What is crack a lacking hartwnopsis. There's I am Dan Valley coming at you
once more without my fantabulous co host Adam Fromwell our team look Ahead Training continues
to roll on. We're up to the Minnesota Timberwolves. I brought back on
Derrick James. Follow him on Twitter at Derek James NBA. He is still
a fantastic basketball mind. He used to cover the NBA and the w NBA
media at various places including since we are talking about the Timberwolves, knis Hoopus.
So I just want to reiterate following on Twitter still great. Follow does
still follow the Timberwolves very closely at Derrick James NBA. Spelt exactly as it
sounds. Shout out to anyone who's listening to this on the night that it
is dropped, which is Thursday night of this week, because the second podcast
we're dropping in a day. Because they're just certain teams that I have a
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aheads too quickly, So shout out to you if you're listening to this on
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Knox. With all of that business out of the way, let's get into
the Minnesota Timberwolves with Derek James. Derek, thank you so much for coming
back to the Hardwoo Knox podcast to help educate me on some Minnesota Timberwolves stuff.
As usual, before we get started, the most important question of the
podcast, how are you doing? I'm doing good man? How are you
doing? I am spectacular over here sort of kind of wishing the off season
was like a like a week or ten days longer. I'll probably be bemoaning
it's too long next year, but no real, no real life complaints over
here. Yeah. Someone pointed out that, you know, like when after
the anniversary of Jimmy Butler's Big Finals game in twenty twenty, that we had
basically completed two seasons in less than a full calendar year. So yeah,
there, I definitely share that sense that, like, wow, this offseason
is already over. It's been a whirlwind that I'm really just hoping that in
their effort to get back to normal schedule wise, I hope there's just not
like an influx of injuries or something. And I know, like the science
is still trying to bear whether that had any impact like over this past year,
so how short the previous off season was, but just back to back
truncated off seasons, just that that worries me a little bit, or I
should say a lot. Actually, even if teams aren't you know, injured,
I think they I feel like they just still took a toll on you
know, even like the Celtics, even though they had you know, major
COVID problems. They're probably behind the Wizards and the Grizzlies, you know,
the team that struggled the most. And I don't think any of the conference
finalists made it back to even the conference finals. So I think it really
did not get everyone out who went deep. And I'll be curious to see
how that plays out this year. I mean, especially with you like a
team like the Bucks and the Suns. It's like there's no reason they can't
they can't go back to you know, at least the conference finals, right
unless this crazy schedule catches up to them. Well, the Timberwolves have had
a little bit longer of a break than those teams will still not probably go
to the conference finals. That's also a fair point. The place to start
is just they can't apparently they just can't have like a non dramatic offseason or
something. But the whole like Gerson Roe Sauce situation, is that like something
that actually impacts this organization materially moving forward? Is it purely an optics thing?
Like is it something that you know it's the whole situation is just like
so bizarre. Yeah, that was something that really came out of left field
for some of us too, I guess, who aren't as plugged in as
others, you know, turned that the way that a lot of you know,
like some former players were like, yeah, it sounds right like that
was an uncomfortable work environment and things like that. And you know, I
think if as far as effect on the team, I mean and everyone else
in the workplace, I mean, that's really hard to say day to day,
but I think the biggest risk, you know, could be you know,
someone like Karl Anthony Towns, he was like, you know, I
think he even voiced his displeasure you know, with you know, more turnover.
I don't think he had an issue with the reason why. I wouldn't
guess, but he's like, you know, there hasn't been a lot of
stability and consistency here, and it's really hard to build anything when you have
that upheaval constantly. Yeah, and the optics obviously aren't great. I think
was this is the situation where he was the one that tweeted like WTF when
it all went down. It's like, never a great sign when like one
of the fifteen best players in basketball, like is caught that off guard by
your instability. Well, and I don't think we knew very much at the
time what was going on at that point, and I mean, it just
looked like they had just fired their general manager right before training camp, and
it's like, well, why would you do this then? And then then
you're like, okay, well, you know, inappropriate workplace relationship and toxic
work environment, it's like, okay, well that is you know, a
decision that you've had to you know, you have to make, and you
know, it's just it's just really unfortunate with this team that you know,
I don't think there's any way to know this. Even though Gerson Rosas had
that weird, like I didn't think he made it six days as the Dallas
GM at one point that We're little city had before he was pushed out again.
And then you know there's just this and all the you know, the
rumblings that we heard underneath, and you know, you know, Okay,
I don't think there's any way to you know, saw something like this out
in advance. I don't think, you know, Glenn Taylor could have known
anything. Even if you know, Hey, Glenn, for one reason or
another, you always wind up keep picking the wrongly person. Yeah, it's
just you know, you just hope that this hasn't really strained that relationship with
Karl Anthony Towns, because I think that does a trickle down effect on the
rest of the organization. I mean, I was in that locker room in
twenty fourteen Kevin Loves last year in Minnesota, and his you know, discontent
really just seemed to just cast a cloud over that entire room. It was
not a good place to be in. It doesn't seem like Kat is in
that place. He seems like he's, you know, he's still in a
more positive place than you know Love was, and that you know, this
is probably just another thing that the organization has to work through. But I
guess on the bright side, you know, it is a sign of a
healthy organization that you know, they remove the people, you know, who
are creating this situation like that in general, So this doesn't just you know,
a Rod and Mark Lord just deciding that they want to, you know,
turn over the front office right before the start of the season. That
would be truly chaotic. I think this is just you know, really unfortunate
timing and hopefully they've contained the collaborate damage. Yeah, and I didn't even
think about the Grison Rosaus and just a short sit in Dallas, But I
guess I'd probably argue that if he had a toxic workplace environment and an extra
marital affair there, you've gotten a couple of promotions based on what's happened in
Dallas. I am obligated, yea, I am obligated to ask sort of
an it's a basketball question, but it's like not immediately on the court,
because this player is not on the Timberwolves. The Minnesota has been at the
forefront of the Ben Simmons rumor mill. I think the latest report is that
they're still sort of there, but Gupta just isn't like as you know,
hot after Ben Simmons as Rosas was My two fold question on this is one,
do you like the conceptual fit of Ben Simmons in Minnesota? And to
like, what type of package or what's the best package that you would realistically
be willing to give up for him? And I've been asking these questions to
the teams that have been linked to Simmons the most, because like, the
package is out there just gets so well, like you what Daryl Morey wants.
And then you have like the reply people on Twitter who want to give
up an expiring contract in two seconds because they think that Ben Simmons is craft.
Now, yeah, I definitely think we've gone too far the other way.
I'm Ben Simmons, you know, change the scenery could do them good,
good sports therapists. Let me do him good too, all the same
and just stay in Philadelphia? Now? Is that the best environment with you
know, Doc Rivers, who has thrown as players under the bus, you
know, on and off the record in the best Joel Embiid who says everything
that comes to mind, Like, I mean, I don't know that that's
the place for a guy who's dealing with some fragility issues and struggling with his
game, but there's no doubt that you know, like that's on the side
of this is the Minnesota Timberwolves. This team has had one winning season since
two thousand and four. I mean, if so, if you can add
an all start for any all defense guy defensive player that you're a candidate,
that's something you know, you do have to look at that. I mean,
especially if you think that you can get him. I think what was
tough with the Timberwolves is that they just, you know, the Kurson Rose
House was so you know, it took a lot of chances with their first
round draft picks, and like the D'Angel Russell Andrew Wiggins trade, I guess
we'll see how much that, you know, how that looks in hindsight.
Generally, I think giving up first round picks is a bad idea. I
think, you know, like the most damaging one was the Adrian the first
round pick for Adrian Pain that Flips Enters gave up years ago. So I
think you really have to, you know, so if there you get into
the situation where you know, they owe all these picks down the road or
in all these pick swaps, you know, in general, with that that
can be very harmful to a team that's looking to to build. I think
it'd be very certain and someone like Anthony Edwards, assuming you're keeping him,
which is like the question of you know, what are you giving up to
get him? You know, I know, like wolves fans, you know,
cars like I could probably do Jaden McDaniels, like, you know you
definitely that situation. Don't be ridiculous like he's a nice prospect, but like
he's not he's not like off the table good. I would definitely go as
far as Dan I think you know you but you know apparently you know Grison,
Russoss wanted to keep Russell or Russell, Edwards and Simmons, but I
don't know, how what are you doing then McDaniels and Beasley and some picks
like I wouldn't do that either if I was Philly. So I mean it
just in general, it just seems like everyone's kind of cooled on him.
Then no one wants to pay with more's asking, you know, as these
teams you know, got into camp and start to you know, start to
build some continuity, you know, that's that would be a major upheaval,
and I think you would have to know, like what are you going to
do with this? You know, if you do, you know, you
your team for what you know, So I think you had to know,
like when this comes together, what's it gonna look like. I mean,
if you're the Nets and you trade for James Harden, You're like, well,
eventually we're going to be a championship contender this year once it all settles
down, and they would have been. I mean, I think that was
right up. That was that was a great gamble to take. If you're
the Timberwolves, you kind of get a look a big picture here, and
you know you do have Ben Simmons under contract for three four more years after
that. I think that's you know, if you're giving up something there at
least you know you're gonna be able to keep the guy for a little bit.
But they know then, like, you know, do the Sixers do
they want? You know, big believe he'sa can help a team. Now,
Jay McDaniels is a prospect. You know, that's always at LEAs them
with you know, Maxie and Tible, you know, as the young guys
around him, and then Tobias Harris like that's you know, it's hard to
say that's a title contender, and you know, it definitely knocks them to
step back if they do that. So I get I get why Morey is
asking so much for Simmons this especially given word. I'm sorry, go ahead.
I didn't realize you weren't finished all you Oh no, I was just
saying, like, you know, I get why he's asking so much,
you know, defend the Timberwolves. I don't, you know, I think
it makes sense that Edwards and Towns are off limits. I do think there's
a lot with Anthony Edwards, even if you know he looked he definitely looked
lost at some very lost at some points on defense last year, but offensive
it I really like the way that he finished the season. Yeah, I
would agree that, I mean, talent should one hundred percent. Ago don't
give up the best player in the trade for Ben Simmons, like that's just
terrible. Yeah, And I would agree that any should be off the table.
I've seen, like you know, parts of Wolves Twitter just like not
wanting to give up d Low and that's in a vacuum, that's where they
us. But then to me, it's like the element of him being friends
with Towns. I don't know how that impacts it. That's the political part
of that to me, Like you have to go to Towns and be like,
hey, I know that all three of you are buddies, but we
can't do this without giving a Russell. And that's important part there. What
you made a really good point about two is there's a big difference between having
done this like a month or six weeks ago and now when you're through training
camp the season starting, And it would be nice to also go through a
season where, like you know, you have the Chris Finch change to hiring
Chris Finch the middle last year, which was something else that didn't generate for
the timber Wolves. And this is all what makes this a complicated case is
that I think you need a third team here because Beasley McDaniels, those are
guys that can help the Sixers immediately. I can't imagine they would be super
high on Russell moving forward. And so if you're going to use picks and
other salaries like the meat and potatoes of the deal plus Beasley McDaniels, there
needs to be that third team that is willing to and look worklely. This
wouldn't be the dumbest move, but hedge against Minnesota's future and take on their
their draft picks. Maybe that third team arises as the season goes on.
I feel like I would give it like a sub ten percent chance that Simmons
ends up in Minnesota. But I think Minnesota's the team that I would be
most interested just looking at the basketball fit him in Towns and Anthony Edwards.
That's the team that I would love to see him on the most. Yes,
Yeah, I think that's that's a very cool team. I mean you
all the ball handling that you would still have on that team, You would
have a guy who could defend next to Aunt and with Cat. I think
it's funny when you mentioned a team you know that you know would maybe hedge
against Minnesota's future. I mean, this just sounds like Sam Presty and just
ask shuffling some other assets to Philadelphia. I'm sure Philly would love Shay.
I would. I think people in Columbasy would riot if they if they traded
Shake Gili Alexander would be over for that. People who are actually employed by
the Timberwolves, though, include Chris Finch, and he was there. I
think he ended up being there when I was going through the like the data,
he was there for more than half the year last season, or at
least Saunders was gone for more than half a season. I think that timeline
was like pretty quickly rebounded. Did you get, like, have any takeaways
from any changes in how the team is going to play under him? I
felt like there was more structure with Chris Finch. I think that was the
biggest thing there. I think I look, I noticed it, especially with
Anthony Edwards and Dangel Russell. You know, I think before that, you
know, before I started watching Daniel Russell every day, I was like,
oh, yeah, I don't mind him. You know, he's a guy,
you know, who's never afraid of the big shot and everything like that.
But he's actually he actually can be a wildly frustrating player at his worst,
But I thought that he don't His shot selection actually looked like it was
more refined under Chris Finch, and it looks like he's playing more of a
all around game. I think them, especially them, we're used to with
Russell, and I believe with Edwards there's a significant drop off in his threes
per game from Saunders to Finch, and I thought that was really important there.
You know, It's like, you know, this Anthony Edwards would get
to the line very well for a kid, especially a guy who has not
had much coaching in the past, has not played a ton of basketball in
his life, and he still has just all that potential. And you you
know, you don't want to be too restrictive with guys, but I think,
you know that especially for young players still learning like that, I think
that structure and discipline can be good and that you know, discouraging them from
just pulling up and shooting the ball, you know, just because they can
and you know, try to get it inside and get to the line.
I think, you know, I think seeing that stuff more and more from
Anthony Edwards, and I think some of the stuff that we've seen from camp
on defense has even been encouraging, although even in preseason, but you know,
I mean that's always training camp in preseason and you know, hope is
alive right now. You have to kind of see how that plays out on
the court. But I think it's it's encouraging what we saw. I think,
especially you know, the way that they finished the season. I think,
you know, I under you know that I feel strongly about the way
that they finished with you know, I think they finished like almost five hundred
of the last twenty five games of the season, which is not a nothing
sample of even an eighty two game season, you know. So I think
when they have that long stretch of strong five hundred play, I think that's
really encouraging and something to be optimistic about, you know. And again preseason
now, but they start off what three four, oh, they go to
Brooklyn tonight. I think that's going to be a good test, you know,
because I mean the first three quarters of these games, I mean it's
been mostly NBA rosters. I know, the Clippers didn't play Paul George and
Zion's been out for the Pelicant for the Pelicans game too, but like you
know, Patrick Devery didn't play the other night, he got arrest night,
and they still dump the Clippers. So it's you know, it's good to
see them going out and taking care of business against the teams that you know
they should, and you know, I think you're looking at every opportunity.
I think as a building experience, it sounds kind of cliche, but for
a team that has not done a lot of winning, there's been a lot
of losing and disappointment. I think that they need to go out and build
these habits, and you know, if you can show up in preseason,
I mean, you know, it's going to be a good practice for you
know, the middle of February and Detroit when you know you don't feel like
you don't feel like you don't getting up for it. I think we if
we can measure their commitment by Patrick Beverley being so invested in the outcome of
a preseason game but he tattletailed on bones Highland, I think that would be
was that preseason game number one or two, whatever it was. This team
is going to be heavily invested in maybe every game. There's their defense was
bad last year, and there's an element of can it really get any worse
if nothing changes because it was that bad? But is there like enough low
hanging fruit when you're looking at some of the stuff that they did wrong being
you know, I think some of the stuff that stood out most glaring is
if you watch pretty much any Minnesota Timberwolves game, there's just all these possessions,
but they seem completely disinterested in getting back on transition defense. But just
even whether it's like fouling less. Is there just enough low hanging fruit for
them to address to be measurably better on that end, or should we still
expect like a you know, maybe not bottom four, but like bottom ten
defensive team here. Yeah, I think bottom ten would be a good realistic
goal. I know, you know, like if you're as Anthony Edwards especially,
you know, I think, you know, using him as kind of
the barometer for how this goes, because his role just grew so much.
I mean, he wasn't starting at the beginning of the year, and by
the end of the season, you know, he was playing, he was
playing good minutes, and I think he got a guy who's clearly never played
NBA defense. I mean, he would get the spots and he wouldn't nowhere
he's going. I would remember times when Jared Vanderbilt was like pointing to the
spot he needed to be in. I mean, he had no idea how
to play NBA defense. And so you have a guy like that who's has
such a big knowledge gap. I mean that defense is we're going to suffer.
And it seems like he does put in the work. I mean I
know that I don't watch basketball quote was controversial, but I mean it sounds
like, you know, like he really does put in the film study,
So like why am I just going to watch it for fun when it's my
job? But I feel like he's you know, he's probably put in the
work to you know, to study you know, his weaknesses and learn the
schemes and where he needs to be. And I think, you know,
hopefully that has a greater effect when guys don't have to worry about compensating for
his mistakes, because I think we see a lot of basketball, you know,
and this isn't just anything yet words. I mean, this can be
Piangel, Russell, Karin, Antic Towns, any of the guys. You
know, when you have these breaks in the chain and you know guys aren't
able to you know, someone doesn't where they should be, Well that forces
someone else to have to cover that, and then that there's another gap and
you just can't have these errors and these lapses again and again. And I
think there's been more disciplined on that end, and you know, gaining experience
together because you know that we mentioned that, you know, the turnover the
timber rowles. That's especially been true on the roster. You know, guys
need to play together to you know, to learn each other's tendencies and you
know, learn the system. And now this is another coach and you know,
I think, you know, having a training camp with all these guys
finally for the first time since the twenty twenty yeah, nineteen twenty season.
I mean, that's huge. Wow when you when you just put it like
that, that just sounds so ridiculous because it is ridiculous, and it's a
pretty new roster of last season too. I think, what are looking at
the Edwards? What are realistic expectations for him in year two? Is there
anything? Look? And I think on defense, just as someone who clearly
did not watch as much Timberbist basketball as you, when you look later in
the season, it did feel like there were games there was a little bit
less ball watching, a little bit left of like guys getting behind him or
him just leaving people completely unattended in the corner or something. And just I
don't want to play too much stock, but like the ferocity with which the
reports or quotes out of training camp were just like he looks so good on
defense and then factory and just the vibes of this guy you mentioned we talked
about the quote I think one of the two times ago when you're on this
podcast that you had about not watching basketball. His he is like first team
all vibes in the NBA right now because of what he says to interviews.
So I'm just gonna assume that he gets a lot better on defense, especially
just being a second year. He was so good after the All Star break.
He had almost thirty nine percent of his AUF the dribble threes. You
did mention that maybe he was more selective than the ones that he was taking,
which could help. But like if there just anything specific you're looking for
him to or an area of his game where you could see like the biggest
leap really coming aside from just that that defense, because that that's another instance
of you know, how much worse could he actually get? Yeah? Right,
So I think you know one thing I've noticed, like especially like the
defense so far preseason, and just so like backing up what they've seen.
I believe that you know it looks good because you know how a game was
it. It might have been the start of the Pelicans game where he blocks
the pass from his own man and takes it back the other way. And
then you know he has a chase down block and maybe the same game too,
you know, so it's nice to see that, you know, attentiveness,
not gambling and being patient, but then also not giving up on plays.
I think that's huge, you know, like you know, just because
you know you're behind the play doesn't mean that you can't catch up. I
think that, you know, a lot of time that effort can go,
you know, take him, could could take him pretty far. But I
think, you know, we want to. I think what I want to
see from him is just being more of a facilitator. I mean, I
think up to this point, he's looking you know, looking at the guy
and watching to play. It's like, you know, if you were playing
against teenagers, you know a couple of years ago, actually was in high
school two years ago, I think, no three years ago, you know,
which really isn't that long ago. And I mean this guy, he's
looked like an adult I'm guessing most of his life. And so he's probably
just coast buying his physical gifts and be the guy. But I think seeing
embrace more of you know, being the more of a facilitator there, less
of the less of a ball stopper at times, although I think good things
happened with the balls in his hands, But I think, you know,
looking out like their play for somebody else in this team, because he was
surrounded by kar Anthony Towns, D'Angel Russell, Michael Beasley or Malik Beasley,
not Michael Beasley, all these opportunities. It's a throw back. But yeah,
he doesn't have to be that guy. He doesn't need to take that
upon himself anymore. So I think that you know, there should be looking
at being more facilitator and make those extra passes sometimes. I think it'd also
benefit him a lot. You think it's they're gonna put the ball in his
hands, and that's been pretty clear. Do you think that sort of impacts
how much he's gonna play with the Angelo Russell outside the starting unit, or
even how they use D'Angel Russell a little bit? Because Edwards was already second
on the team and pick and rolls ram per game, and I could even
see a scenario where this season that he just leads the team in that category,
and so I'm just curious as to how his development could actually impact how
this team views or uses D'Angelo Russell. Yeah, I mean that's the thing
with Aunt right, Like, I mean, he started the season. I
think the expectations were low for him. You know, yeah, he's a
very you know, he's an intriguing prospect, very high upside, but you
know, he doesn't have a camp, he didn't get a summer league any
of this, so they really brought him along slowly. They didn't put him
in the starting lineup until he was too good to ignore. And I think,
you know, it could be the same thing you know with Russell,
you know, and who's the lead ball handler? There is you know,
like, is this guy just too good to ignore at this point? And
you know, do you want to put into his hands more and more?
I think Rad's a potential scenario that we could see happening. But I think
no matter where he goes in this league, I think we see over and
over again these last few years, you know, the teams really wanted multiple
ball handlers on the floor at the same time. So I don't know if
there's necessarily going to be designation of you know, who gets what, but
I think you know, getting him used to playing with another ball handlers just
NBA life at this point, you know, whether he was in the timber
roles or you know somewhere else, you know, having to play with another
ball handling guard. You know, if you're going to be a starter and
play the type of role he is, you're gonna be get is to that.
So I think that will definitely be something to watch, especially since this
team has so many guards. I mean, like the Andrew Ballmarrow coming over,
you know, and then there's you know, Maligue Deasley, there's you
know, the Jordan McLaughlin's, Jalen Whiles. Like they have a lot of
guards and a lot of you know, guys try to get minutes for.
So I think it'd be really interesting to watch, you know, just how
that rotation chakes that in general, and how he fits in with that.
And I think it I mean, if you have if he's shooting the way
that he did post All Star break Anthy Edwards, and you have just DeAngelo
Russell, Like those are two guys who get really difficult shots off the dribble,
and Russell's still good at running pick and roll. I'm curious, like
Russell was still fine. I'm at like nineteen point six assists, hits almost
thirty nine percent of his threes. It still felt like an uneven year from
him, and he was dealing with some like injury stuff. Is that like,
is there like a better version of DeAngelo Russell then for this team or
is that probably about like what we should expect from him on a year to
year basis at this point. Yeah, I kind of expect to see more
of the Russell that we saw at the end of last season versus the one
that we sought the start of the season that was you know just kind of,
you know, just kind of did his own thing. You know.
He hit those hits, those big top shots sometimes and it's like, well,
you know, and it's a lot of fun. But you know,
I think when you look at it, like, well, was that really
the best basketball play? Was there? You know, a better shot somewhere
else? You know, even if it wasn't him, that type of decision
making, I think we saw you know, a lot less of those shots,
you know. I think, you know, it's like Ryansy Fike when
Ricky Rubio came over, and you know, for the first couple of years
he's slung some really fun passes, but then you know, sometimes it's like
you don't need to make the flashy pass sometimes you know, the simple pass
is perfect, and I think that's something It can be the same thing.
You know with shot selection, sometimes it's the easy shot that's the best one
there, you know, whether it's you or someone else, not every shot.
It's to be a contest with twenty seven flinter Karl Anthony Towns. Everyone
has been through hell over the past year and a half plus no one more
so than him. Just I don't even want to list off the stuff because
it's just so unfortunate in tragic, just going through the death of his mom,
all his family members, having COVID, himself losing what do he city
lost, like fifty pounds or something, which is just like and he's not
like a no, no, he doesn't have a lot of fat Master gets
So I mean when you watched him like, no, like he didn't have
fifty pounds to lose, Like this wasn't this wasn't Zion. So what I
feel like And I'm reticent to say this about stars, even though I did
just recently record a Nuggets podcast where I said about Yokich in part because maybe
he's only played in eight eighty five games over the past two years for just
a variety of different reasons, most of all of which really were beyond his
control. Have people forgotten like just how good this dude is, Like the
discourse around his like actual whatever Twitter was angry about, Like for a few
days one week, I was just seeing like the stuff about annoyed where anthy
towns like ended up in some of like the NBA rankings, and I was
just like, I don't know how he would even get better on the offensive
end, Like that's how good this guy is. No, I mean,
I think Seth from Nikola Yovic. I mean, he he is the most
efficient big man in the NBA. You know, it's been I feel like
it does feel like we've it's been a long time since we've seen him.
Who was All NBA in twenty eighteen, and you know, twenty nineteen was
a disaster, you know, with the Jimmy Butler departure, and then you
know he's injured in twenty twenty and then you know, like everything we mentioned
since then, Like it it's been a long few years. I think it's
been a very trying a few years for him too. And you know,
when he's played, he's been great. He came out the start of the
nineteen twenty twenty season, you know, just guns blazing. We have thirty
points, fourteen rebounds a game over the first few and it was, you
know, it really looked like, you know, we were going to see
you know, the best version of Karl Anthony Town's yet and then you know,
the suspension after the scuffle with him beat and then he gets hurt,
and then the season shuts down, and it really just felt like one thing
after another. I I don't know, I mean, it really felt like,
you know, his disposition with the team was like really just souring.
And I think so just the way that you know, he's handled everything since
then, I think the team has allowed him space to process everything, which
I think you have to do. We didn't see him for months, you
know, I had things about seven months since we had heard from him,
you know, after the risk injury to you know, losing his mom and
then you know other family members too, and I mean, he was just
I think what's really admirable about the guy is, and this is not that
basketball necessarily, but just I think just how much more mature that he presents
himself. And I feel like he's really you know, because he's always given
the safe quote, the sanitized quote. Now I feel like we really just
get you know, the authentic Carl Anthony Town and I do. It's been
great to see him come out the other side of that, at least from
what we can see as an incredibly strong person. And so I'm curious to
see you over there, you know. Now we hopefully we can get a
full season of him, you know, staying healthy on the court and you
know, reminding people just how great he can be, because yeah, he
is. He's an incredibly special player when he's on and I know, I
know people as you go bring yeah with the defense, it's like he can
do just about anything else on the basketball court. You know, he's not
a perfect player, but yeah, he's offensively, I mean, he can
score from inside and out. He can pass the ball, he can rebound,
like there aren't a whole lot of deficiencies at them. Man, you
know, hopefully gets to remind us, you know of that he is still
somehow only twenty five. And I guess in part because over the past years
it feels like he's been through the ringer and I'm with like the off course
stuff, just grieving in public like that, and even just some of the
quotes that he gave, like just the candor is I like having to go
through that and do it so publicly. I can't even fathom that as someone
who's just older than Karl Anthony Town's having to grieve so publicly and cope with
that trunic he's going to leave me alone, Like if I had, you
know, if there's a major life event that I had, and even like
my Facebook friends you know, were masks like commenting and they don't like reaching
out all they'd be like, guys, just let me breathe. And so
just to be a public figure and to have to go through all this stuff,
I mean that that has to be difficult too. And that's why I
cringe a little bit when people say, and I'm assuming the sentiments are like
not this, like I don't want to politicize his grief where it's like they
should talk to Karl Anthony Towns about the risk of COVID nineteen. It's like,
it's not Karl Anthony Towns's responsibility to educate everyone one he shouldn't have to.
But like that stuff makes me cringe. Point being just and I still
I don't remember the exact quote now, but when he just said, like
basically that that former self or version of himself is just gone. Everything like
that just really like that stuck with me. That was That was the most
sobering availability that I can remember, covering the Timberwolves. I think that was
last Fault when it was the first time that he came back and spoken,
you know, he was just that was very somber, and I think all
of this came away from that, just like, holy crap, like this
guys really been through it. You could just see it on his face.
You know, it looked like he had you know, you definitely carried himself
differently than when we last song. Is there any also the past two seasons,
just his his passing, just like some of the like the tosses he
makes, like off the dribble now, like it's it's like watching a point
guard almost. I don't even want to say, is they're a better version
of Krenty Towns like off? I don't even know what that would look like.
I said, I can't path him. It is he going to be
used any differently like under a full season of Chris Finch or so, I
just I can't imagine necessarily improving it. But I just guess, I guess
with having Dangel Russell, having Anti Edwards, even when we beasley factoring into
they're just because when you look at like their top five players but barely played
together last year or over the past two years or whatever long it's been,
I'm just curious if there's like any change in how he might be used on
the offensive end. By the way, the top five players barely played together
last season is like the Timberol story feels like every season it's like, yeah,
the top five guys, you know, they only played one hundred fifteen
minutes together. Like funny how that always seems happened to them. Yeah,
a better version though, I mean, yeah, you're right. It's tough
for me because, like you said, you like to your point about him
singing passes like a point guard when he catches the ball, you know,
the top of the key, and you know, with a big man on
him, you know that guy's getting taken off the dribble more times than not.
And it's really just like watching a shooting guard go to work or another
wing. So yeah, I mean, and someone like in his game and
talents, you know, in Chris Fincher's imagination, I think that's gonna be
fun to see how that plays out. I can't pretend to know enough defensively
about how they're going to use him. I know there was a lot of
handwringing about the drop coverage they had him in and whether that was the best
fit for him. So I think wondering how you know he looks he's used
defensively too, and seeing you know how their ways that they can benefit him
there would also go a long way. I think that's probably the better version
is you know, just finding a way to not necessarily how does the the
deficiencies, but play any strengths that he has on that ends while you know,
covering up as many as he can. My I don't know, maybe
it's not a spicy take, but if there was just like some re semblance
of consistent defensive talent in front of him, or like if they could just
find the front core partner for him, that's just defront com partner for him
and it doesn't feel like it's this turnstyle of options. I think if you're
able to just streamline his defensive or narrow it down, that he probably doesn't
look like as much of a liability. No, I mean I think,
you know, the obvious thing that you know, the quick thing that comes
to the brain is like, you know, I'll find him a Draymond,
Like yeah, right, Like just go find a Draymond like this unique prototypical
player, but you know it's the guy who can know just defend just about
anybody. And I mean I think you know times, you know, Jada
McDaniels, you know, he looked good against you know, those bigger guys,
and you know he's he's very much built like a teenager still. And
Jared Vanderbilt, you know, he he can hold his own, but you
know at times, you know gets bigger we guys. You see the size
the advantage into play there. So yeah, I'd be very curious to who
can grow into that and how they can sort of, I guess, manage
those mismatches like you know, like the Vanderbilt against you no bigger guys,
and how they can handle that. If you're curious the lineup on this team
that makes it, and I think would constitute their top five guys. Unless's
just very high on Patrick Beverley, Jane McDaniels, and Edwards League Beasley Towns
and Andrew Russell. Those five didn't play a single second together last season,
and if you just take out Jade McDaniels from that, the other four per
clean glass played a whopping twenty seven possessions together last season. That's low.
That's low Timberwolves standards. I think, yeah, that is incredibly low by
Timberwolve standards. And well, I wondered too if it's something where you know,
like the Wizards a couple of years ago, where it's like, how
is this team get to defend? And the answer wasn't there not? They're
just going to, you know, score the crap out of the ball.
I was already drunk on Jane McDaniels before Summer League after watching some of the
stuff he was doing on the ball in summer league. I'm still intoxicated,
definitely over the league limit with it. What is there like more than a
three and D role for him? Though on this team it feels like the
constraints could be more organic because of all the talent that's around him. And
I'm also just what is the thinking or unless I'm just off here, it
does feel like they don't want him to necessarily be that for with how we
see people are assuming Jared Vanderbilt will start next to Towns. We've seen Towns
with nas Reid in the preseason two and I'm just curious what the logic is
behind that. Yeah, I don't I don't think they know quite yet where
they're going with that fourth spot. I mean, he's, like you mentioned,
they started one game with McDaniels and Vanderbilt and then they have, you
know, also put Joshua Kogi in there. I think you've seen no Kogi
Beasley. I don't know who they're gonna put in there tonight, but it
could be someone completely different. Maybe they do go big and big against the
nets. But yeah, I think it's really interesting. I think at least
McDaniels has been in the lineup. You know, it's hard to tell sometimes
too, like if that's you know, is he going to be primarily you
know, a three or four, and then they just kind of switched it
up, you know, depending on the matchup there. It seems like something.
I mean, he's too good not to play though, and I think
I think maybe any sort of hesitancy in playing him at the four be to
kind of save him a little bit from going against more physical players. But
then I don't really know how many physical fours there are out there these days.
They're basically going to Dennis Bodman's Yeah, exactly. I think that's kind
of the thinking too with McDaniels. It's like he might not be a four
long term, you know, maybe he's a three now. It I don't
know that the handles there right now for him to create. I think someone
pointed out to me too, like you know, with like his body type
and you know, his game, it's almost now this is the talent wise
either, but kind of Kevin Durant, like where he just has that high
release point saim, lanky frame. So I think, you know, physically
it's kind of interesting to watch, you know, like what he does and
where he winds up playing because you know, like he really needs to put
on some size too. I think maybe before they bring him inside. That's
the only thing I can think of. But you know, for a little
for a smaller guy, like he holds his own I mean, he seems
like he's pretty strong, even if you know, he may not look like
the strongest guy in the floor. And I normally wouldn't even get caught too
much up in the positional designations for many of the reasons you're just alligned.
But like if you do play read in Towns in the front court, if
it's Vanderbilt and Towns the front court, and then Jane McDaniels, like there's
very clearly a center and a power forward in that scenario then because like you're
not having that, uh and no, I feel like McDaniels might end up
having an okay floor game. I got a little bit worried that, Like
just when you watch him dribble, it looks like his knee might knock get
into the ball when it's coming like his way back up. I just don't
know whether they have the bandwidth to sort of like explore the deeper parts of
this game. Yeah, I mean that's probably something that's gonna take a little
time. And you know, like his catch and shoot game, I mean
that's look good. That look good almost all season last season. You know,
he's pretty reliable out there. Yeah, I think that that handle your
right is definitely something. And I think one thing that could determine, you
know, where he plays as much as anything is what the guards do,
because, like I mentioned, they have about six gat rotation worthy guards,
So it's going to be tough to fine minutes for them, and then Jake
Layman is still hiding on this team somewhere He's gonna trick me into believing in
him during the first fifteen games or something of the season. I can feel
it. Oh no, that's a trap I just can't wait for. Like
it's like with Ricky Rubio and every time he goes to a new team,
he's like, oh, he's he's made shots for two weeks now, and
it's like, yeah, he does that every single season. To be fair,
there was like a season long con when he was in Utah or whatever.
He hit like it was an astronomical for Ricky Rubio, high percentage of
his threes, And I think he swindled me a little bit into believing during
that stretch too. He finished like forty one forty two percent one season.
It was like, oh, okay, uh, did you have you seen?
And the numbers were not good on this last year, But I'm willing
to throw out through out the window. Do you like the idea of like
nas Read and karmentthy Town's playing together. I like naz Reid and I think
he's people probably don't like understand how good Nazrid is like, and he stretches
the floor too. I don't know if I love those two together though.
No, that's that's that's kind of a weird one. And I feel like
there's skill sets in some ways kind of overlapping the things that they like to
do. Only Nazrid is a little less athletic. I think, you know,
by NBA player standards, I mean obviously they're you know, normal human
being standards, Like he's incredibly athletic, but I think is not saying that
he is more athletic than naz Reid. Yeah, that's never been a question,
you know. I think it's you know, to Naza's credit. I
don't think we talked about this, you know, last year by this time,
but you know read I think when he started out, it's like,
are we sure this guy is ready for the NBA? You know, I
mean he was just getting lobbed over and it's like, dude, you're six
foot eleven, how are they just throwing mobs over you? Like that shouldn't
just happen. And I mean he really, I mean you could see the
work that he put in, and you know just how much more comfortable he
got as the season went on. So you know, maybe there is a
way that you know, he adapts to play next to Prontony Towns more in
certain situations and experimenting with that lineup, maybe in spurts and when it makes
sense. So you kind of already mentioned how difficult the guard rotation is going
to be, and when you look at if I was when I was trying
to build a top ten rotation for them, it does feel like they have
eight locks with Cat and Dello, Vanderbilt, McDaniels, Nas Beasley, and
Beverly. Would you agree that those are the eight locks? And how would
you finish if you had to pick two more players to sort of finish off
that rotation with? Who are you rolling with? Oh man, I forgot
about Patrick Beverley. Yeah, he's on this team. Yeah no, And
I like that too, just like that chippiness is just something that they haven't
had. There hasn't really been anyone on this team, you know, almost
ever who just gets under guys skin, and you know, it can be
that agitator and Fiz Grizzly's legend Pat Patrick Beverley. Yeah, yeah, that's
so. I mean they just brought over the Inebalmorrow, I guess that's I
feel like they're gonna want to see him. So I feel like that's the
nine. See, this roster is just still so imbalanced, and that excus
backcourt so heavily that I think they're gonna really gonna have the experiment with Beasley
and Edwards on the wing for sure. I don't see how they can just
you know, be like, oh no, yeah, you're strictly you know,
backcourt players art of it, you know. And then so then they're
still like, okay, well, you know you have Georgian McLaughlin, Jalen
Nowell, you know, probably one of those two guys for the last spot
that I can think of without having a roster out in front of me.
Yeah, and look, Paul Marrow is also six six himself, and so
do you think he's actually gonna get regular run as a rookie and do you
know anything? I know very little about like what he's supposed to do?
Oh, Torrean Prince, Yeah, he's probably the other. Yeah, because
he can play I think I think you can play either forward position. Yeah
he oh he definitely cares. Yeah, okay, so yeah, that would
be my other one. Then du Speck Lamar to get like actual test run
with this with this team, and do you like what do you like or
know about his game? I don't know a ton about his game. I
know that you know, he's you know, he's a bigger regard that you
know, really emulated for cute Rubio growing up. I don't know that I
noticed him, you know, a ton in preseason. Yet it might make
sense to bring him along slowly, but you know, they invested, you
know, the capitol and you know, drafting him and and signing him long
term. So I would definitely expect them to try to find, you know,
some use for him as the season goes on. I wonder if we'll
see the same patient approach that we saw with like Anthony Edwards last year,
and it's bringing them along slowly, and I mean we really curious to see,
you know, what the lineups look like as they worked their way through
the season. We have reached the cookie cutter quick heat or portion of the
podcast. The questions that I ask every single person, regardless of the team
that we're thinking about, what is the biggest weakness on this team, be
it if it's a specific position or just like a player archetype. Yeah,
I think it's you know, I think it's a lot of what we talked
about with in the McDaniels conversation, and you know, where he fits in
because that front court is just you know, it's so weird. I think,
you know, you know, you have towns, you know, you
have read, but who really steps into those other spots you know in the
forward positions and who really to play you know, who plays best next to
him? And you know, is there a long term solution there? You
know, Prince maybe you know, he's still young enough to be here,
you know, when the Wolves are good again, but maybe you need you
know, see Jada McDaniels take over, even Jared Vanderbilt, you know,
very long term deal. He'd probably like to play his way to a longer
term deal going forward. I think. So that's that's one that I would
I think point two is the biggest weakness. And you know, I think
if you could shift depth one part of the roster to another, I think
it would be some of that backcourt death to the front court. The answer
to the question can clearly change the season actually unfolds, and we have a
real sample size to work with, But as of now, who would you
peg is the player most likely to get traded from this team before the deadline.
Oh gosh, who was I mean, I'm sure they would glad they
trade you know, Jake Layman and rehome him. But you know, you
know, with his small salary and you know, his usage, like his
value wasn't very hot, you're not really going to get much for him.
Probably makes more sense in a bigger deal involving some other guys I like Billiague
Beasley. I definitely think he has a role on this team. But they
also just traded for Patrick Beverley. They have de'angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and
all these other guys too, So I really wonder where he fits in long
term, you know, I mean, you know, there was a lot
of I was really surprised by the reaction to when he signed his deal last
off season, Like that's not bad money, Like that's Jordan clark Sindish money,
That's it's pretty reasonable. I wonder if there's you know, a contender
down the road who needs a who needs an extra you know, after a
shooter. I think that would be interesting to see. And you know,
they have a lot of guys who are willing to take shots too, so
you know who ends up being expendable there. I mean, even if you
know who knows maybe basically isn't expendable at that point. But I think he's
probably the most interesting realistic guy because I don't think they would, you know,
really entertain Jady McDaniels unless they got something really good for him. I
think if you think that they're just gonna be buyers, whether it's getting Ben
Simmons, if Pascal Siakam becomes available or something, he would be the clear
answer to me. I'm looking at this team as like, Okay, I
don't want to spoil like the over under predictions, like I don't think they're
going to be a playoff team. Patrick Beverley's on an expiring contract. Are
you gonna want to definitely resign him? It feels like he's the one that
could get shipped to a contender and he has sort of the minish end sal
are yet fourteen million? And I'm with you on Malie Beasley's contract. Malie
Beasy's contract too, is like with the cap going up and him not being
super old, even if you're not sure where you're headed after this year,
I might want to keep him, but I do think he is the player
regardless of if it's a buy now move. He is like the player that
has to be in any permutation of a deal that you come up with.
That's Malie Beasley. And he only has two more years left after this season
too, So I mean you can easily live with that. This I would.
I guess this question is probably less matchup dependent for a team like the
Timberwolves. It feels like this answer could be set in stone. But what
do you view or what do you think should be their go to crunch time
lineup? Oh gosh, I think, well, Russell Town's Edwards And that's
that's kind of where it gets tricky, you know, because I don't know.
I don't think you can have like a Joshu Kogie out there. We've
been talked about Joshua Koge. I mean, if he starts all this,
if he starts playing better on offense, we can talk about josh Kogan.
Yeah. Man, there's there's just been nothing there. And I think that's
what four or five. No, it's you're four thing, you know.
Yeah, it's just a nothing that's just like your uncoverned rim pressure at least,
I guess. But like the end result of that isn't always good or
watchable. No, And I'm heet won three in preseason and they were like
and at the Brocket, whichever broadcast it was, was just raving about what
a shooter and I'm like, need one corner of three. So I take
it it wasn't a timber lest I don't think so. They're pretty realistic with
that stuff. But you know, I might go with the weird Beasley Edwards
two three, whatever you want to whatever you want to call them, and
then I guess, you know, I think Jade McDaniels probably brings the better
balance with the offense and the defense for the last spot versus someone like Jared
Vanderbilt, who don't He isn't the Joshu Kogi of fours, but you know,
he's not really an offensive player at this point in his career. So
I think that that makes a lot of sense. So I'd so McDaniels easily,
Edwards, Russell and Towns. It probably be mad. Is there like
a spot that's particularly I could also see them trying to, like, I
agree with the lineup that you picked. I'm wondering if they would they try
and work Patrick Beverley in there a little bit before they would try and work
in Jared Vanderbilt, who was like, plays like he has nitrous ox side
coursing through his veins. Jared Vanderbilt is an assent trip to watch. It's
fun. Oh yeah, yeah, he's and you know, like he's very
smart too, like I said, like I mentioned earlier about him, you
know, telling Anthony Edwards where to go and just you know, being a
wearing like clearly understanding this stuff. Yeah. But anyway, yes, Patrick
Reverley, I could totally see. I don't think it would be out of
the question to have what Russell, Beverly Edwards, I don't know, McDaniels,
and then Towns. I mean, I think that's a realistic lineup that
we could see at some point. Is there a wonky, weird offbeat even
a lineup that they would never try, but that you still want to see
them try next season? You know, they have enough guards to do they
could do something weird with Beverly, Russell Edwards and Ballmarrow and Towns. You
know, just go go four guards and Towns. Yeah, exactly. I
don't know when you would ever want to do that. That's a that's a
weird one that pops to mind. I'm sure you can get really weird with
Nasri Karl Anthony Town's line ups too. I don't like building a lineup without
Karl Anthony Town's in it, But if he's gonna be on the bench,
I would pay to see Patrick Beverlely, Anthony Edwards, Malik Beasley, Torrian
Prince and then Jared Vanderbilt. That just feels like a very what could be
a high octane, very undisciplined lineup I would probably absolutely fall in love with.
It could also end disastrously, but give me like Jared Vanderbilt plus four
wings and I feel like that team could fly. Look, if you want
to put comment the Towns in there plus the four wings, I'm totally good
with that. Just surround him with Chaos Engines. Yeah, that's a great
way to put it. Around him with Chaos Engines. Their current wind total
over under as we record this is thirty five and a half. Would you
take the over under on that? And where do you you know, assuming
let's assume they don't make this huge trade before the start of the season.
Even though I can assure you'll probably put this podcast up immediately because I'm terrified
that, you know, teams like the Timberwolves are Kings are going to date
my conversations. But yeah, you're taking the over under on thirty five point
five. That's you know, that was the thing. You know, like
this was a lot easier to answer. It's even harder with we don't want
Rose. It was still there because you know, it's like, you know,
this is your second year with your four roster, this is your coach.
I think you know, forty wins would have been an expectation there,
and I don't you know, maybe there's no reason to still, you know,
change that from the expectation. But you know, is that that necessarily
realistic? Because I mean, you put all this effort into building this team,
and you know, with what you gave up to get Russell and then
you know, making the move to bring in Beverly. You know, like
this seems like a team that you know wants to win. Now we know
how well suited they are for that, you know. I mean, I
guess you everyone can differ on that too. I mean, I feel like
there's some opportunity there. I don't trust the Pelicans, you know, I
don't think you know the Spurs, by the way, Yeah, absolutely,
I mean that just that seems like the wheels can come off that at any
moment. You know, the Kings, like I don't you know, you
don't trust the Kings either. The Spurs. I mean, yeah, there's
the Spurs, but you know, you look at that roster and they don't
even have you know, to Marta Rose and the Marcus Aldridge anymore. You
know, it's a lot, you know, still a lot of unproven guys
in new roles, or at least you know, proven in those roles,
those bigger roles. You know, I think they could get to the ten
seeds, so I will say over, but not by much. Where I
run into an issue with this for them is I only view the Rockets and
Thunder as the teams that I know are going to be worse than them.
I feel like they're so entrenched in that Pelicans King's Spurs territory right now,
maybe even you could throw the Grizzlies in there. I probably shouldn't, just
because they've burned me the past two seasons. Because I thought they were gonna
be bad, but like they clearly just were like, we're not trying to
win over like they traded you want to sound Tunis with their second best player
last season, so like you have that gaggle, and I guess I could
talk to myself and be like, Okay, they'll be better than two of
those other four teams. But just that combined with the fact that I've been
a little bit generous with my over predictions. As I'm looking at my document
right now, I'm gonna take the under. I don't feel great about it
because if Anti Edwards is better or as good as he was to close the
season, if Town stays healthy, that's just like that one two punches so
exciting and can do like real damage over an entire season. Yeah, and
I can understand that. I mean, it's not you know, even just
like thinking through me saying it over it wasn't easy because I do think those
questions about like the defense and you know, how much of what we saw
at the end of last season is real? Can Anthony Edwards, you know,
keep getting better and better? I think those are things that we can't
answer now, and I think we knew the answer to those you know of
courses would be a much easier exercise. But yeah, I'm very curious to
see you know how they answer those questions, and you know, honestly,
a forty win season would be great. You know, I think even just
playing any sort of competitive basketball and getting that tendency for them, I think
that would be a big boost for a fan base that has really just had
very little to get excited about over the last few years. I will say,
if they are the team that gets Ben Simmons and the end result,
as I would expect to be in that scenarios, you have Towns, you
have Anthony Edwards, you have Ben Simmons, and I'm assuming they's still have
Patrick Beverley. Even though I were the Sixers, I might want Patrick Beverley
in that deal. I think, Yeah, that core is like forty five
wins easy. Like That's how high I would be on the Timberwolves is if
they make that trade, even if they're giving up three rotation players in Beasley,
McDaniels and Russell in the process. Yeah, you know, I think
I think like depth is a tricky thing too, especially you know when you're
looking at playoff teams and that you know, like because you like, oh
what about their depth and you know this or that. I mean, as
long seen that there's no significant injury, which is always the case for everybody.
Teams are only playing you know, eight nine guys on the high end,
you know, in a playoff series anyway. Yeah, you know,
those rotations sank up so much so it matters so much less. And you
know, I think there's there's still talent on this roster. I think that
they could surround them with even just get to forty five. I mean forty
five now would seem like a dream scenario, like so much went right there
for them. Yeah, with that, with that kind of core though that
you mentioned with Simmons and there, I think, yeah, that would be
much easier to see the path to forty five wins. I don't think I
was saying that too, is when I like we were going through the rotation.
I love their top eight guys, like those are all really good NBA
players, and so that's why thirty five point five at one seems low.
I would need some assurances that the defense is not going to be like absolute
ass like that might be the right because I don't think there's been a team
I picked the underwhere I've loved the top eight guys and like this isn't like,
oh, they really run out of options. Ever, guy for like,
they're top eight guys are good NBA players and two of them are probably
great NBA players. Yeah, and you're not talking to yourself into you know,
like Trevan Graham or something as like the seventh guyer. You know I've
been there's really so have I that was not those are dark days. Yeah,
it's you know, there's room for some optimism there. But I think,
as always with this team, that has to be cautious optimism. Is
there anyone on this team or anything about this team? I have an asked
you that you think needs to be discussed ahead of the start of the season,
Not that I can think of it. Feel like EVE been pretty thorough
on this one. Look, if you have a josh A Cody guy tried
to go on feel free, I'm all yours. You know, I think
you know, so Koke Gosh, I just wonder what his role is on
this team. And you know, and you know he was a Tom Deboteaux
draft pick. Now they're on to San Gupta. Yeah, so you know
how you know tethered to him? Is he really going to be? Yeah?
It kind of makes you wonder that you know his he does. It's
good stuff, but you know, is that really you know enough to keep
him around there? You know, does he cracked rotation? So you know,
like him and Torrian Prince, I think you know that, you know,
that's real competition for those are kokey minutes and it's gonna it's just got
that much harder to see the floor on this team. I think, you
know, even with Patrick Beverley, but I also think Torrian Prince will push
guys like Okoge on this roster low key. If I was Jordan McLoughlin,
I'd be kind of pissed about how the off season unfolded. You have Leandre
Balermo on here. They traded for Patrick Beverley, and now it just feels
like he was someone who even when he was hanging around on the free agency
market, you were like, Okay, maybe you could play, but it's
like, oh, he's probably not going to play. Yeah, No,
that's the frustration, and like, you know, he's showing stuff. You
know, it's not that they can't play. And I wonder if it's a
situation like I remember what Nikola Pakovic was in his restricted free agency and you
know, the negotiations were dragging on and on, and teams really just kind
of stayed away from him because they knew that, you know, like,
Okay, he's probably going back to Minnesota no matter what, Like it's not
really worth tying up our cap space to move on this guy. And I
wonder if it's kind of the same thing. You know, even though you
know he's on a high dollar player, you know, it's like, well,
this isn't really worth our time, you know, but maybe there,
you know, there could have been someone else out there who could could have
now offered him more than the Timberwolves. Likely we'll be able to, but
you know, it's a long season, you know, if you know he
has had to work its way up now, and you know, someone could
you know, unfortunately get injured at some point, there will be some opportunity.
I think that I think having guys like him and Noel who can absolutely
play at any given moment, I think that's you know, that's a sound
of a good healthy roster. Even if they're not you know, high level
players, they could still contribute. I guess if they're both in the rotation,
you know, that's probably a red flag for the health of the rest
of the roster. It was it was last season. Yeah, that was
a problem and they weren't up by thirty five on the fourth Derek, this
was fantastic. As always are able to tell our listeners where they can follow
you on social media. Any work that you might have to plug it at
this point, Yeah, I don't really have any work to plug anymore,
or at least at this point. See how that goes throughout the season.
But yeah, right now, just Derrick James NBA on Twitter. I'll have
my thoughts during the season as we go watching the games the rest of them,
just not as a fan because I guess casual observer. I guess no,
You're definitely more than a casual observer. I echo, well, I
don't echo you self. Promote harder. Follow Derek on Twitter people, if
you haven't already at Derrick James NBA, spell exactly as it sounds, great
follow, great insight onto the Timberwolves. He's tweeted about the tweet about w
NBA. He was always someone when he covers the w NBA that I would
follow for insight. As someone who just wasn't following that too intensely, we
wanted to keep up so great follow one last time at Derrick James NBA.
Go ahead follow him. This was great, Derek. I think you know
by now you've made four appearances because I'm a doc that tracks it to make
sure I don't bother people too often, and three look ahead specific appearances.
I think, as you know by now, I will come calling in the
future, So thank you for giving me so much of your time. Awesome,
please do Yeah, man, this is great.