The 2021 first-round pick the Timberwolves traded to the Warriors has top-three protection, so you could make a case that it’s in the team’s best interest to lose as much as possible down the stretch, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. However, the Wolves’ actions at the trade deadline and on the court suggest the team is prioritizing building some late-season momentum that could carry over to next season.
Karl-Anthony Towns has dealt with a nagging wrist issue this season and D’Angelo Russell is coming off knee surgery, but the Wolves have shown no interest in resting those players down the stretch, Krawczynski observes. While Minnesota has hardly been dominant lately, the club has won five of its last seven games after starting the season 14-42.
As our reverse standings show, the Wolves still have the NBA’s second-worst record, but a few more wins in the season’s final 18 days could move them anywhere from fourth to sixth in those reverse standings, reducing their odds of securing a top-three pick. Although the franchise could certainly use another impact player, it appears Gersson Rosas‘ group is content to keep its foot on the gas and to let the lottery balls fall where they may, writes Krawczynski.
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- If Minnesota wins a few more games, it could end up hurting the Warriors more than the Timberwolves, contends Michael Rand of The Star Tribune. If the Wolves finish with the NBA’s worst record, Golden State would have a 60% chance of landing either the No. 4 or No. 5 overall pick. But if Minnesota finishes the season fourth in the lottery standings, that pick could slide as far as No. 8. From an optics perspective, giving up a pick in that range would be far better for the Wolves than sending the Warriors a top-five selection, says Rand.
- Following up on a report that Baskonia guard Pierria Henry is considering an offer from the Timberwolves, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News notes (via Twitter) that a buyout with Henry’s Spanish club would need to be worked out. According to Wolfson, who suggests Rosas and the Wolves have long been interested in Henry, there should be resolution one way or the other by the end of the week.
- He still hasn’t been inserted back into the starting lineup following his return from knee surgery, but D’Angelo Russell is showing now why the Timberwolves were willing to give up a lightly-protected first-round pick to acquire him at the 2020 trade deadline, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. The newly-healthy point guard is averaging 19.6 points and 5.5 assists per game on .468/.419/.870 shooting in 13 games (25.9 MPG) this month. “My body feeling the way it feels has a lot to do with my individual success,” Russell said.
Wolves will screw the lottery chance ( slim as it is). No other way for them to operate.
From Taylors under the table dealings with JOE SMITH ( for the love of god–not even a top 25 player in the league at the time that cost them MULTIPLE 1st rounder picks) to bringing KG back and tossing millions at him to sit on bench to not drafting Curry the Wolves cannot seem to stop stepping on their own feet.
They NEED to tank badly. Cade or Mobley would be what the dr ordered to make them legit .Then sign a PF who can play ONE lick of defense and they will be a respectable playoff team.
Never seen a team as bad on the defensive end of the court.
They don’t need to tank. The odds only change by 4% if they get to 4th place. The losing needs to stop. There’s no predicting the lottery, so it’s not like losing even guarantees them the pick.
Of course they will screw up the NBA lottery. They chose Rubio & Flynn over Steph Curry!
You could also make the case that it makes the most sense for them to win as much as possible so that the pick they lose will be lower. Even if they have the worst record in the league, they only have about a 40% chance of keeping their pick. But if they win down the stretch, they might lose the #8 pick or something. But they have taught their team how to win. Minnesota has enough young talent already to win. They just need to learn how to win now. Find a good veteran PG to pair with Russell in the backcourt with the frontcourt trio of KAT, Beasley, Edwards and you have a team with a lot of potential. Maybe find a couple more vets for the bench and get lucky with their second round pick and you have a nice sleeper team for the 2021-22 season.
Four guards on the floor is too many for a long RS slog. Towns will complain unless everyone hits the boards. This is more of a talent team than a teamwork team!
I was really considering Edwards a 3 and Beasley a 4, but I guess you make sense. Maybe they should add a big man instead. Perhaps Nerlens Noel would fit in there. He shouldn’t be too expensive and his lack of scoring wouldn’t be as noticeable on Minnesota.
Wolves and Rockets are in the West
If both teams lose the lottery picks this summer, they are dead the next 6 years
They can’t even make playoffs next 6 years
Both teams don’t have GMs with good friendship of other teams
76ers won’t help both teams to upgrade the roster
But whoever goes for that 4th or “top 5” pick will be about as good as anyone who goes from 6-10 or so!
There’s at least 10 players in this draft who would have gone #1 last years draft. The Russell trade will always be nothing but an L for the Wolves, they can’t fix these “optics”, they literally traded the superior (to Russell) Wiggins plus Wiseman plus potentially this #4 (or #8) pick, there’s simply no coming back from that, lol
Suddenly these upcoming Wolves/Warriors game take on interesting importance!
Wiseman was not part of the deal, he was the Warriors actual pick. Plus, there is no deal that has EVER been made where there is “no coming back from” unless the team actually folded afterward. It could set them back, but this is Minnesota, would anybody really notice if they were set back? They have only been in the playoffs maybe 4 times in their entire history. This deal was bad, but I don’t know if it even falls in their top 5 worst moves ever.
If Magic, Thunder, Pistons and Kings are top 4 picks, …..
Or
If Magic gets 2 top 4 picks and Thunder get 2 top 5 picks, ……
Speculation or rumor
Curry will not play tonight
Warriors want wolves to win more games
So a dumb POV.
The thing is not losing the lowest pick to gsw, but losing all matches: 40% take 1-3,
Winning most (5th worst) 31% take 1-3
So it’s not a lot of difference, THIS IS the point, not a childhood one
Wolves chance
4th worst 38.3%
5th worst 29.7%
KAT should ask for a trade, however he doesn’t wanna win unfortunately. Jimmy Butler proved that.