2020-2021 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

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Iceland12 said:
Nah, you and Glen are gonna find that buyer who'll give them $1.5 billion to keep them here.

How's that search going Jammer?
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When I used to say that I'd rather have a bad NBA franchise than no NBA franchise, that would infuriate you. After a while I decided to have some fun with it by demanding moves to obscure places. That infuriates you, too. I'm a wolves fan and I hope they stay. No apologies. Criticize them, not me.

The Wild are off to a good start. Wanna talk about them?
 

jamiche said:
When I used to say that I'd rather have a bad NBA franchise than no NBA franchise, that would infuriate you. After a while I decided to have some fun with it by demanding moves to obscure places. That infuriates you, too. I'm a wolves fan and I hope they stay. No apologies. Criticize them, not me.

The Wild are off to a good start. Wanna talk about them?
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You say "Drumroll for icey.......move 'em to Las Cruces, NM!' and I respond accordingly I'm the one taking the shot?

Yeah ah, that's not how it works. You wanna stop then stop.

Infuriates me? Geesus get over your self. Just that it's gotten very lame and you're the one who keeps bringing it up not me! So that makes me the "infuriated" one?

Never did infuriate me. If memory serves you, for the longest time, refused to believe that there could be someone who followed the NBA who would rather have them leave then continue to be so godawful.

Remember you saying how "No fan could feel that way" and as couple of old timers here replied "That's just what he keeps saying he wants!"

You still don't get it. It's what many NBA people around the country have been saying. And throw-in the small number of diehard NBA fans in Minnesota, it's what many people around here think will eventually happen. Taylor will sell the team to somebody who will move it elsewhere!

It's not a silly little internet game. If Taylor can't find someone who will promise to pay what he wants, and still keep the team here, something he's been trying to do for years, it will move. You don't have to be a master detective to get that.

Period. End of story.
 

99.9% chance this team finishes with the worst record in the league and ends up with the 4th pick in the lottery, thus losing the pick to GSW. Every move they made in the offseason appears to have been the wrong one.
 

At least they keep drafting guards that can’t shoot.

Dunn
Okogie
Culver
Edwards

the beauty is there are more better players in this draft than the 2020 draft and of course they won’t have their pick. I swear the target center is built on an Indian burial mound or something.
 

So, here's the silver lining if the TWolves lose the pick to Golden State-it wouldn't matter anyway. Cynical? I dove down a rabbit hole tonight which was itching in my brain for awhile. I've been thinking to myself, the TWolves are horrible, yet their frontline players were all high draft picks.

So, I took a look at every NBA team's top 5 players in minutes per game (which accounted for injuries, COVID sit-outs, etc.) and added their combined draft position. (Undrafted players were assigned a numerical value of 61, as there are 60 draft picks each year).

The top 5 for minutes per game on the TWolves? KAT (#1 overall); Russell (#2); Beasley (#19); Edwards (#1); and Rubio (#5), which averages out to a draft position of 5.6.

Only three other teams averaging in single digits (New Orleans: 7; Chicago: 7.6; and Orlando: 9.8).

Of interest to me was that there were two other teams who have two former #1 overall picks among their top 5 players receiving minutes, the Pistons and the Lakers. Even with that being the case, their "big 5" average draft positions are 15.6 and 16.6, respectively.

Simply put, that Indian burial ground will creep up if the TWolves retain the pick and if it heads to Golden State, well, start preparing the Hall of Fame plaque for the future Warrior.

(If anyone's interested in the full list, I'm happy to share).
 


Gersson Rosas has not exactly been a great gm either. They gave up a draft pick for Ed Davis when he was going to be bought out. He moved up to draft Jerrit Culver who is terrible. He didn’t sign a person to play power forward this season. Plus he gave up a first round pick and Wiggins for a guy that the warriors didn’t want. He has been an absolute disaster as of yet. Just wait until next year without a first round pick and how terrible this team will be. They will give a new meaning to brick layers.
 

coolhandgopher said:
So, here's the silver lining if the TWolves lose the pick to Golden State-it wouldn't matter anyway. Cynical? I dove down a rabbit hole tonight which was itching in my brain for awhile. I've been thinking to myself, the TWolves are horrible, yet their frontline players were all high draft picks.

So, I took a look at every NBA team's top 5 players in minutes per game (which accounted for injuries, COVID sit-outs, etc.) and added their combined draft position. (Undrafted players were assigned a numerical value of 61, as there are 60 draft picks each year).

The top 5 for minutes per game on the TWolves? KAT (#1 overall); Russell (#2); Beasley (#19); Edwards (#1); and Rubio (#5), which averages out to a draft position of 5.6.

Only three other teams averaging in single digits (New Orleans: 7; Chicago: 7.6; and Orlando: 9.8).

Of interest to me was that there were two other teams who have two former #1 overall picks among their top 5 players receiving minutes, the Pistons and the Lakers. Even with that being the case, their "big 5" average draft positions are 15.6 and 16.6, respectively.

Simply put, that Indian burial ground will creep up if the TWolves retain the pick and if it heads to Golden State, well, start preparing the Hall of Fame plaque for the future Warrior.

(If anyone's interested in the full list, I'm happy to share).
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Good post, and this is why I am not in tank mode and that we need to get a top 3 pick or we're doomed.

The Wolves have drafted in the top 6 8 times over the last 12 years, and in the top 10 the most of those years. And what do they have to show for it? 1 first round exit in the playoffs and this terrible team. One of their best picks over that time was Zach LaVine at 13, then they stupidly traded him instead of Wiggins for Butler.

This has been a long term scouting and drafting issue. I still think this team will look significantly better if Towns can come back and stay healthy this season. They will also get better if they can trade a few of their young 6'4/5" guards for taller more athletic SF/PFs.

I don't think there's a surefire star in next years draft beyond Suggs. They can't just keep hoping for the #1 pick and landing another Zion or Morant.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Good post, and this is why I am not in tank mode and that we need to get a top 3 pick or we're doomed.

The Wolves have drafted in the top 6 8 times over the last 12 years, and in the top 10 the most of those years. And what do they have to show for it? 1 first round exit in the playoffs and this terrible team. One of their best picks over that time was Zach LaVine at 13, then they stupidly traded him instead of Wiggins for Butler.

This has been a long term scouting and drafting issue. I still think this team will look significantly better if Towns can come back and stay healthy this season. They will also get better if they can trade a few of their young 6'4/5" guards for taller more athletic SF/PFs.

I don't think there's a surefire star in next years draft beyond Suggs. They can't just keep hoping for the #1 pick and landing another Zion or Morant.
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They have had a lead in the 4th quarter 6 times this year and have won 1 of those games. Those loss to Orlando is entirely on Saunders as he didn’t call a timeout when Vanderbilt got the rebound. The fact that they didn’t draft Tyler Hero in 2019 is crazy to me. They needed a guy that could shoot a 3 and took a guy that can’t shoot. Granted they traded him away, but whatever. Find a guy that can shoot in college cause it ain’t gonna get any easier in the nba.
 

Great work and a lot of it. coolhand. Might be telling us more about how badly this team has been put together than anything else

Honestly with Towns only playing 4 out of the 14 games they've played it has completely fallen apart. They won 2 of those games. In the others they lost to Memphis by 11 after giving up a big lead in the 4th (deja vu). In the other they lost to San Antonio in O.T. by 3. That game was close from start to finish.

Can't say how much better they'd be with Towns but they'd be better.

One other note. Rubio looked good in Utah and Phoenix. Very good with the Suns. Why has he looked so bad, again, with the Wolves? Pretty easy actually. He's a distributor. That doesn't work if you're playing with guys who can't shoot.

We have had NBA League Pass since it came into being. Can't even get the Wolves on that! We've been following their games on the ESPN and the radio instead. Though we'll be able to watch them on Monday.

Sadly not that enthused about it.
 
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Iceland12 said:
Great work and a lot of it. coolhand. Might be telling us more about how badly this team has been put together than anything else

Honestly with Towns only playing 4 out of the 14 games they've played it has completely fallen apart. They won 2 of those games. In the others they lost to Memphis by 11 after giving up a big lead in the 4th (deja vu). In the other they lost to San Antonio in O.T. by 3. That game was close from start to finish.

Can't say how much better they'd be with Towns but they'd be better.

One other note. Rubio looked good in Utah and Phoenix. Very good with the Suns. Why has he looked so bad, again, with the Wolves? Pretty easy actually. He's a distributor. That doesn't work if you're playing with guys who can't shoot.

We have had NBA League Pass since it came into being. Can't even get the Wolves on that! We've been following they games on the ESPN and the radio instead. Though we'll be able to watch them on Monday.

Sadly not that enthused about it.
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True about Rubio but he has been terrible on his own. His worst start to a season by far. I'm hoping it is related to not being psychically 100%.
 

tikited said:
True about Rubio but he has been terrible on his own. His worst start to a season by far. I'm hoping it is related to not being psychically 100%.
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True. Always thought that gets underreported in the NBA. Guy gets hurt, comes back a few games later and Hey! He's healthy again!

Players use to get praised for "playing thru it". That's been gone for awhile now. "They need to get healthy and they need to pay at top form!"

Getting paid $70K like they did back then or $5-30 million like they are now only helps speed the treatment. It can't speed the cure.
 

Edwards is terrible. Rosas can't identify wing players in the draft.

Ball was always the correct choice.
 

TruthSeeker said:
Edwards is terrible. Rosas can't identify wing players in the draft.

Ball was always the correct choice.
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Wiseman has been playing pretty well. Obviously with all of them, crazy small sample size. But why I was steadfast in my opinion to just draft the best talent. I don’t care if it isn’t a current roster fit. This team blows and Rosas may not be around past this season or next. Draft talent and it will all take care of itself.
 



forever a gopher said:
Wiseman has been playing pretty well. Obviously with all of them, crazy small sample size. But why I was steadfast in my opinion to just draft the best talent. I don’t care if it isn’t a current roster fit. This team blows and Rosas may not be around past this season or next. Draft talent and it will all take care of itself.
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Correct.
 

forever a gopher said:
Wiseman has been playing pretty well. Obviously with all of them, crazy small sample size. But why I was steadfast in my opinion to just draft the best talent. I don’t care if it isn’t a current roster fit. This team blows and Rosas may not be around past this season or next. Draft talent and it will all take care of itself.
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Was a big "draft Wiseman" guy too. Oddly enough they didn't think he could play alongside KAT and/or his "ceiling wasn't high enough". Now their main problem is they don't have enough size.

Geesus.

Smoking my 2nd cigar of the day. 1st time in YEARS that I've done that. Finishing some bourbon with a splash of rum. Steeling myself in case I listen to the Wolves game. Not sure can take it after that MD /Gopher game..:cautious:
 
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Wolves up by 15 with 9:58 left in the 4th. Vanderbilt, Reid and Edwards playing well. No Russell and Rubio only has only taken 4 shots but he's got 7pts, 7assists and 6 rebounds in 23 minutes.

Yeah, decided to listen. They were GREAT cigars. :)

Must have been a Victory Cigar! Wolves 120 New Orleans 110.
 
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Good to get the W. Now let's get a little winning streak for shits and giggles.

Howl Wolves!!
 

per Shooter:

Ryan Saunders will remain coach of the woeful Minnesota Timberwolves, at least until he gets an opportunity to coach a stretch with star Karl-Anthony Towns in the regular lineup.

“I haven’t even talked to (basketball president Gersson Rosas) about that — he hasn’t brought it up, but you’re asking me, and it’s probably hard to tell a guy that you aren’t doing the job when your best guy isn’t playing,” Wolves owner Glen Taylor said Saturday from his home in Mankato.

The Wolves, 1-9 without Towns in the lineup due to a wrist injury, then a COVID-19 diagnosis, are off to a 3-11 overall start heading into Saturday’s game against New Orleans.

“I think we should wait until Karl and the guys (Ricky Rubio, Josh Okogie and Juancho Hernangomez) get back so that we’re judging on the full team,” Taylor said.

www.twincities.com

Charley Walters: Glen Taylor keeping Ryan Saunders as Wolves’ coach for now

Ryan Saunders will remain coach of the woeful Minnesota Timberwolves, at least until he gets an opportunity to coach a stretch with star Karl-Anthony Towns in the regular lineup. “I haven’t even ta…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

STrib: Gersson Rosas calls upon for everyone with Timberwolves to do better, including himself

Before the season began, Timberwolves President Gersson Rosas said to expect some growing pains from a young Wolves team.

But speaking before the Wolves tipped off against New Orleans, Rosas said the current state of the Wolves, in which they had lost 11 of 12 entering Saturday, was unacceptable and said everyone in the organization, including himself, had to do better. Their poor performance of late, which has included multiple lopsided losses and a fourth-quarter collapse against Orlando, had no excuses, he said, whether it be youth, restrictions on the team because of coronavirus or the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns for much of the season.

"We're who our record says we are," Rosas told the Star Tribune. "I didn't anticipate this year to be easy. This was another growing and developing year. But at the same time, we're not up to our capabilities and that's to be competitive. Regardless of who's here, we've got to do a better job of competing game in and game out …

"And when I say everybody, it's everybody. It starts with me and my staff. It starts with coach [Ryan Saunders] and his staff, and it starts with the players."

The frustration has permeated the organization, Rosas said, adding that he understands the anger fans have toward the product the Wolves are putting on the floor.

"They're justifiable in being upset," he said.

www.startribune.com

Gersson Rosas calls upon everyone with Timberwolves to do better, including himself

The Wolves boss says his young team should be further along in its development than it is, saying it lacks identity on both sides of the ball.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

Here's your Sunday morning kick in the family jewels. The Athletic does a pretty good job of regrading the Wiggins/Russell trade with Golden State; Spoiler alert, Wolves haven't exactly dominated this trade up to this point

Regrading Wiggins/Russell Trade

Sobering comment from the article's first paragraph: Minnesota can finish with a bottom-three record this season and the Warriors still would have a better-than-50-percent chance of keeping the Wolves’ 2021 top-three protected first-round pick.

Ouch.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Here's your Sunday morning kick in the family jewels. The Athletic does a pretty good job of regrading the Wiggins/Russell trade with Golden State; Spoiler alert, Wolves haven't exactly dominated this trade up to this point

Regrading Wiggins/Russell Trade

Sobering comment from the article's first paragraph: Minnesota can finish with a bottom-three record this season and the Warriors still would have a better-than-50-percent chance of keeping the Wolves’ 2021 top-three protected first-round pick.

Ouch.
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Which is exactly why they need to keep trying to win this season.
 

Sunny afternoon. Pretty nice actually.

That said would suggest that it is way to early to write-off the Wiggins for Russell trade. D'Angelo and KAT have played together what? Maybe 3-6 games? He was brought in as a complementary player to KAT. Can't think that anybody, including Rosas, could have looked at his history and said that "yeah, he can carry a team by himself. '

He can't. Neither could Wiggins. Though Russell still has a chance to do it.

Just give him more than a handful of games with KAT on the floor.
 

Iceland12 said:
Sunny afternoon. Pretty nice actually.

That said would suggest that it is way to early to write-off the Wiggins for Russell trade. D'Angelo and KAT have played together what? Maybe 3-6 games? He was brought in as a complementary player to KAT. Can't think that anybody, including Rosas, could have looked at his history and said that "yeah, he can carry a team by himself. '

He can't. Neither could Wiggins. Though Russell still has a chance to do it.

Just give him more than a handful of games with KAT on the floor.
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I'm still optimistic, because it's better than the alternative. I have more faith in the newly revamped front office than I do with Saunders but that's a whole other story. Is it my imagination or is Culver showing some development?

Still wish there was some movement on the sale of the team. The fish stinks from the head down, as they say. And it's damn sure true in this case.
 

There isn't a player on the Wolves roster that I would want on a winning team.

After Taylor sells the team, the new owner should fire everyone in the front office. He should fire the entire coaching staff. Every player on the roster should be traded or released.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
I'm still optimistic, because it's better than the alternative. I have more faith in the newly revamped front office than I do with Saunders but that's a whole other story. Is it my imagination or is Culver showing some development?

Still wish there was some movement on the sale of the team. The fish stinks from the head down, as they say. And it's damn sure true in this case.
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Saunders, who seems like a good kid, is still in way over his head. Rosas was right in saying that he can't grade him yet until he has KAT on the court for an extended period of time. Problem is when will that happen?

Culver is showing some improvement. Problem was so bad to start with.

Last night they were playing a very tired N.O. team. That said, the difference when those starters had Rubio a pass first PG, rather than Russell, a shoot first and 2nd PG was very noticeable. Hopefully by Wednesday night, the 2nd game against G.S. this week, we can see the team with KAT on the court.

Can't help but think that the only reason he aren't hearing about any progress in selling the team is because there isn't any. There seems to be nobody out there who will pay what Taylor and the NBA demand and will agree to keep them in Minnesota.

Might be a better chance of the Wolves getting to the Western Conference Finals than them playing in Minnesota in 2022-2023.
 
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Iceland12 said:
Saunders, who seems like a good kid, is still in way over his head. Rosas was right in saying that he can't grade him yet until he has KAT on the court for an extended period of time. Problem is when will that happen?

Culver is showing some improvement. Problem was so bad to start with.

Last night they were playing a very tired N.O. team. That said, the difference when those starters had Rubio a pass first PG, rather than Russell, a shoot first and 2nd PG was very noticeable. Hopefully by Wednesday night, the 2nd game against G.S. this week, we can see the team with KAT on the court.

Can't help but think that the only reason he aren't hearing about an progress in calling the team is because there isn't any. There seems to be nobody out there who will pay what Taylor and the NBA demand and will agree to keep them in Minnesota.

Might be a better chance of the Wolves getting to the Western Conference Finals than them playing in Minnesota in 2022-2023.
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NBA team values dropped due to COVID. He'd be smart to hold it until the pandemic ends and maybe a year after for league financials to stabilize.
 

As terrible as they have been, the wolves are only 3.5 games out of 10th place, which is the bottom position for the new play in format.

The wolves have a messy situation at point guard. Rubio has definitely slowed down, but he still knows how to move the ball, run a team and play team defense (struggles to play m/t/m). Unfortunately, his shot seems worse than ever. DLo makes some sweet plays and is KAT's pal. However, he kills ball movement, doesn't get to the line and doesn't play much defense. Playing them together hasn't worked so far. Additionally, Jordan McLaughlin is a terrific third point guard. I'm not sure how they are going to sort it all out.

We are almost one quarter through the season and the wolves have been hit with their usual crappy luck (injuries, covid). The roster has been poorly constructed, lacking size even in the the small ball NBA and shooting. The drafting and talent evaluation is also subpar. Given all of that, it would be interesting to see what they might be able to do with a full roster. It might be respectable.
 

I have the game on in the background. All I'm really thinking about is where "getting torched by Andrew Wiggins" will rank on the list of miserable Wolves moments.
 

Frink said:
I have the game on in the background. All I'm really thinking about is where "getting torched by Andrew Wiggins" will rank on the list of miserable Wolves moments.
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Of course we were going to get torched by Wigs. That was assumed. He always saved his high impact games for Cleveland.

I watched the first half. Ant sure isn't afraid to shoot. He does seem to be afraid of the ball going through the net. (Nice dunk, though.) I wish they could give J-Mac more minutes. Good things happen when he's on the floor. Man, Wiseman is going to be good. Another draft mistake by Rosas.
 


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