Author: sheefo13

2017-2018 Timberwolves Season Preview

sheefo13 17-18 Season , , , , , , , , ,
Four years ago, the Wolves kicked off their third rebuild since 2004. The Wolves have held onto the longest playoff drought since then. But this rebuild really started with the decision that Ricky Rubio would be the guy to hold onto long-term over Kevin Love. Love was the face of rebuild-phase two. Because of that decision, the Wolves dealt Kevin Love that brought in Andrew Wiggins. The Wolves paired Wiggins with their own pick, a flyer (literally and in the department of potential) pick in Zach LaVine.
 
That picture brought me back to that kick off. It was a fun ride. The current roster is the fruit of that rebuild. Andrew Wiggins has sky high expectations and Zach LaVine has netted the Wolves Jimmy Butler.
The Wolves head into this 2017-2018 with the highest expectations since the Wolves made the Western Conference Finals. That season, the Wolves had an MVP and two All-Stars on the roster. The same can’t be said about this season. The Western Conference was since competitive back then, the last time the Wolves made the playoffs, but not as stacked as it is today. Big 3’s didn’t really exist and the 3-pointer was not as prevalent.
The current Wolves roster as it stands is much improved but also doesn’t really fit in with the trend of the league. 3-point shooting and team defense are still huge question marks. Jimmy Butler provides the Wolves with a lot of defense and leadership. The bridge has been built for Tom Thibodeau to reach his, now two, young stars.
I went into last season with super high expectations because of Tom Thibodeau but was still expecting less than what most fans and experts thought of the Wolves. I find myself in the same camp again. I break down the Wolves below and will make further predictions for the season in our Annual Season Preview.
The Givens
Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns is the Wolves’ greatest assets. He is going into the 3rd year of his career and is already arguably the best big man in the league. His inside-outside offensive game allows for him to simply take advantage of the defender’s weakness and take what opposing teams want to give him. His attitude is also what makes him amazing. He is extraordinarily competitive, poised in the face of the media and has fun playing the game. Regardless of the Wolves’ outcome this upcoming season, the Wolves still have Karl-Anthony Towns. On his rookie contract at that. He is an amazing basketball and fun to watch. So if the season implodes and the Wolves continues the longest playoff-drought in the league, the Wolves still have KAT.
What to watch with KAT this season though will be his defense. With Dieng moving to the bench, KAT will likely spend most of his time guarding centers. This could be good or this could be bad. The biggest concern though is that Towns will be relied on as the primary rim protector and shot contester. This will mean that KAT could end up in foul trouble more often. The next given will hopefully help KAT in this part of his game, but defense is certainly the part of his game that will define his next level.
Veteran Presence
This offseason brought in Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and Jamal Crawford. All of these guys are no strangers to the playoffs. Each of these four guys have played significant, if not leading, roles on playoff teams in the last five years. The Wolves, historically, haven’t been a team to rock the boat in a way they did this past summer. The last time they did this, they made the Western Conference Finals.
As the Wolves’ marketing department runs away with the theme of ‘New Era’, the adding of these veterans is a major culture change regardless of the new jerseys and Target Center renovations. These guys will not have the patience to lose games as the Wolves have done in past years. This is a double-edge sword. The veterans will certainly be leading by example. They will be playing hard. If the young Wolves don’t follow or the combination of roster pieces don’t work, it is very possible the Wolves will have another, more unfortunate, ‘New Era’ if Jimmy Butler decides to leave in two years.
Our hope is that having the veterans around will help positively. We saw the impact Kevin Garnett had on KAT. The rest of the young pups is where the veteran presence should help more. It was clear that the Wolves struggled in implementing Thibs’ defensive schemes early on. Luckily, Thibodeau has brought in mostly veterans that have played for him or have familiarity with his system.
Things to watch
Andrew Wiggins
The newly-minted max contract (well $146.5M) Andrew Wiggins has probably the biggest question mark going into the season. Andrew Wiggins has proven that he can score like crazy. His shot has improved and he can get to the line with the best of ‘um. Wiggins showed flashes of greatness (yes, greatness) for stretches last season from going on scoring tears to game-winners to posterizing seven-footers.
The questions are around the rest of his game. Can Wiggins contribute to other parts of the box score? Can Wiggins finally learn to play defense? How will Wiggins react to potentially being the third-scorer? Let’s answer these questions.
Will Wiggins finally start rebounding and distributing the ball? I really hope so. And I think so. Wiggins will have two more scorers (Butler and Teague) on the floor with him and one less rebounder  (Dieng to the bench) so naturally, he will have more opportunities to get rebounds and assists. That said, Wiggins will always look for his shot first. If he doesn’t, he is Harrison Barnes. No one wants that to change. He has, however, shown flashes of penetrating and dishing. I think as he draws the defense’s attention more, he will be more comfortable dishing the ball out to able-shooters all around him now.
His defensive effort will determine if he can start getting steals and blocks in the box score, which leads to the next question. Can Wiggins finally defend? One of Wiggins’ biggest factors that led him to be the number one pick was his defensive potential. It is all physically there. So what is the problem? Not really sure. But he has another year to really understand Thibs’ system and the perfect example in Jimmy Butler now. It will truly come down to his desire to defend. He will have less of a load offensively which should allow for more energy to go towards the defensive end.
Leading again into the next point, can Wiggins be a third-option? I don’t think Wiggins wants to be the third option and it is very possible he is actually the second leading scorer on the team this season. That said, I think Wiggins is perfect to be the third-option on offense. If the Wolves just ask that Wiggins be an average defender and just score, it would be a role Wiggins could fill fairly easily. Wiggins is a good enough shooter to be the third-option and then also take over the offense when Towns and/ or Butler are on the bench (will likely happen for a 1 minute a game).
The Point Guard Situation
The point guard position could very well be what makes or breaks the Wolves. First, Jeff Teague is probably the biggest wild card. The backup PG situation is probably even more iffy.
Jeff Teague has the biggest hole to fill on the court and in the heart of Wolves’ fans as he replaces Ricky Rubio. Many forget Teague was a former All-Star when the Hawks had the best record in the Eastern Conference a few years ago. He was eventually traded because the Hawks believed more in Dennis Schroader and didn’t want to extend Teague. The Pacers brought in Teague for a year rental before he ended up with the Wolves. The Wolves essentially gave Teague the contract the Hawks didn’t want to give him.
I still have to be convinced on Teague but in the pre-season, he has proven to fill a lot of voids that Rubio had in his game. The most obvious is the ability to shoot. Secondly, Teague can score and finish around the rim consistently. Teague doesn’t have Rubio’s length, but is an able-defender as well. He isn’t the playmaker that Rubio was, but his play-style might fit better with the current roster.
The biggest concern is defense. The point guard position is the deepest in the league and I am not convinced Teague will be able to consistently lock down the number of elite guards day-in and day-out in the Western Conference. There is no Kris Dunn either to come in off the bench to play defense either.
The Wolves backup point guard will be Tyus Jones. Finally, right? I have some anxiety around this. Tyus Jones is the type of player who is always an extension of the coach on the court and plays mistake free basketball. He is an underrated shooter and tries hard on both sides of the ball. But again, I don’t know if Jones has the strength, athleticism, or length to defend at a positive-level.
I don’t think the Wolves’ PG situation will look the same by the end of the year. There will be a team that will be interested in selling a defensive-minded guard that hopefully the Wolves can swoop in and grab.
Defense
This has to be the year right? The Wolves have been one of the worst defensive teams for the last four years, even with adding Thibodeau. Adding veterans, especially a defensive-minded Jimmy Butler, should help this. But this will be a major area to watch. The firepower in the Western conference will definitely test the Wolves’ defensive ability as well. But the hope when the Wolves hired Thibs was that the Wolves would be close to the defensive nightmare that his Bulls teams were.
The Rotation
What does concern me this season is Thibs’ rotation. I hate the heavy minutes his starters play and I hate the platoon substitution method. The Wolves have certainly added depth this season, which we will get to, but there should be no reason why five of the bench players should be playing at once. My hope is that Thibodeau is not only to improve the team defensively but to adopt a rotation that other teams with ‘big threes’ use. There should be at least one of the big three on the floor at all times. I would imagine that Wiggins will get time as the only one of the ‘big three’ on the floor so he can meet his shot volume.
I am also interested in seeing what the Wolves could have as their ‘death’ lineup, i.e. the lineup they use to kill teams or their clutch time lineup. I don’t believe that Gibson will be in that lineup. I would love to see a lineup of Teague-Crawford-Wiggins-Butler-Towns. Will it happen? Will it be effective? We shall see!
The Bench
The resurrection of the Zoo Crew! If you know what the Zoo Crew is, you’re in the right place.
I am most excited to see the Wolves have a bench presence. While we will get into the signings and re-signings, the biggest improvement to the bench is having Gorgui Dieng again. Dieng was great off the bench early in his career but now with his experience as a starter and improved game, he gives the Wolves a starting-caliber player off the bench. Dieng’s toughness and hustle also bodes well as a bench player. The Wolves now don’t have to rely on Cole Aldrich being the first big man off the bench this season. That is a huge improvement.
The Wolves have then added the ageless Jamal Crawford. He isn’t incredibly efficient, but he gets buckets. He brings great experience too. My expectations aren’t super high for J-Crossover, but he will be a difference maker in at least a couple games this season.
Bringing in Crawford most likely impacts Shabazz Muhammad more than anyone. As many hope that Wiggins learns from Butler, I am praying that Shabazz learns from Crawford. Bazz has the potential to be the offensive sparkplug that Crawford was his entire career. Shabazz has the most to prove and lose this season if he isn’t able to put his game together because he will not get a better contract. I expect that Bazz will be playing harder than anyone on the team this season as he has the most the prove. As always, I have high expectations for him.
Bjelica has probably the biggest range in terms of role on the team. It is very possible that Belly could play well enough that he warrants a starting position by the time the year ends. He would perfectly space the floor and is tougher than what meets the eye. He showed flashes of thriving under Thibs. That said, Belly could completely fall out of the rotation this season too. Between KAT, Gibson, Dieng, someone playing small ball-4, and Thibs overplaying starters, Bjelica would be most expendable. If he can’t prove to be a better option than any of those other options, he could rack up a lot of ‘DNP-Coach’s Decisions’ this season.
Utilization of the G-League
The Iowa Wolves are here! And the Wolves draft Justin Patton who will likely play less than any other new T-Puppy due to injury and inexperience. Thibs was high on Patton and he was apparently a Wolves fan growing up. I still disagree with the pick but I hope I am wrong. That said, Patton will have the opportunity to be the first case study for the Wolves’ development practices in the G-League.
The truth is, the Wolves will need to be good at player development if they want to succeed long term. The G-League will be huge in developing young players but also filling in times when there are major injuries. The Wolves don’t have a good pick next season so developing what they have will be essential if they want to continue to be good once the sudden boost of free agents wears off.
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The Wolves have a lot of questions going into the season and will be tested each night against a stacked Western Conference. The Wolves have the talent to make the playoffs this season but they could very well not make it if they don’t adapt early. There isn’t much time for the team to ‘build chemistry’ this season. That said, lets get into predictions.
Bold Predictions
– The Wolves will go 44-38 and make the 7th spot in the Western Conference.
– Karl-Anthony Towns will be an All-Star this season, finally.
– Andrew Wiggins will average more than Jimmy Butler
– The point guard situation will be the biggest question when the season ends
– Jimmy Butler makes an All-Defense team
– Taj Gibson will not be the starting power forward when the season ends
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Timber Rebuilder Jerseys in NBA 2K18

sheefo13 16-17 Season

Yes, this happened. 

Big shout out to Mohamed Elabbady for creating these in MyTeam in NBA2K18. Our very own, Timber Rebuilder jerseys. To add them on Xbox, just search m0swagger

If you don’t know, we love playing 2K. We typically spend time on MyTeam collecting our favorite old and new Timberwolves. We will also spend time winning rings for the Wolves in MyLeague or MyCareer. If you play 2K as well, tweet us and we can run online. 

Enjoy! 

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First Look: Wolves ‘Volt Green’ Jersey

sheefo13 16-17 Season

Frigid temperatures, aggressive mosquitos and an abundance of lakes might be the first topics when thinking how to describe Minnesota. However, these topics didn’t come to mind with the implementation of the new Minnesota Timberwolves. Currently, Nike has officially released two colorways; the Association and the Icon.

The Timberrebuilder team was invited out to meet with CEO of the Timberwolves Ethan Casson and infamous designer Rodney Richardson. Richardson, along with a team of designers at RARE envisioned and developed a Timberwolves brand that spoke to the state, the city, and the fan contrary of topics we initially think.


In a previous interview Richardson describes, “Minnesota can be a hard place to live, due to the harshness of its cold climate. It can also be one of the most beautiful places. Not only do we apply that to the natural landscape of Minnesota, but also to the city landscape,” Richardson said. “While it’s tough, it’s also beautiful. The people of this area love their city. In turn, the city loves them back. With this great love of place, there is a pack-like mentality, which aligns with the characteristics of this team’s totem: the timber wolf.”

In describing the newly released uniforms, Richardson’s kept in mind auroras and the coniferous landscape Minnesota embodies. He wanted a lot more of the volt green to be shown but represented with the midnight blue.

These jerseys will only be worn for the six Saturday home games and we are still waiting on one more silhouette of the uniform to be released at a later date.

The real concerns with Andrew Wiggins

sheefo13 17-18 Season , , , ,

Andrew Wiggins, naturally, has some trust issues. Rarely do you see a player of his caliber traded weeks after being the number 1 pick. He came to Minnesota and immediately had the spotlight on him after kicking off another rebuild.

Speaking of rebuild, I have to wonder how often we use this word on our blog. It is a big reason why I started the blog. But I think, moving forward, I will make it a point to use the word ‘rebuild’ in every blog post. Sort of a personal challenge and a branding experiment.

Anyways, back to your regular scheduled programming, Andrew Wiggins.

So naturally, when Andrew heard his name in trade rumors to go back to Cleveland for Kyrie Irving, he would get frustrated. He is in the midst of locking down a max contract and that could be jeopardized due to a trade. Wiggins’ name also seems to only be mentioned mainly because he is really the last tradeable asset the Wolves have since the Wolves would never consider trading KAT. So I can understand his frustrations.

I want to also mention, I am a huge Andrew Wiggins believer still. While the league is all about 3 and D now, I don’t think you can have too many scorers on a roster. Wiggins has earned respect to average 24 points a game at the age of 22. In his three years so far, he has also improved his 3-point shot a decent amount and has proven he can get to the line at will.

The situation currently for Wiggins seems great as well. He now has Tom Thibodeau and Jimmy Butler to help guide and mentor him to finally tapping into his defensive potential. He has all the tools to be a Jimmy Butler-level defender in the league, and if he does, he is easily a top 25 player. It is his one glaring weakness that everyone is waiting to see if he can improve going into his fourth year. It is clear that, for him to be worth the max contract extension he will get this year, he will need to at least be an average defender. I am not mad at Glen Taylor for expecting that of him.

I also don’t believe in trading Wiggins for Kyrie either. I would much rather have 6 years of Andrew Wiggins than 2 years of Kyrie. Kyrie’s ball dominance also doesn’t work great with Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns. Wiggins’ passive nature bodes well as the 3rd option on offense as it will also draw less double teams his way. The Wolves would benefit greatly from having Wiggins fill a Klay Thompson-like role on both ends of the floor.

Wiggins will have all the opportunity in the world to dominate the ball through 82 games, I am not concerned about that. I also think, Wiggins will become a plus-shooter and eventually, a plus-defender. What is really concerning me is his attitude.

Before I get into his attitude, it is important to note how NBA players have invited us into their personal lives. Social media let’s us know everything that they are doing, that they want to share. What they want to share is really their choice. Their choice does reflect on who they are because ultimately, they are portraying the self that they want us to see, knowing that fans see it. Does that make sense?

 

 

Whether the above post by IG was intended to take shots at Glen Taylor or not, it still leaves it up to people to interpret. I am not taking this up as the only issue. There has been a trend of these types of sub-messages through his social media that give the impression that he is dissatisfied with the situation. It is usually best not to tread the waters of leaving things up to fans to create their own messages, as timely as some of these posts have been.

I would be a little less critical with Andrew on these types of things had I seen he was buying into what the Wolves are doing. There wasn’t much from Andrew’s camp around the Jimmy Butler trade. I would’ve expected something from Wiggins, being the face of the franchise that he is. I don’t expect him to be as enthusiastic as KAT is for everything, that isn’t Wiggy, but something at least. Right?

I see more about Wiggins’ expensive cars and dogs than anything related to his team. He is free to do that all he wants. But it leaves me to question his commitment to the team when his non-car/dog posts are about loyalty and respect.

So what I am really concerned about is Wiggins’ attitude for this upcoming season. I don’t think a few social media posts justify to say it is a problem quite yet of course, but it will certainly be something to pay attention to this upcoming season. It will be interesting to see how he interacts with his teammates, new and old, on the course. I hate to instigate but I can’t be the only person with this concern. I am a firm believer in the need for every player on a team to buy into the team concept.

The Timber Rebuilder.

 

Making sense of the Wolves’ new direction

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The Wolves have repositioned themselves from a team on the rise to a team that has risen. The dramatic draft night trade for Jimmy Butler to moving Ricky Rubio and adding Teague and Taj Gibson are all indications that the Wolves are making a serious run for the playoffs. Tom Thibodeau has made it clear that in order for the Wolves to win, they need tough-minded, defensive veterans around the young nucleus of Towns and Wiggins.

For many, the replacement of Ricky Rubio with Jeff Teague has been hard to swallow. Rubio was the longest tenured player on the roster and had shown significant improvements in the second half of the season. It was clear though, both sides of the relationship were not thrilled to be together. Rubio wanted to be more involved in the organization and wanted to be appreciated while the organization clearly had issues with Rubio’s inability to shoot or finish at the rim. The move will likely be best for both sides.
The Wolves got what might be the best return for Rubio that they might have been able to get in the last two years, a first-round pick and cap space. As an opportunist, you have to know when to sell high. The only way that Rubio could be more coveted is if he developed a jump shot, which will likely not happen. He has removed his ‘injury’ tag and showed signs of being able to score and create last year. Since Rubio is not a player that relies on his speed or athleticism, he could stretch out his career if healthy. The only issue is the Wolves needed shooting. And badly.
While Teague isn’t known as a lights out shooter, he is certainly not the liability that Rubio was. Teague has been able to shoot over 35% over the last two years and is just a couple years removed from being an All-Star. He has a good amount of playoff experience and most importantly, can finish around the rim. This combination of shooting and driving ability is going to make the biggest difference for the Wolves. First, teams will have a nightmare defending the pick-and-roll with Teague and (Insert Butler, Wiggins, or Towns here). Second, Teague will be able to help the Wolves when they need scoring outside of their big 3, something the Wolves could not rely on with Rubio. Outside of LaVine, Wiggins, and Towns last year, the Wolves struggled to find a fourth scorer.
The secondary benefits of adding Teague is that he will not need the ball to be effective, another flaw of having Rubio on the current roster. Teague can spot up for 3 if needed and demand some respect from opposing defenses. Also, Teague has played with other dominate point guards in the past which lets him play off the ball in situations, which will be helpful if Thibs is looking to let Butler or Wiggins handle the ball more often.
On the defensive end, Teague is still pesky. He had a better defensive win share than Rubio last season. While he doesn’t have the length of Rubio, he will still be able to guard other teams’ best guard if needed. Luckily for the Wolves, they will be able to throw Teague, Butler, or Wiggins at a team’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis. I will say, this is where the Wolves will miss Kris Dunn. Dunn would have been a great compliment to Teague. Yes, I still am a Dunn-believer.
We can now look at what adding Taj Gibson means. He could mean a lot of things really. He could mean a move of Towns to the center position and Dieng being the 6th man with Bjelica coming in for support. He could also come off of the bench if Dieng remains in the starting lineup. Regardless the role he plays in the lineup, he brings much needed toughness and defense. The Wolves should finally have someone to set the tone in terms of physicality. We watched way too many Wolves get beat around the paint for rebounds and uncontested shots.
The Wolves also have allowed Shabazz Muhammad to become an unrestricted free agent at this point. This doesn’t mean he is gone, but it basically does mean he is gone with the Wolves lack of cap space and shooting still. Shabazz is also one of my favorite Wolves but I also don’t think it will be as sad to see him leave for the average Wolves fan as it was to see LaVine and Rubio go.
The Wolves are currently looking to create cap space to sign more players for some bench depth. They are looking to move Cole Aldrich and the pick they received in the Rubio trade. This would indicate they are still trying to solve their shooting problem. I hope. I also can’t imagine they are ready to let Tyus Jones be the full-time backup point guard. But a good amount of the options that the Wolves had are now off the board. So it will be interesting to see what direction they go. My hope is signing CJ Miles or Patrick Patterson to fill out the bench and then signing a backup point guard like Ty Lawson.
It will be important to pay attention to the Wolves Summer League team. Deandre Burton and VJ Beachum could have legitimate chances of making the Wolves roster if they are in need of bodies. The Wolves are also light on the wings outside of Butler and Wiggins. Fully expecting Thibodeau to give them a majority of the minutes in the game, in case of garbage time or an emergency, a summer league player could help out. The Wolves have a ton of roster spots available and not a ton of cap room, so it would make sense at least two guys get two-way contracts for the Wolves.
Expecting more moves certainly, it is clear the identity Thibodeau is developing here in Minnesota. He wants a defensive-minded team that has a veteran toughness. Not much different than the Bulls teams he has coached in the past. Thibodeau does not seem to value shooting as much as the rest of the league, which is concerning.
The team seems to be filled out in two-phases. The first phase is the immediate phase, which is the next two years. It is likely aimed at keeping the core of the team intact as Wiggins, Butler, and Towns will all be able to sign extensions in the next two years. This immediate phase is also designed to win now, not necessarily a championship, but to get to the playoffs. This playoff experience is crucial for Towns and Wiggins mainly. With the help of the veterans, Thibs is hoping to redefine the playoff-less culture in Minnesota and get the monkey off their backs.
The second phase will be around truly competing and it is all dependent on the development of Wiggins and Towns, most importantly on the defensive end of the floor. The next two years will be about getting them experience, chemistry, and understanding so that when the majority of the Wolves’ contracts expire over the course of the next three years, they can rebuild around Wiggins and Towns, who could be in the prime of their careers and better all-around players.
It remains to be seen what role Jimmy Butler plays in all of this. Its just too early. His contract expires in two years and a lot can change from now until then. The rest of the players on the Wolves roster, which maybe the exception of Justin Patton, should change three years from now. Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson should not be relevant once their contracts expire. But the goal should be to instill the basketball values that all three of the new veterans have in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
So while most fans will be excited to see the new additions in Wolves uniforms, I will be watching the development of Towns and Wiggins very closely. The success of this team truly rides on their shoulders.

Jimmy Butler: Second Impressions

sheefo13 16-17 Season

I didn’t want to write anything out of emotion. Draft night was crazy. It was surreal. I couldn’t believe it happened. I joked that I wouldn’t believe anyone said about Jimmy Butler trades unless it came from Doogie Wolfson on twitter. But it happened. The Wolves landed Jimmy Butler and the draft rights to Justin Patton for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and the rights to Lauri Markkanen.

The Wolves essentially created a future super team by adding a top-15 NBA player and one of the best two-way players in the league in Jimmy Butler. Getting the 16th pick in the deal was laughable as well. The Wolves moved back 9 spots in the draft with Jimmy Butler for Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine. It is mind blowing.

All of that said, it still hurts 24 hours later to see Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn leave. LaVine was a class act and was nothing but a hard worker while here. Dunn had a series of tweets on how he was begin to love Minnesota. It is a reminder that, as romantic of a game that basketball is, it is a business. Just start watching the jersey sponsorships over the next few years roll in. We will be constantly reminded that basketball is a business.

This trade happened for a few reasons. The Wolves need to win now and it makes complete sense that they have wanted Butler for a while. But I think deep down, the Wolves wanted Jonathon Isaac. Once it was certain that Isaac was going to be taken 6th, I think the Wolves felt more comfortable making the trade and there was a huge drop off from pick 6 to pick 7. There is also some concern about LaVine coming off an ACL tear. A red flag should go up when a player that relies on their athleticism tears an ACL. It’s not that it’s over, LaVine is still young. But it is certainly risky. Lastly, Kris Dunn still has the word ‘potential’ attached to him. Being that he was drafted as a senior and was advertised as ‘ready to play’, this second season means so much more for him and if he still does have potential. I’m still very high on LaVine and Dunn because both have floor skill sets that will be valuable no matter what happens. LaVine can shoot and Dunn can defend. But both were high-risk assets coming into this next year that the Wolves may have sold at the right time. 

What has been overlooked is the cap situation the Wolves pulled themselves out of. The new CBA rule allows for teams to offer max contracts to two players on their rookie scale contract. Both Wiggins and LaVine were up for these extensions and both deserve the max. The Wolves obviously need to save one of these max extensions for KAT. On paper, it would be easy to tell LaVine that he isn’t getting the max because of his injury and he isn’t even Robin in the trio of Wiggins, KAT and himself. LaVine could have potentially declined whatever extension offer the Wolves had for him and opted for free agency this summer. That means, there was the possibility that the Wolves could’ve lost LaVine for nothing. 

Now bring in Jimmy Butler’s contract. He is under contract for another two seasons with a player option for a 3rd, which he will likely opt out of for a contract he deserves. He will be 30 years old at that time, which means he is under contract for less than $20M a year during his best playing years. To put this into further perspective, Allen Crabbe is making $1M more a year than Butler over the next two seasons. So salary cap wise, this deal was absolutely genius.  

Overall, I commend Tom Thibodeau. He spent the last year assessing his roster and didn’t make any crazy moves so that the Wolves could have the flexibility to make a trade like last night’s. It is clear he understands the value of the players on his roster and ultimately, adding an All-NBA player alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins is a risk that needed to be taken. The real issue was the culture here in Minnesota. The culture needs to change. Butler is going to help build a winning culture around the young players and help them truly understand how to play team defense. If there is one area that the Wolves are going to be happy Jimmy Butler is here for on the court, it is on the defensive end.

What can’t be overlooked though is team chemistry. How is Jimmy Butler going to rally the troops? Wiggins and Towns have looked like numbers chasers on the court this season, which has ultimately made winning not look like a priority. There have been times where Thibs has tried to play Wiggins in the point-forward position but it never seemed natural for him to make good playmaking decisions. Butler will be able to help out in that sense but then you have to wonder, what will Wiggins’ role be in the offense now? Will Butler be more of a facilitator on the floor?

The Wolves now have three legitimate 20 point per game scorers on their roster. While I used to be of the philosophy that there is only one ball on the court at the time, the only way the Wolves flourish is tbrough truly unselfish basketball. The Wolves played a lot of ISO-ball last season and that will need to stop. Outside of the Warriors having four All-Stars, the reason they dominated the league is that they let opponents pick their poison and just moved the ball. I’m not sold Thibodeau has the offensive-genius the Warriors have, but they certainly can start watching a ton of tape. 

The thing I am most looking forward to in the court is a Jimmy Butler and KAT pick and roll/ pop game. One thing Wiggins and LaVine were unable to do last year is involve KAT in pick situations. Butler has the shot and playmaking ability to involve KAT heavily in the pick & roll.


It will be interesting to see what position Wiggins plays. He seems more comfortable playing shooting guard through his career. Jimmy Butler can guard anything from the 2-4. If Wiggins can guard the weaker offensive threat between the 2 and 3, he will be able to take full advantage of smaller shooting guards on the offensive end. While small ball has become the new trend in the NBA, the Wolves could take advantage with their length and potential ability to defend the perimeter. 

The next question I have is, what happens to Ricky Rubio? He has all the offensive weapons in the world now at his finger tips. He turned the corner at the end of last year. Does Thibs have Rubio in his future plans? Rubio might play great with the new big 3, but would make most sense is adding a 3 and D point guard. I imagine Patty Mills or Patrick Beverly being potential fits. I also think George Hill could be a potential target. This would mean Rubio’s value would lower as teams know we are backed up at point guard.

The final question is, what position will Towns play? Do the Wolves continue to play Dieng and Towns together? I do think Towns is better playing the 5 with the Wolves bringing in a stretch-4 to help offset the lack of shooting. Heck, I wonder if Bjelica might be better off starting. I think the Wolves could have a good hard look at CJ Miles and Patrick Patterson this summer. Neither are starting caliber forwards, but could offer some lineup flexibility throughout the game in stretches where the Wolves need shooting. 

This move will certainly have a domino effect though. The Wolves will likely need to add another piece if they are now serious about competing. Where they end up in the West is still yet to be determined. The Clippers, Jazz and Rockets could look very different next season. I will enjoy this trade for now though, regardless where the Wolves end up next season. It is the first time in a while we were on the winning end of a trade. It is probably the biggest move since the Wolves acquired Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell.

It is certainly a new era of Wolves basketball.

P.S. I am holding off on Justin Patton talks. I was praying for OG Anunoby. Patton will certainly be a project and my expectations are low this season. He is an energetic player which should be helpful off the bench. I thought a fence-swing was more appropriate at 16 with Anunoby, but you can’t win them all.

P.S.S. I updated some more thoughts and wanted to add this comic because it’s hilarious 

2017 Draft Day Thoughts

sheefo13 16-17 Season

For those following this blog, you know the draft is my favorite day of the season. Not always by choice, but it is the only thing for the last 12 seasons the Wolves have been at the top of.

The Wolves find themselves in the middle of the draft lottery at pick 7. This is typically an indication of an inflection point in the Wolves rebuild. They usually only go up or down from here. The last inflection point was 2013 when the Wolves pick 9th. They were seemingly on their way on the upwards swing after landing the 13th pick in the 2014 draft. Of course, the Kevin Love drama led to a reset.

So the Wolves are in a position to truly improve their team. The 7th pick is really, really valuable in this draft. The caveat though is, the pick will likely require patience. Every player that is projected in the top 10 is a Freshmen. Every single one. Some of them can have an impact immediately, but none are going to completely change the fortunes of the team that drafts them as of this upcoming season.

With these expectations set, you also have to take into account the goals for the Wolves in the 17-18 season. The Wolves are absolutely looking to make the playoffs. Whoever the Wolves draft tonight might not push the Wolves over the hump this season, but equips them for the years afterwards, which are equally important. The Wolves also have the option to move the 7th pick to really bulk up their lineup with a veteran. Because the Wolves have so many assets and the 7th pick, they could be positioned to be involved in a Blockbuster deal tonight.

So diving into what is available today. There are two players that have been floating that the Wolves should absolutely pursue. Kristaps Porzingis and Jimmy Butler. The only thing that is untouchable would be Towns in both deals. But I have to believe the Wolves will be trying to construct something around the 7th pick, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio, and/ or Gorgui Dieng. Many might disagree here, but this has to be the top option for the Wolves. The draft this year is set up in that the picks are extremely valuable.

Now, without the pipe dream, the most likely scenario is the Wolves will take the pick at 7 and add them to the roster. From the sounds before the draft, the top 5 picks seem pretty solid. Fultz, Ball, Taytum, Jackson, and Fox should be gone. The Orlando Magic will ultimately decide the Wolves’ fate tonight. Had they not just got a new GM, I would feel more comfortable with them making the wrong decision. My biggest fear going into tonight is that the Magic take Jonathan Isaac at 6. It doesn’t make a ton of sense for them, being that Aaron Gordon is their franchise cornerstone, but he certainly will be the best player available.

Jonathan Isaac is easily my favorite player in this draft and for the Wolves. If the Wolves leave this draft with Isaac, I will be the happiest person on the planet. Unfortunately, he didn’t work out for the Wolves. Being that the most realistic scenario tonight is that the Wolves take a pick and keep it, the best case scenario tonight is drafting Jonathan Isaac at 7.  There has been concerns about his response to a question around if he does drugs when asked by the Celtics. Celtics and Thibs should have a decent relationship, so the Wolves should know what they need if they take him. With the Magic potentially taking Isaac and the fact that he didn’t work out for the Wolves, my hopes are low and I am trying to think of a consolation.

My consolation on the day of the draft is Malik Monk. A smaller version of Zach LaVine. I typically don’t like taking scorers in the draft. Scoring is not a great skill that translates well in the NBA. Monk, however, can shoot the lights out too. Monk probably has the biggest range of floor and ceiling going into the draft. If Monk could defend, he would easily be a top 3 pick in this draft. He could be the next Rashad McCants or the next Jamal Crawford. There have been some stretch, great shooter comparisons done to Malik Monk. Like Steph Curry and Ray Allen. I think that is wrong. But I see Monk as the 1b pick for the Wolves. Luckily, Isaac and/ or Monk will be available at pick 7.

Dennis Smith Jr is also an intriguing prospect and has the most potential as ‘the guy I can’t believe everyone passed on’. He is extremely athletic and did everything on the court. He seemingly can be compared to Westbrook with his style of play. My issue though is not with Smith, it is more so that I like Dunn and Rubio too much. I still think Dunn is going to be a good starter in the league and also believe Rubio is the point guard this team needs right now to make the playoffs.

Then there was Lauri Markkanen. The best shooter in the draft apparently. Listen, I am sure he can shoot. I just don’t think he will be able to do anything else. Also, a red flag always goes up when a player gets compared to Dirk. A rule of thumb for me is avoid those guys. They never come close. If the Wolves take Lauri at 7, that would be the worst case scenario for the Wolves. If the Wolves trade down and get Lauri, I might be able to sleep at night. Unfortunately, Markkanen is getting attached to the Wolves a ton. There are also rumblings that the Mavs absolutely love him too.

I also like a couple of guys in the later lottery in Zach Collins and OG Anunoby. It could be interesting if the Wolves could potentially move down to grab one of these two. I would not be opposed to having one of these guys if the Wolves don’t get Isaac. I personally like Collins and Anunoby over Markkanen.

The underrated part of the draft is that trades are being made, and not only for picks. There are a few players that could be available for trade that the Wolves could really use. The two players I hope get linked to the Wolves would be Danny Green and Ryan Anderson. Danny Green is a great 3 and D guy the Wolves could desperately use, along with his veteran presence. Ryan Anderson is a crazy shooter who could really spread the floor for the Wolves and could play the Mirotic role for Thibs’ offense.

The Wolves don’t have a 2nd rounder but there has been rumors that they are interested in purchasing one. There are a ton of solid players that could drop into the 2nd round of this draft. I like sleepers like Sterling Brown and George de Paula. Brown is a great 3 and D prospect that could develop into a good role player. I also have been following de Paula since the 2015 draft, mainly because of his physical tools. He has bigger hands than Kawhi Leonard and has incredible length for a point guard. He would be one of the biggest point guards in recent history. He reminds me of Giannis at point guard. Being that it is a 2nd rounder, I have no problems taking a project. I pray Thibs is reading this and takes George de Paula.

Caleb Swanigan, Ivan Rabb, Josh Hart, and DJ Wilson are guys I like if they drop into the 2nd round. Would keep an eye on them.

Thats all for now. Can’t wait for tonight!

The Situation at pick Seven

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Jonathan Isaac. That is the goal.

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The draft is all about choosing between team need and talent. Can the player fit the system and fill a team need? But then, it is the draft, right? We should just draft the best player available since these guys are so young and you never know what you’ll get. You can always address needs in free agency. Right? That is typically how the argument around draft philosophies go. But what if I told you, you could draft a player who fit your team at a position you need, all while them being the best at their position AND not have to take him 1st overall?
That is exactly what Jonathan Isaac is for the Timberwolves. The Wolves have been drafting players left and right, holding onto talented lottery picks waiting to bare the fruits of their labor. In fact, the Wolves had three consecutive number one picks on their roster at one point.
The Wolves have three high usage players in Towns, Wiggins and LaVine. That is one of the biggest hurdles around the Wolves picking in the lottery again. There aren’t a lot of clear cut players that have the potential at 7 that those three have offensively. That said, the Wolves need players that don’t require the ball to score and who are ‘plus’ players on the defensive end. The Wolves essentially need a 3 and D guy, preferably not at the same positions as the big three or at point guard since the Wolves just drafted Kris Dunn.
Jonathan Isaac is all that and a bag of Sun Chips. Isaac is not going to blow anyone away with his offense but has shown the ability to hit the three and play incredible defense. The 6-11 forward is still skinny in which he may not be able to guard stronger power forwards in the league quite yet, but adding some weight to his frame overtime will certainly help him there. He already rebounds and block shots like a starting power forward in the league. He is great in defending the pick-n-roll, which can only get better working under Thibs. He still isn’t great at defending the perimeter, but he certainly is an improvement over Wiggins right now.
The reason I love Isaac is because he has the potential to be the best role player in the NBA. He was not a high usage player at Florida State and was still extremely effective. His unique combination of length and ability to be a 3-and-D player makes people compare him to the likes of Draymond Green. As he fills out his frame, he has the potential to help defend another team’s best wing player but also serve as a help-side rim protector. Because he has a lot of the defensive skills already, his floor isn’t too bad either. Worst case, he is a serviceable role player that is solid defensively and non-existent on offense. Think, Wes Johnson with the Clippers.
Being that the Wolves drafted Wes Johnson number 4 overall over many other future All-Stars, that was probably not the best comparison. But we are talking about floors here. Wes Johnson is a spot-starter on a playoff team that needs a wing 3-and-D guy. The Wolves drafted him as a player that would’ve been great offensively. I digress though.
The issue currently for the Wolves is that Jonathan Isaac’s stock is rising. Not because he has done anything to deserve it since he didn’t go to the draft combine, but because the stock of the other forwards are falling. Namely, Josh Jackson and Jayson Tatum. Both have serious potential. But if I had to pick another former Wolves draft pick, their floors look like Derrick Williams. Not for their style of play but because of their need for the ball without being good shooters. Tatum is Carmelo Anthony on offense in terms of ISO ball. Not only is that a bad fit for the Wolves, many teams are moving away from that style of basketball. Jackson is better offensively and has a unique passing ability for a forward. Both have light years of potential and could very well be All-Stars, but their styles of play are concerning.
If any of the three fall on draft night, it will likely be Tatum. I can’t imagine Jackson falling passed the Wolves at 7. He has shooting concerns that would probably make him a poor fit in Minnesota, but he could also push out one of Wiggins or LaVine. As of today, Jackson should probably go to the Sixers, but things can change in the next month.
Now, let’s play the scenario in which Jonathan Isaac goes before number 7. The Sixers could potentially take Isaac at 3. The Suns could have interest at 4. The Kings will almost certainly take a point guard at 5. The Magic may have more interest in one of the higher usage players at 6, but after bringing on Hammond from Milwaukee, they could be looking for a Giannis archetype, which Isaac fits. There is also the possibility a team trades up to take Isaac. The Nuggets have the assets to do just that and he fits the Nuggets very well. So what do the Wolves do?
The Wolves have two options. One includes taking the best player available. That will likely be taking Tatum or Jackson if they fall. There is also the intriguing prospect of Malik Monk. We will visit that option. The second option would be to trade down. We will visit that as well.
First, best player available. Chances are, the best player available will be Malik Monk if Isaac is taken. Monk is probably one of the better scorers and shooters in this draft. The Wolves missed out on Jamal Murray last year, this would be their opportunity to make up for it this year. Monk would be the security blanket around LaVine’s knee as he rehabs from the ACL tear. Monk could also replace the scoring that the Wolves will lose off the bench if Shabazz Muhammad demands too much money. The issue with drafting Monk would be his size at the off guard position and his ability to defend in the NBA. He is almost another Jamal Crawford, which is good, but not great for the Wolves. Scoring also doesn’t always translate great to the NBA. If I had to relate Monk’s floor to a Wolves draft pick, it would be Rashad McCants.
Trading down opens up a slew of options for the Wolves. They could add a veteran player and a late round draft pick. They could package the pick with Rubio and others to potentially bring in a better player. There are teams that will need point guards and there are a lot of point guards available in the top 10 of this draft. My hope is the Wolves listen to offers, especially if Isaac is off the board.
While I can’t go into every scenario if the Wolves trade the pick, I would love the Wolves to target a poor man’s version of Jonathan Isaac, OG Anunoby. Physically, Anunoby is an upgrade over Isaac. He is 6-8 with a 7-5 wingspan. He is also a mystery. He didn’t play too much his Freshmen year at Indiana and tore an ACL during his Sophomore year. He is a monster defensively. His shot is more of a question mark than Isaac’s, as well as his health.
That is where things stand as of right now, a month ahead of the draft. A good amount can change from now until then. Jonathan Isaac has the potential to be the perfect power forward of the future, sandwiched between Wiggins and Towns. If Isaac and Dunn develop consistent three point shots, they seem like the perfect role players around the Wolves big three. Both would be amazing defensively which would be a nightmare for opponents. A lot depends on the shooting abilities of the role players Dunn and potentially Isaac, which is definitely a huge question regardless.

The unofficial new Wolves Logo leaked

sheefo13 16-17 Season

The Wolves will reveal their new logo in tonight’s game against the OKC Thunder. There have been some remakes of the logo through hearsay but this one appeared through advertisements on the Star Tribune Website.

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Your thoughts?

It pays tribute to all of the previous Wolves logos. This new logo includes lime green, which will add a new twist to the jerseys.

#PowerOfThePack

March Madness Prospects to watch as a Wolves fan

sheefo13 16-17 Season

The draft is always my favorite time of the year. With the Wolves making a push towards the playoffs, it does mean they risk not having a great pick in this draft. A later lottery pick though could be just what the Wolves need going into next season.

The 2017 draft is stacked at point guard. There will be a ton of guard prospects to choose from which will not be great for the Wolves. The Wolves certainly could use a backup/ spot-starter at the two-guard next season but that can be addressed in free agency. I don’t think Brandon Rush is necessarily the answer there.

This draft will have some stretch forwards that could be the long-term partner up front with Karl-Anthony Towns, or just another player to fill out the bench. As the tournament gets started, here are the players I love for the Timberwolves.

Miles Bridges (Michigan State)

NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Michigan State

The Freshmen reminds me of a Detroit Piston from the 90s. He is incredibly athletic, physical and smart. He has a sweet 3-point stroke and is solid defensively in the pick-n-roll. I don’t know if there is a player I like better than Bridges right now for the Wolves. He is slotted as a late-lottery pick but I can see his stock going up after the NCAA Tournament and through workouts. He has some questionable decision making but I think it is a result of inexperience. He is always a factor when he is on the floor which you don’t always see from freshmen in college basketball. His physical abilities (strength and just athleticism) coupled with his 3-and-D potential makes me feel like he has the ability to be the perfect complement to KAT in the long run. I can’t imagine what he will be like when he becomes 24.

Jayson Tatum (Duke)

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It is hard to get a feel for where Tatum ends up but he is worth keeping an eye on. He is also a combo forward but I don’t think he would match up well against bigger power forwards in the NBA quite yet, defensively at least. He started the season off slow but has picked it up quite nice. He has a ton of ‘potential’ as a franchise cornerstone, so there is a good chance he gets taken far before the Wolves pick. It will be good to keep an eye on him though as he is essentially the best forward prospect in the draft.

Jonathan Isaac (Florida St.)

NCAA BASKETBALL: NOV 24 NIT Season Tip-Off - Temple v Florida State

Isaac has probably the best defensive potential in the draft. He is super long and when his body fills out, he will be able to guard both of the forward positions in the NBA. He is a good rebounder, a pretty good perimeter defender and can block shots. He is still working on his 3-pointer, which is a point of concern for me. He also plays a much lesser of a role on his team now than the previous two prospects mentioned. Not a huge concern because Zach LaVine came in with many of the same issues. Isaac will be more of a project though.

Don’t like, but worth watching

  • Lauri Markkanen: Lauri is a 7-footer who can shoot and defend. I am not quite sold on him quite yet mainly because I don’t see him fitting well next to KAT, not that he isn’t a good prospect. He also feels like a project like Dragan Bender. With the Wolves committed to Gorgui Dieng now in the long-term, Markkanen feels like he would be more of a redundant asset where the three guys above offer a different flavor in their game than Dieng. Lauri is still worth watching with Arizona because he will be in picking range for the Wolves and his stock could rise in the tournament.

Long Shots (Not in the tournament/ not playing)

  • OG Anunoby: OG suffered a season ending injury but screams potential. If the Wolves end up with a much later pick through a trade in the late 1st or early 2nd round, OG might be a guy that can fit well with what Thibs likes. He is a great defender. I would be scared to think what Dunn and OG could be together in the future potentially.
  • Ivan Rabb: Rabb is a Sophomore who’s Cal team didn’t make the tournament. He would’ve been a lottery pick last season but was committed to helping Cal win this season. He is going to now looking like a late-1st rounder because he seems like a traditional 4. He is a solid post defender and a good rebounder. His offense is limited but looks like a solid role player.