be no way to truly prove that it would have bombed, but my gut says it was a terrible fit and I don't think he was the best player available for the Wolves.

I understand the system fit/need vs. BPA argument, but you do have to consider your vision for your franchise and where potential draftees fit in that vision. Management clearly didn't see it with Cousins, but they did with Wes. If Cousins blows up in Sactown, that's not even necessarily an indicator that the Wolves should have taken him IMO. But I can easily see why some would make that argument that they should have. Let's just hope the FO made the right choice.

I think this is a good take on the situation.

[JMillott]

You also have to consider though, best player available for the Wolves isn't necessarily the best player available for, say, the Kings. Personally, I think Cousins would have bombed here if he was expected to be the franchise guy. With the Kings, you got Tyreke there already, and I think that combo will be awesome. But here, I was just not a fan of it at all, and I guess there will be no way to truly prove that it would have bombed, but my gut says it was a terrible fit and I don't think he was the best player available for the Wolves.

I understand the system fit/need vs. BPA argument, but you do have to consider your vision for your franchise and where potential draftees fit in that vision. Management clearly didn't see it with Cousins, but they did with Wes. If Cousins blows up in Sactown, that's not even necessarily an indicator that the Wolves should have taken him IMO. But I can easily see why some would make that argument that they should have. Let's just hope the FO made the right choice.

I think all of that made sense a few weeks ago when the Wolves already had a 20/11 big in Al Jefferson on the roster and drafting Wesley Johnson who was a great fit in terms of size, athletic ability, shooting touch and range, and defense was a pretty obvious must in my opinion.

Now that the Wolves have traded away the only player they had in place who could be counted on for production even with defenses focused on stopping him its a completely different ballgame. I don't see Wesley Johnson as nearly the same wonderful fit next to Kevin Love that I felt he was next to Al Jefferson.

[AQuintus]

Now that the Wolves have traded away the only player they had in place who could be counted on for production even with defenses focused on stopping him its a completely different ballgame. I don't see Wesley Johnson as nearly the same wonderful fit next to Kevin Love that I felt he was next to Al Jefferson.

We're not building around Jefferson or Love, though. For better or worse, we've been building around Ricky Rubio ever since we drafted him, and Johnson is a better fit with Rubio than Cousins.

[JMillott]

Now that the Wolves have traded away the only player they had in place who could be counted on for production even with defenses focused on stopping him its a completely different ballgame. I don't see Wesley Johnson as nearly the same wonderful fit next to Kevin Love that I felt he was next to Al Jefferson.

We're not building around Jefferson or Love, though. For better or worse, we've been building around Ricky Rubio ever since we drafted him, and Johnson is a better fit with Rubio than Cousins.

That is why i've come to question Kahn so much in the time since the Jefferson trade. His moves in the last 13 months made a lot more sense when viewed through the lens of building around Jefferson and Rubio not through one or the other.

Rubio doesn't make Darko Millic make a ton of sense as the new starting center. Al Jefferson in my opinion was the player that made the trade and signing of Millic make sense as well as the passing on DeMarcus Cousins.

While i've got no issue with those stating that Darko Millic fits the system as the starting center ( he does) i've got issues with any one who thinks he makes a great deal of sense next to Kevin Love or Michael Beasley.

Again with the Wesley Johnson and Martell Webster fits I don't see them making nearly as much sense next to a Kevin Love as they did next to an Al Jefferson.

[Grits n Gravy]

Now that the Wolves have traded away the only player they had in place who could be counted on for production even with defenses focused on stopping him its a completely different ballgame. I don't see Wesley Johnson as nearly the same wonderful fit next to Kevin Love that I felt he was next to Al Jefferson.

We're not building around Jefferson or Love, though. For better or worse, we've been building around Ricky Rubio ever since we drafted him, and Johnson is a better fit with Rubio than Cousins.

That is why i've come to question Kahn so much in the time since the Jefferson trade. His moves in the last 13 months made a lot more sense when viewed through the lens of building around Jefferson and Rubio not through one or the other.

Rubio doesn't make Darko Millic make a ton of sense as the new starting center. Al Jefferson in my opinion was the player that made the trade and signing of Millic make sense as well as the passing on DeMarcus Cousins.

While i've got no issue with those stating that Darko Millic fits the system as the starting center ( he does) i've got issues with any one who thinks he makes a great deal of sense next to Kevin Love or Michael Beasley.

Again with the Wesley Johnson and Martell Webster fits I don't see them making nearly as much sense next to a Kevin Love as they did next to an Al Jefferson.

i would argue that point, certainly defensively, because i think love and beasley are weak defenders especially in the post...darko is a very good post defender and an excellent "boxer outter"(just made that up), while beasley and love will get a lot of the rebounding stats, if you watch darko...he's very good boxing out and letting others get the rebounds. darko can guard 4's aswell so look for darko to take the challenge of guarding the best opposing big every night and thus relieving beasley and love of some pressure.

offensively, i definitely think you may be right. neither of the three is a true back to the basket player or real threat. i think this is the area where we will struggle most this season...post offense, getting easy baskets in the half court. then again we had arguably the best offensive post scorer in the game last year and we ended with 15 wins, so it's to early to say. i'm super excited about this upcoming season, minnesota could really be the place of redemption, beasley & darko finding comfort and consistency, flynn bouncing back after a "rough" rookie year and the team in general redeeming itself after a embarassing 15 wins.

[Saltine]

I see where you are coming from, but Pekovic is a real low post threat. Dude is a monster by the hoop. Though I think having so many guys who can actually shoot is going to help immensely. We won't have to settle for nothing but Al on the low post.

[JMillott]

I see where you are coming from, but Pekovic is a real low post threat. Dude is a monster by the hoop. Though I think having so many guys who can actually shoot is going to help immensely. We won't have to settle for nothing but Al on the low post.

Settling for nothing but jumpers is just as bad as settling as nothing but Al on the block. Having both options be viable was the main reason why I was behind Kahn until he made that trade.

[Worm Guts]

Love didn't really struggle with Al Jefferson off the floor, or at least Jefferson seemed to struggle more without Love than vice versa.

[Dewey]

This whole subject seems to revolve around speculation that Love, Milicic, Pekovic, and Beasley are what they are. These guys ALL have upside ... but rather ... Jefferson is what he is, and while he does have unique skills, he also has some weaknesses. Personnally, I would have preferred to keep Al, but in the long-run, I think it's wrong to suggest he was a legitimate player to build around (especially) after a major knee injury.

I like the fact we are working to establish a core group of players that can support a #1 option - that is the "Kahn Plan". It's also nice to see we are not making desperate moves or irrational decisions to make something happen and lose assets in the process.

Darko, Pekovic, Love, and Beas are currently all great value players, and if need be, priced to move.

No house has a man-cave without a foundation.

[JMillott]

I think you didn't watch the games or look at the numbers if you think Kevin Love didn't play his best basketball next to Al Jefferson. He also may have played his worst basketball next to Darko Millic the Wolves new starting center which at the very least has to be a concern.

Al Jefferson on the other hand seemed to benefit the most from having Darko Millic around to play center which was one of the biggest reasons why I was excited for next season. A fully healthy Jefferson finally free to play his best position with a legitimate NBA center, possibly without any glaring holes on the perimeter?

I was excited for both the Wolves and Jefferson finally.