The 1-1 Timberwolves are continuing to adjust to their new-look roster as the 2022/23 season gets going, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“The smaller we go, the better it is for me,” star Minnesota shooting guard Anthony Edwards said after the team’s 132-126 overtime loss to the rebuilding Jazz Friday night. Given that the team’s highest-paid players are seven-foot frontcourt starters Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, Krawczynski notes that this is a loaded statement.
“I have to get him the ball more,” head coach Chris Finch said of Edwards. “We ran a couple things to get the ball in his hands. And then, again, the ball got sticky. We tried to play through KAT there. But he’s got to get some looks. That’s on me.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Nuggets rookie shooting Christian Braun seems to be carving out a solid bench role already, having logged a productive 23 minutes as a reserve for the Warriors, writes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. The 21-year-old Braun, selected out of Kansas in this year’s draft with the No. 21 pick, has emerged as a multi-faceted defender, and could prove to be a vital role player for a team with championship aspirations.
- Reigning two-time Nuggets MVP Nikola Jokic, one of the league’s best passers, looks set to thrive surrounded by sharpshooting colleagues, notes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. New additions Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Braun raved about the depths of the center’s hoops knowledge. “Jok is unbelievable,” Caldwell-Pope said. Braun added: “You try to learn from him because he knows your spot probably better than you do.”
- Jazz role players Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley have already been through their share of rebuilds, and hope to use their wealth of experience to help guide the youth movement in Utah, writes Sarah Todd of Deseret News. “Just trying to bring those same qualities and pretty much we’re in the same boat, trying to rebuild and establish a culture and create winning habits,” Vanderbilt said. “[W]e’ve been on three programs [with the Nuggets and the Timberwolves] that before we got there they weren’t playoff contending teams. “We ended up helping be a part of rebuilds and being a part of changing culture. This is not new for us.”
Jazz might want to trade some of the vets cause they winning games they probably don’t want to be winning and they will miss their chance at Victor.
Knew Sexton and Markeneen would be beast on a team of their own but wasnt expecting much from the others.
Doubt to many contenders will want to ruin early season chemistry and make moves now unless they are desperate. La Lakers for example. Don’t think Sixers are that desperate yet.
This would be my ideal idea for all teams
Lakers: Gordan Hayward, Malik Beasley, Rudy Gay and Mason Plumblee
Jazz: Russ and a first
Hornets: Mike Conley, Troy Brown Jr and a pair of seconds
Lakers line up
Beverly Beasley Bron AD Plumblee
Schroder Walker JTA Hayward Bryant/Jones
With Nunn Gay and Jones/Bryant for depth
Jazz buy Russ out of his deal and continue to tank
Or maybe they should just keep playing tough basketball?
What a novel concept.
Jazz should keep trying to win. Creating a losing culture for a 20% chance to land the to pick is, at best, an 80% chance of just being a losing team with a terrible culture of people who’ve been trained to give up.
And anyone who trades for Westbrook is hurting their franchise.