2016-2017 Wolves season

[TheLeviathan]

There is no way Lavine would have stayed here with a sixth man role.  That has a short shelf life at best IMO.

[Thegrin]

I'd love to see the Wolves land a top quality point guard... but I think another tough big would have a better long term affect on the Wolves winning percentage.  

[bluechipper]

 

There is no way Lavine would have stayed here with a sixth man role.  That has a short shelf life at best IMO.

His Seattle buddy, Jamal Crawford, has made a pretty nice career out of his 6th man role.

[TheLeviathan]

 

His Seattle buddy, Jamal Crawford, has made a pretty nice career out of his 6th man role.

 

You don't think Lavine has more upside than that?  Or that he'd believe he could be more than that?

[bluechipper]

 

You don't think Lavine has more upside than that?  Or that he'd believe he could be more than that?

Yeah I see what you mean. He'd probably want to be a starter through his first big contract before accepting a 6th man role. It could be hard to accept coming off the bench after he put up almost 20 ppg this year.

 

And I'm in the camp that he should be a starter anyway. I don't want to trade any of the three building blocks.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Yeah I see what you mean. He'd probably want to be a starter through his first big contract before accepting a 6th man role. It could be hard to accept coming off the bench after he put up almost 20 ppg this year.

 

And I'm in the camp that he should be a starter anyway. I don't want to trade any of the three building blocks.

 

I don't feel forced to deal him, but if I could get Jimmy Butler or Paul George or some other tree SF - then I'm absolutely listening on those deals.

[bluechipper]

Last night's OT loss in San Antonio hurts. The Wolves continued to play great defense, but they somehow managed about 6 shot clock violations, and Kawhi Leonard just owns Andrew Wiggins.

[kab21]

 

Yeah I see what you mean. He'd probably want to be a starter through his first big contract before accepting a 6th man role. It could be hard to accept coming off the bench after he put up almost 20 ppg this year.

 

And I'm in the camp that he should be a starter anyway. I don't want to trade any of the three building blocks.

He could be the starter but go to the bench early such that Wiggins and Lavine's minutes are more staggered instead of together.

 

His first sort of big contract is coming up soon (this summer?) and the Wolves hold the leverage since he has limited options until he is unrestricted. Try to get him on a contract similar to Dieng (a bit higher likely but he is coming off of injury). That would lock him up at a reasonable price for 4 years. After that (or near the end of that), he can be moved.

Obviously if you can get Butler or George for a package with him in it (and basically anyone not named KAT or Wiggins) then go for it but that seems unlikely. He definitely isn't untouchable but there is no need to trade him.

[Mike Sixel]

The team is cursed. 

[bluechipper]

 

The team is cursed. 

At least they're keeping pace with the 8th seed. Still 2.5 games back, but they're 7-4 in their last 11, and the defense has gotten a lot better over that stretch.

 

And KAT is on track to be a top 5 player in the league, and that's being conservative.

[Pardon My Dinger]

I haven't watched very Mitch lately, but I'm tuned in and I have to agree with Thibs. Defense is looking so much better. This team is hitting its stride.

[Pardon My Dinger]

The team is cursed.

Does not compute.

[DaveW]

Big win. Big win.

[TheLeviathan]

That was a fun game.   

[DaveW]

That was a fun game.

Yeah it was. I can't believe they actually pulled it off.

[Mr. Brooks]

It could have been such a different story this season if they had played the first 20 games like they've played the last 45.

Better late than never though.

It will be fun if the Wolves are relevant in a couple of years like the KG/Sam/Spree season.

[TheLeviathan]

I hate to say it, but everytime I watch the Wolves play I become more and more convinced that losing Lavine is not irrelevant to this shift in play quality.

[DaveW]

LaVine isn't a good player for this team. Zero D, and not a great shooter overall. Anyone can chuck up 30 shots a game.

 

LaVine needs to go somewhere with a veteran team where he can be a 6th man type,

[TheLeviathan]

 

LaVine isn't a good player for this team. Zero D, and not a great shooter overall. Anyone can chuck up 30 shots a game.

LaVine needs to go somewhere with a veteran team where he can be a 6th man type,

 

TheRinger with an article on this.

[kab21]

 

I hate to say it, but everytime I watch the Wolves play I become more and more convinced that losing Lavine is not irrelevant to this shift in play quality.

Herein lies the problem. If you know this and I know this then he isn't part of a Butler or George level trade. The other GM's know this type of stuff also.

I think he is probably more valuable in the alpha role on the second unit in 20 min/game than for whoever he can be traded for.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Herein lies the problem. If you know this and I know this then he isn't part of a Butler or George level trade. The other GM's know this type of stuff also.

I think he is probably more valuable in the alpha role on the second unit in 20 min/game than for whoever he can be traded for.

 

That depends on if they think they have a fit with their personnel that will mask those concerns.  

 

There are also few teams that could offer a package that could rival Lavine, Dunn, and a top 10ish pick.  

[bluechipper]

 

LaVine isn't a good player for this team. Zero D, and not a great shooter overall. Anyone can chuck up 30 shots a game.

LaVine needs to go somewhere with a veteran team where he can be a 6th man type,

I'm going to disagree with this. 39% from 3 over the last two seasons is very good, especially with the large number of 3's LaVine takes.

 

In the last two Wolves losses, they've made 5 and 4 3's in those games. I wonder who could have helped with that...

[Pardon My Dinger]

In the last two Wolves losses, they've made 5 and 4 3's in those games. I wonder who could have helped with that...

It's raining 3's tonight.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Holy Rubio, Batman! 22 and 19? That's nice. That's very fancy.

[ALessKosherScott]

 

LaVine isn't a good player for this team. Zero D, and not a great shooter overall. Anyone can chuck up 30 shots a game.

LaVine needs to go somewhere with a veteran team where he can be a 6th man type,

 

I think it's less that and more Wiggins is a shooting guard and Lavine is a shooting guard. And like Highlander, there can be only one.

[kab21]

 

That depends on if they think they have a fit with their personnel that will mask those concerns.  

 

There are also few teams that could offer a package that could rival Lavine, Dunn, and a top 10ish pick.  

Aren't we in circular argument? By all means if the Wolves can land the ideal larger wing with a Lavine based package (include Dunn and the pick) then they should do it but I think the number of teams that actually match up is really, really limited. It only takes one though.

And while you were addressing a 30 minute starting role, you completely depleted the bench of any depth (loss of Dunn and the top 10ish pick). that remains a problem.

[TheLeviathan]

Dunn and the tenth pick aren't the best depth options anyway. If this team wants to take the next step it'll be veteran FAS that will help most.

 

Either way Lavine's lack of position and defensive abilities are a liability.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Dunn really hasn't improved at all this year. Not sure how valuable he really is in any trade scenario.

[kab21]

 

Dunn and the tenth pick aren't the best depth options anyway. If this team wants to take the next step it'll be veteran FAS that will help most.

Either way Lavine's lack of position and defensive abilities are a liability.

Would both of these be contrary points to how valuable you made that trade package out to be?

 

 

[TheLeviathan]

Would both of these be contrary points to how valuable you made that trade package out to be?

Since when did that kind of logic enter into NBA trades?