Future Star Watch

I'm curious as to how the FO really sees Rudy's fit long term. The've said all the right things about wanting to keep him here long term and for him to retire a Wolf, but does having Rudy Gobert for another 3-4 years really help maximize Ant? I have my doubts. Swapping Randle for Allen is a really intriguing idea. Allen gives you a decent chunk of the rim deterrence that Rudy does as well as the same lob threat. 

If that happens, where does Rudy go? My first thought would be NOLA to help them shore up the center position alongside Zion. Next best guess would be San Antonio to pair him with Wemby and to raise their ceiling defensively. That would be an incredibly intimidating frontcourt defensively. 

I'd for sure give up the Detroit pick for him.  You're absolutely right that the question on him is if he had a sophomore slump or if his game just didnt evolve.  I trust Connely to figure that out and do something before everyone else figures it out and his value jumps if the answer is it was a sophomore slump.

It doesn't bother you that the front office that is around Kessler all the time would be willing to trade him? Utah is rebuilding. They have to time to develop him. If they thought he was good clay that just needed molding, why would they trade him for a draft pick and a guy they could sign as a FA (NAW)?

Probably? It wouldn't likely work personality wise as Rudy is a proud guy and wouldn't want to platoon, but on the court, I'm not sure it's an awful idea just make the deal and have both Rudy and Allen. The team's identity is defense and this kind of move would double down on that as we'd have 48 min of great defense at the center position. It would save wear and tear on both guys to just share the center minutes. I'm not saying it's an ideal allocation of resources, but the money is already committed and this would be a move to make if a guy like Minott is actually ready to contribute.

Trading Randle elevates Naz to the starting role and opens minutes at the 4 for a Minott or a TJ Shannon (or Ingles). The Wolves would be playing lots of rangy wings/forwards anchored by 48 min of excellent defense at center.

It's just a thought and very unlikely. It also doesn't take into account Rudy's player option. Not sure what would happen there.

NAW would actually fit pretty well in Atlanta next to Trae Young. Could do 2 separate trades. Rudy for Capela and Bogdan and then NAW for Roddy or Bufkin or whomever. Wolves could add the Detroit pick if Atlanta is trading the Lakers 1st.

Capela as a backup to Allen on an expiring contract would fulfill the 48 min of good center defense. Bogdan is on a good contract for 2 more years. The Wolves would be stacked with shooters.

Honestly, if I were Finch, I would refrain from greenlighting a NAW trade for as long as possible. Guards with absolute ELITE defensive skills are rare, and defense wins championships. When his shot is not falling even Steph Curry is completely unplayable! Give NAW a little room. Get him a shooting coach. Draw some plays where he sets screens or something... find a way to have him on the floor, it will pay off!

Curry’s always been pretty sloppy with the ball, doesn’t play d, and doesn’t really generate shots for others. I would take the gravity of prime DeAndre Jordan or like a Amare Stoudamire because it opens up shots for everyone including the ball handler.

What Steph does looks different but it’s not that different from what any shooter is doing. USA was a good example, the Olympics four years ago that was a healthy LaVine in that role, and he was great. Could have been about any NBA 3 baller there, but he has some trick shots that make it feel like Globetrotters and pop on social.

The difference is if Zach is there they draw those late games shots for KD, but idea is still the same.

Yeah.  The reality of the new financial system is that it does act like a "hard cap" where teams have to limit the number of big contracts.  The Wolves just couldn't afford to extend Johnson AND give Naz his money while keeping Allen etc.  Overall though, the Atlanta stuff extremely unlikely even if the Wolves got crazy and dealt Randle.

The Randle for Allen thing is actually something that could happen at some point though IMO.  They signed Allen to that extension when they did so that he could be traded.  They know their 2 big thing is an open question given the particular skillsets each player has and as you mentioned, both teams seem more synergistic in their pairings after the deal.  Naz and Allen is quite complementary.  I think I'd make that swap right now even with Rudy still here.  I think Allen is really good and while he's not Rudy on D, I'm not sure how much longer Rudy will be that guy.  Allen is a step down defensively, but he's still really good there and his offense is what we want Rudy to be in that he can actually catch the ball.

If Naz takes a step and Minott looks like a legit rotation guy, why not make this move?

Curry is probably one of the players who would be most fun to play with. Not sure why you hate him so much. He's probably one of the most valuable players of all time given he almost single-handedly changed how the game was played. He took 3>2 and then shot it up with steroids. Those Warriors teams were great and won 4 rings because of Curry. You had to, and still have to, pick him up at damn near 40 feet and you almost need 2 defenders. That opens up so much space for your offense to operate and opens up so many scoring and passing lanes for other guys. 

Curry revolutionized basketball on his own. Moving screens from Draymond and Pachulia and whatever big they had didn't make Steph. Steph is one of the best players of all time and the Warriors did great in drafting talent to fit him. My guess is if you put Steph on those losing Wolves teams, he'd probably be gone before you could say freedom of movement because of all the losing.

Can disagree. I still take Ray Allen or Kyle Korver as movement shooter guys. Or even prime Klay giving you elite d AND shooting. Dame, Rubio, Holiday, all those guys get different legacies if getting to play with Prime Dray, KD, Thompson, and Iggy, let alone any semblance of the full back screens they were throwing guys several feet off the ball. That Kings series a couple years ago was straight up WWE basketball (meaning fake), Celtics finals (whom I don't even like) where Dray is just tackling people, it was straight up lunacy. The league changed the rules of basketball to lnflate the value of shooting efficiency. We can all disagree on how much we like watching those Warriors teams (I enjoyed the rise because they were different, and had different advantages), but that team and player is the most propped up/manufacture star in the history of pro sports. Donte's in the Steph role here, now, and he's does more because he can defend, and also has never been considered a max player. Wolves could change their offense for the singler purpose of getting him 14 three's a game, but got to have those high level playmakers, and d around him. I just think too much credit is given to scoring, his teams were vastly deeper and more top heavy than the west. You know who looks awesome with KD, Klay, Iggy, and Green, Double R. National guys, peeps who do this for a living, they lack imagination, and ultimately just know if someone led in points, which is why we were told Kat had a underwhelming playoffs, despite the fact he was awesome. There is more to basketball than points, and if you want a guy to score 30, any team can do that, that is different than playing the best version of team 5 on 5 basketball.

If Steph is in MN, I doubt FOM even happens.

The weakness of those Warriors teams was size, physicality, rebounding, and the league just removed those from basketball for over a half decade.

Steph is fine I just look at greats as being able to do multiple things, playmake, d, tough shot maker. I think he does one of those at a very high level, but guys like Giannis, LeBron, Leonard, Ant, that's a different level super star to me. Wemby likely will get there.