NBA: ***Official 2016-17 NBA Regular Season Thread***

[jbindm]

When will the T wolves start being good? They have 2 of the best young talents, yet they're 7-18.

The key word there is young. KAT, Wiggins, and Lavine are all just 21 years old. Rubio is the veteran at all of 26 years old. And they're 25 games into a brand new regime under Thibs. Most NBA teams don't get good overnight.

That said, I'm a little surprised at 8-17; I thought they'd be flirting with .500 at the All Star break. I don't know if it's just youth or if it's a deeper issue like maybe all the talent doesn't quite fit together. Sometimes that happens when a team is bad for a long time. The focus is on collecting assets, and then you sort out what works later. But I do know that it's still as good a young core as any team in the Association right now.

 

[Desiigner]

The key word there is young. KAT, Wiggins, and Lavine are all just 21 years old. Rubio is the veteran at all of 26 years old. And they're 25 games into a brand new regime under Thibs. Most NBA teams don't get good overnight.

That said, I'm a little surprised at 8-17; I thought they'd be flirting with .500 at the All Star break. I don't know if it's just youth or if it's a deeper issue like maybe all the talent doesn't quite fit together. Sometimes that happens when a team is bad for a long time. The focus is on collecting assets, and then you sort out what works later. But I do know that it's still as good a young core as any team in the Association right now.

Hopefully Dunn lives up to being a top 5 pick. With a 8-17 record they might as well just tank the rest of the year to get a high draft pick. Which wouldn't be a bad idea with this years draft class. Imagine if they drafted Ball or Monk.

 

[jbindm]

Hopefully Dunn lives up to being a top 5 pick. With a 8-17 record they might as well just tank the rest of the year to get a high draft pick. Which wouldn't be a bad idea with this years draft class. Imagine if they drafted Ball or Monk.

It'll be interesting to see what Thibs does with the roster. In my mind the only untouchable should be KAT, maybe Dunn just because he is a Thibs draft pick. Wiggins passes the eye test but I don't think he's very popular in the advanced stats community. Anyway, I think a lot will depend on whether Thibs wants to win now or later. If it was up to me I'd keep the group together for at least this season and see what I have. But I don't know if they'll be patient enough to do that. I hope they are, but you never know. Back in Chicago Thibs was all about playing to win. This year in Minnesota is not like that. Can he handle the losing now if it means another year in the lottery?

 

[Desiigner]

It'll be interesting to see what Thibs does with the roster. In my mind the only untouchable should be KAT, maybe Dunn just because he is a Thibs draft pick. Wiggins passes the eye test but I don't think he's very popular in the advanced stats community. Anyway, I think a lot will depend on whether Thibs wants to win now or later. If it was up to me I'd keep the group together for at least this season and see what I have. But I don't know if they'll be patient enough to do that. I hope they are, but you never know. Back in Chicago Thibs was all about playing to win. This year in Minnesota is not like that. Can he handle the losing now if it means another year in the lottery?

With this years draft class he should. You can't get rid of Wiggins. It's crazy that Dunn is older than Wiggins,KAT and Lavine

 

[jbindm]

With this years draft class he should. You can't get rid of Wiggins. It's crazy that Dunn is older than Wiggins,KAT and Lavine

You can, but you shouldn't. I don't think they should move Wiggins either. If you watch the games you can see the athleticism and potential he has as a two way beast along the lines of Kawhi Leonard or Jimmy Butler. I'm sure teams will be sniffing around.

And while he might be tempted, I don't think Thibs has any serious intention of messing with the core he has in place right now. If he did, he would have pulled the trigger last June and moved Wiggins and the # 5 pick that became Kris Dunn to Chicago for Jimmy Butler.

 

[srjclone]

Hopefully Dunn lives up to being a top 5 pick. With a 8-17 record they might as well just tank the rest of the year to get a high draft pick. Which wouldn't be a bad idea with this years draft class. Imagine if they drafted Ball or Monk.

Wow. I understand that 8-17 is anything but good, but to suggest they should tank 25 games into the season when the last spot in the West is owned by a team that is currently under .500, is just crazy talk. I've stated earlier in this thread I truly think they are going to put a stretch of games together where they rattle off a bunch of wins. Are they going to win the Finals this year? God No. But to suggest that a team full of young rising talent, should stop trying, less than 1/3rd of the way through the season is the exact opposite from the type of culture and mindset you are trying to build in Minnesota. Just dumb. Now, I agree that Dunn has to pan out to a top-5 talent for this team to take than next step, especially because Rubio is our biggest trading piece, if Thibs truly does want to go to the trade-market. Dunn has shown flashes in games that he can take over as an assertive point guard, he's crazy quick and that gets him in trouble sometimes, but I think he will learn as he goes, because he seems to be a sharp kid.

Where would Ball or Monk go? Want Malik to take minutes away from Wiggins/Lavine, or Ball to take away from Dunn/Rubio?

 

[Desiigner]

Wow. I understand that 8-17 is anything but good, but to suggest they should tank 25 games into the season when the last spot in the West is owned by a team that is currently under .500, is just crazy talk. I've stated earlier in this thread I truly think they are going to put a stretch of games together where they rattle off a bunch of wins. Are they going to win the Finals this year? God No. But to suggest that a team full of young rising talent, should stop trying, less than 1/3rd of the way through the season is the exact opposite from the type of culture and mindset you are trying to build in Minnesota. Just dumb. Now, I agree that Dunn has to pan out to a top-5 talent for this team to take than next step, especially because Rubio is our biggest trading piece, if Thibs truly does want to go to the trade-market. Dunn has shown flashes in games that he can take over as an assertive point guard, he's crazy quick and that gets him in trouble sometimes, but I think he will learn as he goes, because he seems to be a sharp kid.

Where would Ball or Monk go? Want Malik to take minutes away from Wiggins/Lavine, or Ball to take away from Dunn/Rubio?

Those two are just my favorite non Iowa state college, that's why I said them. And why not? wiggins is like 6'8 he could easily play the 4. How would you suggest them to draft?
There's no way the T wolves are making the playoffs with how good the west is this year

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Bulls getting waxed for the second straight night by the Bucks. Pathetic.

 

[Tornado man]

Bulls getting waxed for the second straight night by the Bucks. Pathetic.

Bulls have no energy - it's like they don't even care. No team spirit at all...they need a more authoritarian coach perhaps - one that demands effort from players? There I said it.

 

[jsb]

Bulls getting waxed for the second straight night by the Bucks. Pathetic.

They made a bit of a comeback last night to make it sort of interesting in the 4th quarter. But the Bulls have had a really bad few days. Up 21 against the Timberwolves and Thibs at home and lost. Getting blown out most of the game last night against Milwaukee and now tonight. Fans appear to be getting fed up.

 

[Rural]

Thibs is not a great coach.

That'd be a major Wolve problem.

 

[chuckd4735]

Thibs is not a great coach.

That'd be a major Wolve problem.

Thibs is a pretty damn good coach...

 

[JHUNSY]

Haven't been able to check in with this thread in awhile. Going to the Knicks Nuggets game tonight. The Knicks are honestly doing better than I would have expected this season but admittedly I haven't seen too much of them yet this year.

 

[jbindm]

Haven't been able to check in with this thread in awhile. Going to the Knicks Nuggets game tonight. The Knicks are honestly doing better than I would have expected this season but admittedly I haven't seen too much of them yet this year.

Jealous that you get to see Porzingis. He's one of my favorite young players out there right now. It's a shame he plays for the Knicks. **** those guys.

 

[canker2323]

They made a bit of a comeback last night to make it sort of interesting in the 4th quarter. But the Bulls have had a really bad few days. Up 21 against the Timberwolves and Thibs at home and lost. Getting blown out most of the game last night against Milwaukee and now tonight. Fans appear to be getting fed up.

It just isn't working for Fred in Chicago. I thought last year it was Rose and maybe Noah that were the problem. No, Fred just isn't getting the job done.

Reinsdorf needs to blow the whole thing up and start over. Forman, Paxson and Hoiberg need to go.

 

[JHUNSY]

Anthony and Faried went off tonight. Hornacek seemed to have almost coached them back after that first major deficit but it really felt like a comfortable win for the Nuggets. Chandler was a pleasant surprise. Mudiay was another bonus again in addition to seeing the dressed out Rose as per usual.

 

[Rabbuk]

It just isn't working for Fred in Chicago. I thought last year it was Rose and maybe Noah that were the problem. No, Fred just isn't getting the job done.

Reinsdorf needs to blow the whole thing up and start over. Forman, Paxson and Hoiberg need to go.

That roster he has is a GD mess. Like not sure what he's supposed to do with no shooters and 3 people who need to the ball in their hands to do anything.

 

[jsb]

That roster he has is a GD mess. Like not sure what he's supposed to do with no shooters and 3 people who need to the ball in their hands to do anything.

It's a mess. I hate the bulls but I feel for their fans. They were sold that Fred was an elite coach who was going to win championships. None of them think he is doing a good job. I'm not smart enough and don't follow enough to know for sure. But he's lucky he works for an idiot who doesn't want to admit he's wrong.

 

[canker2323]

That roster he has is a GD mess. Like not sure what he's supposed to do with no shooters and 3 people who need to the ball in their hands to do anything.

Agreed. Tear it all down.

 

[awd4cy]

Those two are just my favorite non Iowa state college, that's why I said them. And why not? wiggins is like 6'8 he could easily play the 4. How would you suggest them to draft?
There's no way the T wolves are making the playoffs with how good the west is this year

Adding losing into the DNA of a young team isn't always the best option. Do you notice that the teams that tank are usually doing it year in and year out? Its probably a better idea that Minnesota gets these guys figuring out how to win. Might happen very soon.