All Things 2025-2026 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

Donate To GopherHole









upnorthkid said:
I’d love having sabonis. Love his game
Click to expand...
MIN in: Sabonis ($42M)
SAC in: Reid, Conley, Dilly & Miller ($42M)

Having Gobert, Randle and Sabonis split up 96 minutes between C and PF could be interesting.

C Gobert/Sabonis/Beringer
PF Randle/(Sabonis)/Ingles
SF McDaniels/Shannon Jr.
SG Edwards/Clark/Juzang
PG DDV/Hyland/GWG
 




Slim Tubby said:
MIN in: Sabonis ($42M)
SAC in: Reid, Conley, Dilly & Miller ($42M)

Having Gobert, Randle and Sabonis split up 96 minutes between C and PF could be interesting.

C Gobert/Sabonis/Beringer
PF Randle/(Sabonis)/Ingles
SF McDaniels/Shannon Jr.
SG Edwards/Clark/Juzang
PG DDV/Hyland/GWG
Click to expand...
I’d take that deal in an instant though may start sabonis and let Rudy play stopper/rim protector while you spell one of sabonis and Randle as think Rudy plays better in short spurts now
We’d probably have to attach picks to that deal as not much money wise expiring soon for the kings
 

Slim Tubby said:
MIN in: Sabonis ($42M)
SAC in: Reid, Conley, Dilly & Miller ($42M)

Having Gobert, Randle and Sabonis split up 96 minutes between C and PF could be interesting.

C Gobert/Sabonis/Beringer
PF Randle/(Sabonis)/Ingles
SF McDaniels/Shannon Jr.
SG Edwards/Clark/Juzang
PG DDV/Hyland/GWG
Click to expand...
Sabonis defends at a Naz Reid level. He's horrific.

We'd be looking to outscore people in that scenario.
 

kg21 said:
Sabonis defends at a Naz Reid level. He's horrific.

We'd be looking to outscore people in that scenario.
Click to expand...
Sabonis is a much better rebounder and distributor than Reid. Is he $20M/year better than Reid? Not likely.

We would be a better team with Sabonis, though.
 



kg21 said:
Sabonis defends at a Naz Reid level. He's horrific.

We'd be looking to outscore people in that scenario.
Click to expand...
If you’re using player defensive ratings to decide he’s a bad defender, you’re going to have a real bad time using any Kings player. He finished tenth for DPOY 2 years ago. He’s not great, but he’s not horrific.

The kings have put him in a spot he has to defend the rim and it’s not his game. Moving Randle for him I actually would be more intrigued than the above trade as I think he could play with Rudy some and would hold down the antless minutes better as a facilitator and mask our PG deficiency much better than Randle does.
 

upnorthkid said:
If you’re using player defensive ratings to decide he’s a bad defender, you’re going to have a real bad time using any Kings player. He finished tenth for DPOY 2 years ago. He’s not great, but he’s not horrific.

The kings have put him in a spot he has to defend the rim and it’s not his game. Moving Randle for him I actually would be more intrigued than the above trade as I think he could play with Rudy some and would hold down the antless minutes better as a facilitator and mask our PG deficiency much better than Randle does.
Click to expand...
I agree with your points but giving up Randle for Sabonis seems like a lateral move at best all things considered. Julius is playing at an All Star level averaging 25, 7 and 6 this year.

What you're saying makes total sense from a positional flexibility standpoint, though.
 

Slim Tubby said:
I agree with your points but giving up Randle for Sabonis seems like a lateral move at best all things considered. Julius is playing at an All Star level averaging 25, 7 and 6 this year.

What you're saying makes total sense from a positional flexibility standpoint, though.
Click to expand...
very fair. i may just be haunted by the ghosts of Julius vs OKC where he bordered on unplayable. he has been very good this year.

I'll be curious to see what that Kings team does either way
 

I don't see the Wolves making any moves unless they are struggling nearing the trade deadline. I also don't think Naz or Randle can be traded until late December at the earliest since they signed their extensions in late June.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I don't see the Wolves making any moves unless they are struggling nearing the trade deadline. I also don't think Naz or Randle can be traded until late December at the earliest since they signed their extensions in late June.
Click to expand...
I agree with you...a significant trade is highly unlikely especially if we stay above .500 which is fully expected.

Randle can be traded immediately because of the way his contract extension was structured but Naz can't be moved until December 15.
 

The other night on the broadcast JimPete made an observation that hadn't occurred to me. When Sabonis grabs an offensive board he does not pass it out to the perimeter for an open three. He muscles the ball back up, no matter what, even if it's against three guys.

Sabonis is a good but not great player. Considering what the wolves would have to give up to match salaries and match the competition, I'm not sure bringing him on board improves the team.
 

Good shot at winning 4 of the next 6 for the Wolves

Lakers at Thunder tonight. Second night of a back to back for OKC, albeit both games at home.
Los Angeles will be on the third game of a five game road trip.
 

jamiche said:
The other night on the broadcast JimPete made an observation that hadn't occurred to me. When Sabonis grabs an offensive board he does not pass it out to the perimeter for an open three. He muscles the ball back up, no matter what, even if it's against three guys.

Sabonis is a good but not great player. Considering what the wolves would have to give up to match salaries and match the competition, I'm not sure bringing him on board improves the team.
Click to expand...

JimPete is the best. We are lucky to have him.
 

upnorthkid said:
If you’re using player defensive ratings to decide he’s a bad defender, you’re going to have a real bad time using any Kings player. He finished tenth for DPOY 2 years ago. He’s not great, but he’s not horrific.

The kings have put him in a spot he has to defend the rim and it’s not his game. Moving Randle for him I actually would be more intrigued than the above trade as I think he could play with Rudy some and would hold down the antless minutes better as a facilitator and mask our PG deficiency much better than Randle does.
Click to expand...
He is currently ranked at 116 for defense. That is not good.

Naz is 114
 


kg21 said:
He is currently ranked at 116 for defense. That is not good.

Naz is 114
Click to expand...
as alluded to, using player metrics as you are is going to give you a bad time. Rudy is a 113. Naz's rating somehow massively plummeted to the 90s when playing minutes with Rudy in the past (probably because when Naz gets turnstiled while Rudy is on the floor, guys still shoot more midrange shots to avoid Rudy, especially given Naz gets more rangy PFs in that type of lineup). It is a better assessment of team defense rather than one person and the Kings are an ass defensive team from front to back.

this is not to absolve Sabonis as he is not a great defender, but he's about spot on league average in terms of shooting percentage vs expected as primary defender
 


jamiche said:
The other night on the broadcast JimPete made an observation that hadn't occurred to me. When Sabonis grabs an offensive board he does not pass it out to the perimeter for an open three. He muscles the ball back up, no matter what, even if it's against three guys.

Sabonis is a good but not great player. Considering what the wolves would have to give up to match salaries and match the competition, I'm not sure bringing him on board improves the team.
Click to expand...
Kings traded haliburton for him. Ouch
 

upnorthkid said:
as alluded to, using player metrics as you are is going to give you a bad time. Rudy is a 113. Naz's rating somehow massively plummeted to the 90s when playing minutes with Rudy in the past (probably because when Naz gets turnstiled while Rudy is on the floor, guys still shoot more midrange shots to avoid Rudy, especially given Naz gets more rangy PFs in that type of lineup). It is a better assessment of team defense rather than one person and the Kings are an ass defensive team from front to back.

this is not to absolve Sabonis as he is not a great defender, but he's about spot on league average in terms of shooting percentage vs expected as primary defender
Click to expand...
If you watch them play, they are both ass on defense.

We'd be trying to outscore people.
 

fan of Ray Williams said:
Lakers at Thunder tonight. Second night of a back to back for OKC, albeit both games at home.
Los Angeles will be on the third game of a five game road trip.
Click to expand...
OKC rolled them like they weren't even there.

Luka held to 19 on bad shooting.

Injuries are the only thing that can stop this OKC train.

Williams still isn't playing either. WELP
 

kg21 said:
OKC rolled them like they weren't even there.

Luka held to 19 on bad shooting.

Injuries are the only thing that can stop this OKC train.

Williams still isn't playing either. WELP
Click to expand...
The Clippers are now 3-8 on the season. Bradley Beal fell down and broke his hip (hopefully he had Life Alert) and is out for the season. Paul George is still injured and out indefinitely. Kawai Leonard is now injured and out indefinitely. And let's not forget they traded away Norm Powell for virtually nothing but expiring contracts.

The OKC Thunder own the Clippers' 2026 Unprotected FRP as part of the SGA trade. Most NBA scouts consider this the best overall Draft class in the last 20+ years with potential generational talents like Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa at the top of the Lottery.

Good luck, Western Conference.
 

Slim Tubby said:
The Clippers are now 3-8 on the season. Bradley Beal fell down and broke his hip (hopefully he had Life Alert) and is out for the season. Paul George is still injured and out indefinitely. Kawai Leonard is now injured and out indefinitely. And let's not forget they traded away Norm Powell for virtually nothing but expiring contracts.

The OKC Thunder own the Clippers' 2026 Unprotected FRP as part of the SGA trade. Most NBA scouts consider this the best overall Draft class in the last 20+ years with potential generational talents like Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa at the top of the Lottery.

Good luck, Western Conference.
Click to expand...
part of the joy of why accumulating picks (smartly) can really pay off, especially if you negotiate them being unprotected. Obviously you still have to draft well and not Twolves it and take Jonny Flynn when Steph is avaiable, but the point stands. PG just the gift that keeps on giving.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom