2018 Minnesota Timberwolves Off-Season Thread

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BleedGopher said:
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Howl Wolves!!
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I don't get that tweet. Isn't AW and Butler both about 6'8?

Also, Anthony Brown isn't a timberwolf anymore. He's a FA
 


JimmyJamesMD said:
Um, the Wolves waived NB to sign Tolliver (who I like) for $5 million or so. Wolves could have used another $3 million in space so they could have use the full $9 mil mid level. This was done to stay under the luxury tax line. Those deals to JT and Gibson really hurt this year.
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I hope they have another wing in mind. We still have the $3.29 bi-annual exception (I'm 90% sure) to convince another wing to save the bench.
 

tikited said:
I hope they have another wing in mind. We still have the $3.29 bi-annual exception (I'm 90% sure) to convince another wing to save the bench.
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Right. Can't depend on rookies and Derrick Rose. I think there's going to be some decent players out there for the min. However, Thibs is praying for buyouts for Deng and Noah
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
Right. Can't depend on rookies and Derrick Rose. I think there's going to be some decent players out there for the min. However, Thibs is praying for buyouts for Deng and Noah
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Now I just read that they are now hard capped. That means no bi-annual exception. Nothing but the minimum for the rest of the roster unless a trade can be made.
 


tikited said:
Now I just read that they are now hard capped. That means no bi-annual exception. Nothing but the minimum for the rest of the roster unless a trade can be made.
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I still think they can get a decent vet or two for the minimum. However, it'll be interesting to know if Tolliver was worth it to them to be hard capped.
 

Lakers signed Rondo FOR $9 MILLION.

$7 million of that must be for playoff Rondo
 

Roster right now: 12 under contract. 3 spots to go. 2 more wings and a combo forward is what I would like to see. Thibs can sell all of them on a minimum salary with no playing time to be had.

C - Towns, Deng, Patton.

PF - Gibson, Tolliver.

SF - Wiggins, KBD.

SG - Butler, Okogie.

PG - Teague, Jones, Rose.
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
Lakers signed Rondo FOR $9 MILLION.

$7 million of that must be for playoff Rondo
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Trade with the Spurs sounds more and more like it is happening. Ball must be available with Rondo coming in.
 



My guess is they only fill 2 more to keep roster flexibility. They need a true wing that can shoot. I would have given Anthony Brown a roster spot. He shot over 40% from 3 in the G league.
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
I still think they can get a decent vet or two for the minimum. However, it'll be interesting to know if Tolliver was worth it to them to be hard capped.
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Clippers thought he was worth going after.


Jon Krawczynski
‏
Jon Krawczynski Retweeted David Aldridge:

Clippers pushed hard for Tolliver. Ballmer, Frank and Rivers all flew to Dallas to meet with him. Couldn't quite get to where Wolves and a few others were financially.Jon Krawczynski added,
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Hey, I'm just going by what I hear on sports talk radio, and I"m not talking once or twice. It appears to be no secret. I've heard that Pop essentially "tasked" a few of the players to publicly call out Leonard. Right or wrong that Leonard continued to sit, I think that seems pretty bush for a head coach.

I like Leonard, he's a phenomenal player who came to the league with a certain skill set and made himself a much better player/scorer.
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In the NBA coaches don’t have the power to “task” players, especially veteran players, to do anything.

Normally you would be all over a guy who sits out a season under vague circumstances. You hate gubmint workers who don’t go at it all day.

This is about Trump.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

tikited said:
Trade with the Spurs sounds more and more like it is happening. Ball must be available with Rondo coming in.
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The trade would be for Lonzo. LaVar isn't coming. To quote Ogee, Pop will "task" LaVar with arranging for Lonzo's childhood bedroom to be clean and the family meal to be ready when the Spurs visit LA.
 



Well Warriors just got better, five former and current western conference all stars in the starting five

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

Can the twolves move to the east...
Minnesota...the land of perpetual suck.
 

Boy, would have been nice if the Wolves could have added Cousins for all of 5.3 million. This league is going to hell in a handbasket.
 

jamiche said:
In the NBA coaches don’t have the power to “task” players, especially veteran players, to do anything.

Normally you would be all over a guy who sits out a season under vague circumstances. You hate gubmint workers who don’t go at it all day.

This is about Trump.
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Uhhh, okay. Good talk!
 

Souhan: Wolves need to at least contend, and keep paying customers entertained

This team might not be good enough to win a title, but it’s good enough to play 41 meaningful regular-season games and perhaps a handful of playoff games at Target Center.

If the Wolves can’t be Golden State, maybe Wolves fans should think of them as Memphis.

From 2010 through 2017, the Grizzlies made the playoffs in seven straight seasons, reaching the conference finals once and the semis twice. They were entertaining. They packed their building and energized their city.

They didn’t win a title, but they performed the primary function of a sports franchise. They entertained.

There are worse ways to spend a night than watching a very good team slug it out in an exceptional conference, even if champagne is never spilled.

http://www.startribune.com/wolves-n...-keep-paying-customers-entertained/487170061/

Howl Wolves!!
 

RandBall: What if the Timberwolves brought Andrew Wiggins off the bench?

The Timberwolves have signed Derrick Rose and Anthony Tolliver so far in free agency. Neither of those are seismic moves in a Western Conference that gets more intimidating by the day (hello, Boogie Cousins), but they speak at least to a desire to build a better functioning second unit than they have had in the recent past.

Rose showed in flashes, particularly in the playoffs, that when healthy he can still get up the floor and score. Tolliver has become a strong three-point shooter since his last stint with the Wolves, particularly in catch-and-shoot situations (where he hit 44.1 percent of his threes last season with Detroit on 4.5 attempts per game). If you pair Tyus Jones with Rose, you have two guys who can handle the ball — one who sees the floor and one who runs it.

But imagine adding one more dynamic scorer to that unit: Andrew Wiggins.

Wait, you might be thinking. Is that the same Wiggins who is a former No. 1 overall pick and just signed a massive extension?

Yeah, that’s the guy. (Remember, we are just putting stuff on the whiteboard).

Wiggins bogged down last year with the addition of Jimmy Butler. Perhaps just as notable was the switch from point guard Ricky Rubio to Jeff Teague and a change in the style of offense the Wolves played. It added up to a much lower usage rate for Wiggins than he had enjoyed the previous season as well as decreased production.

If the other four presumed starters are Karl-Anthony Towns, Butler, Teague and Taj Gibson, there is already plenty of scoring without Wiggins.

What if the Wolves slid rookie Josh Okokie into the other starting wing spot and made Wiggins a super-sub who played 30+ minutes a game — many of which could come with an athletic, dangerous, small-ball second unit that included Rose, Jones and Tolliver? It would get Wiggins out in space more, give him a sense of ownership and higher usage rate as well as perhaps let him dominate other teams’ bench players. And Okogie, a better three-point shooter who has a reputation for playing good defense with his long wingspan, could be a good fit in the starting lineup.

The fear would be failing to get buy-in from Wiggins and further losing him, but he’s not playing for a contract. He already has it. If he embraced that role, even temporarily in his career, he could blossom and the Wolves could flourish.

http://www.startribune.com/what-if-the-timberwolves-brought-andrew-wiggins-off-the-bench/487222371/

Howl Wolves!!
 

BleedGopher said:
RandBall: What if the Timberwolves brought Andrew Wiggins off the bench?

The Timberwolves have signed Derrick Rose and Anthony Tolliver so far in free agency. Neither of those are seismic moves in a Western Conference that gets more intimidating by the day (hello, Boogie Cousins), but they speak at least to a desire to build a better functioning second unit than they have had in the recent past.

Rose showed in flashes, particularly in the playoffs, that when healthy he can still get up the floor and score. Tolliver has become a strong three-point shooter since his last stint with the Wolves, particularly in catch-and-shoot situations (where he hit 44.1 percent of his threes last season with Detroit on 4.5 attempts per game). If you pair Tyus Jones with Rose, you have two guys who can handle the ball — one who sees the floor and one who runs it.

But imagine adding one more dynamic scorer to that unit: Andrew Wiggins.

Wait, you might be thinking. Is that the same Wiggins who is a former No. 1 overall pick and just signed a massive extension?

Yeah, that’s the guy. (Remember, we are just putting stuff on the whiteboard).

Wiggins bogged down last year with the addition of Jimmy Butler. Perhaps just as notable was the switch from point guard Ricky Rubio to Jeff Teague and a change in the style of offense the Wolves played. It added up to a much lower usage rate for Wiggins than he had enjoyed the previous season as well as decreased production.

If the other four presumed starters are Karl-Anthony Towns, Butler, Teague and Taj Gibson, there is already plenty of scoring without Wiggins.

What if the Wolves slid rookie Josh Okokie into the other starting wing spot and made Wiggins a super-sub who played 30+ minutes a game — many of which could come with an athletic, dangerous, small-ball second unit that included Rose, Jones and Tolliver? It would get Wiggins out in space more, give him a sense of ownership and higher usage rate as well as perhaps let him dominate other teams’ bench players. And Okogie, a better three-point shooter who has a reputation for playing good defense with his long wingspan, could be a good fit in the starting lineup.

The fear would be failing to get buy-in from Wiggins and further losing him, but he’s not playing for a contract. He already has it. If he embraced that role, even temporarily in his career, he could blossom and the Wolves could flourish.

http://www.startribune.com/what-if-the-timberwolves-brought-andrew-wiggins-off-the-bench/487222371/

Howl Wolves!!
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So bring Wiggins off the bench when Thibs doesn't use his bench? Hell of a way to use a max player.
 

Sun-Times: Jimmy Butler and Kyrie Irving could have plans to try and take over the East

A league source close to the situation told the Sun-Times on Tuesday that Kyrie Irving and former Bulls All-Star Jimmy Butler are still trying to figure out a way to play together. Whether that means the Celtics try and acquire Butler this summer or the two simply wait a year, both opt out of their player options after the season, and join forces that way.

Either way, the two former Team USA Basketball teammates are looking for a destination to build an elite backcourt, whether that’s in Celtics green or elsewhere in the East.

Not that this hasn’t been lurking for quite some time, either.

Last June, the Sun-Times was the first to report that Irving was looking to get out of Cleveland, with the Bulls being on his wish list. He made that known to several of his former Team USA teammates, including Butler.

ESPN then piggy-backed on the story a month later, when the Cavs front office was finally let in on Irving’s intentions.

A source said that Butler let general manager Gar Forman and VP of basketball John Paxson know that Irving wanted out, but the two knew they didn’t have the assets to get him, even if they tried to get a third team involved.

Instead, they did a 180 with Butler, blowing up the roster and sending him to the Timberwolves.

So where is the situation now?

Still fluid.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports...uld-have-plans-to-try-and-take-over-the-east/

Howl Wolves!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Sun-Times: Jimmy Butler and Kyrie Irving could have plans to try and take over the East

A league source close to the situation told the Sun-Times on Tuesday that Kyrie Irving and former Bulls All-Star Jimmy Butler are still trying to figure out a way to play together. Whether that means the Celtics try and acquire Butler this summer or the two simply wait a year, both opt out of their player options after the season, and join forces that way.

Either way, the two former Team USA Basketball teammates are looking for a destination to build an elite backcourt, whether that’s in Celtics green or elsewhere in the East.

Not that this hasn’t been lurking for quite some time, either.

Last June, the Sun-Times was the first to report that Irving was looking to get out of Cleveland, with the Bulls being on his wish list. He made that known to several of his former Team USA teammates, including Butler.

ESPN then piggy-backed on the story a month later, when the Cavs front office was finally let in on Irving’s intentions.

A source said that Butler let general manager Gar Forman and VP of basketball John Paxson know that Irving wanted out, but the two knew they didn’t have the assets to get him, even if they tried to get a third team involved.

Instead, they did a 180 with Butler, blowing up the roster and sending him to the Timberwolves.

So where is the situation now?

Still fluid.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports...uld-have-plans-to-try-and-take-over-the-east/

Howl Wolves!!
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Take anything Joe Cowley says with a grain of salt.
 

Listened to a podcast yesterday that featured Jon Krawczynski. He mentioned something about Thibodeau and Layden's MO during Free Agency. He said that they contact everybody even guys that they have no money to sign, or no chance to sign period. They just want people to know that they are out there.

Some local writers/reporters fell for it last year. One guy in particular insisted that the "Wolves were in on"...everybody. He got a little ticked-off when people pointed out that they really weren't. They had a couple of decent signings after the Butler trade, but those reports raised the anticipation level way to high for people to be happy about them.

Won't be a problem this year. Both the writers and fans have figured things out. Money and playing time really do matter.
 



dpodoll68 said:
Well, this is always awesome to see:

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...ves-has-no-intention-of-signing-an-extension/

"Butler apparently is not a fan of teammate Karl-Anthony Towns and the 'nonchalant attitudes' of his other young teammates..."
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Bet they didn't like Jimmy's "ball hogger" tendencies either.

Yes, it could be true or like many NBA rumors without much substance. Though that doesn't stop them from being repeated and reported.

As for not signing that 4 year $110 million extension, that isn't a surprise. Might even be the best move for Butler.

The Wolves were smart to offer it, but if Butler doesn't sign it and he opts-out after next season, he would be eligible for about $80 million more.

He's missed a lot of games the past few years. He only played 56 this past season and played in 75, 67, 65, 67 the previous 4 seasons. Maybe there could be a reason to get that assured money, but leaving another potential $80 mill on the table doesn't seem like something Jimmy would do.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Well, this is always awesome to see:

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...ves-has-no-intention-of-signing-an-extension/

"Butler apparently is not a fan of teammate Karl-Anthony Towns and the 'nonchalant attitudes' of his other young teammates..."
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Quite honestly I would have a hard time not having a nonchalant attitude myself. Let's face it, the NBA is basically the only one of the major sports where on Opening Day, literally 90% or more of the teams know unequivocally that they have zero shot at winning a title. That has to make for a tough atmosphere going to work every day, other than a nice paycheck.
 

I was happy they traded for Butler but have always wished they traded Wiggins for him instead of Lavine. They're not going to go anywhere with the roster as it's currently constructed and have made their bed with Wiggins contract.

They should trade Butler to LA for Ingram and Kuzma. Get another top draft pick. Fire Thibs after next season and bring in a younger coach. Then we have a chance again.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I was happy they traded for Butler but have always wished they traded Wiggins for him instead of Lavine. They're not going to go anywhere with the roster as it's currently constructed and have made their bed with Wiggins contract.

They should trade Butler to LA for Ingram and Kuzma. Get another top draft pick. Fire Thibs after next season and bring in a younger coach. Then we have a chance again.
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And what is the timeframe for that kind of turnaround? Another 5 years? Ten years? 14? This franchise has languished in poorness for too long. At least they were competitive last year, dare I say pretty good (when the team was actually healthy).
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I was happy they traded for Butler but have always wished they traded Wiggins for him instead of Lavine. They're not going to go anywhere with the roster as it's currently constructed and have made their bed with Wiggins contract.

They should trade Butler to LA for Ingram and Kuzma. Get another top draft pick. Fire Thibs after next season and bring in a younger coach. Then we have a chance again.
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Butler is a top thirty player (who is top ten at playing the media) on the cusp at being a top fifty player. KAT is a top fifteen player who could be a top ten player if he decides to play defense and stops whining at the refs. If we had a stand alone POBO Butler would go and KAT would stay. (I would do Butler for Ingram and Kuzma in a milli if LA was that anxious. KAT, Ingram, Wigs, Kuzma, Taj, Ogozie, Teague, KBD, Tyus, Tolliver would be a really fun lineup.)
 

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