winforlose wrote:The key questions IMO are.
1. At what point does Edwards become a starter?
2. Is Edwards going to be used as a 3 and played alongside Beasley?
3. Have we given up on Nowell and Vanderbilt?
4. Can we stay healthy with a packed schedule and limited time to get things together? After all, it’s a short offseason/preseason with a very rusty team.
1. I think a realistically optimistic timeframe might be mid-way? For me, it's at the point where he's coming off the bench and getting enough minutes to mix in with Towns and Russell. If he shows defensive intensity, attacks the rim, disciplined shot selection, he's ready. Basically everything we begged for from Wiggins. We're not winning a championship, probably not making the playoffs, send the kid in if he's playing the right way and embraces the role he's going to need to play next to our stars.
2. Based on current roster construction, they sure as hell better be on board with Edwards as their long-term 3. I don't think they have any immediate plans to trade Russell, Rubio, or Beasley. You throw in Okogie, Culver, and even J-Mac and there is absolutely no vacancy for minutes at guard. Based on their comments about the 2 and 3 being interchangeable in this system, it would seem that they're on board with this. I kind of cringe at such comments when you're talking about playing Culver or Okogie there. You're sacrificing length and not making up for it with superior ballhandling, shooting, or playmaking. Edwards on the other hand, a 6'5" supposedly going on 6'6" athletic freak built like an s-house, you would think that shouldn't be much of a stretch. He might even have better luck defending 3s instead of chasing guards around. Given the contract to Beasley and the 1.1 overall selection, you would sure have to think that Beasley and Edwards will play together quite a bit once he's up and running. There's no way around it, Edwards absolutely needs to develop into an average wing defender in short order. Without the weight of having to carry an offense on his shoulders, that part of his game needs to take off or it almost certainly is another failed draft pick.
3. It sure looks like opportunity and minutes will be there for Vanderbilt at the 4 if a Culver/Okogie trade doesn't happen. I have no clue how Nowell sees the light of day on the current roster.
4. Towns, Russell, and especially Towns needs to have a healthy year. I think we can survive injuries to Rubio (with JMac), Beasley, Culver, Okogie. It would be extremely frustrating to see the 1.1 go down. We can't afford injuries at PF, but not high enough on any of the bigs not named Towns to feel like it would be the end of the world.
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