Timberwolves are endangering themselves

[Goose egg]

PETA is sending letters to the league right now to save the wolves

[cupcakesnake]

They're playing 4D chess to get Chet Holmgren next year.

Or they just don't care anymore. It's probably that one.

At least one franchise has to permanently give up. We can't all be doing the same thing: "trying". When everyone zigs, someone must zag.

I think OKC already did, SGA, Horford and Bazely are nowhere to be seen. But all those undrafted rookies, 2nd round picks and castoffs don’t seem to be cooperating. They have recently beaten fellow lottery teams Houston, Toronto and Minnesota which is taking them out of the running for the top pick.

I mean give up permanently. The Wolves are the only team that could pull it off. Just go full zen and embrace action through inaction.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Maybe they should cash in on Towns and Russell and start from scratch

Maybe.

But those two have only played 6 games together in 13 months. The team is 3 - 3 in those games.

The team is 14 - 45 in all of the other games. We can debate whether it's going to work or not... but if the Wolves were willing to make the trade in the first place... they owe it to themselves to actually see the two in action before conceding defeat.

[LordCovington33]

There must come a time when winning must be priority. All these top draft picks and nothing really to show for it, and you think another high lottery pick will make you competitive? I hope the pick is given to a team whose primary objective is not to keep tanking to give their fans false hope. Develop the talent you’ve got and teach them that winning matters, or else your only star will eventually demand a trade.

Even if they have a dozen top draft picks, if you don’t know how to develop them, then what’s the point? I stand by what I said earlier. Talent is wasted there.


But how do you expect the Timberwolves to win with only three top 2 draft picks... they need MORE promising, young talent with potential.

[Jadoogar]

Wolves have more than enough top 5 picks, they need to start trying to win. We have seen that small markets have a limited time to retain their stars, that KAT contract is going to be up sooner than you think.

[BK_2020]

Wolves have more than enough top 5 picks, they need to start trying to win. We have seen that small markets have a limited time to retain their stars, that KAT contract is going to be up sooner than you think.

If they were ready to start trying to win, they wouldn't be the worst team in the league, don't you think?

[Ballerhogger]

I don't think you realize which franchise you're talking about. We built different. We can have the worst record in the league AND have lose our pick by falling to 4th. Stop acting like we can't have both!

In all seriousness though, I don't see Russell improving our winning. His minutes come at the expense of Rubio's, our only competent perimeter defender this season and our best passer/decision-maker. Russell is our last-minute tank commander. Ideally, he comes in and puts up huge numbers while leading us on a nice little losing streak while Rubio bemoans our culture on the bench and gives KAT someone to vent to.

I'm sure the front office is well aware of the lottery odds. We still have 21 games left in the season. Rubio led us to a little 6-9 record and I honestly enjoyed a little break from the depression. There is nothing the franchise can do to guarantee we lose more games than Houston, Detroit or Orlando. Those teams have completely emptied the cupboard and were not in the best position to do that. We just have to hope for the worst (best?). Jaden McDaniels has been a big part of the winning streak, should we shut down a rookie making gains?

The Wolves are likely to lose their pick. They will try to lose the tank wars and I'm sure you'll see some strategic sitting of KAT and Rubio down the stretch. There is only so bad you can be though. You can sit everybody and still win a game (especially if the other team does, we have 1 game left against each of the other 3 worst teams). It will be pretty hard to out tank Houston, but they've got a really easy schedule so here's hoping Olynyk and Wood go OFF. Cleveland is going to sneak into this conversation with the hardest schedule in the league. Detroit's it tough too. Orlando is similar to us.

We're at a strategic disadvantage in the tank wars, because we actually hoped to be good this year. Houston and Orlando have sold off all their parts (Orlando's remaining pieces are out for the season), Detroit sold off all their vets. We weren't trading KAT this year, and Russell has negative value right now. Our best sneaky tank move was having no rotation level forwards, but McDaniels is RUINING that!

Do you think they will trade KAT by the deadline next year ?

[Jadoogar]

Wolves have more than enough top 5 picks, they need to start trying to win. We have seen that small markets have a limited time to retain their stars, that KAT contract is going to be up sooner than you think.

If they were ready to start trying to win, they wouldn't be the worst team in the league, don't you think?

They have the worst record in the league, people wouldn't be worried about them winning too much, don't you think?
Also their best player has missed 20 games.

[Quentin]

They had a full cast last night versus the Pacers (minus Beasley). Pacers had mostly scrubs. The Pacers set a franchise record for most points in a first half. The Wolves have absolutely no defensive presence at all.

[rzzzzz]

Taking a dive in a small market can be kind of dicey. Look what a great job Seattle did collecting talent only to get bushwhacked by a fork-tongued tycoon.

[LesGrossman]

Meh, they've proven to burn through high lottery picks like they're nothing. Pretty much hoping any prospect I like doesn't end up there.

Trivia quiz: How many #1 picks (former or current) have played on the wolves in the last 10 years?

[mg]

Yeah I think it's too late to salvage KAT in Minnesota. His career has basically been wasted to this point on yet another tank season.
Minnesota needs to get their act together in the next 2 years and properly build around Edwards before they become the next Sterling LA Clippers. I'd use the haul from KAT plus the lottery pick from 2021 or 2022 to build a real team around Edwards.

[ILOVEIT]

Hmmm...torn. Because if you have the number 1 overall pick THIS year and Antman is starting to help establish a winning culture....don't you have to roll with that?

BTW....agree with cashing in on Kat and Dlo....Dlo is the worse kind of player....plays zero defense....so he might get 50 and your team still loses. That's a bad point guard for a team with KAT.

[clyde21]

do Wolves fans prefer to keep their top 3 this year or have it convey this year and go into next year with a chance at a Holmgren/Bates (if he reclasses)?

[Snakebites]

They aren't endangering themselves by winning nearly as much as the current lottery system endangers them, at least in terms of keeping their pick.

Even if they finish with a league-worst record in spite of their recent wins there is a 60% chance they fall out of the top 3. That rises to 68.5% if they fall all the way to 5th worst, which is a distinct but hardly night and day difference.

The lottery is more of a slot machine than it has ever been. This means their risk is great, and it also means that the incentives to tank are still there, but not as intense as they would have been under the old system.

[Wolveswin]

do Wolves fans prefer to keep their top 3 this year or have it convey this year and go into next year with a chance at a Holmgren/Bates (if he reclasses)?

Both. They need to trade Towns to Warriors and get it over with. Then attach Beasley and/or Rubio expiring to #13 (Warriors 2021 1st) and eat a bad contract to move up in 2021 draft (looking at you Rockets or Wizards or Cavs).

[Dan Z]

do Wolves fans prefer to keep their top 3 this year or have it convey this year and go into next year with a chance at a Holmgren/Bates (if he reclasses)?

Both. They need to trade Towns to Warriors and get it over with. Then attach Beasley and/or Rubio expiring to #13 (Warriors 2021 1st) and eat a bad contract to move up in 2021 draft (looking at you Rockets or Wizards or Cavs).

I know the Wizards and Rockets have big contracts that aren't very good (Westbrook and Wall), but I doubt they'd trade down to the #13 just to get rid of them. No team has a bad season and wants to end up with #13, plus Westbrook has had his moments where he's good.

I imagine the Warriors would trade the Timberwolves pick for Towns, but I don't know how salary would match up. I also don't think it's a good idea for the Wolves, but that's my two cents.

[vxmike]

An argument could be made that the Wolves are better off giving up a non top 3 protected pick this year instead of an unprotected pick next year. Maybe they’re better next season, maybe not, and at least they don’t have it hanging over their head for another full season.

I agree. There’s not much evidence to suggest the team will be any better next season.

[Baseline81]

do Wolves fans prefer to keep their top 3 this year or have it convey this year and go into next year with a chance at a Holmgren/Bates (if he reclasses)?

Would much rather have it convey in 2022.

Through injuries (Russell, Beasley and Towns), suspension (Beasley) and COVID (Towns), this team isn't as bad as it's record indicates. Finch, despite no training camp and preseason, has them playing better than Saunders.

The Wolves, with a trade or two and another top rookie, shouldn't be a bottom-3 team next season.

[johanliebert]

EVERY TEAM IS TRYING TO WIN GAMES.

Where did this notion of coaches/players tanking come from?