All Things 2019-2020 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

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bga1 said:
Oturu? Selfishly, I hope Daniel plays for the Gophs for another year but I think he is going to be a borderline great NBA PF in a couple years.
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Daniel to the Wolves was my FIRST THOUGHT/WISH when i heard about this trade.
 

Looks like a very good move to me. Towns is a fine Front Court player and Wiggins, IMHO at least, always looked better at the 3, even sometimes as a small Power Forward. He just never looked that comfortable handling the ball. That "bleep" Thibs threw away half a season trying to turn Wiggins into a Point Forward, without success.

Would I have liked things better if they now had Towns, Wiggins and Russell? Sure but looks like that wasn't gonna happen.

A team with an above average Center/Pwr Forward AND a scoring and passing PG can make a run at the whole thing. Maybe even two great backcourt players, but not two front court guys. Gonna take time and they are going to need to add 4-5 solid to good role players to make that run too.

So far, again my opinion, they don't have any of the later. Just a whole lot more willing to wait and see if they can add them. If they do, they should be in town for a long, long time.
 
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Well, it will be tough to see some early positive returns from these trades as the first two games are home against the Clippers and at Toronto.

But looking forward to seeing how they play down the stretch, and how many of these guys stick around for next season.
 




Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Well, it will be tough to see some early positive returns from these trades as the first two games are home against the Clippers and at Toronto.

But looking forward to seeing how they play down the stretch, and how many of these guys stick around for next season.
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Will be hoping for them but yeah, it'll be tough to see a lot of positive returns with only 2 or 3 proven NBA level players on the team.
 

Iceland12 said:
Will be hoping for them but yeah, it'll be tough to see a lot of positive returns with only 2 or 3 proven NBA level players on the team.
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I'm most excited to see how Beasley and Spellman do
 

Souhan: Latest Timberwolves transformation puts onus on stars, coach to pull franchise out of the morass

Karl-Anthony Towns gained an ally.

Gersson Rosas landed a signature deal.

Ryan Saunders got a reprieve.

D’Angelo Russell went from placeholder to potential hero.

Fans were given the ultimate basketball gift: the absence of Andrew Wiggins.

The Timberwolves’ trade of Wiggins for Russell is at first glance a win-win-win-win-win proposition.

Rosas, Wolves president of basketball operations, deserves a parade for finding a way to trade a player hardly anybody wanted (Wiggins) for the exact player he has sought for almost a year (Russell).

Russell is the point guard Saunders needs to play his preferred style, and the point guard Towns needs to get him the ball and spread the floor.

Rosas could not have done much better under dire circumstances, with the Wolves building another losing streak, failing to play hard and turning away even their most loyal fans.

www.startribune.com

Latest Timberwolves transformation puts onus on stars, coach to pull franchise out of the morass

www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

per STrib:

And then there were two ...

It’s fair to say Gersson Rosas had these 18 players available to him when he was hired as Timberwolves president of basketball operations on May 1 of last year. Only two of these Wolves remain:

• Keita Bates-Diop: Traded, February 2020.

• Robert Covington: Traded, February 2020.

• Gorgui Dieng: Traded, Febuary 2020.

• Taj Gibson: Left via free agency last summer.

• Tyus Jones: Left via free agency last summer.

• Josh Okogie: One of two remaining players.

• Cameron Reynolds: Left via free agency last summer.

• Derrick Rose: Left via free agency last summer.

• Dario Saric: Traded, July 2019.

• Jeff Teague: Traded, January 2020.

• Anthony Tolliver: Left via free agency last summer.

• Karl-Anthony Towns: One of two remaining players.

• Andrew Wiggins: Traded, February 2020.

• Jerryd Bayless, Mitch Creek, Luol Deng, Jared Terrell, C.J. Williams: Not re-signed and not currently in NBA.

www.startribune.com

Look at what Gersson Rosas has done to the Timberwolves roster

www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
 



CBS' NBA Trade Deadlines Winners and Losers:

Winner: Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota traded his best friend on the team, but then acquired one of his best friends in the world. The Wolves' thirst for D'Angelo Russell has been the worst-kept secret in the NBA for what feels like forever, and they finally got it done. From an allocation-of-resources standpoint, I'm not sure Russell on a max contract is worth giving up the pick they sent to the Warriors, but ending the KAT-Wiggins era and starting this new one will unquestionably please Towns. Now let's see how they play together.

Loser: Meh-nnesota!
The Wolves got their man, but at what cost? I'm interested in seeing Russell and Towns' pick-and-roll chemistry on offense, but I shudder when I think about the other side of the court. Given how much money Russell and Wiggins make, the pick they sent to Golden State could be the most valuable and important part of this deal. Minnesota's front office still has a steep hill to climb.

www.cbssports.com

NBA trade deadline 2020 winners and losers: Clippers add depth with Morris; Warriors give Wiggins fresh start

Clint Capela and Andre Iguodala are big winners on deadline day as are the Clippers and Heat.
www.cbssports.com www.cbssports.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

BleedGopher said:
CBS' NBA Trade Deadlines Winners and Losers:

Winner: Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota traded his best friend on the team, but then acquired one of his best friends in the world. The Wolves' thirst for D'Angelo Russell has been the worst-kept secret in the NBA for what feels like forever, and they finally got it done. From an allocation-of-resources standpoint, I'm not sure Russell on a max contract is worth giving up the pick they sent to the Warriors, but ending the KAT-Wiggins era and starting this new one will unquestionably please Towns. Now let's see how they play together.

Loser: Meh-nnesota!
The Wolves got their man, but at what cost? I'm interested in seeing Russell and Towns' pick-and-roll chemistry on offense, but I shudder when I think about the other side of the court. Given how much money Russell and Wiggins make, the pick they sent to Golden State could be the most valuable and important part of this deal. Minnesota's front office still has a steep hill to climb.

www.cbssports.com

NBA trade deadline 2020 winners and losers: Clippers add depth with Morris; Warriors give Wiggins fresh start

Clint Capela and Andre Iguodala are big winners on deadline day as are the Clippers and Heat.
www.cbssports.com www.cbssports.com

Howl Wolves!!
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How did we lose when we got rid of the albatross and only had to give one protected #1 to do it? Still...it could backfire of course. This is the T-Wolves after all.
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
I'm most excited to see how Beasley and Spellman do
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Beasley has dazzled at times. Wasn't aware of Spellman, but after looking at his stats he might be able to stick around.

The other guy who's intriguing is Willy Hernangomez. He was a decent to good back-up player until he got hurt. Wolves fans remember Flynn and McCants as being the wrong guys to draft and very bad players to boot.

Longtime Wolves fans also know that while they weren't great players, they were pretty good until they got hurt. Maybe Hernangomez will turn things around. Hope so, but wouldn't bet on it.

All that said, like the guys Rosas signed last year, there are probably reasons why, aside from Russell, the new guys haven't seen a lot of floor time lately.
 
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Bleacher Report grades the Timberwolves trades:

Minnesota Timberwolves: A
  1. Incoming: Malik Beasley, Jacob Evans, Juancho Hernangomez, James Johnson, D'Angelo Russell, Omari Spellman, Evan Turner, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2020 first-round pick (lottery-protected via Brooklyn)Outgoing: Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Bell, Robert Covington, Gorgui Dieng, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh, Andrew Wiggins, 2021 first-round pick (top-three-protected), 2021 second-round pickThe Minnesota Timberwolves had to do something. Their top two of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins wasn't going anywhere.
    The on-court fit between D'Angelo Russell and Towns is smoother, and the potential chemistry benefits of uniting these two friends can't be ignored. On defense, the star duo will undoubtedly be picked on, particularly with screen-and-roll possessions, but it should be able to inflict plenty of damage of its own on the other end.
    James Johnson is a nice addition, as well. He has the potential to be far more than a throw-in if he can stay healthy. Since his breakout with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013-14, Johnson has a 17.6 assist percentage, a 3.2 block percentage and a 1.8 steal percentage, a combination of numbers matched by only Giannis Antetokounmpo and DeMarcus Cousins over that span.
    The players who came in from Denver should help, too. Malik Beasley is 23 years old and a career 38.2-percent shooter from deep. He could be an ideal flanker for Russell-Towns pick-and-rolls.
    Juancho Hernangomez struggled to stick in the Nuggets' rotation over the last four years, but he still holds some intrigue as a stretch 4. In an offense-heavy scheme, he can also make defenses think twice about overloading on the pick-and-roll.
    Winding up with this mix of youth and veterans, as well as a first-round pick, when Robert Covington and Wiggins were the biggest names headed out feels like a net win.
    These moves probably aren't enough to suddenly vault the Wolves back into playoff contention in 2020, but they now have two young legitimate stars under contract for the foreseeable future.
 
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tikited said:
Not exactly about Johnny's winning smile but a pretty good look back at Kahn.
www.sbnation.com

David Kahn has the final word

The Great and Powerful Kahn has an excuse for everything that went terribly wrong during his 4-year tenure in Minnesota. Here are the best.
www.sbnation.com www.sbnation.com
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That made for a fantastic read. all of those odd trades that Kahn made, seem similar to the current staff. I suppose when yer down you do what you can regardless of how it looks.
 

NBA Trade Winners

Minnesota Timberwolves
Things looked bleak for Minnesota very recently.

Just 24 hours ago, actually. Karl-Anthony Towns spoke about all the losing he’s done in his career. Honestly, if you squinted hard enough, it might have even looked like a preface to a trade request.

But situations change quickly in the NBA, especially around the trade deadline. The Timberwolves unburdened themselves of Andrew Wiggins’ very pricey contract, swapping it along with a top-three protected 2021 first-round pick and a future second-round pick for D’Angelo Russell. And just like that, the Timberwolves’ future is looking up.

It’s not all about Russell. Wiggins has underwhelmed in his five-and-a-half years in Minnesota. Despite all of his talent, he’s been incredibly inefficient. He’s never posted a PER of more than 16.5 — of note, 15 is the league average for every NBA every season and Giannis Antetokounmpo posted the highest PER ever in 2018-19 of 32.5 — and he’s never had a positive Value Over Replacement Player in any season, while also failing to rise above the ranks of a subpar three-point shooter either (33.2%).

Although the pairing might not result in immediate victories, trading Wiggins (and his bloated contract) for a budding star that’ll keep the current star happy is an undeniable step in the right direction.

www.basketballinsiders.com

NBA Daily: Trade Deadline Winners

Drew Maresca parses through the NBA Trade Deadline and pronounces some bonafide, undeniable winners.
www.basketballinsiders.com www.basketballinsiders.com
 

I'm excited to see what this team looks like, however I don't think it'll result in too many more wins this season.

As for drafting Oturu, I just don't see it happening. The big PF/C who struggle shooting from the outside are a dying breed. Look at most of the successful teams who are rolling with one big man, and a combo of small forwards and guards. Towns is our big man, and they'll continue to put guards/forwards who can shoot around him.

Andre Drummond is the best rebounder in the league, is only 26, and the market for him was next to nothing.
 


GopherWeatherGuy said:
I'm excited to see what this team looks like, however I don't think it'll result in too many more wins this season.

As for drafting Oturu, I just don't see it happening. The big PF/C who struggle shooting from the outside are a dying breed. Look at most of the successful teams who are rolling with one big man, and a combo of small forwards and guards. Towns is our big man, and they'll continue to put guards/forwards who can shoot around him.

Andre Drummond is the best rebounder in the league, is only 26, and the market for him was next to nothing.
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Daniel is not going to be a struggling outside shooter. He already shoots the 3 at 31% and he is terrific in the mid range as well. His improvement rate is off the charts. He may not be the guy for the TWolves but I think he is going to be a great player in the league and you are right it could be as a 4 or a 5. Towns, by comparison shot 8 three pointers in his frosh year at Kty. He made 2. Who knew how good he would be from the outside? Obviously the scouts projected his potential.
 

Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez could play big roles for Wolves, too

Beasley is a shooter whose numbers have usually grown more efficient as he's played more minutes. Hernangomez's versatility on defense should be a huge plus for the Wolves. Both were first-round picks in the 2016 draft — Hernangomez was the No. 15 overall pick, Beasley No. 19 — and both will be restricted free agents after a 32-game audition here.

"We believe in those guys," Rosas said of Beasley and Hernangomez. "We've studied them pretty deep, even from the draft before they came into the league. They come from a very successful program. They have a level of talent that we needed in our program. And they have a fit to our system. We needed another guard, in Malik, who can attack the basket, that can shoot but is a two-way guy, who has the physical tools [on defense] that we didn't have at that position."

Hernangomez?

"He is what we want our power forwards to be," Rosas said. "He needs to continue to improve his shooting, but his running the floor, his offensive rebounding, his ability to space the floor in different ways, his versatility to play different positions defensive, these are things we value.''

Hernangomez was a 40.7% shooter from three-point range as a rookie before those numbers dropped off. He is a steady rebounder who can also distribute the ball..

www.startribune.com

Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez could play big roles for Wolves, too

D'Angelo Russell is the headliner, but he's not the only key new Wolves player.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 

The Biggest Questions for the 11 Teams That Made Major Deadline Trades

Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves didn’t just land their white whale in D’Angelo Russell. They have an entirely new team. They acquired six players (Russell, Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangómez, James Johnson, and Jarred Vanderbilt) this week and shipped off just as many (Andrew Wiggins, Robert Covington, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh, Keita Bates-Diop, and Gorgui Dieng).

Russell is the obvious headliner. Minnesota was desperately searching for an All-Star-caliber point guard to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns. Now they added a player who also happens to be close friends with the franchise big man.

The two are a great foundation for the Wolves on offense. Towns is a one-of-a-kind 7-footer who can score from all over the floor, while Russell is the rare guard who can create his own shot, shoot 3s, and distribute the ball.

But basketball is played on two ends of the court. The Wolves’ young cornerstones have both been horrible on defense this season. The team has to find ways to create lineups that give the two enough space to operate on offense while still protecting them on defense.

Beasley is the most important player in their new supporting cast. He’s a reliable 3-point shooter with the athleticism and ballhandling ability to be an effective secondary scorer. He can fill it up if given the opportunity, but he will have to prove he can find a balance between hunting for his own shot and moving the ball while becoming a more consistent defender.

How the Wolves fill out the rest of their lineup is less clear. They have four options for two spots: Hernangómez, Johnson, and two holdovers in Josh Okogie and Jarrett Culver (the no. 6 overall pick in this year’s draft).

Hernangómez is the cleanest fit. He’s a glue guy who should be able to plug in holes on defense and stay out of the way on offense.

The other three are variations of the same type of player—long and athletic defenders with playmaking ability and questionable jumpers. Johnson provides the most size and experience of the bunch. But he’s coming off an uneven tenure in Miami, where he couldn’t maintain the trust of the coaching staff. Culver has struggled mightily while transitioning from an NCAA wing to an NBA point guard. Russell’s addition will allow him to move back to his more natural position, but he may not shoot well enough to keep defenses honest in an off-ball role. Okogie, whose promising defense in his first two seasons was overshadowed by his shaky shooting, has the same issue.

Minnesota finally has their centerpieces in Towns and Russell. Now the process of churning the roster around them begins.

www.theringer.com

The Biggest Questions for the 11 Teams That Made Major Deadline Trades

Will the Heat’s new makeover work? Can the Rockets pull off extreme small ball? And what exactly are the Cavs and Pistons doing? We examine the biggest lineup questions following the trade deadline.
www.theringer.com www.theringer.com
 

Holy shit. Who the hell are these guys? Leading the Clippers by 22 at the half, and they scored 81 points??? And that's without Russell.

Might have to tune in the rest of the season!
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Holy shit. Who the hell are these guys? Leading the Clippers by 22 at the half, and they scored 81 points??? And that's without Russell.

Might have to tune in the rest of the season!
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AMAZING first half and start of the second! WOW!

Howl Wolves!!
 


As expected, Wolves win 142-115 and finish with 26 3s, one behind the NBA record.

Howl Wolves!!
 

per Shooter:

Timberwolves basketball president Gersson Rosas should be NBA executive of the year, simply for finding a suitor (Golden State) on which to dump Andrew Wiggins.

One prominent insider said Rosas “heisted” the Warriors. He added, though, that D’Angelo Russell, acquired for Wiggins, isn’t the Wolves’ answer.

“But at least Russell wants to play,” he said.

It was Russell, by the way, as a freshman guard for Ohio State five years ago, scoring 27 points — 25 in the first half — in the Buckeyes’ 74-72 overtime victory over the Gophers at Williams Arena. Minnesota double-teamed Russell the second half.

www.twincities.com

Charley Walters: These Twins will win another hundred in 2020

The signing of slugger Josh Donaldson two weeks ago probably made the Minnesota Twins the second-best club in the American League, behind only the New York Yankees, heading into spring training thi…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

Souhan: D'Angelo Russell, a mixed bag, arrives ... and takes night off

Saturday, they finally got to show off the object of their affections, but Russell was held out because of a quad contusion, delaying for at least a few days the process of answering the biggest question regarding their maneuverings:

How good is he?

Russell is a gifted scorer who can handle the ball, making him an attractive modern point guard. He can run the pick-and-roll, which could create new options for his most important teammate, Karl-Anthony Towns.

He’s close with Towns, and relationships matter in a league where the stars can orchestrate player movement as effectively as general managers, and he fills a position at which the Wolves have spent their entire franchise history searching for long-term solutions.

Russell is entertaining and talented and young and still promising, so he fits what the Wolves are trying to do.

But the Wolves aren’t looking for a fit. They’re looking for a fixture. Russell, to date, has been anything but.

www.startribune.com

D'Angelo Russell, a mixed bag, arrives ... and takes night off

Star guard's arrival brings promise, wariness, weirdness and a night off a lot less defense ... and a night off
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

What was this feeling, with three-pointers falling, a point guard making dynamic plays and a crowd that was energized on its feet multiple times?

Why does it feel so foreign, and who are these guys anyway?

A different team took the floor for the Timberwolves at a soldout Target Center on Saturday night against the Clippers in a 142-115 win than took the floor Wednesday against Atlanta. That’s both literally and figuratively.

That was a group that had lost 13 straight games and seemingly forgot how to win. Three trades and eight new players later, there was a totally different vibe for a franchise in needs of a change. They remembered how to win.

It might just be the adrenaline rush that comes from such a massive change, but for a night it looked like all the pieces fit – and the biggest one, D’Angelo Russell, didn’t even play.

Malik Beasley lit nets on fire. James Johnson provided a healthy dollop of defense and had an efficient offensive night while holdover Jordan McLaughlin, when given the keys at starting point guard, was a dynamic playmaker off the dribble for a Wolves team that won its first game since Jan. 9. That’s in name only. This new-look Wolves team won its first game together against a championship contender with its bug guns playing while Russell sat this one out because of a right quad contusion.

The Wolves and the crowd couldn’t contain themselves. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and plenty of celebrations on the bench as his new teammates did some noteworthy things..

www.startribune.com

New-look Timberwolves have record-setting night, smashing Clippers and 13-game losing streak

Even with D'Angelo Russell sitting out, the Wolves scored a team-record 81 points in the first half on its way to a 142-115 victory. "We showed ourselves tonight," Karl-Anthony Towns said.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 

Timberwolves' D'Angelo Russell filming newest chapter of his NBA story

Friends reunited


Russell and Towns have known each other since high school, back when Towns said Russell beat Towns in a game his team should have won, to hear Towns tell it. According to Towns, his team “ran out of gas.”

It was around that time that their friendship formed, one that carried through their one year of college and the draft process before both entered the NBA as the Nos. 1 and 2 picks of the 2015 draft.

“It’s surreal to really think that instead of us just talking on the phone or playing video games with each other and talking about how our teams are doing and everything, but now we’re getting to do this every day with each other,” Towns said. “He’s never just been a friend of mine. He’s been a brother of mine. Our families are so intertwined and connected. It’s going to be real fun to be able to be out there with someone I call not only my brother but is more like blood to me.”

This new reality, one that both have wanted for years, was still setting in for both on Friday.

“We talked about it. We joked about it,” Russell said. “We laughed about it in the summer time. Any time we were going to dinners, we were kicking jokes about it. For it to come true like this, it’s a dream come true.”

www.startribune.com

D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns: From video game rivals to playing in the NBA together

Buildup is 'surreal' as Russell joins pal Towns for a new NBA chapter
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
 


JimmyJamesMD said:
I'm most excited to see how Beasley and Spellman do
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Not sure what the deal was with Spellman but so far at least, your Beasley call was dead on. :giggle:

"Malik Beasley set Target Center ablaze as he launched — and connected — on one triple after another in Minnesota’s stunning 142-115 blowout of the Los Angeles Clippers in the first game featuring these new-look Wolves.

The flame thrower acquired this week from Denver scored 23 points on the strength of seven triples to go with 10 rebounds, good for his first double-double.

The highlight of it all came late in the second quarter, when he scorched one of the supposed NBA title favorites for 11 points in a span of 78 seconds.

“I was in the zone. I couldn’t see anybody or hear anybody, and it just felt good,” Beasley said.

When was the last time the Wolves had anyone capable of that kind of offensive output?

So much of the talk the past two days centered on the acquisition of Russell — a 2019 all-star and Minnesota’s new point guard of the future. The moves to get Beasley, James Johnson, Juancho Hernangomez and others almost became footnote.."

www.twincities.com

Malik Beasley lights Target Center on fire as new-look Timberwolves shock Clippers

A prodigious young guard made his Timberwolves debut on Saturday night at Target Center, ignited a previously dejected fan base and showed a glimpse of what could be a star in the making. And his n…
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com
 
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