2019 Minnesota Timberwolves Off-Season Thread

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Best use of the pick might be to package it with Wiggins to get someone to take him off our hands.
 

howeda7 said:
Best use of the pick might be to package it with Wiggins to get someone to take him off our hands.
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I understand the logic, but they need this pick and it needs to hit. The roster is not nearly deep enough.
 

howeda7 said:
Best use of the pick might be to package it with Wiggins to get someone to take him off our hands.
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That's actually a year too late or too soon. Even if we get rid of Wiggins, it won't afford us any cap flexibility to sign any players.

The way we are currently structured, with or without Wiggins, our only shot at adding talent is with the pick. So we either draft well or trade the pick for a player who can help.

Using the pick to drop Wiggins only helps Taylor at this point.
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
need a point guard or defensive minded shot blocking big to go next to Towns
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We don't need another big. In today's NBA, Towns is a 5. You cannot play a true center next to Towns. You probably shouldn't even play a traditional PF next to Towns.

This team needs more wing depth and they need to sit Wiggins. He isn't just bad because of his contract, he's bad. We were a better team with the corpse of Luol Deng getting those minutes than Wiggins.
 

howeda7 said:
Best use of the pick might be to package it with Wiggins to get someone to take him off our hands.
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No team is going to do that unless we take back a player just as bad as Wiggins (which is pretty hard to find). Best case scenario would be for Wiggins to become a Buddhist and give up basketball.

The team really needed Teague (who is worthless) to opt out-which he didn't of course. Now there is only one way to get a F/A with the mid level but...most of that will go to Rose (who still isn't worth more than another one year minimum deal). Taylor is just too stupid of an owner to not do it.

That #1 pick has to pan out.
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
We don't need another big. In today's NBA, Towns is a 5. You cannot play a true center next to Towns. You probably shouldn't even play a traditional PF next to Towns.

This team needs more wing depth and they need to sit Wiggins. He isn't just bad because of his contract, he's bad. We were a better team with the corpse of Luol Deng getting those minutes than Wiggins.
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They could use another stretch 4 since Saric isn't a defender at all and won't be here for long term. A 4 that can defend a little and hit some threes would be nice. Towns just isn't good enough with defense/rebounding on his own.

I wanted Wiggins benched two years ago but it isn't ever going to happen. Never ever. He will in fact get the most minutes as he always does. Taylor again will make sure any coach/gm coming in (or staying) will play Wiggins and pay Rose.
 

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Howl Wolves!!
 

per Sid:

Taylor on Rose

The Timberwolves coaching staff and front office has built up a great relationship with veteran point guard Derrick Rose, who is a free agent.

Rose had one of his best recent seasons with the Wolves before surgery on a right elbow injury shortened his year. He averaged 18.0 points, matching the fourth-highest average of his career, to go along with 4.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. He also shot a career-high 37% on three-pointers and had the second-highest field-goal percentage of his career at 48.2%.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor said a number of circumstances will determine whether Rose returns to the Wolves next season, but said there is no doubt they want to bring him back if possible.

“I think a couple of thing that are important is you want to talk to your medical staff, who have worked with him very closely and is aware of the type of injuries that he has,” said Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune. “I think you listen to their advice, I think you listen to him — I think he knows his body and he will tell you — and I think you have to make sure if you bring him here [and] it’s limited minutes he can play in a game or take every fourth game off, you have to listen to that and decide if that is something you’re willing to live with during the year.”

Taylor said in conversations with Rose, the 2011 NBA MVP from his time with the Chicago Bulls has told him he would like to return.

“What he has done this year has been a great help for our team,” Taylor said. “We just have to remember that he is a player, because of his injuries, that we have to not play him too many minutes, but utilize his skill sets when we need him out there on the floor. [We could] play him limited minutes in both the first half and the second half.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...mparison-with-penn-state-wisconsin/508781962/

Go Gophers!!
 

We need someone who can hit step back 3s, open 3s, any 3.
 



STrib: Ex-Wolves Chauncey Billups, Calvin Booth to interview for president of basketball operations

The Timberwolves are set to begin the next process in their search for a new president of basketball operations this week, as interviews will begin with four candidates, a source told the Star Tribune.

The Wolves will be speaking with those they have identified as a potential fit since owner Glen Taylor announced that the team would hire for the position on April 10. A source said the interview process is expected to last seven to 10 days, with the candidates all coming to Minnesota over that time frame.

Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune, will be involved in the process and will have the final say over who is hired. Taylor has also tasked Wolves CEO Ethan Casson with assembling a group of executives who have helped identify candidates with diverse backgrounds and will also play a role in the interview process, a source said.

Two of the candidates who will interview have had previous ties to the organization. Those who have played or worked in Minnesota include Nuggets assistant general manager Calvin Booth, who spent four years with the team and was its director of pro personnel before leaving for Denver in 2017. Booth’s talents in player development helped the Nuggets earn the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this season.

Another candidate, Chauncey Billups, is a former Wolves player who currently works as an analyst for ESPN. Billups played two of his 17 seasons in Minnesota from 2000-02 but has never held a front-office position.

The other candidates include Houston vice president Gersson Rosas and Nets assistant general manager Trajan Langdon.

http://www.startribune.com/ex-wolve...president-of-basketball-operations/508882272/

Howl Wolves!!
 

RandBall: If Wolves want to keep Saunders, will that impact search for top executive?

Whomever gets the job is going to be up against a tricky situation with the roster. The Wolves already have about $109 million in salaries committed to next year’s roster, which happens to be the exact number projected for the (soft) NBA salary cap in 2019-20. Navigating decisions on what to do with high-priced players like Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng and Jeff Teague while injecting the roster with cheap young talent is no easy feat.

But the bigger question for a potential candidate might be how much control he has over who coaches the Wolves.

You’ll recall this was brought up often when the Twins were searching for a new executive team after the 2016 season. Owner Jim Pohlad explicitly said retaining Paul Molitor as manager, at least for the 2017 season, was a condition of the job.

It’s hard to say definitively if that impacted the search. The Twins ended up with the duo of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. They kept Molitor in 2017, and he won AL Manager of the Year. Then they fired him after the 2018 season and hired Rocco Baldelli, who now presides over a first-place club.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune, has made no such declarations. But before the Wolves announced their search for a President of Basketball Operations, the reported consensus was that Ryan Saunders would have the interim tag removed and would get the job. Karl-Anthony Towns has been very supportive of Saunders.

Indeed, right before reports emerged that the Wolves were searching for a POBO, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Saunders and GM Scott Layden were going to be retained.

If candidates are being told that they are expected to keep Saunders — again, we don’t know if this is true — it could have an impact on the search.

http://www.startribune.com/if-wolve...at-impact-search-for-top-executive/508897942/

Howl Wolves!!
 


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Howl Wolves!!
 



BleedGopher said:
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Howl Wolves!!
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I like Chauncey but he doesn't have a millisecond of experience in an NBA front office.

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Bob_Loblaw said:
We don't need another big. In today's NBA, Towns is a 5. You cannot play a true center next to Towns. You probably shouldn't even play a traditional PF next to Towns.
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Thank you. It really bewilders me when people say we need to get a center next to Towns. KAT is a pure 5 and none of the successful teams in 2019 play with 2 true bigs.
 

Zeppelin Gopher said:
Thank you. It really bewilders me when people say we need to get a center next to Towns. KAT is a pure 5 and none of the successful teams in 2019 play with 2 true bigs.
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Depends on what your definition of a true big is. The Wolves played with Gibson at the 4, Utah plays Favors with Gorbert and there are more. Both Gibson and Favors could be considered true bigs since they play mostly down low (at least most of their scoring comes from down low.

I agree though that Towns in only a 5. He could never guard a PF unless it is one of the two mentioned above.
 

tikited said:
Depends on what your definition of a true big is. The Wolves played with Gibson at the 4, Utah plays Favors with Gorbert and there are more. Both Gibson and Favors could be considered true bigs since they play mostly down low (at least most of their scoring comes from down low.

I agree though that Towns in only a 5. He could never guard a PF unless it is one of the two mentioned above.
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Yea, Gobert and Favors are really the only guys who play together as bigs on a good team.
 

I think the talk about a second big man is so they have more of a 'true' center coming off the bench. Gorgui Dieng is not a physical presence inside - he's more of a PF playing out of position. (and he's overpaid, but who isn't in the NBA). If Pekovic could have stayed healthy, he would have been a perfect guy to play 10-12 minutes a game. or - if you're playing a team with a really tough center, I guess you could play the 2nd-team center more on defense and let KAT guard the PF to try and keep him out of foul trouble.
 

Souhan: For once, Wolves looking smart in search for president of basketball operations

There are two reasons to feel encouraged by the current search:

1. The candidates are legitimate. Calvin Booth would be a safe choice. He’s worked for the Wolves, so he knows the landscape and its sinkholes, and he has helped the Nuggets surge past the Wolves in the past year. Chauncey Billups is liked and respected if inexperienced. Gersson Rojas could bring Houston’s analytics and player development to Minnesota. Trajan Langdon is thought to be a rising star the Wolves may never again get a chance to hire.

2. The process is simple and professional. Wolves CEO Ethan Casson is respected in the organization for the work he’s done on the business side, and was aggressive in removing Thibodeau when he thought the time was right. He tried to interview esteemed Clippers GM Michael Winger before settling on the other four finalists.

This is not Glen Taylor hiring David Kahn. This is not a search committee that knows little about basketball reading internet articles to figure out who should be hired. This isn’t the owner hiring a golf pal.

Success is never guaranteed, no matter which candidate the Wolves pick. Remember, Thibodeau was considered the best coaching candidate on the market, and he lasted less than three years on the job.

But at least the process isn’t an embarrassment this time.

http://www.startribune.com/for-once...president-of-basketball-operations/509300022/

Howl Wolves!!
 

CBS Mock Draft:

10 TIMBERWOLVES
Jarrett Culver | Texas Tech | Soph | SG | 6-6

Culver was the Big 12's best player as a sophomore and showed himself willing and able to create shots for himself and for teammates. But his 3-point shooting took a drastic dip in his second season, and his decision-making is still a work-in-progress. Still, his untapped potential should be enticing to a team like Minnesota that could put to use his defensive versatility and hope that his shot-making returns to form with less creation responsibilities.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...on-but-cavs-pass-on-ja-morant-for-rj-barrett/

Howl Wolves!!
 

BleedGopher said:
CBS Mock Draft:

10 TIMBERWOLVES
Jarrett Culver | Texas Tech | Soph | SG | 6-6

Culver was the Big 12's best player as a sophomore and showed himself willing and able to create shots for himself and for teammates. But his 3-point shooting took a drastic dip in his second season, and his decision-making is still a work-in-progress. Still, his untapped potential should be enticing to a team like Minnesota that could put to use his defensive versatility and hope that his shot-making returns to form with less creation responsibilities.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...on-but-cavs-pass-on-ja-morant-for-rj-barrett/

Howl Wolves!!
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I wouldn't pick him, but whatever they do- it is most likely going to be wrong.
 

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Hiring Rosas is a great move. Maybe Taylor is finally starting to figure things out? It only took him 25 years.
 

Draft lottery is two weeks away. Really need Wolves to move up to top 4. This draft sucks.
 

Souhan: Timberwolves' hiring of Gersson Rosas is logical and a possible home-run move

Along with neglecting the three-point line and failing to develop their fringe players, the Wolves have failed to sign or develop the right international players. Rosas has served as Team USA’s International Player Personnel Scout since 2015. He knows international basketball and has built relationships that could give him a competitive edge.

Rosas is a safe pick with upside and an independent streak that caused him to leave the Mavericks in 2013 when he realized that working for Mark Cuban might not be as much fun as it looks on TV.

Rosas is too experienced not to recognize the Wolves’ systemic problems. He may also be perceptive enough to recognize the franchise’s advantages — an owner who will spend big, a superstar in the making in Towns, and a fan base that will respond to quality basketball.

If Rosas is the right hire, he’ll prove that winning NBA games in Minnesota is not be as hard as the Wolves have made it look for most of the last 30 years.

http://www.startribune.com/timberwo...gical-and-a-possible-home-run-move/509359192/

Howl Wolves!!
 

per ESPN:

Rosas played an immense part with Rockets GM Daryl Morey in constructing a Western Conference championship contender. Rosas has worked 18 seasons with the Rockets and had a brief stint in 2013 as GM of the Dallas Mavericks before returning to Houston. Rosas also works for USA Basketball in a player personnel role.

"Gersson has been an unbelievable person to work with," Morey told ESPN. "He's been way overqualified for his job for a while here. He's more than earned his shot, although I wish he would've gone East. We're going to have an extremely tough competitor in the West.

"Minnesota is going to find how forward-thinking, how hard-working and how talented he is at putting together a winning team."

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26649890/wolves-tab-rosas-lead-basketball-ops

Howl Wolves!!
 


BleedGopher said:
per ESPN:

Rosas played an immense part with Rockets GM Daryl Morey in constructing a Western Conference championship contender. Rosas has worked 18 seasons with the Rockets and had a brief stint in 2013 as GM of the Dallas Mavericks before returning to Houston. Rosas also works for USA Basketball in a player personnel role.

"Gersson has been an unbelievable person to work with," Morey told ESPN. "He's been way overqualified for his job for a while here. He's more than earned his shot, although I wish he would've gone East. We're going to have an extremely tough competitor in the West.

"Minnesota is going to find how forward-thinking, how hard-working and how talented he is at putting together a winning team."

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26649890/wolves-tab-rosas-lead-basketball-ops

Howl Wolves!!
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That will be very different.
 

Reusse: Coaching hire will tell us if things truly have changed with Timberwolves

If Rosas comes in here and says he took a hard look at the options and young Mr. Saunders was the clear choice to continue as coach, I am not going to believe him. I’ll believe, instead, that not all that much has changed in the Timberwolves’ operation, where chumminess has been a much-admired quality.

Which in retrospect makes it a surprise that the previous basketball boss was ever hired … what with chummy being way down the list of Thibs’ strengths.

As for Saunders, a very fine young man, I'd offer him a chance to coach the G League team in Des Moines, and thus demonstrate his potential to lead an NBA team.

http://www.startribune.com/coaching...uly-have-changed-with-timberwolves/509369982/

Howl Wolves!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Reusse: Coaching hire will tell us if things truly have changed with Timberwolves

If Rosas comes in here and says he took a hard look at the options and young Mr. Saunders was the clear choice to continue as coach, I am not going to believe him. I’ll believe, instead, that not all that much has changed in the Timberwolves’ operation, where chumminess has been a much-admired quality.

Which in retrospect makes it a surprise that the previous basketball boss was ever hired … what with chummy being way down the list of Thibs’ strengths.

As for Saunders, a very fine young man, I'd offer him a chance to coach the G League team in Des Moines, and thus demonstrate his potential to lead an NBA team.

http://www.startribune.com/coaching...uly-have-changed-with-timberwolves/509369982/

Howl Wolves!!
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Reusse knows the NBA. Word
 

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