Timberwolves 2017 Offseason rumors

[bluechipper]

Great deal for the Wolves. I will miss Zach LaVine, but you have to give up good players to get good players. Getting the #16 pick was a gift.

[bluechipper]

The Wolves have also signed 3 really interesting undrafted rookies. VJ Beachum: one of the best shooters in the draft, Charles Cook: an all-around wing, and the most interesting is Deonte Burton, a 6'5" undersized PF from Iowa State. He's a great athlete and can do everything, was a big mismatch in college.

[DaveW]

I'm a big Burton fan. He will be a solid role player I think.

[bluechipper]

 

I'm a big Burton fan. He will be a solid role player I think.

I agree, especially with the new 2-way contracts and the Wolves lack of depth at the wing, I would think he's got a good chance.

[kab21]

Going after Kyle Lowry makes no sense. If the Wolves do that then they will have absolutely no bench at all.

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2017/06/wolves-plan-to-target-kyle-lowry-three-others.html

 

Targeting a lower priced (still likely more than Rubio) option like Hill or Teague (or Beverly if the Rockets try to get additional cap room) is an interesting path. Pick up a 3 point shooter at the point to complement Wiggins/Butler on the wings. I am a big Rubio fan but this could potentially work out for the better. Rubio would be sent packing (many happy fans). Perhaps they could still get the Knicks pick Ntilikina (an asset) for him.

 

Still need to get some bench players or else this will turn into a Thibs killing the starters story again. I think the narrative lacks a little substance but if there aren't NBA capable players as options then the starters are going to play the entire game.

[biggentleben]

I think with Wiggins, he was much, much more raw coming into the league than people thought. He really could get to the rim, and...yeah.

 

In his pro time, he's taken huge strides in defense and his outside, spot up shooting. A fellow scouting type and basketball fan compared it to a baseball player who has 30-35 present value tools across the board, but has the legit talent to have a future value of 70-75 in every tool, leaving plenty of possible failure, but also plenty of ceiling.

 

I'd say in those respects, his defense has probably moved to a 50 (league average) and he has shown very good improvement in his zone defense work, and his outside shooting has moved from a likely 30 when he entered the league to a 45ish currently.

[DaveW]

I'd still try to trade for Porzingis

 

Offer up:

Rubio

Dieng

1st round 2018 pick

And go from there.

 

At that stage you go out and get Hill or Lowry (you'd have a ton of cap room) to Man the point. You know thibs is going to go get Derrick Rose on the cheap as well.

 

Sign JJ Reddick and call it an offseason for now.

 

Lowry/Hill/Beverly

Wiggins

butler

Porzingis

KAT

 

Bench:

Rose

Reddick

Burton

The kid they just drafted in the first round.

 

That's a title contending team boys and girls.

[ALessKosherScott]

 

Going after Kyle Lowry makes no sense. If the Wolves do that then they will have absolutely no bench at all.

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2017/06/wolves-plan-to-target-kyle-lowry-three-others.html

 

Targeting a lower priced (still likely more than Rubio) option like Hill or Teague (or Beverly if the Rockets try to get additional cap room) is an interesting path. Pick up a 3 point shooter at the point to complement Wiggins/Butler on the wings. I am a big Rubio fan but this could potentially work out for the better. Rubio would be sent packing (many happy fans). Perhaps they could still get the Knicks pick Ntilikina (an asset) for him.

 

Still need to get some bench players or else this will turn into a Thibs killing the starters story again. I think the narrative lacks a little substance but if there aren't NBA capable players as options then the starters are going to play the entire game.

 

Holiday being number two on that least kind of leads me to believe a trade for Beverley would fit into what Thibs is trying to do, which also kind of makes sense. A ball-dominant PG like Rubio may not exactly work well with a ball dominant small forward like Butler. So he's heading toward 3&D point guard options, which happily precludes Rose. 

[amjgt]

CP3. Find a way

[akmanak]

I still cant believe we ended up landing Butler. We need a little more depth and think we will find that with the amount of cap space we have.

 

I just want to see this team in a playoff spot. We have had a pretty bad drought.

[bluechipper]

Chris Paul to the Rockets in a trade. Reddick is almost certainly gone too (hopefully to MN), and it will be interesting to see where Blake Griffin goes. 

 

The Clippers just opened up another spot in the playoffs I would think.

[Mike Sixel]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/next-seasons-nba-heavyweights-warriors-cavs-spurs-rockets-timberwolves/

 

[DaveW]

Wow I guess Rubio had no real trade value.

[Mr. Brooks]

Wow I guess Rubio had no real trade value.

I think the whole point was to free up all of his cap space. That can only be done by getting picks instead of players.

I'd guess Rubio could have brought back some solid players but that didn't fit what they want to do with the money.

[kab21]

It is entirely possible that they nailed this trade by signing Hill or Teague or trading for a perfect complementary piece (Beverly in LAC).

 

Of course, the Wolves could be playing a dangerous game of PG musical chairs and be left without any decent options. And then Rajon Rondo becomes a legitimate signing. Ick

 

This has been a crazy offseason so far and the Wolves arguably have 3 more moves to make. PG, backup wing and backup big. They need to find solid players at all 3 positions or else the Big(gish) Three that they have assembled will be for naught. 

 

One thing about Rubio is that he was only signed for 2 years and when his contract is up the Wolves might not have any cap space with Towns, Wiggins and Gorgui locked up (2 max contracts likely) and not to mention the possibility of a Butler extension (very unlikely but I can dream). They would almost have to resign Rubio to a longer contract and that probably isn't a great idea. If they sign Hill/Teague now then they don't have to worry about that issue (luxury tax will be an issue).

[kab21]

And then there was Teague

https://www.canishoopus.com/2017/6/30/15906840/nba-free-agency-timberwolves-reach-agreement-with-jeff-teague-ricky-rubio-tom-thibodeau

 

It looks like the Wolves are winning this offseason with these moves. Teague is a better fit for the offense. Not perfect but better and they picked up an okay-ish draft pick (when they likely lose theirs).

[BeenHazy]

Tweet from Frank Isola of the NY Daily News:

 

"Source close to free agent Paul Millsap says Denver and Minnesota have emerged as frontrunners."

 

I doubt the Wolves have enough cap left to grab Millsap on July 6th, but you never know.  The good thing about getting Teague (reported 3y/57M) instead of Lowry is it leaves enough space for the Wolves to be one of the best teams that can make a decent offer after the first wave is done, for good players who fall through the cracks.

[kab21]

I am not sure the Wolves would have enough cap room if they signed Millsap and dumped Dieng for no salary. Yes, theoretically enough but they still have a roster to fill out.

[BeenHazy]

They could use the OKC 1st to disappear Aldrich somewhere, leaving just shy of $20M I think.  If Millsap wants to reunite with Teague and is only getting offers in the 20-22M range from inferior teams that might be enough.  A guy can dream.  Bench is Dieng, Bjelica, Tyus, and a veteran minimum wing...not ideal but worth it for that starting five.

[bluechipper]

Paul Milsap is meeting with the Wolves today. If not him, it sounds like there is mutual interest with JJ Redick. What an offseason this has been.

[bluechipper]

Also, the West is ridiculously good.

[DaveW]

Reddick signed for $23 million for ONE!!! Year.

 

Wow, what a deal for him.

[kab21]

 

Also, the West is ridiculously good.

Yes, the East could still salvage the offseason if Hayward moves to Boston and Lowry/Ibaka both stay in Toronto. Both of those would be competitive teams out west but probably battling for the 3rd-6th spots. After that it will take an offseason miracle to turn anyone else into a legit team. Wizards have a little potential.

 

I still don't really agree with the pursuit of Millsap. He is great but it will come at the expense of anything resembling a bench. I would much rather collect 2-3 good bench pieces (and not trade any picks or Patton to jettison Aldrich) like CJ Miles, Tucker, Patterson, Ingles, Korver, Gibson, etc...

Should the Wolves focus on defense or outside shooting with their remaining acquisitions? For the prices they can pay (if they want 3 pieces) then they probably aren't getting both. I would love to see an outside gunner but I think I prefer adding a couple of blue collar defenders like Tucker (still shot 35% on 2.2 att/gm).

[kab21]

 

Reddick signed for $23 million for ONE!!! Year.

Wow, what a deal for him.

I have no idea what to think of Philly. There is a lot of talent there. It reminds me of the over optimism of the Wolves last year but I want to say they could win 35+ games in the East. Or more.

Of course the main issue will be Embid and Simmons's health. If those guys only play 25 min/gm for 50 games then a lot of that enthusiasm is gone.

[bluechipper]

Taj Gibson for 2 years $28M. I really like the signing, but only about $4M left in cap room and still some holes to fill on the wing.

[kab21]

They got one of my guys that I wanted. I am not sure what to think about that price though. Seems pretty expensive for Taj or at least more than I expected.

 

By my count the Wolves had 18M in salary cap space (counting Patton but not counting Muhammad). Taj just used 14M of it. That isn't buying much of a backup wing. Like either Muhammad or Rush but not both.

[bluechipper]

I have no idea what to think of Philly. There is a lot of talent there. It reminds me of the over optimism of the Wolves last year but I want to say they could win 35+ games in the East. Or more.

Of course the main issue will be Embid and Simmons's health. If those guys only play 25 min/gm for 50 games then a lot of that enthusiasm is gone.

I'm guessing that's a playoff team. The Bulls, Hawks, and Pacers are playoff teams that got a lot worse.

[DaveW]

They can create more cap room by dumping Aldrich, do that and you have 12 million to play with, which should be plenty to bring in a couple role players.

[kab21]

 

They can create more cap room by dumping Aldrich, do that and you have 12 million to play with, which should be plenty to bring in a couple role players.

I would be hesitant to start including 1st rd picks (Patton or in the future) to make that happen though. It is nice to have a steady influx of young players that can develop in something (even role players). Or an asset that you can toss into a deadline trade.

They should have mid level exception to use. I think. That gets them a solid wing player and the 4M (and possibly the smaller exception) to fill out the bench. But even with those there are going to be a couple UDFA earning min contracts I think.

[bluechipper]

Shabazz is now an unrestricted free agent.

 

Paul Milsap signed for 3 years, $90M with Denver. The West just keeps on adding players.