End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
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End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
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End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
Final Record: 23-49
Post All-Star: 16-20
Chris Finch: A
Finch gets the highest grade of the season. Him being a former player, multiple head coaching gigs, he was the best aspect of this season. This team almost played .500 ball after the All Star Break with big wins vs the Jazz, Warriors, etc. He got rid of the small ball mandate and also held guys accountable. He benched Ant when Ant wasn’t playing defense. I’ll always remember his quote when he got hired for the first week of practice: “The Players are responsible for their effort and I’ll take care of the execution.”
Karl Anthony Towns: A-
This has been a trying year for KAT. He lost his mom, he broke his wrist, and he got Covid but I feel this was his best season so far in his career. He really took over the role as the leader of the team. After every bad loss, he stood and talked with the media. He was steadfast with his public support for Ant and his teammates. He actually played average defense this year and was a shot blocker.
He quietly put up 25-10-5 season. Next year he’ll be an All star again if his health holds up for the whole season.
Anthony Edwards: B+
Everyone knows I wanted LaMelo Ball. I believed my eye for talent when I knew this kid had game. But when the Wolves took Ant, I was all in because I’ll always support whoever’s on my favorite team, the wolves. I was worried this team didn’t have the leadership to raise this kid. Tom Creen said whoever drafts him needs veteran leadership to lead him the right way. Wolves didn’t have that until they made the draft night trade for Rubio. Ant has impressed me a ton this season. Yes the defense lapses and turnovers drive you crazy but his confidence and god given ability is truly special. I love that he has no fear when driving to the hoop. He looks like he has the eye of the tiger and that’s rare for a young kid. Skys the limit for him as long as he stays motivated and out of any trouble. I hope he stays in Minnesota during the summer, work on his game and doesn’t go back to Atlanta too much.
DLo Russell: B
I thought he had a pretty good season overall. He started poorly but everyone on the team was bad to start the season under Ryan Saunders. Especially with no KAT after game 2, the entire beginning of the season was a wash. DLo quietly put up 19-6 while shooting 40% from 3 this season. His defense is too weak and that’s mostly on effort. He lets guys drive by him too easy but his offensive game is really dynamic. He’s a big time shot maker and has shown near elite passing ability. He’s had multiple 20-10 games this season leading the team’s offense with his playmaking ability. He’ll be fine.
Jaden McDaniels: B
The steal of the draft? He can legit guard 1-5. He might be our younger version of Roco for this team. He has All NBA defense potential. It took time for the players and coaching staff to see that this kid has game. He still has some minor hiccups here and there but the size, the instincts, the ability is there for a solid contributing player. Now it’s just figuring out if he’s a small forward or power forward.
Jared Vanderbilt & Naz Reid: B-
Giving both these guys the same grade. Probably the biggest surprises of the season. Naz Reid looked completely lost last season. Came back this year 30lbs lighter and really worked on his game. He has some nice post moves and ability to finish lay ups. He’s a real solid back up C with maybe potential to be a starter on another team in the future. Not bad for an undrafted guy. Vando aka V8. He was the real reason why Rosas didn’t sign and keep RHJ. Vando was the throw in piece in the Roco trade. Malik, Juancho, and Vando. He too transformed his body, added bulk and stayed in Minnesota all year long to work on his game. His defense and rebounding was such a positive for the Wolves this season. Maybe he’s not a starter but he definitely belongs in the NBA and I hope the Wolves bring him back as he’s a RFA.
Ricky Rubio: C
I’m a huge Ricky Rubio guy. I was so mad when Thibs traded him and signed Teague to replace him. Rubio took that betrayal and became a really good player for the Jazz and Suns but even those two teams saw the flaw in him and cut ties. Ricky’s greatest weakness is his inability to shoot. He can’t hit the open 3 and he can’t make lay ups consistently. No matter how good his passing and defense is at times, that inability to be a threat on offense hurts the team. Based on play alone, his grade would probably be a D however his mentoring of Anthony Edwards has been real and a major positive in his development. Ant said that Rubio talks to him everyday trying to help him build and continue to grow his game. Ricky is the veteran that Tom Creen said Ant would need to be successful in the NBA.
Malik Beasley: C
When he got the contract: 4 years 60 million, the fan base was split. Half thought it was way too much and half thought it was good money spent for elite shooting we desperately needed. The shooting is for real. Malik came in the season as the best in shape guy and played his ass off. He ran the court hard and he shot the ball well. The reason for the average grade? Missing way too much time for his self inflicted suspension for his stupidity on the gun charge, the hamstring injury, and poor defense. As good as an offensive player he can be, I don’t know how much you can count on him on and off the court. He signed his contract hoping he could be a first or second option guy, now it’s clear he’s 4th or 5th on the totem pole. I hope he will accept his role because if he does, our bench would be very strong.
Josh Okogie: C-
It was pretty laughable when Okogie was the starting power forward for the wolves to start the season. That’s how brainwashed this team was for small ball. It was laughable that a guy 6’4 215lbs was playing power forward for the Wolves while also shooting 5-6 threes a game when he couldn’t shoot. Thank God Finch came along and got Josh to excel in the role that was always meant for him, off the bench energy role player defender. Okogie can still cause havoc with his defense and energy however he has to be used in spurts because he gets exposed in prolong minutes. Next season will be his 4th and last year on his rookie deal with the Wolves. I think he’s solid for 15-18 mins a night defending.
Culver/Layman/Juancho: D
Culver as a Top 6 pick has been a bust. I remember when he started the season well, many rubes thought he had arrived. I remember doing a poll would people trade Culver for Larry Nance and the overwhelming majority said no they wouldn’t. Now, many want to outright cut him. His future is probably done after next year as the Wolves will clearly not pick up his 4th year option.
Jake Layman has been a huge disappointment. He started the season as a starter. People thought he could be a glue player cutting and running the floor. Jake has length and athletic ability but he doesn’t have consistency with his shot, defense, or mentality. He’ll always be an end of bench player for his NBA career.
Juancho signing a 3 year 21 million deal has been a failure. He came into the season out of shape and lost his shooting stroke he had last season post trade. Him as the power forward was a joke because he couldn’t guard anyone and if his shot was falling, he’s really useless on the court. Finch was able to get some production from him once he moved him to the 3 but still Juancho is not worth the money. Good thing there’s a team option on year 3.
Ed Davis & Jordan McLaughlin: Incomplete
Wolves traded two salary fillers in Spellman, Evans, and a 2nd round pick for Davis. A lot of us including me thought he would contribute this season with his reputation for being a junkyard dog player but once the wolves went on that losing streak in the beginning of the season, it was time for development and to play all the young guys. He’s probably washed but Ed didn’t play enough to warrant a credible grade.
Why the incomplete for Jmac? He played well during the early stints of the season but once he got Covid, he was never really the same guy and he never got the minutes or opportunity he once did as well. He’s a serviceable player in the league but to me he’s really just a 3rd emergency point guard. His size being only 5’11 will always hinder what he can do long term.
Post All-Star: 16-20
Chris Finch: A
Finch gets the highest grade of the season. Him being a former player, multiple head coaching gigs, he was the best aspect of this season. This team almost played .500 ball after the All Star Break with big wins vs the Jazz, Warriors, etc. He got rid of the small ball mandate and also held guys accountable. He benched Ant when Ant wasn’t playing defense. I’ll always remember his quote when he got hired for the first week of practice: “The Players are responsible for their effort and I’ll take care of the execution.”
Karl Anthony Towns: A-
This has been a trying year for KAT. He lost his mom, he broke his wrist, and he got Covid but I feel this was his best season so far in his career. He really took over the role as the leader of the team. After every bad loss, he stood and talked with the media. He was steadfast with his public support for Ant and his teammates. He actually played average defense this year and was a shot blocker.
He quietly put up 25-10-5 season. Next year he’ll be an All star again if his health holds up for the whole season.
Anthony Edwards: B+
Everyone knows I wanted LaMelo Ball. I believed my eye for talent when I knew this kid had game. But when the Wolves took Ant, I was all in because I’ll always support whoever’s on my favorite team, the wolves. I was worried this team didn’t have the leadership to raise this kid. Tom Creen said whoever drafts him needs veteran leadership to lead him the right way. Wolves didn’t have that until they made the draft night trade for Rubio. Ant has impressed me a ton this season. Yes the defense lapses and turnovers drive you crazy but his confidence and god given ability is truly special. I love that he has no fear when driving to the hoop. He looks like he has the eye of the tiger and that’s rare for a young kid. Skys the limit for him as long as he stays motivated and out of any trouble. I hope he stays in Minnesota during the summer, work on his game and doesn’t go back to Atlanta too much.
DLo Russell: B
I thought he had a pretty good season overall. He started poorly but everyone on the team was bad to start the season under Ryan Saunders. Especially with no KAT after game 2, the entire beginning of the season was a wash. DLo quietly put up 19-6 while shooting 40% from 3 this season. His defense is too weak and that’s mostly on effort. He lets guys drive by him too easy but his offensive game is really dynamic. He’s a big time shot maker and has shown near elite passing ability. He’s had multiple 20-10 games this season leading the team’s offense with his playmaking ability. He’ll be fine.
Jaden McDaniels: B
The steal of the draft? He can legit guard 1-5. He might be our younger version of Roco for this team. He has All NBA defense potential. It took time for the players and coaching staff to see that this kid has game. He still has some minor hiccups here and there but the size, the instincts, the ability is there for a solid contributing player. Now it’s just figuring out if he’s a small forward or power forward.
Jared Vanderbilt & Naz Reid: B-
Giving both these guys the same grade. Probably the biggest surprises of the season. Naz Reid looked completely lost last season. Came back this year 30lbs lighter and really worked on his game. He has some nice post moves and ability to finish lay ups. He’s a real solid back up C with maybe potential to be a starter on another team in the future. Not bad for an undrafted guy. Vando aka V8. He was the real reason why Rosas didn’t sign and keep RHJ. Vando was the throw in piece in the Roco trade. Malik, Juancho, and Vando. He too transformed his body, added bulk and stayed in Minnesota all year long to work on his game. His defense and rebounding was such a positive for the Wolves this season. Maybe he’s not a starter but he definitely belongs in the NBA and I hope the Wolves bring him back as he’s a RFA.
Ricky Rubio: C
I’m a huge Ricky Rubio guy. I was so mad when Thibs traded him and signed Teague to replace him. Rubio took that betrayal and became a really good player for the Jazz and Suns but even those two teams saw the flaw in him and cut ties. Ricky’s greatest weakness is his inability to shoot. He can’t hit the open 3 and he can’t make lay ups consistently. No matter how good his passing and defense is at times, that inability to be a threat on offense hurts the team. Based on play alone, his grade would probably be a D however his mentoring of Anthony Edwards has been real and a major positive in his development. Ant said that Rubio talks to him everyday trying to help him build and continue to grow his game. Ricky is the veteran that Tom Creen said Ant would need to be successful in the NBA.
Malik Beasley: C
When he got the contract: 4 years 60 million, the fan base was split. Half thought it was way too much and half thought it was good money spent for elite shooting we desperately needed. The shooting is for real. Malik came in the season as the best in shape guy and played his ass off. He ran the court hard and he shot the ball well. The reason for the average grade? Missing way too much time for his self inflicted suspension for his stupidity on the gun charge, the hamstring injury, and poor defense. As good as an offensive player he can be, I don’t know how much you can count on him on and off the court. He signed his contract hoping he could be a first or second option guy, now it’s clear he’s 4th or 5th on the totem pole. I hope he will accept his role because if he does, our bench would be very strong.
Josh Okogie: C-
It was pretty laughable when Okogie was the starting power forward for the wolves to start the season. That’s how brainwashed this team was for small ball. It was laughable that a guy 6’4 215lbs was playing power forward for the Wolves while also shooting 5-6 threes a game when he couldn’t shoot. Thank God Finch came along and got Josh to excel in the role that was always meant for him, off the bench energy role player defender. Okogie can still cause havoc with his defense and energy however he has to be used in spurts because he gets exposed in prolong minutes. Next season will be his 4th and last year on his rookie deal with the Wolves. I think he’s solid for 15-18 mins a night defending.
Culver/Layman/Juancho: D
Culver as a Top 6 pick has been a bust. I remember when he started the season well, many rubes thought he had arrived. I remember doing a poll would people trade Culver for Larry Nance and the overwhelming majority said no they wouldn’t. Now, many want to outright cut him. His future is probably done after next year as the Wolves will clearly not pick up his 4th year option.
Jake Layman has been a huge disappointment. He started the season as a starter. People thought he could be a glue player cutting and running the floor. Jake has length and athletic ability but he doesn’t have consistency with his shot, defense, or mentality. He’ll always be an end of bench player for his NBA career.
Juancho signing a 3 year 21 million deal has been a failure. He came into the season out of shape and lost his shooting stroke he had last season post trade. Him as the power forward was a joke because he couldn’t guard anyone and if his shot was falling, he’s really useless on the court. Finch was able to get some production from him once he moved him to the 3 but still Juancho is not worth the money. Good thing there’s a team option on year 3.
Ed Davis & Jordan McLaughlin: Incomplete
Wolves traded two salary fillers in Spellman, Evans, and a 2nd round pick for Davis. A lot of us including me thought he would contribute this season with his reputation for being a junkyard dog player but once the wolves went on that losing streak in the beginning of the season, it was time for development and to play all the young guys. He’s probably washed but Ed didn’t play enough to warrant a credible grade.
Why the incomplete for Jmac? He played well during the early stints of the season but once he got Covid, he was never really the same guy and he never got the minutes or opportunity he once did as well. He’s a serviceable player in the league but to me he’s really just a 3rd emergency point guard. His size being only 5’11 will always hinder what he can do long term.
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That’s my grade for all the Wolves players and coach, what about you all? How would you grade this season?
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Beasley played in 37 of 72 games. During those games he was worth every dollar and cent. We knew he would likely get suspended and we offered him 15 million. That contract is excellent for what Beasley provides and he is young enough to have not hit his ceiling. He deserves in an incomplete or a B. He only missed 15 more games than KAT and KAT is way more important and you gave him a A-.
JO deserves more than a C-. He gets extra possessions, offensive rebounds better than anyone else who isn’t a big, makes a lot of winning plays, and has improved his finishing at the rim and free throw shooting. Under Ryan everyone sucked. JO deserves at least a C+.
Layman, Culver, and Davis all deserve a solid F. None of them provided any form of value with any kind of consistency. Davis wasn’t held out to develop young talent, he was held out because he couldn’t do anything within our system. He is a big part of why we went 4-18 without KAT. Layman actually put up zeros on the stat line in multiple games, and Culver might be the least improved/most regressed player in the NBA. He shouldn’t have come back hurt and tanked his trade value. Assuming he was actually hurt and we were not lying to salvage some trade value.
JO deserves more than a C-. He gets extra possessions, offensive rebounds better than anyone else who isn’t a big, makes a lot of winning plays, and has improved his finishing at the rim and free throw shooting. Under Ryan everyone sucked. JO deserves at least a C+.
Layman, Culver, and Davis all deserve a solid F. None of them provided any form of value with any kind of consistency. Davis wasn’t held out to develop young talent, he was held out because he couldn’t do anything within our system. He is a big part of why we went 4-18 without KAT. Layman actually put up zeros on the stat line in multiple games, and Culver might be the least improved/most regressed player in the NBA. He shouldn’t have come back hurt and tanked his trade value. Assuming he was actually hurt and we were not lying to salvage some trade value.
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winforlose wrote:Beasley played in 37 of 72 games. During those games he was worth every dollar and cent. We knew he would likely get suspended and we offered him 15 million. That contract is excellent for what Beasley provides and he is young enough to have not hit his ceiling. He deserves in an incomplete or a B. He only missed 15 more games than KAT and KAT is way more important and you gave him a A-.
JO deserves more than a C-. He gets extra possessions, offensive rebounds better than anyone else who isn’t a big, makes a lot of winning plays, and has improved his finishing at the rim and free throw shooting. Under Ryan everyone sucked. JO deserves at least a C+.
Layman, Culver, and Davis all deserve a solid F. None of them provided any form of value with any kind of consistency. Davis wasn’t held out to develop young talent, he was held out because he couldn’t do anything within our system. He is a big part of why we went 4-18 without KAT. Layman actually put up zeros on the stat line in multiple games, and Culver might be the least improved/most regressed player in the NBA. He shouldn’t have come back hurt and tanked his trade value. Assuming he was actually hurt and we were not lying to salvage some trade value.
15 games missed more than KAT is a ton!!! And those missed games were self inflicted because he’s a loose cannon off the court. Not the first time doing something stupid off the court.
Okogie grade is what it is. He has a PER of less than 9. He’s a good role player, not great at anything. Was horrible to serviceable.
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UnFadeable21 wrote:winforlose wrote:Beasley played in 37 of 72 games. During those games he was worth every dollar and cent. We knew he would likely get suspended and we offered him 15 million. That contract is excellent for what Beasley provides and he is young enough to have not hit his ceiling. He deserves in an incomplete or a B. He only missed 15 more games than KAT and KAT is way more important and you gave him a A-.
JO deserves more than a C-. He gets extra possessions, offensive rebounds better than anyone else who isn’t a big, makes a lot of winning plays, and has improved his finishing at the rim and free throw shooting. Under Ryan everyone sucked. JO deserves at least a C+.
Layman, Culver, and Davis all deserve a solid F. None of them provided any form of value with any kind of consistency. Davis wasn’t held out to develop young talent, he was held out because he couldn’t do anything within our system. He is a big part of why we went 4-18 without KAT. Layman actually put up zeros on the stat line in multiple games, and Culver might be the least improved/most regressed player in the NBA. He shouldn’t have come back hurt and tanked his trade value. Assuming he was actually hurt and we were not lying to salvage some trade value.
15 games missed more than KAT is a ton!!! And those missed games were self inflicted because he’s a loose cannon off the court. Not the first time doing something stupid off the court.
Okogie grade is what it is. He has a PER of less than 9. He’s a good role player, not great at anything. Was horrible to serviceable.
I am confused by your Beasley take. Are you saying the hamstring was self inflicted off of the court? Or are you saying but for the suspension he would never have hurt his hamstring? It is also worth mentioning that the wolves did not pay Beasley for the games he missed do to suspension and actually got a partial credit against the tax for Beasley’s missed games. It should be also be pointed out that by the time Beasley was suspended the Wolves were already a losing team basically eliminated from playoff contention.
JO was put in a position to fail by Ryan. That and he got hurt very early in the season and came back too soon. When he had a competent coach and was at full strength he became a positive value player like Vando. I don’t think you give him enough credit.
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IDK how anyone outside obvious haters can have Antman less than an A+. This kid is on the way to becoming an absolute monster.
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TheAlanParsons wrote:IDK how anyone outside obvious haters can have Antman less than an A+. This kid is on the way to becoming an absolute monster.
First half of the season he was dead last in defensive RPM for all wings in the NBA and was shooting under 40% from the field and 30% from 3.
Big time bounce back 2nd half of season.
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Didn’t give a grade for Rosas or Ryan Saunders.
Ryan was on Barrerio show on Friday. Sounded like he was still upset and hurt about his firing. Did not want to talk about the wolves better play, sale, anything.
Ryan was on Barrerio show on Friday. Sounded like he was still upset and hurt about his firing. Did not want to talk about the wolves better play, sale, anything.
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winforlose wrote:UnFadeable21 wrote:winforlose wrote:Beasley played in 37 of 72 games. During those games he was worth every dollar and cent. We knew he would likely get suspended and we offered him 15 million. That contract is excellent for what Beasley provides and he is young enough to have not hit his ceiling. He deserves in an incomplete or a B. He only missed 15 more games than KAT and KAT is way more important and you gave him a A-.
JO deserves more than a C-. He gets extra possessions, offensive rebounds better than anyone else who isn’t a big, makes a lot of winning plays, and has improved his finishing at the rim and free throw shooting. Under Ryan everyone sucked. JO deserves at least a C+.
Layman, Culver, and Davis all deserve a solid F. None of them provided any form of value with any kind of consistency. Davis wasn’t held out to develop young talent, he was held out because he couldn’t do anything within our system. He is a big part of why we went 4-18 without KAT. Layman actually put up zeros on the stat line in multiple games, and Culver might be the least improved/most regressed player in the NBA. He shouldn’t have come back hurt and tanked his trade value. Assuming he was actually hurt and we were not lying to salvage some trade value.
15 games missed more than KAT is a ton!!! And those missed games were self inflicted because he’s a loose cannon off the court. Not the first time doing something stupid off the court.
Okogie grade is what it is. He has a PER of less than 9. He’s a good role player, not great at anything. Was horrible to serviceable.
I am confused by your Beasley take. Are you saying the hamstring was self inflicted off of the court? Or are you saying but for the suspension he would never have hurt his hamstring? It is also worth mentioning that the wolves did not pay Beasley for the games he missed do to suspension and actually got a partial credit against the tax for Beasley’s missed games. It should be also be pointed out that by the time Beasley was suspended the Wolves were already a losing team basically eliminated from playoff contention.
JO was put in a position to fail by Ryan. That and he got hurt very early in the season and came back too soon. When he had a competent coach and was at full strength he became a positive value player like Vando. I don’t think you give him enough credit.
Yes Beasley suspension and hamstring were self inflicted. If you can’t count on a player to keep her head straight and then injury himself coming off his suspension, that’s on him again.
As for Okogie, I like him but he still hasn’t improved 3 years into his career. Still can’t dribble, still can’t shoot. Above average defender. He went from unplayable to serviceable. He gets a C grade.
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UnFadeable21 wrote:Yes Beasley suspension and hamstring were self inflicted. If you can’t count on a player to keep her head straight and then injury himself coming off his suspension, that’s on him again.
Is it KAT's fault he tested positive for Covid-19 after a couple games back from his injury?
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Baseline81 wrote:UnFadeable21 wrote:Yes Beasley suspension and hamstring were self inflicted. If you can’t count on a player to keep her head straight and then injury himself coming off his suspension, that’s on him again.
Is it KAT's fault he tested positive for Covid-19 after a couple games back from his injury?
Yes it was. Dude was having multiple people coming to his house.
Gotta be strict and follow the rules. Was supposed to be no contact to stay healthy.
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If he really does, this team will be a beast. I always said this was his ideal role and people here would flip out over the notion of Beasley being a backup
If he really does, this team will be a beast. I always said this was his ideal role and people here would flip out over the notion of Beasley being a backup
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UnFadeable21 wrote:winforlose wrote:UnFadeable21 wrote:
15 games missed more than KAT is a ton!!! And those missed games were self inflicted because he’s a loose cannon off the court. Not the first time doing something stupid off the court.
Okogie grade is what it is. He has a PER of less than 9. He’s a good role player, not great at anything. Was horrible to serviceable.
I am confused by your Beasley take. Are you saying the hamstring was self inflicted off of the court? Or are you saying but for the suspension he would never have hurt his hamstring? It is also worth mentioning that the wolves did not pay Beasley for the games he missed do to suspension and actually got a partial credit against the tax for Beasley’s missed games. It should be also be pointed out that by the time Beasley was suspended the Wolves were already a losing team basically eliminated from playoff contention.
JO was put in a position to fail by Ryan. That and he got hurt very early in the season and came back too soon. When he had a competent coach and was at full strength he became a positive value player like Vando. I don’t think you give him enough credit.
Yes Beasley suspension and hamstring were self inflicted. If you can’t count on a player to keep her head straight and then injury himself coming off his suspension, that’s on him again.
As for Okogie, I like him but he still hasn’t improved 3 years into his career. Still can’t dribble, still can’t shoot. Above average defender. He went from unplayable to serviceable. He gets a C grade.
We signed him AFTER he lost his head and got into legal trouble. We knew he we would be suspended, and we didn’t care. The Timberwolves FO signed Beasley to the contract he would have had absent the legal trouble to get him to buy into the Wolves and he did. His problem was going whole quarters without touching the ball. A Ryan Saunders specialty, feed the cold hand and never create for your shooters. As for injuring himself, during the suspension he was allowed to practice with the team and work with the training staff. It’s not like he sat at home and was out of shape. He suffered a basketball related injury to his hamstring and missed 4-6 weeks. Plenty of other guys including Okogie, KAT, Dlo, Culver, and non Wolves like AD, Lebron, ect... all got hurt this season. Injuries happen, the key is making sure this is a one off and not a recurring theme.
I guess we agree to disagree about JO. I think he needs to develop a 3 ball to take that next step. I invite you to compare his at the rim shooting year to year and you will see tremendous growth.
Re: End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
- breatnach
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Re: End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
Sorry UnFadable21, but if the coach and our 3 best players all received B or better, then this team's ceiling is a 30 win team. This wasn't a good season and we shouldn't sugar-coat is as one. Or do you think the likes of Ed Davis and Jake Layman will improve enough to get us into the playoffs?
- KAT - C-
I love the guy and, yes, he's had a **** year (personally), so if you want you can ignore the grade. But when you look at the sporting side of things, he's not top 10 in any category, he has not improved in any single area. His Turnovers and Personal Fouls are up, while his scoring, 3PT% and FG% are down. The lingering issues with his wrist are not a good sign for his ability to remain healthy. We'll need 75+ games from him for this team to make a deep playoff run. There's a reason no C has won MVP in the last 30 years, because this is a guards league and if a big is your best player, he better have the perfect complimenting cast.
- Ant - A-
He's proven to be a potential star and worthy of the #1 pick. He seems like a good kid, who is eager to improve and will surely iron out some of his flaws. Not only was he able to play all games, but he improved significantly when most of the rookies hit a wall or got injured. Deserving of the ROY award.
- D'Lo - D
I expect more from someone who gets the max. He scores 19 points (inefficiently) and 6 assists with a 2:1 turnover ratio and no measurable defensive impact. He is a skilled scorer, but I don't think of him as a winning player, who makes smart plays. Too often he goes for contested shots early in the clock and doesn't control the game like a max-salary point guard should. He reminds of the best kid in school, who would make the craziest shots and everyone celebrated him for it, which got to his head and made him take games off whenever he wasn't feeling it.
- Malik - B-
His contract is good value and he seems to be eager to improve. I hope he can stay healthy and improves his smarts on (and especially off) the court. He is a shooter in a shooter's league and I'm sure worse players than him will get paid more. I think he got a bargain due to his legal issues (which hopefully are over now).
- Rubio - D
I absolutely loved the idea of bringing him back, but somehow it just wasn't as good as I romanticized. He's a good mentor for the young players, but he's not worth his salary. Unfortunately, his last year in PHX was an outlier. Having him shoot 36% on 3PT would have helped us a lot. I hope he re-signs on a vet minimum or becomes a coach on the Wolves after his playing days are over.
- McDaniels - A
This is our years biggest winner. Nearly passed up by the entire league and outplayed his draft position by quite some. He's raw, but he will only improve and maybe, just maybe could become our starting PF long-term. He already plays smart, he plays hard and he has the perfect set to become the coveted 3+D PF like Isaac, OG or RoCo. Absolute steal at #28.
Of the role players, only Naz (B) showed anything positive. Okogie, V8 and JMac were mostly neutral (C), while Layman, Davis, Juancho and especially Culver did not help us at all (F).
- Finch - B
Finch looks like he could be a real NBA head coach. Not many assistants are able to make the leap, but what we have seen from him so far looks promising. If he gets a full off-season and a training camp, I think he'll be able to help us win more games. We'll have to see if he is able to maximize his players' strengths, because we have a lot of offense and not much defense.
- Rosas - C+
The Malik signing was good, though he might have gotten better value by not signing the contract on the first day of FA. Juancho was a bad signing (though luckily his contract is shorter). I don't mind the Rubio trade, since it led to the McDaniels pick. He did not try to outsmart the league and took the player with the highest upside in Ant. McDaniels was the best move Rosas has made, with Finch being a close second. Bolmaro is still a wild-card.
His two biggest mistakes (Culver and not protecting our pick) already occurred last year, so I can't dock his grade for that.
Overall, I give this season a D. If it weren't for Ant looking promising, this would be a clear F. We are one of the worst teams in the league and may not even keep our own pick. We are overpaying mediocre players and have no real trade chips to help improve the roster.
- KAT - C-
I love the guy and, yes, he's had a **** year (personally), so if you want you can ignore the grade. But when you look at the sporting side of things, he's not top 10 in any category, he has not improved in any single area. His Turnovers and Personal Fouls are up, while his scoring, 3PT% and FG% are down. The lingering issues with his wrist are not a good sign for his ability to remain healthy. We'll need 75+ games from him for this team to make a deep playoff run. There's a reason no C has won MVP in the last 30 years, because this is a guards league and if a big is your best player, he better have the perfect complimenting cast.
- Ant - A-
He's proven to be a potential star and worthy of the #1 pick. He seems like a good kid, who is eager to improve and will surely iron out some of his flaws. Not only was he able to play all games, but he improved significantly when most of the rookies hit a wall or got injured. Deserving of the ROY award.
- D'Lo - D
I expect more from someone who gets the max. He scores 19 points (inefficiently) and 6 assists with a 2:1 turnover ratio and no measurable defensive impact. He is a skilled scorer, but I don't think of him as a winning player, who makes smart plays. Too often he goes for contested shots early in the clock and doesn't control the game like a max-salary point guard should. He reminds of the best kid in school, who would make the craziest shots and everyone celebrated him for it, which got to his head and made him take games off whenever he wasn't feeling it.
- Malik - B-
His contract is good value and he seems to be eager to improve. I hope he can stay healthy and improves his smarts on (and especially off) the court. He is a shooter in a shooter's league and I'm sure worse players than him will get paid more. I think he got a bargain due to his legal issues (which hopefully are over now).
- Rubio - D
I absolutely loved the idea of bringing him back, but somehow it just wasn't as good as I romanticized. He's a good mentor for the young players, but he's not worth his salary. Unfortunately, his last year in PHX was an outlier. Having him shoot 36% on 3PT would have helped us a lot. I hope he re-signs on a vet minimum or becomes a coach on the Wolves after his playing days are over.
- McDaniels - A
This is our years biggest winner. Nearly passed up by the entire league and outplayed his draft position by quite some. He's raw, but he will only improve and maybe, just maybe could become our starting PF long-term. He already plays smart, he plays hard and he has the perfect set to become the coveted 3+D PF like Isaac, OG or RoCo. Absolute steal at #28.
Of the role players, only Naz (B) showed anything positive. Okogie, V8 and JMac were mostly neutral (C), while Layman, Davis, Juancho and especially Culver did not help us at all (F).
- Finch - B
Finch looks like he could be a real NBA head coach. Not many assistants are able to make the leap, but what we have seen from him so far looks promising. If he gets a full off-season and a training camp, I think he'll be able to help us win more games. We'll have to see if he is able to maximize his players' strengths, because we have a lot of offense and not much defense.
- Rosas - C+
The Malik signing was good, though he might have gotten better value by not signing the contract on the first day of FA. Juancho was a bad signing (though luckily his contract is shorter). I don't mind the Rubio trade, since it led to the McDaniels pick. He did not try to outsmart the league and took the player with the highest upside in Ant. McDaniels was the best move Rosas has made, with Finch being a close second. Bolmaro is still a wild-card.
His two biggest mistakes (Culver and not protecting our pick) already occurred last year, so I can't dock his grade for that.
Overall, I give this season a D. If it weren't for Ant looking promising, this would be a clear F. We are one of the worst teams in the league and may not even keep our own pick. We are overpaying mediocre players and have no real trade chips to help improve the roster.
Re: End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
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Re: End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
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Re: End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
breatnach wrote:Sorry UnFadable21, but if the coach and our 3 best players all received B or better, then this team's ceiling is a 30 win team. This wasn't a good season and we shouldn't sugar-coat is as one. Or do you think the likes of Ed Davis and Jake Layman will improve enough to get us into the playoffs?
- KAT - C-
I love the guy and, yes, he's had a **** year (personally), so if you want you can ignore the grade. But when you look at the sporting side of things, he's not top 10 in any category, he has not improved in any single area. His Turnovers and Personal Fouls are up, while his scoring, 3PT% and FG% are down. The lingering issues with his wrist are not a good sign for his ability to remain healthy. We'll need 75+ games from him for this team to make a deep playoff run. There's a reason no C has won MVP in the last 30 years, because this is a guards league and if a big is your best player, he better have the perfect complimenting cast.
- Ant - A-
He's proven to be a potential star and worthy of the #1 pick. He seems like a good kid, who is eager to improve and will surely iron out some of his flaws. Not only was he able to play all games, but he improved significantly when most of the rookies hit a wall or got injured. Deserving of the ROY award.
- D'Lo - D
I expect more from someone who gets the max. He scores 19 points (inefficiently) and 6 assists with a 2:1 turnover ratio and no measurable defensive impact. He is a skilled scorer, but I don't think of him as a winning player, who makes smart plays. Too often he goes for contested shots early in the clock and doesn't control the game like a max-salary point guard should. He reminds of the best kid in school, who would make the craziest shots and everyone celebrated him for it, which got to his head and made him take games off whenever he wasn't feeling it.
- Malik - B-
His contract is good value and he seems to be eager to improve. I hope he can stay healthy and improves his smarts on (and especially off) the court. He is a shooter in a shooter's league and I'm sure worse players than him will get paid more. I think he got a bargain due to his legal issues (which hopefully are over now).
- Rubio - D
I absolutely loved the idea of bringing him back, but somehow it just wasn't as good as I romanticized. He's a good mentor for the young players, but he's not worth his salary. Unfortunately, his last year in PHX was an outlier. Having him shoot 36% on 3PT would have helped us a lot. I hope he re-signs on a vet minimum or becomes a coach on the Wolves after his playing days are over.
- McDaniels - A
This is our years biggest winner. Nearly passed up by the entire league and outplayed his draft position by quite some. He's raw, but he will only improve and maybe, just maybe could become our starting PF long-term. He already plays smart, he plays hard and he has the perfect set to become the coveted 3+D PF like Isaac, OG or RoCo. Absolute steal at #28.
Of the role players, only Naz (B) showed anything positive. Okogie, V8 and JMac were mostly neutral (C), while Layman, Davis, Juancho and especially Culver did not help us at all (F).
- Finch - B
Finch looks like he could be a real NBA head coach. Not many assistants are able to make the leap, but what we have seen from him so far looks promising. If he gets a full off-season and a training camp, I think he'll be able to help us win more games. We'll have to see if he is able to maximize his players' strengths, because we have a lot of offense and not much defense.
- Rosas - C+
The Malik signing was good, though he might have gotten better value by not signing the contract on the first day of FA. Juancho was a bad signing (though luckily his contract is shorter). I don't mind the Rubio trade, since it led to the McDaniels pick. He did not try to outsmart the league and took the player with the highest upside in Ant. McDaniels was the best move Rosas has made, with Finch being a close second. Bolmaro is still a wild-card.
His two biggest mistakes (Culver and not protecting our pick) already occurred last year, so I can't dock his grade for that.
Overall, I give this season a D. If it weren't for Ant looking promising, this would be a clear F. We are one of the worst teams in the league and may not even keep our own pick. We are overpaying mediocre players and have no real trade chips to help improve the roster.
You are a tough crowd breatnach. I did think you got Ant, Beas, and McD right. A lot low on Finch. He was an A+++. Kat was a A- when he played. Just look at his numbers. They are exceptional. When he didn't play, we didn't win.
Re: End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
- packforfreedom
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Re: End of Season Timberwolves Report Card
KAT: B
solid season especially after all he's gone through. His playmaking has taken a step forward but his defense and his foul trouble didn't. He's always been a slow starter to the season so this shortened schedule + his injuries obviousley didn't favor his game.
Ant: A
I know he was epically bad until the allstar break but he's a rookie and therefor is rated by his potential and improvement. He improved so much during the course of the season, it's almost unbelievalbe. He basically started at the rookie wall and skipped like one year of development in half a season. He's has all the tools to become a top 10 or 15 player sooner than later and iam super exited he's playing for us
DLO: B-
He was trash at first, but I liked what I saw since Finch took over. In the right system, he can work. He's still not a good defender but at least he tries. And on offense, his shooting and playmaking can be very valuable.
Beasley: C
I don't know. I might be biased, but I don't like his game very much. He's a very good shooter obviously, but he doesn't bring much else. He's on a good contract and therefore a good trade chip but could also work as a bench scorer, if he's willing to take the role
Ricky: C- (as a player) A (as a mentor)
Probably the worst year of his career. unclear role, dubious roster planning all played a part in it. He had stretches of nice games but overall it's been a disappointment. But his mentoring of Ant is appearently superb and surely played a big part in his development
Naz: B+
His development is crazy, from undrafted to one of the better backup Cs in two seasons. He has great footwork, is a versatile scorer and has a solid feel for the game. defense is still a problem but he'll be fine there soon. Probably the best contract in the nba.
McDaniels: B
He's a great prospect with great potential as a 3 and D combo forward. I am not quite as high on him as most of you because I still see a lot of holes in his game, but if he spends the offseason in the weight room, in a couple of years, he can be our PF of the future
Vando: B-
He started great, was out the of the rotation later and was great again. He's a specialist, has a crazy motor and can and will defend anyone. I hope we somehow can extend him
Okogie: C
I think he is what he is at this point. Mariginal improvement since he came into the league. Great hustle guy and good defender who sometimes hits threes but more often does not.
Nowell: C
Has the tools to become a good scorer from the bench, but has a long way to go.
Layman: D
was somewhat solid, when he had the chance but couldn't crack the rotation most of the time but I am not sure why. Not worth his contract so far.
Culver: D
Unfortunatly probably a bust. Seems like a good kid, but the NBA still seem to overwhelm him, Injuries did the rest but I don't see him turn it around. I hope iam wrong though.
Ed Davis: Incomplete
Was paid to sit on the bench, sat on the bench
Finch: B+
Seems like an acutal coach with own ideas, a plan, in game adjustments etc. I was sceptical when we hired him, but iam exicted now.
Rosas: C
On the on hand you have Ant, McDaniels and Naz on the other you have the poor roster construction, Culver, small ball and the Dlo trade. Next season will probably decide his fate.
Herni: D+
Was awful most of the season but showed some glimpses towards the end
McLaughlin: C-
Barely played and wasn't very good when he did.
realgm timberwolves board: C-
aggressiveness, hostilities, arguments in bad faith, unfair criticism. Some great posters have left us (hopefully only temporarily (I am looking at you @minimus))
It was a bad season from us. We can be better and I hope we will.
edit: forgot Herni and McLaughlin
solid season especially after all he's gone through. His playmaking has taken a step forward but his defense and his foul trouble didn't. He's always been a slow starter to the season so this shortened schedule + his injuries obviousley didn't favor his game.
Ant: A
I know he was epically bad until the allstar break but he's a rookie and therefor is rated by his potential and improvement. He improved so much during the course of the season, it's almost unbelievalbe. He basically started at the rookie wall and skipped like one year of development in half a season. He's has all the tools to become a top 10 or 15 player sooner than later and iam super exited he's playing for us
DLO: B-
He was trash at first, but I liked what I saw since Finch took over. In the right system, he can work. He's still not a good defender but at least he tries. And on offense, his shooting and playmaking can be very valuable.
Beasley: C
I don't know. I might be biased, but I don't like his game very much. He's a very good shooter obviously, but he doesn't bring much else. He's on a good contract and therefore a good trade chip but could also work as a bench scorer, if he's willing to take the role
Ricky: C- (as a player) A (as a mentor)
Probably the worst year of his career. unclear role, dubious roster planning all played a part in it. He had stretches of nice games but overall it's been a disappointment. But his mentoring of Ant is appearently superb and surely played a big part in his development
Naz: B+
His development is crazy, from undrafted to one of the better backup Cs in two seasons. He has great footwork, is a versatile scorer and has a solid feel for the game. defense is still a problem but he'll be fine there soon. Probably the best contract in the nba.
McDaniels: B
He's a great prospect with great potential as a 3 and D combo forward. I am not quite as high on him as most of you because I still see a lot of holes in his game, but if he spends the offseason in the weight room, in a couple of years, he can be our PF of the future
Vando: B-
He started great, was out the of the rotation later and was great again. He's a specialist, has a crazy motor and can and will defend anyone. I hope we somehow can extend him
Okogie: C
I think he is what he is at this point. Mariginal improvement since he came into the league. Great hustle guy and good defender who sometimes hits threes but more often does not.
Nowell: C
Has the tools to become a good scorer from the bench, but has a long way to go.
Layman: D
was somewhat solid, when he had the chance but couldn't crack the rotation most of the time but I am not sure why. Not worth his contract so far.
Culver: D
Unfortunatly probably a bust. Seems like a good kid, but the NBA still seem to overwhelm him, Injuries did the rest but I don't see him turn it around. I hope iam wrong though.
Ed Davis: Incomplete
Was paid to sit on the bench, sat on the bench
Finch: B+
Seems like an acutal coach with own ideas, a plan, in game adjustments etc. I was sceptical when we hired him, but iam exicted now.
Rosas: C
On the on hand you have Ant, McDaniels and Naz on the other you have the poor roster construction, Culver, small ball and the Dlo trade. Next season will probably decide his fate.
Herni: D+
Was awful most of the season but showed some glimpses towards the end
McLaughlin: C-
Barely played and wasn't very good when he did.
realgm timberwolves board: C-
aggressiveness, hostilities, arguments in bad faith, unfair criticism. Some great posters have left us (hopefully only temporarily (I am looking at you @minimus))
It was a bad season from us. We can be better and I hope we will.
edit: forgot Herni and McLaughlin
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