Trade Talk (Part Five)

[shrink]

IF and this is a big IF, in the next few months Culver and Edwards continue to improve and Mcdaniels shows to be a potential legit starter, would you trade KAT for Wiseman + Min 2021 1st pick, GSW 2021 and 2022 1st round pick + fillers?

Of course the next step would be to trade also DAR for the best offer.

I wouldn’t. It is too hard to find a player that has a chance to be a top five player in the league, especially for a non-free agent destination like MIN. We have KAT locked up for several years.

I wrote this last week.

Since I am often labeled a pessimist for my views on Russell, let me tell you something that makes me very optimistic about the Wolves future.

Karl-Anthony Towns

Step One for building a winning franchise (and arguably the most difficult step), is finding a star. Was MIL anything until they found Giannis? Towns has the chance to be one of the five best players in the NBA in two years. At this point, we are so used to his offense that we take it for granted. He is the best shooting big man, not just in the NBA, but arguable in the HISTORY of the NBA. He is a matchup nightmare for every single team in the league, and no one yet has been able to stop him. Since his offense is so reliable, we focus on his defense at center, which has not been good. However, he only needs to be an AVERAGE center defensively to be a top 5 player. Unlike many stars with weaknesses, Towns has nothing that limits him to fix it. He has the size, the strength, and the speed to be better defensively. He simply needs to turn that drive and focus he used to develop his offensive game to historic levels, and focus it on improving defensively. He can do this.

When you feel bad about being a Wolves fan, take a look around the league. Getting the star is Step One. Do you want to be a DET, with no star? Do you want to be a SAC or CLE, and HOPE your young player can be a star? Do you want to be one of the many teams who are building around a pseudo-star, like we were with Kevin Love?

We are lucky. We cleared the first hurdle - the highest hurdle. Next comes building that team around him, and finishing the race to becoming a contender.

[Wolveswin]

IF and this is a big IF, in the next few months Culver and Edwards continue to improve and Mcdaniels shows to be a potential legit starter, would you trade KAT for Wiseman + Min 2021 1st pick, GSW 2021 and 2022 1st round pick + fillers?

Of course the next step would be to trade also DAR for the best offer.

No. You only trade Towns for a godfather offer, and that is not it. Or if he asks out, and he hasn’t so far.

Wolves have a simple plan. Is Towns a top 25 player? Yes. Could he be top 10 or 5 player someday? That is the big question. And what does he need to get there?

So far they have failed to build a team around Towns that escalates his game. Well they did once, and Wiggins couldn’t even be as good as rookie Herro and the team crashed and burned. Not to open up old wounds, but would have a Butler | Towns | LaVine Wolves team been as good as Butler | Bam | Herro Heat team?

So far this regime, biggest moves they have made are bringing in Towns friend Russell (sadly a good move because Wiggins is so bad) and sucking enough to earn the #1 pick. I am not so sure they can build a team around Towns. And please don’t jump in and defend Rosas or Saunders saying they have turned over entire roster and defend other ‘jury is still out’ moves. I get it, their story in incomplete.

To answer your question scenario again, Wolves trade one or both of Edwards and/or Culver to build around Towns. That is if they get huge offer and they don’t feel one or either escalates the game of Towns (only proven top 25 player they have). If they do complement and escalate Towns’ game, Wolves keep em and be excited they proved themselves when Towns was away.

[Jedzz]

So far they have failed to build a team around Towns that escalates his game. Well they did once, and Wiggins couldn’t even be as good as rookie Herro and the team crashed and burned. Not to open up old wounds, but would have a Butler | Towns | LaVine Wolves team been as good as Butler | Bam | Herro Heat team?

Not really, because the Heat also had others as they played a team game, namely undrafted Duncan Robinson first and then also Crowder, Iguodala. Who were the complements on the Butler/Towns team that could match Duncan's shooting? Maybe Deng could have been the Crowder. Had no match for Iguodala. Rose/Dragic.

Lavine isn't Duncan reliable but maybe he would have been enough. Certainly more than Wiggins was back then.

[Jedzz]

I wrote this last week.

Since I am often labeled a pessimist for my views on Russell, let me tell you something that makes me very optimistic about the Wolves future.

Karl-Anthony Towns

Step One for building a winning franchise (and arguably the most difficult step), is finding a star. ...

We are lucky. We cleared the first hurdle - the highest hurdle. Next comes building that team around him, and finishing the race to becoming a contender.

Rosas said the same long ago in an interview when talking about how he felt about the team when he came in. Talked about in almost same way, as having cleared that first hurdle.

But hey, Rosas has now been here a while and shuffled 30 players. Time to see something of it.

[Jedzz]

Ok we could be for real so lets unload Juancho and Layman and get a real forward. Who can the wolves get for Mcdaniels, Bolmaro, Nowell.

Ham Sandwich???

It is hard to deal with the delusion of the Magic fan base, but they take after their deluded gm. Warrior fans are up there also.

That aside, they could just play McDaniels and see how that goes.

[Wolveswin]

So far they have failed to build a team around Towns that escalates his game. Well they did once, and Wiggins couldn’t even be as good as rookie Herro and the team crashed and burned. Not to open up old wounds, but would have a Butler | Towns | LaVine Wolves team been as good as Butler | Bam | Herro Heat team?

Not really, because the Heat also had others as they played a team game, namely undrafted Duncan Robinson first and then also Crowder, Iguodala. Who were the complements on the Butler/Towns team that could match Duncan's shooting? Maybe Deng could have been the Crowder. Had no match for Iguodala. Rose/Dragic.

Lavine isn't Duncan reliable but maybe he would have been enough. Certainly more than Wiggins was back then.

See there you go opening old wounds.

Fact is we don’t know for sure that version of Wolves revisionist history.

Is it true Bulls preferred Wiggins (vs. LaVine as centerpiece for Butler)? If so, how much less assets would Wolves have given for Butler inserting Wiggins instead of injured LaVine? Do they keep #7 overall (instead of swap with #16)? I think so. Do they keep Dunn? Maybe. So who does Thibs draft with #7? Still Markkanen?

Point being, with Towns + Butler + LaVine + Markkanen + Dunn + not having to give Wiggins max contract, I think Wolves easily add all vets and parts as needed to be a yearly playoff team.

Towns | Dieng
Gibson | Markkanen | Bjelica
Butler | Bazz
LaVine | Crawford | Dunn
Teague | Rose | Jones

Who knows what could have been...

And we won’t even what if Thibs took Murray instead of Dunn.

[Jedzz]

So far they have failed to build a team around Towns that escalates his game. Well they did once, and Wiggins couldn’t even be as good as rookie Herro and the team crashed and burned. Not to open up old wounds, but would have a Butler | Towns | LaVine Wolves team been as good as Butler | Bam | Herro Heat team?

Not really, because the Heat also had others as they played a team game, namely undrafted Duncan Robinson first and then also Crowder, Iguodala. Who were the complements on the Butler/Towns team that could match Duncan's shooting? Maybe Deng could have been the Crowder. Had no match for Iguodala. Rose/Dragic.

Lavine isn't Duncan reliable but maybe he would have been enough. Certainly more than Wiggins was back then.

See there you go opening old wounds.

Fact is we don’t know for sure that version of Wolves revisionist history.

Is it true Bulls preferred Wiggins (vs. LaVine as centerpiece for Butler)? If so, how much less assets would Wolves have given for Butler inserting Wiggins instead of injured LaVine? Do they keep #7 overall (instead of swap with #16)? I think so. Do they keep Dunn? Maybe. So who does Thibs draft with #7? Still Markkanen?

Point being, with Towns + Butler + LaVine + Markkanen + Dunn + not having to give Wiggins max contract, I think Wolves easily add all vets and parts as needed to be a yearly playoff team.

Towns | Dieng
Gibson | Markkanen | Bjelica
Butler | Bazz
LaVine | Crawford | Dunn
Teague | Rose | Jones

Who knows what could have been...

And we won’t even what if Thibs took Murray instead of Dunn.

We know. We know Timberwolves would never take a Murray over a Dunn. We know they would bring in a Crawford instead of letting an undrafted shooter play. We know with fair certainty they would screw it all up. I've got a good 20 years of proof to show you. Let's not and just say we did. The Timberwolves could have had an offseason much like Miami's last year and built like they did. They chose not to because, well, Timberwolves.

[Jedzz]

Trade Culver, Edwards, Hernangomez, Davis and a FRP for Gobert.

Rubio(30)/JMac(18)
Dlo(30)/Nowell(18)
McDaniels(25)/Layman(23)
Kat(30)/Vando(13)McDaniels(5)
Gobert(30)/Kat(5)/Reid(13)

[urinesane]

Trade Culver, Edwards, Hernangomez, Davis and a FRP for Gobert.

Rubio(30)/JMac(18)
Dlo(30)/Nowell(18)
McDaniels(25)/Layman(23)
Kat(30)/Vando(13)McDaniels(5)
Gobert(30)/Kat(5)/Reid(13)

You're fired.

[Dewey]

Trade Culver, Edwards, Hernangomez, Davis and a FRP for Gobert.

Rubio(30)/JMac(18)
Dlo(30)/Nowell(18)
McDaniels(25)/Layman(23)
Kat(30)/Vando(13)McDaniels(5)
Gobert(30)/Kat(5)/Reid(13)

come on ... its been clearly stated around here that KAT cannot play PF, plus keep in mind, Okogie is much better suited with his long arms.

[Jedzz]

Trade Culver, Edwards, Hernangomez, Davis and a FRP for Gobert.

Rubio(30)/JMac(18)
Dlo(30)/Nowell(18)
McDaniels(25)/Layman(23)
Kat(30)/Vando(13)McDaniels(5)
Gobert(30)/Kat(5)/Reid(13)

You're fired.

That's fair. I was simply going for beating a Rosas/Ryan disaster team like I watched the other day. My target wasn't that high and I think it does so.

[Jedzz]

come on ... its been clearly stated around here that KAT cannot play PF, plus keep in mind, Okogie is much better suited with his long arms.

I don't care. I haven't seen Towns play much in years. (I should probably wait a few weeks before I say years)
Okogie would never play above SF for my team and would like just play SG depth. He would use his long arms as a benefit smothering guards.

[Dewey]

come on ... its been clearly stated around here that KAT cannot play PF, plus keep in mind, Okogie is much better suited with his long arms.

I don't care. I haven't seen Towns play much in years. (I should probably wait a few weeks before I say years)
Okogie would never play above SF for my team and would like just play SG depth. He would use his long arms as a benefit smothering guards.

... you handled that quite smoothly.

[IceManBK1]

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Is the ben simmons pipedream still alive?

[IceManBK1]

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Can't shoot but could use a defensive 4 nxt to Towns.

[SCTwins]

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Can't shoot but could use a defensive 4 nxt to Towns.

Please God no. I would have to find a new team.

[jpatrick]

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Is the ben simmons pipedream still alive?

I would normally say maybe if the Rockets prefer Edwards to Simmons. However, that trade is currently impossible unless were willing to move Dlo. As much as I would be, I guarantee the team is not.

We just don’t have the salary that can be currently moved to match Simmons contract. Unless they wait until players like Beasley, Juancho, etc can be moved.

[Jedzz]

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Can't shoot but could use a defensive 4 nxt to Towns.

Think of the assists if Rubio stayed and Simmons came. Not sure how that works but Beasley, Dlo, Towns or whoever still remains would be getting fed open shots.

[Jedzz]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

Is the ben simmons pipedream still alive?

I would normally say maybe if the Rockets prefer Edwards to Simmons. However, that trade is currently impossible unless were willing to move Dlo. As much as I would be, I guarantee the team is not.

We just don’t have the salary that can be currently moved to match Simmons contract. Unless they wait until players like Beasley, Juancho, etc can be moved.

TPE TPE TPE TPE LOOPPHHOOLES! Other ways though for when you are in a 3 way they can throw pieces in to offset what we may be missing in cap. Plus Rubio, Culver, Edwards for example are 34 by themselves. So there are ways to do it depending on who you are willing to move.

You know what's really going to happen right? Rosas will get involved in the Philly Houston trade alright, but we'll end up feeding picks, players and eating junk cap and taking back nothing but PJ Tucker for a partial year.

[IceManBK1]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

Is the ben simmons pipedream still alive?

I would normally say maybe if the Rockets prefer Edwards to Simmons. However, that trade is currently impossible unless were willing to move Dlo. As much as I would be, I guarantee the team is not.

We just don’t have the salary that can be currently moved to match Simmons contract. Unless they wait until players like Beasley, Juancho, etc can be moved.

Culver and Edwards already like 16, 17 mil....Rubio can be traded right. Philly needs a defensive PG nxt to harden if they get him.