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KokoTheMonkey · 02-18-2005, 03:05 PM

He has missed 15 games, and the team is 8-7 without him in there, which makes them 19-20 with Cassell playing. Not much of a difference there, which poses the question: Has Cassell went from a huge impact player last year to a low-impact player this year? The team has basically faired the same with or without him in the lineup, so does this mean Cassell really doesn't have much of an impact on the team?

Here's a further look:

Season Totals:
Minnesota's PPG - 96.5
Opponenets PPG - 95.6

Without Cassell:
Minnesota's PPG - 92.3
Opponenets PPG - 92.0

The point differential is less without Cassell, but the team is two games better with him not playing. I'm not trying to say Minny is better without him, rather that the team hasn't reall faired too much differently with him not playing. Minnesota was 2-6 in the 8 games Cassell returned from in between his two stints of missing time.

Thoughts? Should the team just move Cassell, or do they really need him?

socco · 02-18-2005, 03:52 PM

From what I hear Sammy is actually a bigger problem than Sprewell. I think we definately should try to get rid of him.

Flanders · 02-18-2005, 07:25 PM

Both Sam and Spree should be traded. That's the oldest starting backcourt in the NBA isn't it?

I look at other backcourts in the NBA:

Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes
Dwyane Wade and Eddie Jones
Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton
Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli
Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon
Steve Nash and Quentin Richardson
Luke Ridnour and Ray Allen

These are just some of the guards that we face in the NBA, much younger, quicker, and much more explosive than Troy Hudson/Anthony Carter/Sam Cassell/Latrell Sprewell...nothing here that would scare other backcourts defensively.

Our guards are old and they cannot keep up with the younger guards in the NBA. A trade for one or two young guards that can play some sort of defense, such as contesting every shot or sticking to their man's movement would be nice. They don't have to necessarily be great shot blockers or rack up 3 steals a game...just don't let the other guy get off a clean look and get him out of position.

If we get a nice defensive point guard, that would be great. We can start Wally at the SF and get Hassell to the starting SG position, trade Sam and Spree for that defensive point guard...we'd be set. If only Bobby Jackson weren't hurt this season...I'd push to get him. Though I'd settle for Jason Kidd or Allen Iverson...

**sheefo13** · 02-19-2005, 07:01 PM

I would rather keep spree, and trade sam. We can use the cap relief from spree and erv. Looking at the stats, it is true that sam isnt making much of a diffrence. I think chemistry wise he makes us really bad. He forces a lot of shots that arent needed. At the same time he is about as clutch as it gets....

Zuca · 02-21-2005, 07:03 PM

You guys should move Spree and Cassell for Derek Anderson and NVE... Derek goes to bench, and NVE is playing good ball (still an big expiring contract, like Spree)

KokoTheMonkey · 02-21-2005, 08:58 PM

Here's a link for +/- ratings for the Timberwolves that shows how the team performs when each player is on or off the floor. I did this because I was curios to look at Cassell's rating. Cassell's rating is actually +2.8, with the team outscoring the opponent by 2.4 points with Cassell on the floor, and -.4 when Cassell isn't on the floor. This doesn't take into account the games Cassell hasn't played obviously.

The most interesting thing that I saw was that Hassell is currently dead last in the "Roland Rating". The team gets outscored by about 4 points with Hassell on the floor and Minnesota actually outscores the opposing team by 5 with Hassell on the bench. Hmm.....

Here's a listing of them, with the first column being on the floor, the second being off the floor, and the 3rd being the difference (On floor - off floor).

Hoiberg +7.2 -2.2 +9.4
Garnett +2.2 -5.0 +7.2
Griffin +3.4 -1.0 +4.4
Cassell +2.4 -0.4 +2.8
Thomas +2.7 +0.7 +2.0
Madsen +2.3 +0.5 +1.8
Hudson +1.6 +0.2 +1.4
Szczerbiak +0.8 +0.8 +0.0
Sprewell +0.0 +2.1 -2.1
Carter -2.6 +1.5 -4.1
Olowokandi -3.6 +2.8 -6.4
Johnson -6.9 +1.9 -8.8
Hassell -3.7 +5.3 -9.0

http://www.82games.com/0405MIN.HTM

KokoTheMonkey · 03-11-2005, 11:27 AM

Cassell has now missed 20 games, and now Minny is 11-9 without Cassell, and 20-22 with him.

socco · 03-11-2005, 12:50 PM

I was gonna look up a stat that I remember from early in the year. It was something about when Sam scores over a certain amount of points the team was undefeated, and when he was under that amount we hadn't won a game. It went on like that for a while. So early on he was very important, not any more though. The reason I don't have the exact stats are that NBA.com messed up. On the Game-by-game stats part of each player's profile it says that every game is a loss. Stupid nba.com

**sheefo13** · 03-11-2005, 02:47 PM

get outa town sam!!!

It is making me more convinced that we will be taking a point guard in the draft. I hate to say it but all 3 of the pgs suck. They are all injury prone, they are all inconsistent, and they all need to be replaced. Raymond felton anyone?

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