Time for Saunders to go?

[Shaka_Zulu]

Ryan doesnt need to go, more like he should never been hired. Didnt get it then, dont get it now.

Being destroyed by Wizards who were 0-5, and were missing Russ, makes it even worse. But before firing, gotta find a real improvement. Dont follow the clips bad example.

Kenny Atkinson stills out there.

He’s an assistant for the clippers.

Gotta wait till offseason for him

NBA is so frigging weird, why are premier head coaches taking so many assistant jobs.

[Killboard]

Saunders was always slated to be the fall guy.

Rosas may not know what the H he's doing with personnel... but he's been very savvy at protecting himself. Following the rulebook to a T.

1. Take over a mediocre team (32 - 37 record)... but claim it needs a MASSIVE rebuild that will take years. Buys himself more time.
2. Hire the greenest coach imaginable. So when things go south, that coach is the easiest target. Buys himself more time.
3. Injuries will be used next. Buys himself more time.

I see you, Gersson. Pretty clever.

1.The record was 37-45, but that was with a healthy KAT and a roster full of 30 years old players. I suppose it was going to be worse from there, Teague is signed for a minimum and Taj is out of the league.

2. I'm not sure it wasn't Taylor who insisted on it. After all Rosas went after one of the best assistant coaches out there.

3. Injures are used right now.

All your points would make more sense if we didn't have played like we did against Utah or Towns didn't look like Jokic the last 3 minutes of the game against Detroit.

[Chello1]

I hate to say I told you so--- But I did. Just remember that the only thing Rosas has done that people liked was to trade Wiggins and our first in this draft for a terrible chucker non defense playing PG. We see this move wasn't great in actuality. We should have known we are not going to outsmart the best front office in basketball. His other moves are mostly meh! I hate to say it but at this point I would rather have Wiggy and our pick back at this point. What move has Rosas done that makes people think he has a clue? I want to hear how he keeps his job? New owner comes in and he is gone. Glenn should really sweep him out of here and start over. Trade KAT and Dlo so we can start a real re-build off of this great draft coming up. We do not want to miss out on this draft.... for our rebuild. Who has multiple picks we can get for KAT?

[Domejandro]

Minnesota’s offensive play sets are actually solid and Saunders has been forced to run consistent zone defenses in response to how poorly constructed the roster is. Are people watching the games? My biggest criticism is that he should bench Russell when he plays poorly, but beyond that, what in the world is he supposed to do (especially when Towns and Okogie are out)?

[minimus]

Minnesota’s offensive play sets are actually solid and Saunders has been forced to run consistent zone defenses in response to how poorly constructed the roster is. Are people watching the games? My biggest criticism is that he should bench Russell when he plays poorly, but beyond that, what in the world is he supposed to do (especially when Towns and Okogie are out)?

People expect Rosas and Saunders to turn water into wine. They need reality check. Denver paid Millsap 90/3yrs just to get his attention as FA. DET paid 60/3yrs to Jerami Grant. And this list continues for small market teams.

[Jedzz]

Minnesota’s offensive play sets are actually solid and Saunders has been forced to run consistent zone defenses in response to how poorly constructed the roster is. Are people watching the games? My biggest criticism is that he should bench Russell when he plays poorly, but beyond that, what in the world is he supposed to do (especially when Towns and Okogie are out)?

I read a post where thinktank suggested people are undervaluing Okogie horribly. Other posts such as yours link him being out to a significant hurdle. I sure would like to hear more about why a few think this. If anything, Okogie being out lessens the guard logjam.

Okogie has been an out of control, Brewer like mixed bag since his draft. Seems like a really great person and teamplayer who has unique length and near atomic energy within but can't seem to control much of it to keep himself from blowing right by the subtle skills necessary to be really effective. He's a 6'4 player with unique 7ft wingspan. But that isn't the same as a 6'7 player with a 7ft wingspan. The team won't even use his leverage as a simple guard where it could be most useful. Some people act like he can defend power forwards now. This is getting out of hand, is it not?

[Jedzz]

Minnesota’s offensive play sets are actually solid and Saunders has been forced to run consistent zone defenses in response to how poorly constructed the roster is. Are people watching the games? My biggest criticism is that he should bench Russell when he plays poorly, but beyond that, what in the world is he supposed to do (especially when Towns and Okogie are out)?

People expect Rosas and Saunders to turn water into wine. They need reality check. Denver paid Millsap 90/3yrs just to get his attention as FA. DET paid 60/3yrs to Jerami Grant. And this list continues for small market teams.

So you are saying there is simply no basketball players avaiable out there for cheaper than these two guys to solve our teams woes. It was either these two or the highway to hell ensues for one more season? One is 35 and in his 15th season and is 6-7 257, and the other is 26 years old and 6-8 210. These differing examples of size and experience speak to the expanse of possibilities for a role you believe is holding us back and they can't find a player in this variable range capable of helping this team?

We are starting a 6-9 260 player right now at Center who was in the Gleague last year and can get up and down the court like a cheetah, can shoot 3s, can defend the rim, can work in the paint on offense. He's maybe just still working to improve rebound play and finer body positioning skills. Even he could play PF here at his size like Anthony Davis does for Lakers, but is at least an example of how we don't need former frist rounders for every position.

[Dewey]

Sadly Saunders (or any other coach) need to spend time With this team clarify expectations. It’s mind boggling to see player acceptance after being trounced 3 straight.

[IceManBK1]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/261137/Scott-Brooks-Firmly-On-Hot-Seat-With-Wizards-Struggling

Would be an upgrade over Saunders

[minimus]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/261137/Scott-Brooks-Firmly-On-Hot-Seat-With-Wizards-Struggling

Would be an upgrade over Saunders

lol. Brooks has no creativity as coach.

[Jedzz]

A Rosas regime flip might be more important.

[Domejandro]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/261137/Scott-Brooks-Firmly-On-Hot-Seat-With-Wizards-Struggling

Would be an upgrade over Saunders

That would be a substantial downgrade, in my opinion.

[minimus]

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2039157

Love or hate.

[Jedzz]

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2039157

Love or hate.

Don't really think the situations are comparable.

[Chello1]

Minnesota’s offensive play sets are actually solid and Saunders has been forced to run consistent zone defenses in response to how poorly constructed the roster is. Are people watching the games? My biggest criticism is that he should bench Russell when he plays poorly, but beyond that, what in the world is he supposed to do (especially when Towns and Okogie are out)?

What games are you watching? It has nothing to do with sets and everything to do with effort and respect for the game. Neither of which does this team play with. No effort on a consistent basis. Every once in a while when the rhetoric in the press amps up they play a hard game and you see what they are capable of every night not once every 5 games. Take off the rose colored glasses...... And if the sets include Rubio chucking up shots like he is then the sets need to change as well. This offense takes more bad shots by the wrong players then any of recent memory. That is on the coach, the players do not respect him! They like him but he is one of the boys with this group they do not and will never respect him.

[UnFadeable21]

Edit: We can't post full article here from paid sources, had to cut off some of the content.

By Jonny K Athletic


https://theathletic.com/2317385/2021/01/12/gersson-rosas-timberwolves-karl-anthony-towns-saunders/

Overall Record & Team


“There’s a bad taste in our mouths, myself, coach (Ryan Saunders), everyone here in the organization,” Rosas said.


“Anytime you lose your best offensive player and your best defensive player, it’s going to change the way you play,” Rosas said. “We have to find ways to overcome those obstacles and that adversity, because this whole season is going to be about obstacles and adversity, whether it’s on the court, off the court, whether it’s us or other teams, it’s just the reality that we’re going to be faced with.”


“Looking up and down the roster now, we’ve got guys that complement KAT, we’ve got guys that complement DLo,” Rosas said. “And those guys are just going to continue to get better because they’re younger and they’ve got good upside, which gives us an exciting look into the future. But when you’re building it that way, you also have to live through some of the growing pains. That’s where we’re at now.”



Ryan Saunders


“Ryan and his staff are doing everything within their power to help us get to a point where we can be consistent and we’re executing on both ends of the floor,” Rosas said. “His commitment, his passion to the work that’s needed to be done, anybody that’s around this organization that’s here knows how hard he’s working and how he’s committed to it. We all just have to do more. Myself, him, the players, we can do it and we’ve shown flashes of it, but flashes are not going to be enough.”

Continued at The Athletic...

[UnFadeable21]

On the recent Jon K Podcast, he stated Ryan’s seat was getting warm with all the blowouts. You can lose to the Lakers and Clippers but all the other blowouts were really bad.

Glen Taylor said he wants to make the playoffs this season.

If the Wolves make the play in games 7-8-9-10 seeds, Ryan will stay. If he doesn’t and will are one of the worst teams in the league like we currently are, he’s gone.

Rosas only signed a 3 year deal. This is year 2 of his contract.

[WolfAddict]

At least they are aware of where the problems are... What they do with that information is where the real questions lay though

[Shaka_Zulu]

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2039157

Love or hate.

Lol what idiots, they have the best coach in their franchise history, instead of cherish him, they give him **** for first sign of struggle (because of lack of talent). I wish our issue was we were burdened with a great all around coach (he can adjust to any sitaution) like Nurse. Talk about spoiled.

[PharmD]

I hate to say I told you so--- But I did. Just remember that the only thing Rosas has done that people liked was to trade Wiggins and our first in this draft for a terrible chucker non defense playing PG. We see this move wasn't great in actuality. We should have known we are not going to outsmart the best front office in basketball. His other moves are mostly meh! I hate to say it but at this point I would rather have Wiggy and our pick back at this point. What move has Rosas done that makes people think he has a clue? I want to hear how he keeps his job? New owner comes in and he is gone. Glenn should really sweep him out of here and start over. Trade KAT and Dlo so we can start a real re-build off of this great draft coming up. We do not want to miss out on this draft.... for our rebuild. Who has multiple picks we can get for KAT?