NBA 2016 Summer League Thread

[Malta]

I'm saying prove it, because for every other player you or someone else claimed could do it, they didn't. I'm not saying Dunn can't. I'm saying its not gonna happen next year.

He's gonna be gone after next year. Fine. Do I think they're better off doing that? Unless Dunn PROVES that, no. The reality is I don't see how trading their best defender, passer and rebounder on a deficient in all three areas helps unless Dunn is better than him at all three phases next year and you know he won't. To say he will would mean he's not just ROY. He'd be a top 20 player and an MVP candidate. I like Dunn, but I don't think he's that level of good (otherwise he should have unquestionably went first overall).

Not to mention the bench still looks like shyt and the best scorer on it is likely the guy Thibs will wanna run outta here.


You still don't get it. This isn't pessimism. This is a 12 year streak that hasn't been broken. This isn't about the players. If you wanna give a clean slate to an organization that doesn't deserve it, fine. The last 12 years gives me every right not to do that. Until they break that streak, this is where I stand on it. You can disagree but then you can't front and understand where I'm coming from.

It might happen next year, Thibs isn't gonna keep trotting a dude out there that can't shoot or finish at the rim, when the guy on the bench will be able to defend and finish. His ability to play in the PnR with Towns and attack the rim off the pick will make Rubio expendable almost immediately, the whole "His backup aint good enough" shyt will go out the window quick


My breh, lets keep it all the way real right now, Ricky Rubio going into his 6th season wouldn't win ROTY next year, so why are you placing that standard on Dunn? You place Rubio right now, as a 6th year vet into this years rookie class and he might make the 2nd rookie team, and I'm not saying that as hyperbole or as a joke either. Rubio is not a top 20 player, he's not an MVP candidate so why does Dunn need to be all those things in his first year to supplant him? If Dunn is a 15/6 guy as a starter that would be better than Rubio, especially since as you pointed out he seems to have the ability to play off the ball, meaning you'd be able to give Towns the ball more in the offense.

It is pessimism, you were talking about Towns when he was in 8th grade, your team drafts him and he looks like a generational big man and you lose all hope? You talked about Dunn for two years before he joined the Wolves, then he joins the Wolves and you're basically saying they should have taken Hield right after I can't understand it because it doesn't make sense, you had more optimism with Rubio & Love as the cornerstones of your franchise than you have now with legitimate talent, it doesn't make any bit of sense.

 

[Malta]

I think they already have Niko penciled in ... I really like Bobbys game though, he can be a very good player once he gets more comfortable offensively and plays within the flow of the offense more

He's got the skillset to be a 16-18 & 10 guy

He's a high level starter, don't think you can keep Niko in front of him that long, especially since Bobby shows that he can hit the three and we already know his defense will be better than Niko's.

 

[tremonthustler1]

It might happen next year, Thibs isn't gonna keep trotting a dude out there that can't shoot or finish at the rim, when the guy on the bench will be able to defend and finish. His ability to play in the PnR with Towns and attack the rim off the pick will make Rubio expendable almost immediately, the whole "His backup aint good enough" shyt will go out the window quick


My breh, lets keep it all the way real right now, Ricky Rubio going into his 6th season wouldn't win ROTY next year, so why are you placing that standard on Dunn? You place Rubio right now, as a 6th year vet into this years rookie class and he might make the 2nd rookie team, and I'm not saying that as hyperbole or as a joke either. Rubio is not a top 20 player, he's not an MVP candidate so why does Dunn need to be all those things in his first year to supplant him? If Dunn is a 15/6 guy as a starter that would be better than Rubio, especially since as you pointed out he seems to have the ability to play off the ball, meaning you'd be able to give Towns the ball more in the offense.

It is pessimism, you were talking about Towns when he was in 8th grade, your team drafts him and he looks like a generational big man and you lose all hope? You talked about Dunn for two years before he joined the Wolves, then he joins the Wolves and you're basically saying they should have taken Hield right after I can't understand it because it doesn't make sense, you had more optimism with Rubio & Love as the cornerstones of your franchise than you have now with legitimate talent, it doesn't make any bit of sense.

How would the backup narrative go away if your backup is the same one from last year?

I don't place that standard on Dunn. All I want Dunn to do is lead the 2nd unit and bring much needed scoring and defense to that bench. What would constitute a successful season for Dunn while also improving the team? He'd have to average at least 14 points, 5 boards, 9 dimes and 2 steals a night for the team to be better off. They can't afford to take a step back in certain areas because nobody else on the team is picking up the slack. If Dunn's a 15/6 guy next year, they got worse. Who's gonna pass him the ball?


Again, I'm not taking it out on the players, even the ones who suck. I'm tired of "man you have all this talent. Just wait 3 years so that we can we can tell you then to wait 3 more years", and for what? They're not winning a title. I can't ask for what they can't give.

 

[Malta]

How would the backup narrative go away if your backup is the same one from last year?

I don't place that standard on Dunn. All I want Dunn to do is lead the 2nd unit and bring much needed scoring and defense to that bench. What would constitute a successful season for Dunn while also improving the team? He'd have to average at least 14 points, 5 boards, 9 dimes and 2 steals a night for the team to be better off. They can't afford to take a step back in certain areas because nobody else on the team is picking up the slack. If Dunn's a 15/6 guy next year, they got worse. Who's gonna pass him the ball?


Again, I'm not taking it out on the players, even the ones who suck. I'm tired of "man you have all this talent. Just wait 3 years so that we can we can tell you then to wait 3 more years", and for what? They're not winning a title. I can't ask for what they can't give.

Because Rubio would be the backup, unless you're agreeing with me that Bricky is trash He's not a starter in my opinion, and outside of the Mavs you honestly can't tell me any playoff team that would be better with him at the 1, so why then should we expect him to be part of the solution?

Dunn wouldn't need to average those numbers to be better for the Wolves, you're discounting the threat of scoring entirely too much, and the fact you don't need to guard Ricky when he doesn't have the ball. You keep acting like Rubio is some huge difference maker when he himself has been the PG on all these awful teams, does he not play a role in that, or is it just everyone around him? The Wolves have had a top 10 offense (9th) one time in his career, and the rest of the time they've been pure trash offensively despite him playing with some strictly offensive minded players. I'll take the threat of Dunn attacking over the micromanaging PG that can't make a layup any day of the week.


When have people told you that the Wolves had talent like this? I never liked Love, you know that, the only player you had that I really liked was Pekovic, outside of that I have never been high on the talent you all have. But now, you have Dunn, Towns, Wiggins and LaVine, with Bazz & Dieng, that is a talented core that could be a title contender in a short time period. If the Wolves make the playoffs it's not because of Rubio, it's because of the young talent you have accumulated and the coach, Rubio has been just as much a part of the losing as anyone else.

 

[tremonthustler1]

Because Rubio would be the backup, unless you're agreeing with me that Bricky is trash He's not a starter in my opinion, and outside of the Mavs you honestly can't tell me any playoff team that would be better with him at the 1, so why then should we expect him to be part of the solution?

If Ricky comes off the bench, it doesn't solve the issue of lack of bench scoring. They don't have enough firepower there. Who would score besides Bazz? Aldrich? Hill? Dunn in the short term would be a much better asset there while they figure whether LaVine is even cut out to start.

Dunn wouldn't need to average those numbers to be better for the Wolves, you're discounting the threat of scoring entirely too much, and the fact you don't need to guard Ricky when he doesn't have the ball. You keep acting like Rubio is some huge difference maker when he himself has been the PG on all these awful teams, does he not play a role in that, or is it just everyone around him? The Wolves have had a top 10 offense (9th) one time in his career, and the rest of the time they've been pure trash offensively despite him playing with some strictly offensive minded players. I'll take the threat of Dunn attacking over the micromanaging PG that can't make a layup any day of the week.

Offense isn't their big problem besides outside shooting. Defense is. You figure Thibs can do something about that but the starters don't lack offense. The bench does. The starters lack defense. Know why they had a top 10 offense that one year? Because Ricky was healthy. Know why for all their crap they went from 25th in offense in 2015 to 12th last year? Ricky was healthy. Know why they pissed away that season they were top 10 offensively? Because Adelman didn't trust Ricky and wanted Barea out there because he could make a layup, passing and defense be damned. It cost them every close game.

When have people told you that the Wolves had talent like this? I never liked Love, you know that, the only player you had that I really liked was Pekovic, outside of that I have never been high on the talent you all have. But now, you have Dunn, Towns, Wiggins and LaVine, with Bazz & Dieng, that is a talented core that could be a title contender in a short time period. If the Wolves make the playoffs it's not because of Rubio, it's because of the young talent you have accumulated and the coach, Rubio has been just as much a part of the losing as anyone else.

They shoulda made the playoffs in 2013. Kevin Love and injuries ruined that. They shoulda went in 2014. Stubbornness ruined that. I'm not asking them to contend for a title; that's not realistic. It shouldn't take so much just to make the playoffs. If they ever make it back, everything else they do afterwards will be extra

 

[TrillaMonsoon]

i must have only imagined the Timberwolves looking the best in years on their west coast road trip playing Dieng @ the 5 then

I don't know how much the 4-5 really mattered on the squad though because Towns and Dieng skillset don't exactly fit. Dieng was playing more high post because he can hit that jumpshot and is a good passer but he isn't getting posted up like KAT on offense. Dieng might have been guarding 5's more since he has more bulk, but the Wolves also started switching everything on that west coast trip and Bjelicia and Lavine played the best defense I've ever seen either play.

Bjelicia is the key because he was their crunch time 4 at the beginning and end of the season. If he can play passable defense and make shots, he's going to cut into some of Diengs minutes with Towns on the floor because Towns is gonna be a C in this league especially as the league experiments with small ball lineups.

 

[Recca Gatsby]

Wolves might actually need a 4 to be real.

 

[Malta]

If Ricky comes off the bench, it doesn't solve the issue of lack of bench scoring. They don't have enough firepower there. Who would score besides Bazz? Aldrich? Hill? Dunn in the short term would be a much better asset there while they figure whether LaVine is even cut out to start.

Rubio can run the second unit's offense, right? They need that level of micromanaging from their PG. The starting 5 needs Dunn more than it needs Rubio, they need someone that can play on the ball and off it, someone that can attack the rim off a screen from Towns, or play off Towns while the offense is running through him.

Offense isn't their big problem besides outside shooting. Defense is. You figure Thibs can do something about that but the starters don't lack offense. The bench does. The starters lack defense. Know why they had a top 10 offense that one year? Because Ricky was healthy. Know why for all their crap they went from 25th in offense in 2015 to 12th last year? Ricky was healthy. Know why they pissed away that season they were top 10 offensively? Because Adelman didn't trust Ricky and wanted Barea out there because he could make a layup, passing and defense be damned. It cost them every close game.

No, offense will be their problem because their goal is to be a contender, and contenders do not start PGs like Rubio.

I think Wiggins and Towns have just as much to do with you having the 12th best offense last year Why is Rubio getting all the credit when you have a generational talent on the team Adelman didn't trust Rubio in close games and rightfully so, because when it's winning time nobody is going to respect his shot and will play off him. That is what you're missing here, he's the type of player that is good for a team without creators that's going nowhere, but he instantly becomes a liability when you want to win games and teams start to gameplan for him and his lack of shooting or finishing.

They shoulda made the playoffs in 2013. Kevin Love and injuries ruined that. They shoulda went in 2014. Stubbornness ruined that. I'm not asking them to contend for a title; that's not realistic. It shouldn't take so much just to make the playoffs. If they ever make it back, everything else they do afterwards will be extra

Contending for a title is realistic in a few years, and making the playoffs should be a real goal this year. You're setting the bar entirely too low, when you had the bar much higher around a Rubio/Love team, again that doesn't make any kind of sense. Those teams were more flawed than this one, and didn't have even remotely the same level of talent or coaching. You had more faith in dudes like "Caged lion" than you do Wiggins, Dunn and Towns.

 

[livindajetlife]

That wolves dude is annoying af.. sorry ass team finally has some type of talent and he talking bout some damn Ricky Rubio .. any real fan would be excited as hell about this upcoming season

 

[tremonthustler1]

Rubio can run the second unit's offense, right? They need that level of micromanaging from their PG. The starting 5 needs Dunn more than it needs Rubio, they need someone that can play on the ball and off it, someone that can attack the rim off a screen from Towns, or play off Towns while the offense is running through him.

Do you know what their bench looks like? Facilitating off the bench is not necessarily their weakness with Jones and Bjelica if they ever use him correctly. They lack scoring.

No, offense will be their problem because their goal is to be a contender, and contenders do not start PGs like Rubio

.

They can't be a contender without making the playoffs first, and the organization has made that look impossible over the last dozen years. I won't believe it until they do it. Plain and simple.

I think Wiggins and Towns have just as much to do with you having the 12th best offense last year Why is Rubio getting all the credit when you have a generational talent on the team

Wiggins had a subpar season across the board in every category except scoring until the last 5-6 weeks of the season. Him and Towns are on different tiers.

That is what you're missing here, he's the type of player that is good for a team without creators that's going nowhere

Besides their PG's they still lack creators. It becomes exclusively an iso team and that won't take them anywhere anyway.

Contending for a title is realistic in a few years,

No it isn't.

and making the playoffs should be a real goal this year. You're setting the bar entirely too low, when you had the bar much higher around a Rubio/Love team, again that doesn't make any kind of sense. Those teams were more flawed than this one, and didn't have even remotely the same level of talent or coaching. You had more faith in dudes like "Caged lion" than you do Wiggins, Dunn and Towns.

The bar has always been the same. Make the playoffs. After that, whatever happens happens. That has not changed. The bar is low because the ceiling is too. At least on that team it is. Put em anywhere else and they're deservedly title contenders. Not here. Not with this owner. Not until they prove otherwise. Many of the people that were responsible for this crap are gone, except Glen. I just want them to show and prove. You'll never hear a bad word from me about this team again if they ever get in. You have my word on that. They could cut Ricky DURING the playoff series and I wouldn't care. All they gotta do is make it once and that's all I'd be cool with. All that other shyt after that, doesn't affect me either way.

 

[tremonthustler1]

That wolves dude is annoying af.. sorry ass team finally has some type of talent and he talking bout some damn Ricky Rubio .. any real fan would be excited as hell about this upcoming season

What team do you root for by any chance?

 

[Malta]

Do you know what their bench looks like? Facilitating off the bench is not necessarily their weakness with Jones and Bjelica if they ever use him correctly. They lack scoring.

Expecting a rookie to provide the scoring off the bench is especially when Shabazz can do that, why not have a floor general, after all he runs offenses great right?

They can't be a contender without making the playoffs first, and the organization has made that look impossible over the last dozen years. I won't believe it until they do it. Plain and simple.

See, this is pessimism, you had no problem saying Utah would be a contender, even though they hadn't made the playoffs, they don't have any one singular talent as good as Towns. You were saying that during the season, before they made their offeseason moves, and when I told you the Wolves would be better or on the same level you told me they lacked coaching, now they have the coaching and it's something else.

Wiggins had a subpar season across the board in every category except scoring until the last 5-6 weeks of the season. Him and Towns are on different tiers.

Wiggins didn't have a subpar season, I don't care how you try to play it, a second year player dropping 20ppg and finding his game towards the latter part of the season isn't "subpar" and who is on Towns level in his age group? So saying they're on different tiers doesn't mean much when nobody else in the league has what your team has.

Besides their PG's they still lack creators. It becomes exclusively an iso team and that won't take them anywhere anyway.

No, you really don't KAT/Wiggins and Lavine can create and so can Shabazz.

No it isn't.

It is, they'll be a contender by next season natural growth of Towns, Wiggins, Dunn and LaVine, yes LaVine.

The bar has always been the same. Make the playoffs. After that, whatever happens happens. That has not changed. The bar is low because the ceiling is too. At least on that team it is. Put em anywhere else and they're deservedly title contenders. Not here. Not with this owner. Not until they prove otherwise. Many of the people that were responsible for this crap are gone, except Glen. I just want them to show and prove. You'll never hear a bad word from me about this team again if they ever get in. You have my word on that. They could cut Ricky DURING the playoff series and I wouldn't care. All they gotta do is make it once and that's all I'd be cool with. All that other shyt after that, doesn't affect me either way.

No, the bar has not been the same, because you had a lot more faith in the Williams, Rubio and Love core than you do a core that has a legit franchise player. I can't make any sense of it. They went out and got the best coach, they drafted two players you loved before they became Wolves, they have more young top level talent than anyone in their conference, not good enough because a bunch of 20-21 year olds haven't made the playoffs yet. They will show and prove, but you'll just be like

"Yeah, but can they make the 2nd round "

"Yeah they won a title, but can they repeat?

"Ok, Towns has 3 finals MVPs for us, but you don't get it "

Mood muzik Tre is back

 

[CSquare43]

Mood muzik Tre is back

If the Golden State Warriors can make it out of the cellar, any team can. But it took us an ownership/leadership change to make that happen. I'm not sure if @tremonthustler1 has any faith in the organization to make sense of the talent they have. Correct me if I'm wrong Tre.....

 

[kickz]

Tyus reppin Minneapolis

 

[tremonthustler1]

Expecting a rookie to provide the scoring off the bench is especially when Shabazz can do that, why not have a floor general, after all he runs offenses great right?

Asking a rookie to score off the bench is not unreasonable. I like Bazz. I don't know what Thibs has in mind for him.

See, this is pessimism, you had no problem saying Utah would be a contender, even though they hadn't made the playoffs, they don't have any one singular talent as good as Towns. You were saying that during the season, before they made their offeseason moves, and when I told you the Wolves would be better or on the same level you told me they lacked coaching, now they have the coaching and it's something else.

Utah made the playoffs 4 years ago. Huge difference. Their management /ownership never gave you reason to think they are clueless so they deserved the benefit of the doubt.

Wiggins didn't have a subpar season, I don't care how you try to play it, a second year player dropping 20ppg and finding his game towards the latter part of the season isn't "subpar" and who is on Towns level in his age group? So saying they're on different tiers doesn't mean much when nobody else in the league has what your team has.

Wiggins rebounds like Kay Felder on a bad night and gives sorry ass effort at times. I can't excuse that shyt. I can't go around clowning other guys for their effort and then give Wiggins a pass. That even more than his lack of time in the weight room needs to be fixed. If Wiggins played with Payne's effort let alone Zach's effort, he'd be twice the player he is now.

No, you really don't KAT/Wiggins and Lavine can create and so can Shabazz

.


For themselves, not each other.

No, the bar has not been the same, because you had a lot more faith in the Williams, Rubio and Love core than you do a core that has a legit franchise player. I can't make any sense of it. They went out and got the best coach, they drafted two players you loved before they became Wolves, they have more young top level talent than anyone in their conference, not good enough because a bunch of 20-21 year olds haven't made the playoffs yet. They will show and prove, but you'll just be like

"Yeah, but can they make the 2nd round "

"Yeah they won a title, but can they repeat?

"Ok, Towns has 3 finals MVPs for us, but you don't get it "

Mood muzik Tre is back

That was when I still had optimism. I don't have it in me to be on some @Blackthoughts shyt anymore with the organization til a new owner comes in. I'd rather them make me look stupid by proving me wrong and like I said, I'll leave em alone if they ever reach the postseason. Not another bad word from me. I'll put my user name on that