I continue to be concerned about Rubio.  He's a good player, but "brittle" is becoming more and more appropriate as a label.

 

Man would I like to see Lavine get time as an off-guard with Wiggins and Rubio.

 

I continue to be concerned about Rubio.  He's a good player, but "brittle" is becoming more and more appropriate as a label.

 

Man would I like to see Lavine get time as an off-guard with Wiggins and Rubio.

About a year ago there were some questioning whether or not he could lead a winning Wolves team.  Now at least there are just health concerns.

Rubio came close to a quadruple double last night and continues to be really good (not great).

 

I remain very excited about Towns and Wiggins short term and long term.  Towns and Dieng might be the best big man combo for the short term although I am not sure I really like it.  Bjelica seems to have faded since his hot start but he did tweak his knee.

 

I am glad that they are starting to do away with this hockey style line change.  I never understood how this team can play 10+ minutes with Prince, Garnett and Rubio on the floor together.  I don't care how great the defense is.

 

I want to see more of the Lavine/Rubio backcourt even if it means Miller has to play 10+ minutes a game.

 

Martin better fix his wrist and shoot straight because he doesn't do anything else well.

 

Rubio came close to a quadruple double last night and continues to be really good (not great).

 

I remain very excited about Towns and Wiggins short term and long term.  Towns and Dieng might be the best big man combo for the short term although I am not sure I really like it.  Bjelica seems to have faded since his hot start but he did tweak his knee.

 

I am glad that they are starting to do away with this hockey style line change.  I never understood how this team can play 10+ minutes with Prince, Garnett and Rubio on the floor together.  I don't care how great the defense is.

 

I want to see more of the Lavine/Rubio backcourt even if it means Miller has to play 10+ minutes a game.

 

Martin better fix his wrist and shoot straight because he doesn't do anything else well.

This losing streak is frustrating, but the play of Towns is incredible. Rubio was awesome last night too. I'm also starting to really like Lavine in his current Jamal Crawford role, but I wonder what he would look like as the starting two.

Taking age, contracts, etc into account, who would you trade Karl-Anthony Towns for?

 

I honestly don't think I would trade him for anyone...

NBADraft.net in its early stages of infancy of a mock has the Wolves grabbing Skal Labisserie at #5. Five seems too early for the Wolves to pick when everything shakes out. But between Labisserie, Rabb, Bender, Sabonis and Ellenson, there should be a pretty good #4 there if they land between 6 and 11. And that would solve a big need heading forward.

Random observations from a set of ill-gotten courtside tickets to yesterday's game:

 

• Rubio is the straw that’s stirring the drink right now. He can’t shoot. But he’s doing just about everything else on the floor. And the ultimate compliment to him was the number of Nets fans saying “**** Jarrett Jack” as they left the arena yesterday.

• Lavine needs to play off the ball. The second unit runs better with Miller at point, but he can only handle so many minutes. Jones isn’t ready. If the Wolves could find a decent second string point guard before the trade deadline, it would give them a shot at the 8th seed.

• Kevin Martin is on the trading block. And yet you hold your breath when anyone not named Kevin Martin takes a shot from distance right now.

• Bjellica is in a major funk. He came in picked up two quick fouls. Then took a seat on the bench never to return. How do you get him out of it is the $64,000 question?

• Dieng is playing like the Dieng of last year. He played really well, especially offensively. But he also got abused when he had to defend Brook Lopez.

• Fun question: Is this the best surrounding cast the Wolves have ever given Garnett? How far would this team go with the 2003-2004 version of Garnett at power forward right now?

 

Random observations from a set of ill-gotten courtside tickets to yesterday's game:

 

• Rubio is the straw that’s stirring the drink right now. He can’t shoot. But he’s doing just about everything else on the floor. And the ultimate compliment to him was the number of Nets fans saying “**** Jarrett Jack” as they left the arena yesterday.

• Lavine needs to play off the ball. The second unit runs better with Miller at point, but he can only handle so many minutes. Jones isn’t ready. If the Wolves could find a decent second string point guard before the trade deadline, it would give them a shot at the 8th seed.

• Kevin Martin is on the trading block. And yet you hold your breath when anyone not named Kevin Martin takes a shot from distance right now.

• Bjellica is in a major funk. He came in picked up two quick fouls. Then took a seat on the bench never to return. How do you get him out of it is the $64,000 question?

• Dieng is playing like the Dieng of last year. He played really well, especially offensively. But he also got abused when he had to defend Brook Lopez.

• Fun question: Is this the best surrounding cast the Wolves have ever given Garnett? How far would this team go with the 2003-2004 version of Garnett at power forward right now?

This would probably be the second or third best team in the West if it had 03/04 Garnett. Headed towards a showdown with the Warriors in the WCF.

 

NBADraft.net in its early stages of infancy of a mock has the Wolves grabbing Skal Labisserie at #5. Five seems too early for the Wolves to pick when everything shakes out. But between Labisserie, Rabb, Bender, Sabonis and Ellenson, there should be a pretty good #4 there if they land between 6 and 11. And that would solve a big need heading forward.

Skal Labissiere is terrible right now. I really like what I've seen from Ellenson, and he's probably more realistic where the Wolves will actually pick around #10.

 

Skal Labissiere is terrible right now. I really like what I've seen from Ellenson, and he's probably more realistic where the Wolves will actually pick around #10.

 

Labissiere isn't playing well offensively. But if you paired him next to Towns you'd have a potential lights out defensive combo for the next five years. His floor strikes me as Nerlens Noel. Ellenson strikes me as the type who's going to be a defensive liability. But he can shoot and rebound, and every so often a guy like him ends up being Kevin Love. Rabb is the one who kind of piques my interest the most. A little more basketball IQ than Labisserie. A little more athleticism than Ellenson. NBADraft.net has him going four. Draft Express has him going #15 in 2017. Which kind of shows how hit or miss this draft is after Simmons and Ingram. 

On exactly ZERO planets is Ricky Rubio's shooting acceptable. His FG% PEAKED at 38.1% two years ago. Think about that. Now if he was also hitting that % from 3 and shooting 90% from the FT line, then it might mean another 1.5 points per game and then I could begin to consider him worthy of sticking around . . . but now absolutely not.

 

Kevin Martin has got to go.

Bjelica's decline is both surprising and troubling. I like Miller and Jones sharing backup point duties. It would be nice if there was some way to get Ty Lawson. Otherwise find a way to draft Jamal Murray next year. Or both Trimble and Valentine.

Edited January 7, 201610 yr by Shane Wahl

I think I could tolerate Ricky's horrific outside shooting if he didn't suck so terribly to finish inside.

 

He'd be a pretty damn dangerous player if he could sink any shot, but he's terrible from pretty much everywhere.

I can tolerate Rubio's shooting if the Wolves weren't starting Prince and also Garnet.  I understand that the defense is good but you can't have 3 players that are near worthless offensively on the floor to start the game.

 

Markieff Morris?  Some baggage but it sounds like he could be dumped by the Suns.  Due to salary matching it would require Martin to be sent back and the Wolves could include something marginally valuable if necessary.  Like Shabbazz or Payne.

Yeah, I still see a ton of value for Rubio for the other things he does.  But good god, how can he be so bad at finishing layups and drives inside?  He'd be amazing if he could just force people to collapse on his drives but there is so little fear of him that it's crippling at times.

Damning Rubio's shooting is all well and good. But the real problem is everything seems to go to hell when he steps off the court because Lavine isn't a point guard, Miller can't handle heavy minutes and, well, this:

 

Edited January 7, 201610 yr by ALessKosherScott

Oh for sure, Rubio has a lot of value and that makes it clear.  I'd just like him to be a threat driving the ball.  Or to create three point opportunities that way.  It would help so damn much.

 

I can tolerate Rubio's shooting if the Wolves weren't starting Prince and also Garnet.  I understand that the defense is good but you can't have 3 players that are near worthless offensively on the floor to start the game.

 

Markieff Morris?  Some baggage but it sounds like he could be dumped by the Suns.  Due to salary matching it would require Martin to be sent back and the Wolves could include something marginally valuable if necessary.  Like Shabbazz or Payne.

 

I like the thought of Tony Snell. Someone who can defend and stretch opposing defenses a little more. The flaw in the offense is that Towns is the best three point shooter in the starting unit and Rubio is the second best one. Wiggins is scoring 20 a night but he's not scoring efficiently in part to the fact that he's taking about one more three pointer per game than last year and making about 10 percent fewer of those shots. People will hate the name, but Wes Johnson would be an interesting addition too.

 

Or, alternatively, just start Kevin Martin. 

Or, make a play for Nicolas Batum and try to extend him before he hits the open market.

Rubio has the worst FG% in the league for anyone averaging 30 minutes or more.

 

I like the thought of Tony Snell. Someone who can defend and stretch opposing defenses a little more. The flaw in the offense is that Towns is the best three point shooter in the starting unit and Rubio is the second best one. Wiggins is scoring 20 a night but he's not scoring efficiently in part to the fact that he's taking about one more three pointer per game than last year and making about 10 percent fewer of those shots. People will hate the name, but Wes Johnson would be an interesting addition too.

 

Or, alternatively, just start Kevin Martin. 

I doubt Wiggins is ever going to be efficient when he has 3 offensive black holes (Rubio can create and pass) on the floor with him.

 

I would strongly prefer to see Lavine starting as the 2nd wing.  Perhaps he isn't a legit starting option on a good team but get him the minutes.

 

PEKOVIC PLAYED!

 

Rubio has the worst FG% in the league for anyone averaging 30 minutes or more.

He's also 5th in assists, 1st in assist/turnover rate, 2nd in steals, with the highest PER of his career.

 

I also can't understand how someone who is so good at so many things is as bad a shooter and finisher as he is, but he's still the team's second best player and probably their most important.

I doubt Wiggins is ever going to be efficient when he has 3 offensive black holes (Rubio can create and pass) on the floor with him.

 

I would strongly prefer to see Lavine starting as the 2nd wing. Perhaps he isn't a legit starting option on a good team but get him the minutes.

 

PEKOVIC PLAYED!

My question is can you create a system with two wings who like to attack the rim and questionable midrange games?

 

My question is can you create a system with two wings who like to attack the rim and questionable midrange games?

I am fairly certain that we can't create a system with 3 players that can't shoot at all and 2 of them don't contribute offensively at all.

 

Ideally the Wolves could find the perfect 3 and D wing to fit the system but they are also looking for an ideal PF and they might have to deal with having Lavine/Wiggins since the other current options are lousy.  Or they could at least showcase Lavine as a promising young trade chip if the ideal player ends up on the block. 

 

 

It would also help if they have a coach and an offensive system that encourages shooting 3's.

Pretty good read.

 

https://www.minnpost.com/sports/2016/01/qa-sam-mitchell-weighs-zach-lavine-andrew-wiggins-and-wolves-season-so-far

If Rose runs Hoiberg out of Chicago (possible) the Wolves need to back up the brinks truck for him, he would be the PERFECT coach for this franchise

 

Pretty good read.

 

https://www.minnpost.com/sports/2016/01/qa-sam-mitchell-weighs-zach-lavine-andrew-wiggins-and-wolves-season-so-far

Basically it sounds like my worst fears.  The Wolves have 3 good to great pieces and a bunch of other pieces that don't fit with those pieces.  I still hold out hope for Bjelica being a solid complementary piece but Mitchell wasn't impressed with him.

 

I guess the season is closing in on the halfway point and we can start getting excited about the lottery.  again...  awesome...

I think it's like anything. Are there reasons to worry about the Wolves? Yes. Are there reasons to be optimistic? Yes. 

 

Simmons is being called the next LeBron, yet I'm not sure I'd trade Towns for him straight up. With that said, he's also a 20-year old center and he looks like it some nights, like yesterday.

 

Wiggins can take a game over at moments, and brought the Wolves charging back last night. But there are still way too many plays where you shake your head.

 

Lavine has just as high of a ceiling as Wiggins. But an even lower basketball IQ.

 

Muhammed is probably never going to be a great defender. But every year he becomes a more effective shooter.

 

Dieng, Belly, even Tyus, you see good. And you see bad. 

 

With that said, I don't think you'd see Garnett, Prince and Miller on the roster if the goal were the playoffs this year. They were always aiming two or three years down the road and looking for another lottery pick this year, preferably someone who can come in and take Prince or Garnett's starting spot fairly soon. 

 

Sadly, it looks like a pretty pedestrian college draft class after Simmons, Ingram and maybe Rabb.

 

 

I guess my issue is that the most promising players behind the big 3 don't fit well together.  Dieng and Towns shouldn't be playing together and neither should Lavine and Wiggins.

 

Bjelica and Muhammad look like solid NBA players but they might not be starters.  Payne looks like a solid 10-15 min/game backup.

 

That means that the Wolves need several key players that aren't on the roster yet.  That sounds hard.

4-20 since their 8-8 start. New players, same story every year for this team. Can anyone explain why Prince is starting and playing somewhat significant minutes for this team? Has KG completely checked out?

 

It's time to tank for Simmons.