All Things Minnesota Timberwolves 2022-2023 In-Season Thread

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kg21 said:
That was the whole point.....trying to develop his game and body. He's played in Iowa quite a bit.

He'd be a great bench guy for energy, etc.

Hell, his 10 rebounds last night is 4 games worth for McDaniels.
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They've spent more time "developing" Garza than Minott. Of course the wolves will spin that Minott is their 1st round pick next year.

Minott has played eight games in Iowa this season. I'm not sure he played much more than eight minutes up here prior to the previous two games. As I said, he's as skinny as the day they drafted him. Everything I've stated is hardly development. That's unfortunate because it's obvious that Minott has upside, something they desperately need with all of the sunk costs in the Gobert trade.
 




JimmyJamesMD said:
Anyone think wolves make another move? They have to at least cut one person.

Wouldnt be surprised to see Naz, Prince, or Nowell get traded. Forbes will probably be the guy that gets waived if thats the route they go
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there it is. Bummer, was looking forward to another trade.

Edit: GWG beat me to punch on Forbes
 


JimmyJamesMD said:
Anyone think wolves make another move? They have to at least cut one person.

Wouldnt be surprised to see Naz, Prince, or Nowell get traded. Forbes will probably be the guy that gets waived if thats the route they go
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I think they'd like to move on from Nowell and would take just about anything.

I think Naz could be had with the right offer but we are not desperate to move him.

Prince could be a contract to throw into a deal to make it work (either Nowell or Naz).

If Naz isn't moved, I think there is a 50/50 chance they resign him. If he's really only asking for $10 million, that checks out for a guy with Naz's skill.
 

1:55 p.m. ET: The Golden State Warriors are trading former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons for Saddiq Bey, a source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wiseman played just 60 games in three seasons since being drafted by the Warriors in 2020. Bey is on the way to the Atlanta Hawks in a multi-team trade, a source tells Wojnarowski.

1:52 p.m. ET: The Denver Nuggets are trading Bones Hyland to the LA Clippers, a source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Hyland, the No. 26 pick in the 2021 draft, was averaging 12.1 points per game for Denver this season.

2:20 p.m. ET: The Orlando Magic are trading big man Mo Bamba to the Los Angeles Lakers for guard Patrick Beverley, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.



www.espn.com

2023 NBA trade deadline: Latest buzz, news and reports

What are our experts hearing leading up to Thursday's NBA trade deadline? We have the latest.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
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Bob_Loblaw said:
I think they'd like to move on from Nowell and would take just about anything.

I think Naz could be had with the right offer but we are not desperate to move him.

Prince could be a contract to throw into a deal to make it work (either Nowell or Naz).

If Naz isn't moved, I think there is a 50/50 chance they resign him. If he's really only asking for $10 million, that checks out for a guy with Naz's skill.
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I like the sound of $10 million. I'd sign him to five years for that.
 

Iceland12 said:
1:55 p.m. ET: The Golden State Warriors are trading former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons for Saddiq Bey, a source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wiseman played just 60 games in three seasons since being drafted by the Warriors in 2020. Bey is on the way to the Atlanta Hawks in a multi-team trade, a source tells Wojnarowski.

1:52 p.m. ET: The Denver Nuggets are trading Bones Hyland to the LA Clippers, a source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Hyland, the No. 26 pick in the 2021 draft, was averaging 12.1 points per game for Denver this season.

2:20 p.m. ET: The Orlando Magic are trading big man Mo Bamba to the Los Angeles Lakers for guard Patrick Beverley, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.



www.espn.com

2023 NBA trade deadline: Latest buzz, news and reports

What are our experts hearing leading up to Thursday's NBA trade deadline? We have the latest.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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It sounds like Pat Bev will be bought out by the Magic. We'd have to make room for him, but I'd definitely take him back.
 



jamiche said:
They've spent more time "developing" Garza than Minott. Of course the wolves will spin that Minott is their 1st round pick next year.

Minott has played eight games in Iowa this season. I'm not sure he played much more than eight minutes up here prior to the previous two games. As I said, he's as skinny as the day they drafted him. Everything I've stated is hardly development. That's unfortunate because it's obvious that Minott has upside, something they desperately need with all of the sunk costs in the Gobert trade.
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They've had to play Garza due to Towns being out. If Towns were in, you'd barely know Garza exists.

Prediction............Minott plays way more minutes than Garza next year.
 

kg21 said:
They've had to play Garza due to Towns being out. If Towns were in, you'd barely know Garza exists.

Prediction............Minott plays way more minutes than Garza next year.
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He'll probably play as much or more as Wendall Moore too (our actual 1st round pick).
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
It sounds like Pat Bev will be bought out by the Magic. We'd have to make room for him, but I'd definitely take him back.
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I've seen "insiders" on Twitter in the last hour stating that the Wolves "are working" to bring Pat Bev back - and I've also seen "insiders" stating that "the Wolves have no interest" in bringing Pat Bev back.

If I have this right, the Wolves would have to cut or waive someone to create a roster spot. that could be the hang-up.

BTW, with Mo Bamba going to the Lakers, we could have a Mo Bamba-Austin Rivers rematch at Target Center later this year. the PPV rights on that one could be huge.
 




short ornery norwegian said:
I've seen "insiders" on Twitter in the last hour stating that the Wolves "are working" to bring Pat Bev back - and I've also seen "insiders" stating that "the Wolves have no interest" in bringing Pat Bev back.

If I have this right, the Wolves would have to cut or waive someone to create a roster spot. that could be the hang-up.

BTW, with Mo Bamba going to the Lakers, we could have a Mo Bamba-Austin Rivers rematch at Target Center later this year. the PPV rights on that one could be huge.
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Yeah, I saw Doogie tweet something stupid about PatBev. He makes me cringe.

First he tweets that PatBev coming back is in the works and pushes to Dane Moore. Then he replies to Marc Stein about him not coming back. I don't mind those tweets, but he is acting like they are colleagues sharing information. They aren't, he is just retweeting them.

Yeah, it'll come down to if they value PatBev enough more than Austin Rivers to justify cutting Rivers. Rivers might be inclined to take a low buyout because I believe the Clippers have a spot for him.

We'll see.
 

jamiche said:
They've spent more time "developing" Garza than Minott. Of course the wolves will spin that Minott is their 1st round pick next year.

Minott has played eight games in Iowa this season. I'm not sure he played much more than eight minutes up here prior to the previous two games. As I said, he's as skinny as the day they drafted him. Everything I've stated is hardly development. That's unfortunate because it's obvious that Minott has upside, something they desperately need with all of the sunk costs in the Gobert trade.
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Garza's time has more to do with Towns and Gobert's injuries than anything else. Plus he's 24. Minott was just drafted 8 months ago and is only 20. It's not like wiry 20 year olds can just add weight at the snap of the fingers. It takes a lot more time for some guys to fill out, he can't even get a drink at a bar yet.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I find it really odd that the Jazz gave up Beasley, Conley, Vanderbilt, NAW and a bunch of 2nds for Westbrook and protected first round pick.

Not to be conspiratorial, but it just seems strange that the Lakers were able to turn Westbrook and a protected first into role players that will actually help them and DLo. DLo is a much better player than Westbrook and also on an expiring contract.
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It does seem awfully convenient :unsure:
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Garza's time has more to do with Towns and Gobert's injuries than anything else. Plus he's 24. Minott was just drafted 8 months ago and is only 20. It's not like wiry 20 year olds can just add weight at the snap of the fingers. It takes a lot more time for some guys to fill out, he can't even get a drink at a bar yet.
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Any college, or pro athlete, can get a drink at a bar, but he is young. Better already than I expected too.
 

The Ringer:

Winner: Minnesota Timberwolves​


D’Angelo Russell is a talented offensive player who occasionally tiptoes up to star-level production. What he’s good at—shooting!—gets noticed by fans, media members, etc., because it’s tangible and important.

But Russell is not a star, far removed from his one breakout season in Brooklyn where he actually made the All-Star team. Even during this ongoing career-best season, in all metrics that mark efficiency, he’s still a minus in pretty much every other way.

Minnesota’s net rating with Russell on the court is minus-1.6 this season. When he’s not on the floor, the Timberwolves are a team-high plus-5.1. He’s a bad defender, yes. But he’s also a frustrating one, someone who unnecessarily sows chaos in possessions that are otherwise going fine. He miscommunicates in transition, doesn’t help when he’s supposed to, and fluctuates from turnstile to someone willing to get down in a defensive stance seemingly by chance. Simply put, Russell is unreliable on that side of the ball.

During last year’s first-round series against the Grizzlies—which featured several blown leads for the Wolves—Russell’s defense on Desmond Bane was a catastrophe, and his decision-making in crunch time of Game 5 led to a fourth-quarter benching in Game 6. This shot should be seared into the memory of every Wolves fan who’s upset about losing him to Los Angeles..

Russell will be a free agent this summer too. He’s 26 years old, a former no. 2 overall pick who’s been traded four times in eight years, looking for another long-term pact that some misguided team (maybe the Lakers, if they don’t go after Kyrie Irving instead) will talk themselves into paying.

Mike Conley may be nine years older than Russell, and on its face, this trade can be perceived as a nudge toward prioritizing Rudy Gobert’s extended prime over Anthony Edwards’s ongoing ascension. That’s fair criticism. But Minnesota is far better off having Conley’s steady hand on the steering wheel for the next year or two than prolonging its relationship with Russell, who isn’t a good fit beside Edwards and would see his shot totals blunted once Karl-Anthony Towns returns.

The Wolves have been doing damage control ever since the Gobert trade. All they can do now is not make a bad situation any worse. Alienating Edwards is the worst-case scenario. This move helps them avoid doing that. For now.


www.theringer.com

2023 NBA Trade Deadline Winners and Losers

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving changed teams, the Lakers made a million (meaningless?) moves, and just about every team made a trade. We break down the best and the worst from a wild deadline.
www.theringer.com www.theringer.com
 

John Hollinger, noted Wolves critic, liked it.

The weird part is Minnesota’s end of the deal, which I might like the best. The Wolves got three seconds turning Russell into an arguably better player who makes less. Conley’s age (35) is a concern, and his salary for next season ($24 million unless they waive him) isn’t ideal, but it’s a number the Wolves can handle while still keeping their team together under the tax line. Russell’s impending free agency was potentially more problematic on this front.

Once Towns returns, Conley’s fit is likely cleaner than Russell’s, especially with rising star Anthony Edwards steadily increasing his usage rate. The Wolves may be a bit starved for shooting, but again, Towns offsets a big chunk of that. (Memory lane stat: The 2018-19 Grizzlies were outscored by 2.4 points per 100 possessions on the season and won only 32 games … but were plus-3.4 with Conley and Kyle Anderson on the court together.)

Don’t sleep on the Alexander-Walker piece, by the way — he’s a skilled guard with good size who showed real improvement this year in Utah, with a 60.9 true shooting percentage thanks mostly to vastly improved discretion on when to shoot. Minnesota was desperate for a backup two with size, toggling between Austin Rivers, Bryn Forbes and Jaylen Nowell at various times this season, and Alexander-Walker should be able to fill that role far more ably.
 

SI weighs in

Timberwolves: B-​

Russell probably did not have a ton of value around the league, given his defensive reputation and expiring contract. Conley is a serviceable vet who makes sense next to Edwards. He’s played off the ball with a dynamic guard before, he can space the floor, and he’s an upgrade defensively. His contract is partially guaranteed next year, which means the Wolves can move off him in the summer, dangle his expiring next season, or keep him because he’s a solid fit. And maybe Conley can even coax some better play from Rudy Gobert. Considering signing Russell long-term would have been a bad idea, this was a low-risk play for Minnesota.

Sporting News

Timberwolves trade grade: B​

The Wolves traded Russell for Andrew Wiggins three years ago at the trade deadline. Since then, Wiggins has found a perfect role with the Warriors, and Russell has been more of a mixed bag.

He's had good moments of quarterbacking the Wolves' offense and shot the ball well from beyond the arc. But he's also disappeared from games at times. Russell was slated to be a free agent, so if he wasn't in the Wolves' plans, then it makes sense to move on from him now.

Conley's best days are behind him. Once a top defender, he's lost a step. Still, Conley should give the Wolves more stability. They needed someone who could add more organizing principles, and Conley can do just that. And the draft compensation is a nice bonus.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Garza's time has more to do with Towns and Gobert's injuries than anything else. Plus he's 24. Minott was just drafted 8 months ago and is only 20. It's not like wiry 20 year olds can just add weight at the snap of the fingers. It takes a lot more time for some guys to fill out, he can't even get a drink at a bar yet.
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There have been injuries at the wing positions, too. Agree that 20 year olds burn calories like crazy. (I remember it well.) However, 20 year olds can also get bigger and stronger in the weight room and that's not happening.

My point is that Minott has upside and they should be devoting training, coaching and playing time (G league and NBA) resources to him. He's played eight G league games and he's sat on the end of an NBA bench for 40-50 games. They've given minutes to Matt Ryan and Bryn Forbes over Minott. That's a waste of potential growth.

Garza is Garza. He can contribute. He's also at his ceiling.
 

I think all of the trades at the trade deadline will actually help the wolves. The Suns new owner (who actually owns the team) pulled the same kind of dumbass move as the Wolves' new non owners by giving up way too much for a player past his prime. Durant is amazing, but he's hurt all the time. Chris Paul is 37 or 38 and also hurt a lot. The Suns are now too old and lack depth. Kyri will wear out his welcome in Dallas in about a week. He's not going to want to share the ball with Doncic. The Lakers have improved, but not enough to avoid the play in.

I wish the Wolves hadn't squandered the easy early season schedule. They should be third in the west standings.
 

jamiche said:
I think all of the trades at the trade deadline will actually help the wolves. The Suns new owner (who actually owns the team) pulled the same kind of dumbass move as the Wolves' new non owners by giving up way too much for a player past his prime. Durant is amazing, but he's hurt all the time. Chris Paul is 37 or 38 and also hurt a lot. The Suns are now too old and lack depth. Kyri will wear out his welcome in Dallas in about a week. He's not going to want to share the ball with Doncic. The Lakers have improved, but not enough to avoid the play in.

I wish the Wolves hadn't squandered the easy early season schedule. They should be third in the west standings.
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They've played 4 more games than Memphis and Sacramento at this point. The problem is that they had "easy" games into those extra games and they threw away a handful of wins with awful efforts. They'll have more days off down the stretch than those teams, but the schedule is tough.
 

jamiche said:
I think all of the trades at the trade deadline will actually help the wolves. The Suns new owner (who actually owns the team) pulled the same kind of dumbass move as the Wolves' new non owners by giving up way too much for a player past his prime. Durant is amazing, but he's hurt all the time. Chris Paul is 37 or 38 and also hurt a lot. The Suns are now too old and lack depth. Kyri will wear out his welcome in Dallas in about a week. He's not going to want to share the ball with Doncic. The Lakers have improved, but not enough to avoid the play in.

I wish the Wolves hadn't squandered the easy early season schedule. They should be third in the west standings.
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Agree about the Suns. Desperate move. They will miss Bridges.

Kyrie just made Dallas a serious contender imo. He will get annoying next season.
 

Looking at the standings in the West everybody has squandered wins. 9 teams are between 4 games over and 4 games under. Sacramento, a usual doormat is 31-21. OKC and Utah, two teams that people expected to tank are around .500. Hell, looking at what Ainge did this week it seems that he was pissed that they had played way better than he wanted them too!

As for the Wolves? Gobert had no pre-season workouts and was used sparingly early. Towns was hurt/sick early and then went down during the game at Washington on 11/28.

Even if Towns didn't get hurt, the Wolves were playing with virtually a brand new roster. It was gonna take more than 20 games to jell. Though there is something to be said about how badly they've looked at times against lesser teams, they didn't start playing well until this year. Not coincidentally when they took the ball out of Russell's hands and gave it to Anderson. A guy who's missed some games himself.

When/if Towns comes back they will finally be at full strength. Hopefully.
 
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Westbrook, Beverly, Wall, Danny Green, Kevin Love? Here are some potential buy out candidates.

hoopshype.com

2023 NBA buyout season: Who are the candidates?

The NBA trade deadline has passed and now we enter buyout season. Over the next few weeks, we will see several big-name players, usually on expiring contracts, potentially negotiate an early releas…
hoopshype.com hoopshype.com
 

As The Athletic forecasted earlier this week, the Timberwolves did not trade center Naz Reid, who was a coveted player on the market. More than a dozen teams called to inquire about his availability, sources said, but the Timberwolves didn’t come close to moving him. The Wolves are big fans of Reid, who has developed from an undrafted free agent with an injured foot into one of the most skilled backup big men in the league. He is one of the team’s most prideful workers, having stayed in Minneapolis for most of last summer to hone his game. He is posting career highs in rebounds (4.8 in 18 minutes per game) and field goal percentage (.535). In 10 starts this season, Reid is averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 25 minutes. The Wolves are 7-3 when he starts.
Source: Jon Krawczynski @ The Athletic
 


Breakin' The Plane said:
Anthony Edwards is replacing Curry in the All-Star game. Hopefully Edwards in the ASG is just a foregone conclusion from here on out. Good for him.
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It was around this time of year that he got the knee tendonitis.

I'd be glad if he never went to an all-star game. Just rest and relax.
 

Iceland12 said:
Westbrook, Beverly, Wall, Danny Green, Kevin Love? Here are some potential buy out candidates.

hoopshype.com

2023 NBA buyout season: Who are the candidates?

The NBA trade deadline has passed and now we enter buyout season. Over the next few weeks, we will see several big-name players, usually on expiring contracts, potentially negotiate an early releas…
hoopshype.com hoopshype.com
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I read that Love isn't likely to get bought-out, but if he does... it would be an interesting move to pick him up. Shooting is down, but he's grabbing almost 7 rebounds in 20 minutes a game.
 

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