All Things 2019-2020 Minnesota Timberwolves In-Season Thread

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BleedGopher said:
Timberwolves trade Jeff Teague, Treveon Graham to Hawks for Allen Crabbe

The Timberwolves, mired in last place in the Northwest Division, sent point guard Jeff Teague and backup Treveon Graham to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday in exchange for guard Allen Crabbe.

The trade, first reported by ESPN, was confirmed by an NBA source. Teague will be a backup to Trae Young, one of the NBA’s leading scorers at 29.1 points per game. The Hawks (9-32) are one of the league’s worst teams.

Crabbe, a seven-year veteran, is averaging 18.6 minutes and 5.1 points per game this season. The 27-year-old has also played for Portland and Brooklyn.

Teague, 31, is in the final season of a three-year, $57 million contract. He’s averaging 13.2 points and 6.1 assists per game.

Graham, a fourth-year pro, has played in 33 games, with 20 starts, and averages 4.3 points per game.

www.startribune.com

Timberwolves trade Jeff Teague, Treveon Graham to Hawks for Allen Crabbe

Point guard and Graham dealt to Hawks for Crabbe.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
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#TeagueTrash is gone. The dribble machine is out. The last of Thibs FA signings is going bye bye. Amen.
 

Happy to see Teague go. I just don't get why Atlanta wanted him back?
 

Teague spent the first 7 years in the league with Atlanta. Crabbe was a good 3pt shooter in the NBA for Portland and last year in Brooklyn. Not so far this year in Atlanta. The other thing to note is there was no hint, let alone rumor of this trade before it happened.

That is certainly par for NBA trades.
 


Wolves going after all Russel again. If they include culver in a trade for him, I quit
 




JimmyJamesMD said:
Wolves going after all Russel again. If they include culver in a trade for him, I quit
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If GS wants Culver, they need to keep him.

I wonder if KAT is staying out until they get rid of some bad players and get some better players in here. (Not sure Crabbe qualifies.)

Also, somebody mentioned on twitter that it's awfully hard to promote a "we are different from other teams, family culture" when you are actively shopping every player on the team except KAT. The players aren't stupid.
 

jamiche said:
If GS wants Culver, they need to keep him.

I wonder if KAT is staying out until they get rid of some bad players and get some better players in here. (Not sure Crabbe qualifies.)

Also, somebody mentioned on twitter that it's awfully hard to promote a "we are different from other teams, family culture" when you are actively shopping every player on the team except KAT. The players aren't stupid.
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The last part is certainly true, but it cuts both ways. Those players are smart enough to know that since the 10-8 start, the team is 5-17. Pretend "family" or not they gotta be aware that things aren't gonna continue as is.
 



I just don't get the attraction with D Russell. I'm sure he can fill up a box score but in a lot of other aspects, he just doesn't sound like a guy most teams want on their team. It would be a nice splash, and would generate some interest and excitement, but I'm still in the camp that I kinda hope they don't make a move for him, or at least give up the ranch to get him.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
I just don't get the attraction with D Russell. I'm sure he can fill up a box score but in a lot of other aspects, he just doesn't sound like a guy most teams want on their team. It would be a nice splash, and would generate some interest and excitement, but I'm still in the camp that I kinda hope they don't make a move for him, or at least give up the ranch to get him.
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Mostly with you on that. Only thing that stands out for me is the last couple of seasons he's been an above average 3pt shooter. Which is what they covet. Oh and he's one of KAT's best friends.

Not close enough to turn down Golden State last Summer to come here, but wouldn't blame one of my friends for doing that either. ?
 

I don't love Russell either, but he is an upgrade and he'll make KAT happy. I'm not sure who else with star power they might realistically be able to bring in.

In the alternative, maybe they should trade KAT for a huge haul and really start over.
 

The deal moves the Wolves $2M further away from the tax line, but they were $7.9M below that line already – it’s hard to construct a trade where that ends up mattering. Which is where we get to the more specific opportunity cost involving Russell. If anything, Minnesota reduced its flexibility in this regard. Teague’s $19M contract could be aggregated with others as a salary match, which potentially matters quite a bit if there happens to be a certain player who makes $27.5M that you want to acquire. However, Crabbe’s $18.5M cannot be aggregated. A deal of Teague and Covington for Russell and Kevon Looney, for instance, seemed highly plausible (with draft picks thrown in). That is no longer on the table; now the only other contract they could pair with Covington’s in such a trade is the much less desirable one of Gorgui Dieng.

4 hours ago – via John Hollinger @ The Athletic
 



JimmyJamesMD said:
Wolves going after all Russel again. If they include culver in a trade for him, I quit
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That would be the last straw? Trading Culver?

They have made so many ridiculous mistakes over the years with player personnel. If you are still with them, moving Culver shouldn't even make you twitch. I give you a lot of credit for hanging in there as I gave up on this franchise years ago.

Other than Garnett and KAT this franchise has made a complete mess out of drafting players. Until they figure out how to draft the right guys for what they want to do and build a team from that, they are always going to stink. From the draft positions they have had, their inability to collect a talented team that fits together is mind boggling.

Will they ever be relevant? It would be fun to have a real NBA franchise here.
 

bga1 said:
That would be the last straw? Trading Culver?

They have made so many ridiculous mistakes over the years with player personnel. If you are still with them, moving Culver shouldn't even make you twitch. I give you a lot of credit for hanging in there as I gave up on this franchise years ago.

Other than Garnett and KAT this franchise has made a complete mess out of drafting players. Until they figure out how to draft the right guys for what they want to do and build a team from that, they are always going to stink. From the draft positions they have had, their inability to collect a talented team that fits together is mind boggling.

Will they ever be relevant? It would be fun to have a real NBA franchise here.
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They were on the right track until Thibs took over. Its almost like they were about to rise out of hell and were just pulled back in. Not clear to me how Thibs got hired.
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
They were on the right track until Thibs took over. Its almost like they were about to rise out of hell and were just pulled back in. Not clear to me how Thibs got hired.
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Yes, it is amazing what they were able to accomplish. They were able to turn a team that had KAT, Butler, Lavine, Wiggins and Rubio and were able to end up with only KAT and Wiggins with seemingly zippo in return value. The front office has been magical.
 

bga1 said:
Yes, it is amazing what they were able to accomplish. They were able to turn a team that had KAT, Butler, Lavine, Wiggins and Rubio and were able to end up with only KAT and Wiggins with seemingly zippo in return value. The front office has been magical.
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We didn't have Butler and Lavine together. We trade Butler FOR Lavine and others.

Howl Wolves!!
 

BleedGopher said:
We didn't have Butler and Lavine together. We trade Butler FOR Lavine and others.

Howl Wolves!!
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Correct but the point stands.

We basically traded Lavine, Draft pick/Markkanen, Dunn and the 12th pick last year for Covington, Culver and a 2nd round pick. That is a putrid overall trade.

We also swapped Rubio for Okagie. We used over $30 million of free agent money to get Gibson and Teague. Maybe Culver will still be with the team in a few years. The rest...no and probably not.
 

BleedGopher said:
We didn't have Butler and Lavine together. We trade Butler FOR Lavine and others.

Howl Wolves!!
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That's slightly better, thanks for the correction.

Somehow or another they have managed to parlay more talent into less talent. :)
 
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tikited said:
Correct but the point stands.

We basically traded Lavine, Draft pick/Markkanen, Dunn and the 12th pick last year for Covington, Culver and a 2nd round pick. That is a putrid overall trade.

We also swapped Rubio for Okagie. We used over $30 million of free agent money to get Gibson and Teague. Maybe Culver will still be with the team in a few years. The rest...no and probably not.
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That is an awful trade. If he would have just stayed the course, it would have been better.

Towns, Markkanen, Lavine, Jamal Murray (theoretical), Wiggins, this years draft pick........
 

Towns is playing tonight. It's 32-26 Indy at the end of 1. Towns played 6 minutes and got 9 points.

Yes, Teague had to go. Made most of us happy. Maybe KAT most of all. This writer thinks that Towns might have been a big proponent of the trade. It's really long but here's a sample.

The lack of fit between Towns and Teague offensively is intuitive, especially this season when Saunders implemented an offensive system that relies on floor spacing, pick-and-rolls and pace.

Teague was stuck in his ways, refusing to shoot 3s at a higher volume than he did when he was previously in Indiana and Atlanta. In his final season in Atlanta (2015-16), 27.8 percent of Teague’s shot attempts were 3s. In his lone season in Indiana (2016-17), 27.7 percent of his shots were 3s. And this season in Minnesota, again, only 26.9 percent of his attempts were 3s. While every other player on the roster aggressively ratcheted up their intention for 3-point volume, Teague employed a stoned indifference for 3-point shooting.

In the pick-and-roll, Teague and Towns also never jived. Teague preferred to move to his own beat after a Towns screen, prioritizing prodding the lane rather than seeking pocket passes to Towns after switches.

Considering Towns has played nearly 60 percent of his minutes this season with Teague (more than any teammate other than Robert Covington or Andrew Wiggins), it’s almost remarkable that Teague only tallied 41 assists with Towns. That Teague often didn’t target Towns on the roll after a screen but that he also often ignored him on the perimeter was clearly a major frustration of Towns’.

zonecoverage.com

Understanding the Gersson Rosas Process: The 'Why' Behind the Jeff Teague Trade | Zone Coverage

From 10,000 feet, trading Jeff Teague three weeks before the trade deadline without a discernably positive asset heading back to the Minnesota
zonecoverage.com zonecoverage.com
 

KAT after frustrated loss at Indy had some things to get off his chest.

Addressing reporters Friday after his first game in over a month, the Wolves star brushed aside reports of his alleged unhappiness with the team.

“I don’t go for all the s—,” Towns said, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “I just do my job, go home and I know what the real story is. There’s a reason those stories are made because people need to sell papers, sell links and clicks, whatever the case may be.

“I’m here to be a Minnesota Timberwolf,” he went on. “Very fortunate I have a head coach like Ryan [Saunders], a president and friend like Gerss[on Rosas]. I’m not worried about all that nonsense. Whatever we have to deal with in the house, we’ll deal within the house. This ain’t the circus-like it used to be. This is something that’s gonna be done as a family. If we have a problem or anything, we’ll deal with it internally. We won’t have external forces adding anything.”

The two-time All-Star Towns missed the previous 15 games due to a knee injury followed by illness. Minnesota promptly plummeted to ten games below .500 and now sit 13th in the West at 15-26.

Rumors were swirling last month about the 24-year-old’s supposed discontent with one particular heavyweight being linked to him. Towns did sign a five-year supermax extension with the Wolves before the start of last season though, and he still appears committed to the team for at least that long.

www.yardbarker.com

Karl-Anthony Towns dismisses reports of his unhappiness with Wolves

As rumors swirl around Karl-Anthony Towns, Towns appears to be committed to the Timberwolves for the long haul.
www.yardbarker.com www.yardbarker.com
 

Wolves lost despite:

Andrew Wiggins had the first triple-double of his career – and the 35th in franchise history -- with 18 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists, when rookie Jarrett Culver had a career-high 26 points and with Karl-Anthony Towns back in the lineup for a second straight night. He finished with 12 points and six rebounds. Robert Covington (22) and Josh Okogie (12) were also in double figures.

www.startribune.com

Wiggins' first triple-double not enough for Wolves vs. Toronto

Wiggins posts first triple-double, but slide reaches five.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Howl Wolves!!
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
The deal moves the Wolves $2M further away from the tax line, but they were $7.9M below that line already – it’s hard to construct a trade where that ends up mattering. Which is where we get to the more specific opportunity cost involving Russell. If anything, Minnesota reduced its flexibility in this regard. Teague’s $19M contract could be aggregated with others as a salary match, which potentially matters quite a bit if there happens to be a certain player who makes $27.5M that you want to acquire. However, Crabbe’s $18.5M cannot be aggregated. A deal of Teague and Covington for Russell and Kevon Looney, for instance, seemed highly plausible (with draft picks thrown in). That is no longer on the table; now the only other contract they could pair with Covington’s in such a trade is the much less desirable one of Gorgui Dieng.

4 hours ago – via John Hollinger @ The Athletic
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The wolves left $6M on the salary cap table over the summer. (At the time it was labeled as smart salary cap management by Rosas. I didn't think so.) They just shed $2M more in payroll. They owe Thibs $8M this year. Just a coincidence, I suppose.

I think a huge part of the reason Glen made Rosas sign Ryan was it was a very cheap contract. I've heard it's just a two year deal.
 

I was at the game last night. Denver came in on the second night of a back to back, missing five players, and destroyed us on the boards. Their system features crisp passing and selfless ball. Jokic is the best passing big man in the league. Even though Teague is gone we still have Wiggins dribbling seven times before he decides what he wants to do. KAT looked totally pissed (not in a determined way) all night long. I've never seen him look so unhappy. He's a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve, so something is going on. He's also not moving well. As usual, he gets no calls because of the constant bitching. I think other teams know they can pound on him without taking fouls. He takes a lot of hits. The team can't win with Napier as a starting pg. He's barely serviceable as a backup.

The organization has given up on fan reaction and fan involvement at the game. They used to play crappy computer generated techno music riffs intermittently during games. Now it's continuous and loud, to the point where you couldn't hear cheers or boos from last night's crowd of about 7K. They only turn it off during free throws. The "music" is terrible, loud and a distraction. Maybe that's the point.
 

jamiche said:
I was at the game last night. Denver came in on the second night of a back to back, missing five players, and destroyed us on the boards. Their system features crisp passing and selfless ball. Jokic is the best passing big man in the league. Even though Teague is gone we still have Wiggins dribbling seven times before he decides what he wants to do. KAT looked totally pissed (not in a determined way) all night long. I've never seen him look so unhappy. He's a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeve, so something is going on. He's also not moving well. As usual, he gets no calls because of the constant bitching. I think other teams know they can pound on him without taking fouls. He takes a lot of hits. The team can't win with Napier as a starting pg. He's barely serviceable as a backup.

The organization has given up on fan reaction and fan involvement at the game. They used to play crappy computer generated techno music riffs intermittently during games. Now it's continuous and loud, to the point where you couldn't hear cheers or boos from last night's crowd of about 7K. They only turn it off during free throws. The "music" is terrible, loud and a distraction. Maybe that's the point.
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Was there as well. Ryan did the team no favors by keeping Okogie on the bench so long. Okogie was easily the 2nd best player and he sits so Culver and Wiggins could continue to struggle. I think I'm done with tickets. There is no feeling of hope with that roster.
 

tikited said:
Was there as well. Ryan did the team no favors by keeping Okogie on the bench so long. Okogie was easily the 2nd best player and he sits so Culver and Wiggins could continue to struggle. I think I'm done with tickets. There is no feeling of hope with that roster.
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Agree that there is no feeling of hope. To his credit, Ryan tries lots of different combos on the floor--except the most obvious: KAT and Dieng. Dieng game has grown, his defense is better than KAT's and, most importantly, he can protect KAT from some of the beating he takes by shifting KAT's offensive responsibilities to the perimeter. At this point, what does the team have to lose?

It's a miserable team in a miserable environment.
 

jamiche said:
Agree that there is no feeling of hope. To his credit, Ryan tries lots of different combos on the floor--except the most obvious: KAT and Dieng. Dieng game has grown, his defense is better than KAT's and, most importantly, he can protect KAT from some of the beating he takes by shifting KAT's offensive responsibilities to the perimeter. At this point, what does the team have to lose?

It's a miserable team in a miserable environment.
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He won't do it though. Covington at the 4 is such a bad idea with terrible results so far. He is a 3 and nothing is going to change that, but Ryan has tied his cans to the small ball idea.
 

tikited said:
He won't do it though. Covington at the 4 is such a bad idea with terrible results so far. He is a 3 and nothing is going to change that, but Ryan has tied his cans to the small ball idea.
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Cov at the 3 is such a bad idea. Dont understand why Bell doesnt get more clock. Need a big man willing to play with some energy and do the dirty work. Towns and Dieng play slow.

Whatever happened to Towns being a good defensive player?
 

Bell is a goofball. He does nothing for the team.

KAT and Dieng may be slow (KAT and Cov isn't exactly quick) but at least it adds defense, rebounding and takes some of the physical pounding off of KAT. Well worth a shot.
 

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