Professional and College Basketball Forums banner

Hollinger: Minnesota, Offseason Losers

1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Tom 
#1 ·
KAAHHHHNNNN!!! OK, had to get that one out. No, nobody is quite sure what the strategy is under Timberwolves general manager David Kahn.

I'd say they're rebuilding, but their big free-agent pickup was a 30-year-old point guard, and they traded their first-round pick for Martell Webster.

I'd say they're focusing on value contracts, but they just gave Darko Milicic a four-year, $20 million deal.

I'd say they're trying to corner the market on point guards, but the league has about 70 of them and the Wolves can hoard only 15 at any one time.

I'd say they're acquiring players who can thrive in coach Kurt Rambis' triangle system, except they're not -- they keep acquiring small pick-and-roll point guards with iffy outside shots.

I'd say they're building around character and discipline, but they traded for Michael Beasley and Milicic.

I'd say they're focused on opportunistic trades, except that they unloaded their best player for 50 cents on the dollar and repeated the exercise with Ramon Sessions.

The only thing I can confidently say is that they'll be terrible again this year, and probably for several years afterward. The Wolves have a rising star in Kevin Love and a couple of other interesting pieces (keep an eye on Euro import Nikola Pekovic), but it's not clear whether they're coming or going right now. I'm not sure they know, either.
Link

:laugh:
 
#3 · (Edited)
It's pretty obvious what this team is doing. Rubio is expected to join a trim team that is not in cap hell. They can re-sign Love or anyone without financial heartache. They are prepared for the new CBA and can move the TPE for a player straight-up.

They cleared out all of McHale's pieces other than two top-ten picks he made (Love and Brewer) that are earning their rookie pay. Value contracts.

Youth. They have put together the youngest team in the league. The only player over 25 is Ridnour, brought in as a mentor for a bench player salary. Darko is the next in age but has barely played.

Alternative. Only a handful of teams have won the NBA championship, usually with a big man making $20M+ (Shaq, Duncan, Garnett) and one or two top-10 wing players. Jefferson isn't at that level, so they're going to try something else and not pay anyone big money for a 25-win team (yet).
 
#4 ·
I think they've been trying to get a franchise point guard and franchise power forward, and then surround them with role players who can defend/shoot. I'm not sure its the best move to do that and try to run the triangle, but just look at some of the moves they've made. They drafted Rubio and Flynn with a couple high picks, signed Sessions, and there was Telfair and Foye before them. They also traded KG for Jefferson, drafted (traded for) Love, and just picked up Beasley. At the other spots, they've got Brewer, Ellington, Webster, and Johnson on the wings, all of whom can shoot the ball, and aside from Ellington, defend as well. Darko can get them some blocks from center also.

It isn't how I'd build a team, but I don't think they're as misguided as everyone thinks, though I wasn't very fond of some of their moves this summer. I'm interested in seeing how they turn out.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top