I would:
Sign n trade Randle.
Sign Reid.
Offer Alexander Walker modest deal but expect him to walk. Sign n trade would alright.
Trade Dillingham.
Reduce Conley minutes.
Acquire a vet PG who gets to rim and / or FT line.
Play the bench early. Integrate the best, trade some of rest if can get a better fit.
Acquire a 4, 5 or 4/5 who is strong on defensive rebounding.
Explore trade options for McDaniels.
Tell Edwards he needs to increase his frequency at rim from career low .176 to well above career average of .25. I'd push for .35 but .3 is probably tolerable. If he resists or is unable, I would begin trade consideration.
Adjusting the Timberwolves
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
TWolves add some backup bigs. Nothing else yet.
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
Expect similar regular season and playoff results over improved, unless significant changes are made. Decline is more likely imo than improvement.
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
Wolves to date:
Kept Randle. Career best shooting, scoring, passing, BPM so far. But at the rim rate fell 40% and 3pt rate crept up to a new 2nd highest. Usage at a 9 year low at just under 25%.
Re-signed Reid. Career low 3pt fg%, efg% and ts%. 2nd lowest 2pt fg% of career. Slightly new low on usage. 3pta rate down 28%. Best rebounding rates. Way worse A/TO. Stocks way up but D-BPM is worst of career and overall BPM is far worst at -3.7 mainly because of offense.
Conley to the bench and less minutes. Horrible shooting, horrendous A/TO and a -15 BPM.
Edwards at the rim rate up 40% but still 30% below league average. FT rate also up to slight new high.
Gobert, by far worst BPM, mainly due to defensive crash. Stocks down 40% from last season and 60% from career high. Usage at significantly smaller career low. Always small assist rate is lowest since rookie season.
DiVincenzo, near best efg%, best ts%. FT rate nearly tripled. A/TO way worse. Rebounding to dramatic new lows. Stocks to dramatic new high but D-BPM to 2nd lowest and overall BPM to lowest in 5 years.
McDaniels career low on 3pt and 2pt ff%, efg% and ts%. 2nd lowest ft%. Career high usage. Lowest rebounding. Lowest assist rate. Block rate nearly twice previous high. But D-BPM at new low and overall BPM to -7.0.
Deep bench, minutes may be up but all negative except a 5 minute positive blip from Beringer. Dillingham unknown.
Just 3 games, so some nounces may not last but stuff to watch. Performance shifts and role shifts may be real and significant.
2W-1L but offensive efficiency down 8 spots from last season and defense and net rating down 17.
Kept Randle. Career best shooting, scoring, passing, BPM so far. But at the rim rate fell 40% and 3pt rate crept up to a new 2nd highest. Usage at a 9 year low at just under 25%.
Re-signed Reid. Career low 3pt fg%, efg% and ts%. 2nd lowest 2pt fg% of career. Slightly new low on usage. 3pta rate down 28%. Best rebounding rates. Way worse A/TO. Stocks way up but D-BPM is worst of career and overall BPM is far worst at -3.7 mainly because of offense.
Conley to the bench and less minutes. Horrible shooting, horrendous A/TO and a -15 BPM.
Edwards at the rim rate up 40% but still 30% below league average. FT rate also up to slight new high.
Gobert, by far worst BPM, mainly due to defensive crash. Stocks down 40% from last season and 60% from career high. Usage at significantly smaller career low. Always small assist rate is lowest since rookie season.
DiVincenzo, near best efg%, best ts%. FT rate nearly tripled. A/TO way worse. Rebounding to dramatic new lows. Stocks to dramatic new high but D-BPM to 2nd lowest and overall BPM to lowest in 5 years.
McDaniels career low on 3pt and 2pt ff%, efg% and ts%. 2nd lowest ft%. Career high usage. Lowest rebounding. Lowest assist rate. Block rate nearly twice previous high. But D-BPM at new low and overall BPM to -7.0.
Deep bench, minutes may be up but all negative except a 5 minute positive blip from Beringer. Dillingham unknown.
Just 3 games, so some nounces may not last but stuff to watch. Performance shifts and role shifts may be real and significant.
2W-1L but offensive efficiency down 8 spots from last season and defense and net rating down 17.
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
5 most used lineups are +85 in 195 minutes. +21 / 48 min.
109 other lineups are -25 in 333 minutes. -3.6.
Could juice the top lineups if really interested in playoff seed or in playoffs. Just the top 2 could handle 24+ minutes per game instead of the barely 12 actual.
109 other lineups are -25 in 333 minutes. -3.6.
Could juice the top lineups if really interested in playoff seed or in playoffs. Just the top 2 could handle 24+ minutes per game instead of the barely 12 actual.
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
4 worst performing pairs in 21 most used all involve Reid. 3 negative,1 slight positive on nba.com..
Mostly good with starters though.
Mostly good with starters though.
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
7 of 10 most used Reid lineups are positive, 5 greatly. But overall his lineups are just +1.3. Must be a lot of bad dinks being selected / used.
8 pts / 100p worse with Edwards than last season and another 3 off the 2023-24 peak.
Would seem to call for more precise Reid / no Edwards lineup calls. And with Edwards calls.
87 total Reid lineups. 38 with Edwards, 49 without. Without Edwards, 3 most used are good but only used 1 to 1.5 minutes per game for season and in less than half of games. Increase. 60% of all such lineups are negative. With Edwards, only 3 of 7 most used are positive and a bit less than 50% overall. Probably could do better, following these early numbers more tightly.
Jaylen Clark with nothing special individual numbers but mostly good lineups beyond 2 starter heavy lineups with Conley.
Edwards generally negative with main bench, but varies from mild to quite bad.
Shannon has regressed significantly on A/TO and has terrible raw plus-minus. Could look into it more, but probably not right now.
Dillingham has multiple weaknesses but the main one right now is not hitting shots.
It is unclear if they will actually upgrade PG. They appear to want to hold onto almost everybody.
8 pts / 100p worse with Edwards than last season and another 3 off the 2023-24 peak.
Would seem to call for more precise Reid / no Edwards lineup calls. And with Edwards calls.
87 total Reid lineups. 38 with Edwards, 49 without. Without Edwards, 3 most used are good but only used 1 to 1.5 minutes per game for season and in less than half of games. Increase. 60% of all such lineups are negative. With Edwards, only 3 of 7 most used are positive and a bit less than 50% overall. Probably could do better, following these early numbers more tightly.
Jaylen Clark with nothing special individual numbers but mostly good lineups beyond 2 starter heavy lineups with Conley.
Edwards generally negative with main bench, but varies from mild to quite bad.
Shannon has regressed significantly on A/TO and has terrible raw plus-minus. Could look into it more, but probably not right now.
Dillingham has multiple weaknesses but the main one right now is not hitting shots.
It is unclear if they will actually upgrade PG. They appear to want to hold onto almost everybody.
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
20 most used pairs are positive but the 21st, Conley Edwards is a terrible -14 overall. Some reduction in usage in last 10 games but still used. In fact after a brief layoff in 5 prior games, it is now being used a bit above season rate in last 5 games and still sucks.
Final check? Believe you have to?
Final check? Believe you have to?
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
Bye, bye Dillingham(and Miller). Hello Dosunmu. No Giannis or Harden in despite of interest. No interest apparently from Durant previously.
Playoffs upcoming. Either they do better or...
Playoffs upcoming. Either they do better or...
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
Gobert talks about effort and discipline. Not the first player to do so. Finch didn't like it.
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
Edwards, just +1.3 BPM in playoffs and slightly negative on raw team +/- on / off.
By far worst playoffs of his career.
Has he peaked on Darko? Still a little early to be sure but good chance. 8th overall, 4th of offense, barely above average on defense.
At the rim Darko projection back down to near career low from a year ago.
Imo everything should be on table there, if trying 100% to win a title. I do not think this core is good enough for that.
Gobert, McDaniels and Randle all worse than Edwards on playoffs BPM. Gobert and Randle somewhat better on / off, McDaniels slightly worse.
Reid was positive on both but not much on / off. Dosunmu, great BPM; but moderately negative on / off.
7 of 10 most used lineups were bad to horrendous. 10 of 10 most used pair and trios negative and most quite bad.
Change the design and / or Coach? And what about the designer/ coach selector?Give him more money and security? And / or review carefully / demand change?
What's good or good enough?
By far worst playoffs of his career.
Has he peaked on Darko? Still a little early to be sure but good chance. 8th overall, 4th of offense, barely above average on defense.
At the rim Darko projection back down to near career low from a year ago.
Imo everything should be on table there, if trying 100% to win a title. I do not think this core is good enough for that.
Gobert, McDaniels and Randle all worse than Edwards on playoffs BPM. Gobert and Randle somewhat better on / off, McDaniels slightly worse.
Reid was positive on both but not much on / off. Dosunmu, great BPM; but moderately negative on / off.
7 of 10 most used lineups were bad to horrendous. 10 of 10 most used pair and trios negative and most quite bad.
Change the design and / or Coach? And what about the designer/ coach selector?Give him more money and security? And / or review carefully / demand change?
What's good or good enough?
Re: Adjusting the Timberwolves
What do TWolves need?
Rebounding for sure. Better ball security.
More 3ptas? More ball pressure? Less fouls? These are debatable but likely.
More time for Beringer. Probably Shannon. Probably Hyland. Dosunmu same or more if retained? Try with Zikarsky.
Lots of pairs sucked in playoffs but Dosunmu with starters sucked the most in 10 most used. Pay him as a starter? I highly question that. Sign n trade options should be considered.
McDaniels is a weak rebounder. But unlikely that they trade him. Trading Randle for a better defensive rebounder or that and a guard should be explored.
A low turnover, high 3pt fg%, high rebounding guard would be cool, if they exist and are obtainable. They don't exist.
Giddey is 2 of 3 (not ball secure) and should at least be considered.
Giddey for McDaniels and whatever balancing should be possible, if considered.
I don't know if Ransle could play SF effectively now, but I'd want to think about / test it. Giddey Edwards Randle Reid Gobert? Should be enough rebounding, scoring. Defense? Only 9th best in playoffs on defensive efficiency. Would they get much worse?
What is the better option? Sit tight and rely on internal improvement being more than starter slippage? What else?
Rebounding for sure. Better ball security.
More 3ptas? More ball pressure? Less fouls? These are debatable but likely.
More time for Beringer. Probably Shannon. Probably Hyland. Dosunmu same or more if retained? Try with Zikarsky.
Lots of pairs sucked in playoffs but Dosunmu with starters sucked the most in 10 most used. Pay him as a starter? I highly question that. Sign n trade options should be considered.
McDaniels is a weak rebounder. But unlikely that they trade him. Trading Randle for a better defensive rebounder or that and a guard should be explored.
A low turnover, high 3pt fg%, high rebounding guard would be cool, if they exist and are obtainable. They don't exist.
Giddey is 2 of 3 (not ball secure) and should at least be considered.
Giddey for McDaniels and whatever balancing should be possible, if considered.
I don't know if Ransle could play SF effectively now, but I'd want to think about / test it. Giddey Edwards Randle Reid Gobert? Should be enough rebounding, scoring. Defense? Only 9th best in playoffs on defensive efficiency. Would they get much worse?
What is the better option? Sit tight and rely on internal improvement being more than starter slippage? What else?