What About (Almost) Standing Pat?

[Gideon]

Obviously, much of the fun of these forums is to think of big trades and debate whether or not they would help us or how we should tweak them. I really enjoy reading the blockbuster trade threads myself, so I totally understand that aspect of it.

However, when it comes to the real-world optimal strategy for the Wolves, I wonder how many people agree with me that we simply shouldn't make any big changes right now (unless somehow an absolutely awesome, clearly in our favor deal falls into our lap). The way I see it, Love is playing great, Rubio and Pek have been just about best-case scenarios this year compared to preseason expectations, and we're a possible playoff team with the youngest/least-experienced core in the league!

Of course, we'll lose some players to free agency, sign and draft other players to replace them, probably make a minor trade or two... maybe target a non-superstar starting wing this offseason... all of that is fine with me.

But as far as the team I would like to see two years from now... I have no problem at all with:

Rubio
Ridnour
D-Will
Love
Pek

Maybe D-Will stays a backup 4... but I hope he can develop into a starting 3 (who also backs up Love at 4 for 12 mins a game or so)... maybe we replace Ridnour with a more athletic 2... but I actually think Ridnour plays well with Rubio and knows his role on the team - even the best championship teams started a role player or two.

As far as our bench goes... Barea is an above-average backup combo guard, Beas is an above-average backup forward, and Darko is an above average backup center. We actually have a very deep team.

I really think we could contend in a couple of years with nothing more than minor tweaks, just from the team gelling together and Rubio/Pek/D-Will improving naturally. If we're 44-38 two years from now, then obviously we look to make bigger moves at that time, but I think we should give the team we have (more or less) a real shot... this could be the beginning of something very special!

[Beas]

I think really our number one need is to fill our hole at SG, Ridnour definitely isn't the long term answer. I agree he plays fine with Rubio but he is a huge defensive liability on the court. Opposing teams' wing players have been lighting up the Twolves for years, that is definitely something that needs to be controlled. We need a SG who can play at least some defense even if they don't bring a whole lot of offense to the court. If we can find a serviceable SG somewhere than I wouldn't be against trying to see how we do with what we got. I really like the idea of a Rubio/Love/D-Will/Pek core.

[Vindicater]

Rubio
Ridnour
D-Will
Love
Pek

[Saltine]

We need a SG. Ridnour will get destroyed in the playoffs at SG. I'm hoping Martell keeps improving, that may solve some of our problems on the wing. That said, I think Kahn is on the same wavelength as you, he may move Beas or AR, but I doubt he does anything major unless it's a sweet deal.

[Mr Dew]

I tend to agree with the overall idea of standing pat for the most part, but I think Beasley and AR are probably in play for a minor deal to better balance the roster. It seems that neither of those guys are in our long-term plans, so we may as well explore trading them for useful pieces now rather than lose them for nothing this summer.

[[RCG]]

I am fine with only minor tweaks, but that must include getting an actual SG. If we hope to contend we must replace Ridnour at SG. That is priority #1

[weasel]

Rubio
Webster
D-Will
Love
Pek

Fixed

[Devilzsidewalk]

at some point Ridnour or Barea will have to go

[Foye]

We are a legit 2 guard away from being a very good team for years to come. If we stand pat we'll likely go to the WC SF a few times but almost surely not advance further.

[Mr Dew]

We are a legit 2 guard away from being a very good team for years to come. If we stand pat we'll likely go to the WC SF a few times but almost surely not advance further.

I don't think anybody was suggesting that we stand pat for the long-term... just through the end of this season. I would be fine with no moves during the season, but if we don't make some moves to address holes in the offseason, I won't be happy.

[Gideon]

Of course, we'll lose some players to free agency, sign and draft other players to replace them, probably make a minor trade or two... maybe target a non-superstar starting wing this offseason... all of that is fine with me.

As the above quote from my OP indicates, I'm not suggesting we literally stand completely pat, just to be clear... just that we don't ship out our core or change our identity significantly until we really see what we have.

One of the small options I mentioned involved signing or trading for an upgrade at the wing - somebody like Crawford/Dudley/Fernandez, to give a few possibilities/examples. I agree we can improve on Ridnour, but I also think the anti-Ridnour sentiment is kind-of overblown. He's been a starter or 6th man in this league for a long time (it's not like he never got minutes and then the Wolves were so weak we were the first team to play him a lot), he's a good locker-room guy, and he obviously can play in this league. Look at some of the guys the Lakers and Bulls title teams started in the past couple of decades... every position doesn't have to be a superstar.

That said, I feel almost like I'm playing devil's advocate now... I really would rather have Crawford, Dudley or Fernandez (or a healthy, consistent Webster, or some other possible options) than Ridnour and I do think we're likely to acquire somebody to start at the 2. Still, Ridnour can also back up both guard spots pretty well, so I don't think we need to cut him loose or anything (unless its necessary as part of a trade).

[moss_is_1]

Rubio - ? - D-will - Love - Pek

Everything else is expendable to get us a SG for our future. Beas / AR / Wes / Webster / Utah 1st / Memphis 1st / Ridnour / Barea should be able to get something, right?

[theGreatRC]

There's a reason why teams go out of their way to post up Ridnour or get the ball to whoever Ridnour is guarding is because they KNOW that is our weakness and glaring hole right now. Once we fill up that spot, we are going to be a team that can't be **** with.

[pumunga]

i dont think teams go after ridnour nearly as much as they should. Adelman always always always plays 2 pg down the stretch. brandon jennings and luke ridnour got into the playoffs and took a strong atlanta team to 7 games.

[theGreatRC]

Mostly teams do it in the beginning of games. By the end of the game when we run 2 pgs, your guess is as good as mine as to why they don't attack Luke/Barea at the 2.

[eyeteeth]

I doubt anything big happens at the deadline, unless, like others have said, we get a really sweet deal. The offseason is another story, though. I think that's when Ridnour gets traded.

[Klomp]

Mostly teams do it in the beginning of games. By the end of the game when we run 2 pgs, your guess is as good as mine as to why they don't attack Luke/Barea at the 2.

They do it at the beginning because its a clear advantage. Take the Lakers game for example. But are you really going to do that in the 4th? Its Kobe time.

The teams attack it because they have an advantage. But it also 90% of the time takes them out of the regular flow of their offense.

[moss_is_1]

i dont think teams go after ridnour nearly as much as they should. Adelman always always always plays 2 pg down the stretch. brandon jennings and luke ridnour got into the playoffs and took a strong atlanta team to 7 games.

I don't think we would be satisfied with just getting into the playoffs once our team is in their prime though. For this season we probably won't be able to get a different SG, so Ridnour is fine, but I think most people are saying for the future we need a real SG.

[The J Rocka]

Meet & Greet with Kahn from RC poster:

I was at a short Meet and greet with KAHN tonight... he took questions from the people.

Most of the questions were dumb "are we looking to get ray allen"..."are we going to reunite pau and ricky"
which he basically said Ray is too old.. and unless they want nothing for him NO...and Pau is to expensive.

But i asked him if he sees the next piece for the wolves coming from a trade of from Free Agency...

To that he said he wants to keep this team together into the summer... because the lack of training camp and the players being so young its hard to tell what you have..ect he then mentioned that if you whould have asked him 3 months ago if PEK would be a starting calaber center he would have said NO .. and that PEK has really impressed him so you never know what is going to happen.... got the feeling no moves of any kind big are happening

then some rube asked if Beas will be part of the future...

to that he laughed and said " is that Jerry Zgoda... then he said YES BEASLY will be here in the future... he knows for a fact he will be here tomorrow... then laughed and said we will see what happens ten days from now"... so to me it looks like BEASLY will be gone but don't expect anything big in return.
then i asked him about AR and his future with the team...since i hate the way he isn't getting time...

"and KAHN said he really likes AR and he hopes he is with the wolves for a long time to come.. he went on and talked about because of bad diet and stuff AR ..LOST weight over the lockout and came in at 217... so far they have him up to 225 and have cut his body fat down"..he also said he sees him as a CENTER on this team because Rick likes to go small"

other than that he likes WES and thinks he will really benefit from a summer

the team is right about where he thinks they should be

he sees this team as a solid playoff team next year-then the year after that they could be playing for the western conf championship

he also said that he doesn't see DWILL as a starting caliber 3 this year and probably not next either..but he went on to say he has been playing very well the last stretch and is being decisive which they have been trying to get him to be


i probably spelled everything wrong to all the guys that hate that sorry

[Chocobanana]

wolves need to do this now

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=26nmnj8