All Things 2022 Minnesota Timberwolves Off-Season Thread

Donate To GopherHole
short ornery norwegian said:
here's the thing:

if the Wolves want to be a serious Title contender, Towns is probably the #3 guy of your "big 3."
if Ant is the #1, that means they need a #2.

and no, don't say Jayden McDaniels - he is a perfect #4 guy, but he's not a 'big 3' level player.

so somehow, the Wolves need to go out and find a player who is better than Towns, and close to Ant. If that's a PG, great. If not, then they still need a PG. (assuming DLo is gone.)
Click to expand...
That’s why they need to give the max to Jake Layman.
 

Iceland12 said:
"The "redemption ark" talk not only is about the contract but his time on the Wolves."

You missed the point. If Wiggins came to the Warriors, with the same history, but from a team that had been winning rather than a terrible team like the Wolves, and performed as he did with Warriors, there would be no "redemption ark". His past would barely have been mentioned.

"Your list of players includes other awful contracts (people who have almost no value because of their contracts) and people who are considerably better than Andrew Wiggins but probably still don't deserve the max"

Yeah, that WAS the point. That's why he was in there. Though doubt he'll get the max again.
Click to expand...
Well yeah, but we aren't talking about the redemption arc of any of those other players. Most of the players are meh players on awful contracts (exactly like Wiggins). Wiggins just happened to be one of those players on a great team.

As to the redemption arc talk in general, I get the history. There are also a slew of other factors (former #1 overall pick with tons of hype, big empty numbers, etc.). But that's kind of my point too.

With the Wolves, he was a meh player on an awful contract playing for an awful franchise. With the Warriors, he is a meh player on an awful contract playing for a great franchise. The only thing that changed was the franchise.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
here's the thing:

if the Wolves want to be a serious Title contender, Towns is probably the #3 guy of your "big 3."
if Ant is the #1, that means they need a #2.

and no, don't say Jayden McDaniels - he is a perfect #4 guy, but he's not a 'big 3' level player.

so somehow, the Wolves need to go out and find a player who is better than Towns, and close to Ant. If that's a PG, great. If not, then they still need a PG. (assuming DLo is gone.)
Click to expand...
If Ant actually becomes a better player than KAT (which certainly seems possible), I'm not sure if we need another big addition (not that I would be opposed).

I love Ant and when he's on, he's really good. If he improves in year 3 the amount he improved in year 2, that's one of the better teams in the West.

I think the bigger question is if KAT is the right #2. You aren't going to have two players on a team who are better offensively than KAT.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
If Ant actually becomes a better player than KAT (which certainly seems possible), I'm not sure if we need another big addition (not that I would be opposed).

I love Ant and when he's on, he's really good. If he improves in year 3 the amount he improved in year 2, that's one of the better teams in the West.

I think the bigger question is if KAT is the right #2. You aren't going to have two players on a team who are better offensively than KAT.
Click to expand...

I don't agree that KAT is the right #2, and we saw why in the playoffs this season. You're right about his offensive skills, there is not a better offensive PF/C in the league. Does that win you championships in today's NBA? That answer is more no than yes.

KAT will be 27 in November and is who he is. He's showing signs of breaking down already, and yet people are begging the Wolves to sign him to 50-60+ million per year into his 30s. He's only 2.5 years younger than Anthony Davis, and not as good of a player, do you think the Lakers are happy to have his contract for another 3 years at a bargain of ~40 million per year compared to what Towns would be?
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I don't agree that KAT is the right #2, and we saw why in the playoffs this season. You're right about his offensive skills, there is not a better offensive PF/C in the league. Does that win you championships in today's NBA? That answer is more no than yes.

KAT will be 27 in November and is who he is. He's showing signs of breaking down already, and yet people are begging the Wolves to sign him to 50-60+ million per year into his 30s. He's only 2.5 years younger than Anthony Davis, and not as good of a player, do you think the Lakers are happy to have his contract for another 3 years at a bargain of ~40 million per year compared to what Towns would be?
Click to expand...
Yep, I agree. I don't think KAT is the right #2.

I just mean that I didn't think it was likely we would add another big piece in addition to KAT rather we'd move on from KAT to find the new #2.

Totally unrelated, would you roll the dice on Kyrie Irving? We've supposedly been named in his teams he'd be traded to and it likely wouldn't take a ton to get it done. Russell and a 2nd for Irving? I probably wouldn't roll the dice because it would involve (likely) maxing Irving and he's an incredibly unlikeable player. But maybe. . .
 


It is NBA Draft week, and for the first time in ages, the Timberwolves sit outside the lottery with the No. 19 pick in the first round. They also have three picks in the second round, including a good one at No. 40, giving them a lot of flexibility heading into the show Thursday night..

Jon Krawczynski: Well, Sam, Minnesota does have 10,000 lakes, but we are in uncharted waters here in June. The Wolves are not in the lottery! And not because they made a bad decision on pick protections in a trade that looks worse by the day, but because they were actually pretty good this season!

Most Wolves fans (and maybe a Wolves writer or two) are used to examining some of the top prospects in the draft, well-known names with big expectations. This year, Minnesota has the 19th pick in the first round, so it takes more than a casual consumption of March Madness to identify some of the prospects to watch for when the Wolves come on the clock.

That’s where you come in.

First off, could you give us a lay of the land of this draft in terms of talent in the 15-30 range? Around these parts, we obviously know Chet Holmgren well. We’ve seen Jaden Ivey and Keegan Murray in Big Ten play. Those guys are going to be long gone by the time the Wolves are picking. How do you see the depth in this draft playing out?

Sam Vecenie: Yeah, that’s a great question, Jon. I have a fairly large tier from No. 10 to No. 21; then, I have another larger tier of players from No. 22 all the way down deep into the 40s. Having said that, I’m not necessarily an enormous fan of the area of the draft the Wolves are in, and I don’t hate the idea of them exploring a trade down or a trade out, depending on who is available and what potential offers would look like. Just last season, the Rockets moved two future first-round picks for the No. 16 pick, a similar spot to this one. If a team is enamored with a single player — like the Rockets were last year with Alperen Şengün — and offers a deal that allows the Wolves to pick up real future value, I’d be more willing than I normally am to move out of this area of the draft. I’d also be willing to attach this pick to deals for the right rotational veterans.

For what it’s worth, we do have some evidence that teams in the back half of the first round are willing to move around. Already, we’ve seen picks No. 26 and No. 30 move, and there is a good chance a few more will move in the coming days. I’m not really a fan of calling a draft “good” or “bad,” because people evaluating on the team side really only have to find one guy they like, get that decision right and the draft can be a staggering success for them. But I do think evaluators on the team side have some more questions with this draft than they did with last year’s..

theathletic.com

Wolves on the clock: Looking at Nos. 19 and 40, trades and more

The Timberwolves' first pick Thursday lies outside the lottery, and they have three picks in the second round, including No. 40.
theathletic.com theathletic.com
 

Wolves supposedly interested in acquiring Clint cappella!

Thoughts?
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Yep, I agree. I don't think KAT is the right #2.

I just mean that I didn't think it was likely we would add another big piece in addition to KAT rather we'd move on from KAT to find the new #2.

Totally unrelated, would you roll the dice on Kyrie Irving? We've supposedly been named in his teams he'd be traded to and it likely wouldn't take a ton to get it done. Russell and a 2nd for Irving? I probably wouldn't roll the dice because it would involve (likely) maxing Irving and he's an incredibly unlikeable player. But maybe. . .
Click to expand...

Irving is a better player when he plays, but I'd rather have one more year of DLo than several more years with Irving. He's also 4 years older than DLo.
 

kg21 said:
Wolves supposedly interested in acquiring Clint cappella!

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
As with everything, it depends upon the price.

If it's something like Beasley, Naz Reid and one of our seconds. Sure. I'm not sure they would have any interest in Beasley because they already have Bogdanovich, Huerter, and Lou Williams. Maybe PatBev, Naz Reid and a 2nd?

I'm guessing it would require our first and in that case I'd pass. He is a really large man with some history of leg injuries who makes like a lot of money the next 4 seasons. I don't want to give up too much to take that risk.
 




19. Minnesota Timberwolves – Malaki Branham | 6-5 wing | Ohio State | 19 years old​

Biggest need: Playmaker in the backcourt, big man depth, 3-and-D wings.

Might be a bit of a reach for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but Malaki Branham is a really exception scorer. He’s a killer in the pick-and-roll, and he can shoot off the dribble. His attacking closeouts off the catch when the defense swarms Karl-Anthony Towns or Anthony Edwards is a nightmare for defenses. I like his projection as a playmaker for others more than I like his projection as a defender at the NBA level, but I’m pretty high on Branham. He’s a gunner and a scorer and my kind of player. Sometimes we don’t value scorers enough in this era of … well … scoring.

Do you expect a trade here? I think the Wolves keep this pick unless they can use it in a trade of D’Angelo Russell to bring in a significant third piece to this team.

theathletic.com

2022 NBA Mock Draft: Zach Harper makes his picks for Thursday night

It's draft week, and the hopes and dreams of many players, execs and fans will be realized Thursday night.
theathletic.com theathletic.com
 

POWER FORWARD​

Why the need? Jarred Vanderbilt was fantastic at the starting four spot for large chunks of last season. His defensive intensity and high-energy plays swung games and helped set the tone for the team’s all-around improvement in areas that lead to winning.

But Vanderbilt did seem to wear down at times and wasn’t always Chris Finch’s preferred fit in certain lineups. He just turned 23 years old, so it might not be fair to put a lid on his growth, but Vanderbilt’s playing style and current offensive limitations may be better suited to averaging 20 minutes a game off the bench..

Possible picks: Ohio State’s EJ Liddell, LSU’s Tari Eason, Serbia’s Nikola Jovic.

CENTER​

Why the need? The Timberwolves could use a big center for a couple reasons. No. 1, Naz Reid continues to evolve into a skilled offensive player who seems to become more athletic with each passing season. But he’s also undersized and, thus, overmatched against certain opponents. Minnesota had few counters when those situations arose last season, so adding some type of more traditional big makes sense.

But if the move is simply to add a backup center, that might make more sense as a veteran acquisition through trade or free-agent signing..There also is the possibility that Minnesota could change philosophies under Connelly and push Karl-Anthony Towns down to power forward..

Possible picks: Duke’s Mark Williams, Auburn’s Walker Kessler

PLAYMAKER​

Why the need? While D’Angelo Russell’s future in Minnesota remains a relative unknown heading into this offseason, that doesn’t have much to do with this need. The Timberwolves were on the hunt for an additional playmaker as recently as the trade deadline.

The easiest way to break down a defense in any situation is having players who can attack the rim off the bounce. Anthony Edwards is elite at doing just that when he wants to, but outside of the star wing, Minnesota has few other options. Jaylen Nowell has those capabilities but hasn’t been able to carve out a full-time role in Minnesota’s rotation...

Possible picks: Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley, Kentucky’s TyTy Washington, Ohio State’s Malaki Branham, Santa Clara’s Jalen Williams.

www.twincities.com

NBA Draft: Timberwolves have roster needs. Can they fill one in the draft?

Heading into Thursday night’s NBA Draft, the Wolves hold the No. 19 overall pick.
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com
 





Neal: Timberwolves should do whatever it takes to get Duke's Mark Williams in NBA draft

If the Wolves, indeed, want Karl-Anthony Towns to spend more time at power forward in coach Chris Finch's offense, that means they would need a center.

And I have one for them.

He's Duke's former big man, ACC defensive player of the year Mark Williams. He would fit nicely into the Wolves lineup. And yes, that would mean those of you who have held a grudge against Mike Krzyzewski's teams (except when Tyus or Tre Jones were there) would have to get used to another Dukie in Wolves colors.

But the potential payoff — helping the Wolves rise up the list of Western Conference powers — would be worth it.

As of this writing, Clint Capela, whom the Wolves reportedly fancy, remains with Atlanta. Williams is a cheaper solution, and indications are that he has fans among Wolves leadership. So they should go get their man on Thursday night during the NBA draft.

It will be a little tricky, as most mock drafts have him going a few picks before the Wolves' selection at 19. Center-needy Charlotte, with the 13th and 15th picks, is the likely destination in most of these predictions. For Williams to drop down to 19, Memphis big Jalen Duren, a top 10 pick in a couple of mock drafts, would have to slide down to Charlotte.

Most likely, the Wolves might have to offer to swap picks — dangling one or two of their three second-round picks as sweeteners — to move up in the draft to reel in Williams. That's a move they should make.

www.startribune.com

Timberwolves should do whatever it takes to get Duke's Mark Williams in NBA draft

These young Wolves need a big man. Karl-Anthony Towns can play power forward. The need is clear, the choice is clear. Make it happen, Tim Connelly.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Neal: Timberwolves should do whatever it takes to get Duke's Mark Williams in NBA draft

If the Wolves, indeed, want Karl-Anthony Towns to spend more time at power forward in coach Chris Finch's offense, that means they would need a center.

And I have one for them.

He's Duke's former big man, ACC defensive player of the year Mark Williams. He would fit nicely into the Wolves lineup. And yes, that would mean those of you who have held a grudge against Mike Krzyzewski's teams (except when Tyus or Tre Jones were there) would have to get used to another Dukie in Wolves colors.

But the potential payoff — helping the Wolves rise up the list of Western Conference powers — would be worth it.

As of this writing, Clint Capela, whom the Wolves reportedly fancy, remains with Atlanta. Williams is a cheaper solution, and indications are that he has fans among Wolves leadership. So they should go get their man on Thursday night during the NBA draft.

It will be a little tricky, as most mock drafts have him going a few picks before the Wolves' selection at 19. Center-needy Charlotte, with the 13th and 15th picks, is the likely destination in most of these predictions. For Williams to drop down to 19, Memphis big Jalen Duren, a top 10 pick in a couple of mock drafts, would have to slide down to Charlotte.

Most likely, the Wolves might have to offer to swap picks — dangling one or two of their three second-round picks as sweeteners — to move up in the draft to reel in Williams. That's a move they should make.

www.startribune.com

Timberwolves should do whatever it takes to get Duke's Mark Williams in NBA draft

These young Wolves need a big man. Karl-Anthony Towns can play power forward. The need is clear, the choice is clear. Make it happen, Tim Connelly.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
Click to expand...
Dumb take by him.
 


19. Minnesota​

TyTy Washington Jr., Kentucky, guard, 6-3, 197, freshman

A good table-setter who can initiate the offense and create shots for others, Washington has the passing instincts and vision to potentially flourish in the spread pick-and-roll sets that are a big part of NBA offenses. D’Angelo Russell’s future with the Timberwolves is uncertain, especially with president of basketball operations Tim Connelly new to the job.

USA TODAY Sports’ NBA mock draft
 

19T-WolvesTyTy WashingtonPG – Kentucky – HT: 6-3 3/4 – WT: 196 – WING: 6-8 – Fr – TyTy was banged up late in the season but looked like a top 10 pick before that. This would be great value here.

nbadraftroom.com

2022 NBA Mock Draft - NBA Draft Room

Full 2022 NBA Mock Draft, 2 rounds - Overall a very solid group of prospects for the 2022 draft, with a couple of future stars at the top
nbadraftroom.com nbadraftroom.com
 

2022 NBA Mock Draft: 19. Dalen Terry, Minnesota Timberwolves​

School: Arizona

Height: 6’7″

Dalen Terry’s flashy athleticism, solid playmaking ability, and high upside defensively would immediately bring value to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Terry mostly played point guard for Arizona but also spent minutes on the wing due to his versatility and seven-foot wingspan. His non-stop energy, high motor, and winning mentality along with his two-way skill set could be exactly what the Timberwolves need at the guard position.

hoopshabit.com

2022 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Final first-round predictions and analysis

As we inch closer to the draft, we dive into a full first-round 2022 NBA Mock Draft with reasoning and analysis for each pick.
hoopshabit.com hoopshabit.com
 

SB Nation Blogger Mock Draft: Timberwolves Select F Nikola Jović at No. 19​


Jović — who just turned 19 this month and is the sixth-youngest prospect among those in the consensus top 50 rankings — measured at 6-feet-11, 223 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan at last month’s NBA Combine in Chicago, and that pops on film.

The Mega Bemax (Serbia) product is a knockdown perimeter shooter who possesses good footwork, a great, consistent shot motion and deep range. Jović shot 35.6% on 4.7 3s per game and, frankly, I would be surprised if he doesn’t improve upon this with improved shot selection at the next level. He is comfortable running off screens to quickly catch-and-fire triples, commonly shoots right over the top of contesting defenders in traditional C&S situations, and is capable of setting up 3s with basic dribble combos that keep bigger wings off balance. His shooting talent is undoubtedly NBA-caliber..

www.canishoopus.com

SB Nation Blogger Mock Draft: Timberwolves Select F Nikola Jović at No. 19

Minnesota gets bigger on the wing, while adding shooting and secondary playmaking in our masthead 2022 NBA Mock Draft.
www.canishoopus.com www.canishoopus.com
 

"The Timberwolves welcomed an exorbitant number of prospects to their practice facility over the past few weeks while Connelly and his first front office additions, Matt Lloyd and Dell Demps, got acclimated to their new surroundings and worked with the existing front office.

Connelly is excited for Thursday, draft night, one of the few nights where non-self involved top executives feel as though they’re actually doing something.

“The staff’s been amazing. Those guys and girls have done an awesome job of getting me up to speed. Finch and his staff have been great giving me a sense of where we are and what we need to do to improve and some of the options we might have,” Connelly said..

“We’ve had countless conversations about using that pick to add a more quickly impactful piece, but 99 percent of these conversations are just theoretical, we’ll see if they’re actionable,” he said.

“It’s hard to get trades done,” he added. “It’s a lot of different motivations, there’s a lot of fear involved with trades. I think teams can be a bit overly cognizant of winning or losing a trade. But it’s like the players, if your team is better, you win the trade.”

The Wolves also could address their needs through other avenues, such as free agency or trading veteran players. If so, Minnesota can simply select the player they feel is the best available when it’s on the clock Thursday. That’s what the best teams do, a luxury the Wolves may now be afforded.

“I think the biggest mistake we could make is passing on a guy because of where we are presently and we look up a year or two from now and the guy is a special player,” Connelly said..

www.twincities.com

Timberwolves enter draft with flexibility and options — a rare luxury

After making the postseason with a young team last season, the Wolves have options on draft night Thursday.
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com
 

19. Minnesota Timberwolves​

Walker Kessler | 7-1 center | 20 years old | Auburn

I was eyeing Liddell until Darnell swooped in and got him. Jalen Williams and Eason were intriguing as well, but both are gone. If the Wolves end up trading D’Angelo Russell, I think Kentucky’s TyTy Washington is a candidate to go here. But in the end, the Wolves are one of the smallest teams in the league with a real need for rebounding and rim protection. Kessler is huge, giving them a different dimension in the frontcourt and a player who was the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year.

People will question Kessler’s fit next to Karl-Anthony Towns, but KAT has played next to centers several times in his career, including Gorgui Dieng, Taj Gibson and Jarred Vanderbilt, the last two who may have been listed at power forward but played like centers in Minnesota. I’ve heard Kessler impressed in a workout in Minnesota, so I lean that way. Bigs generally are not valued as much in the league these days, so I can see arguments for Dalen Terry, MarJon Beauchamp or Malaki Branham as well. —Jon Krawczynski

theathletic.com

Jabari Smith Jr., Chet Holmgren lead the way as reporters make first-round draft picks

The Athletic's NBA team got together to make picks for the first round. Who goes higher than expected, and who slides down the board?
theathletic.com theathletic.com
 






We get 22 and 29 for giving up pick 19.

I wonder if something more is coming.
 
Last edited:


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom