It's not Olshey (1 Viewer)

[Scalma]

An offseason of signing Cole Aldrich and retaining only Harkless and Henderson would arguably have this team significantly better than it presently is, and most certainly at a lower price tag.

The operative word here.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The operative word here.

Because it can't be guaranteed since it never actually happened? Sure. Because unlike the poster to whom I was responding, I don't make declarative statements about theoretical situations. However, I don't think it's unreasonable to state that Henderson in Portland and Aldrich anywhere are better players than Turner in Portland and Leonard anywhere.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Cole Aldrich said he signed for less money with the T-Wolves because he was going home (Born in the area and his parents still live there).

 

[Denny Crane]

An offseason of signing Cole Aldrich and retaining only Harkless and Henderson would arguably have this team significantly better than it presently is, and most certainly at a lower price tag.

NO is no fool. I'm sure he talked to Aldrich's people at least.

Henderson got a 50% raise and is underperforming his career averages at everything but FG% and 3pt shooting. He was a UFA, too, and it's questionable he'd re-sign with us to have a ~15MPG kind of role. He signed with a team where he's started 27 of 27 games so far.

Plus there are significant advantages to be up to the LT in salaries.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I am only commenting on the first part.

You have had this opinion of Olshey since the day he took the job. And I am not saying you are/were wrong at all actually but you have heard of preconceived bias right? Lots of people have them and they don't even mean to. It isn't something you (or they) were trying to do.

Or Mr. Dog could be projecting his own feelings on to Olshey, he himself could be a big-city-loving dog who wants only to eat the scraps from the best restaurants!

 

[PtldPlatypus]

NO is no fool. I'm sure he talked to Aldrich's people at least.

I'm not. Or if he did, he must have lowballed them. 22m/3 for a healthy defensive-minded center continues to blow my mind, especially considering what we gave MyLe.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

An offseason of signing Cole Aldrich and retaining only Harkless and Henderson would arguably have this team significantly better than it presently is, and most certainly at a lower price tag.

The boards would go ballistic on NO if he did that.

 

[Denny Crane]

I'm not. Or if he did, he must have lowballed them. 22m/3 for a healthy defensive-minded center continues to blow my mind, especially considering what we gave MyLe.

Something that has to be factored into every "what if?" scenario is "what if the FA won't sign with us?"

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The boards would go ballistic on NO if he did that.

Sure they would, no doubt. I wonder, perhaps if that was part of the basis for signing Turner in the first place. With $25M+ in cap space, the fan base would have been immeasurably dissatisfied with a few low-risk moves. By dropping $145M on Crabbe/Turner, he can at least claim he was swinging for the fences, even if it made us worse as a result.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Something that has to be factored into every "what if?" scenario is "what if the FA won't sign with us?"

When the FA signs in Minne-freaking-sota for what seems to be well below market value, you have to assume that there wasn't much of an offer made here. I seriously doubt that Cole Aldrich was simply jonesing to be a Timberwolf.

 

[Denny Crane]

When the FA signs in Minne-freaking-sota for what seems to be well below market value, you have to assume that there wasn't much of an offer made here. I seriously doubt that Cole Aldrich was simply jonesing to be a Timberwolf.

Or that Minnesota is his home state, and playing for Thibs alongside some elite young talent.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I seriously doubt that Cole Aldrich was simply jonesing to be a Timberwolf.

Then you'd be wrong:

Minnesota native Aldrich fulfills dream by signing with Timberwolves

"Cole Aldrich was vacationing with his wife in Italy when a lifelong dream came to fruition. ...

To play basketball for the Timberwolves, to live in the home he returns to every offseason after spending the first six seasons of his NBA career bouncing around with five other teams.

"I’ve been a Timberwolves fan all my life," Cole Aldrich said.

Aldrich got a three-year, $22 million contract from the Wolves, but he doesn’t expect the money to change him.

"I’ve been wealthy my whole life. Great family, friends. That’s what it’s all about," Aldrich said.

He said he had talks about joining Thibodeau in Chicago with the Bulls a few years back and feels uniquely suited to play for a coach who values toughness and defense. Aldrich pointed to a scar over his left eyebrow and then popped out his fake front tooth to serve as his credentials.

"As you can tell, I’ve got a few scars and I’ve got a missing tooth," he said with a smile. "It kind of fits the groove. Just exciting to play for him and the organization is going to be a really good few years."

So, it was his lifelong dream to play in his hometown, where he grew up a T-Wolves fan and lives in the off season. He wanted to play for Thibs and he specifically said it wasn't about the money, that it was about being close to his family and friends.

If there was EVER a player "jonesing" to play for the Minnesota Timberwoves, it was Cole Andrich.

BTW, he was also high on my list of second tier FA targets, but we really had no chance. The lure of home was too great.

BNM

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Then you'd be wrong:

Minnesota native Aldrich fulfills dream by signing with Timberwolves

"Cole Aldrich was vacationing with his wife in Italy when a lifelong dream came to fruition. ...

To play basketball for the Timberwolves, to live in the home he returns to every offseason after spending the first six seasons of his NBA career bouncing around with five other teams.

"I’ve been a Timberwolves fan all my life," Cole Aldrich said.

Aldrich got a three-year, $22 million contract from the Wolves, but he doesn’t expect the money to change him.

"I’ve been wealthy my whole life. Great family, friends. That’s what it’s all about," Aldrich said.

He said he had talks about joining Thibodeau in Chicago with the Bulls a few years back and feels uniquely suited to play for a coach who values toughness and defense. Aldrich pointed to a scar over his left eyebrow and then popped out his fake front tooth to serve as his credentials.

"As you can tell, I’ve got a few scars and I’ve got a missing tooth," he said with a smile. "It kind of fits the groove. Just exciting to play for him and the organization is going to be a really good few years."

So, it was his lifelong dream to play in his hometown, where he grew up a T-Wolves fan and lives in the off season. He wanted to play for Thibs and he specifically said it wasn't about the money, that it was about being close to his family and friends.

If there was EVER a player "jonesing" to play for the Minnesota Timberwoves, it was Cole Andrich.

BTW, he was also high on my list of second tier FA targets, but we really had no chance. The lure of home was too great.

BNM

I stand corrected. Thank you.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I stand corrected. Thank you.

No problem. I know it sounds weird that someone would actually want to play in MIN, but in this case, it was true.

BNM

 

[Orion Bailey]

Lol at the people that shit all over those of us that even questioned the signing.

Shout out to @B-Roy for agreeing with me when the signing happened.

Its not a bad signing, it was addressing one of our two main need.s Problem is Ezeli never addressed the other. and our current roster of bigs have taken a step back. Those two combine have made our paint play atrocious.

 

[Sinobas]

Bigs get paid. Thats what it is.

Bigs that don't have "big skills" should not get paid.

 

[dviss1]

Olshey hates it here. Hates Portland, hates the weather, the restaurants, everything. He's a big city guy with a big ego.

I'm sure he came out of the off season thinking that his miracle rebuild would be enough to land him the next GM job that opens in NY or LA. Now it's quickly going to shit. He's not looking like the GM with the golden touch anymore. This team has limited moves it can make due to big salaries and limited assets to trade. He also has this weird theory that the 9 GMs in the league with ties to Popovich all conspired against him to keep him from winning GM of the year last year. In many ways I like Olshey but this is not a good team as constructed and that falls on him. If the team continues to crash and burn I would replace the GM and let the new GM decide what to do with Stotts.

But he already had a job in LA. We stole him from the Clippers...

 

[Sinobas]

Such a flawed thing to use in an argument. Let's see what everyone's contract looks like post new salary cap. Most guys in the league signed contracts before that, so of course Leonards is going to look bigger comparatively.

If someone claim's a person's contract is "run of the mill" then what other metric can you use other than comparing their salary to the rest of the league? It's like claiming someone is of average height without looking at where they actually fall in relation to their peers.

And the "new salary cap" excuse doesn't cut it. His contract is nearly 10% of our total cap, which is way too much for a guy that can't even keep his spot in the rotation.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I really liked Aldrich also. My question is why have his stats per 36 fallen off drastically from previous years and why is Minnesota reportedly looking for front court help?

 

[tlongII]

No, not saying that at all. A 4 star restaurant in Portland is not the same as a 4 star restaurant in NY or LA. Portland isn't for everyone. I like it but I understand if others don't.

Not true. A 4 star restaurant in Portland is superior to a 4 star restaurant in NY or LA. Portland is considered one of the world's food mecca's.

 

[jlprk]

Then you'd be wrong:

Minnesota native Aldrich fulfills dream by signing with Timberwolves

A player said it's his DREAM COME TRUE to play for his new particular team. He finds reasons to praise it, like, it's his home state, or, he admires the team's star. First time in history! So glad you found that unmotivated, indisputable info. It's hard to find a local Jason Quick introducing a new player to a fanbase, with the player gushing over his new team (with agent standing behind him holding a club).

If Olshey had offered $17M, Cole Aldrich would have forgotten where he was born.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Not true. A 4 star restaurant in Portland is superior to a 4 star restaurant in NY or LA. Portland is considered one of the world's food mecca's.

There's no valet parking though ...

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Not true. A 4 star restaurant in Portland is superior to a 4 star restaurant in NY or LA.

WRONG!

You go to a Portland restaurant and you're surrounded by neckbeards and hipsters.

In NY and LA you're surrounded by the rich and beautiful.

 

[jlprk]

Your chart proves you wrong. Those guys at better than Leonard. He isn't in their class in his 5th year, and will not be 5 years from now.

 

[jlprk]

$10 mil per year for a young mid-career 7-footer is nothing in this league. By the end of his 4 year contract, it's going to look like peanuts.

For a starter, $10M is nothing. For a 10th-12th man like Leonard, it's gross and ugly. As for the future, why should we pay for 4 years for the 1% probability that he'll become Shaq 5 years from now? A good GM finds bargains, instead of paying for improbable future stardom. (Remember, the thread's about Olshey's skills, not Leonard's.)

 

[e_blazer]

For a starter, $10M is nothing. For a 10th-12th man like Leonard, it's gross and ugly. As for the future, why should we pay for 4 years for the 1% probability that he'll become Shaq 5 years from now? A good GM finds bargains, instead of paying for improbable future stardom. (Remember, the thread's about Olshey's skills, not Leonard's.)

Leonard's salary this year is roughly 10% of the salary cap and 8% of the luxury tax level. It's not nothing, but it's also not large enough to cause any major problem to a team's salary structure.

 

[tlongII]

Go to Ringside.

 

[e_blazer]

Your chart proves you wrong. Those guys at better than Leonard. He isn't in their class in his 5th year, and will not be 5 years from now.

By what metric are they better, your imagination? Toss out Chandler, Gortat, Jefferson, and Bogut as all being 32 or older and on the down side of their careers. Here's how the current season stats of the rest stack up:

Meyers Leonard: 24 years old, 15.8 mpg, 3.2 reb, .4 blk, 5.2 ppg
Miles Plumlee: 28 years old, 10.9 mpg, 1.9 reb, .3 blk, 2.7 ppg
Nikola Vucevic: 26 years old, 27.9 mpg, 10.9 reb, .9 blk, 12.9 ppg
Omer Asik: 30 years old, 16.7 mpg, 5.8 reb, .4 blk, 3 ppg
Kosta Koufos: 27 years old, 19.7 mpg, 5.8 reb, .6 blk, 5.7 ppg
Tyler Zeller: 27 years old, 12.7 mpg, 3.3 reb, .6 blk, 4.2 ppg
Cole Aldrich: 28 years old, 13 mpg, 3.8 reb, .6 blk, 2.9 ppg

Vucevic is clearly the stats winner, but he's playing almost 11 more minutes per game than Leonard. Leonard is the youngest of the group by a considerable margin, is coming back from a significant injury, and still is producing as much or more than the rest of those guys who are making about the same money.

 

[Scalma]

By what metric are they better, your imagination? Toss out Chandler, Gortat, Jefferson, and Bogut as all being 32 or older and on the down side of their careers. Here's how the current season stats of the rest stack up:

Meyers Leonard: 24 years old, 15.8 mpg, 3.2 reb, .4 blk, 5.2 ppg
Miles Plumlee: 28 years old, 10.9 mpg, 1.9 reb, .3 blk, 2.7 ppg
Nikola Vucevic: 26 years old, 27.9 mpg, 10.9 reb, .9 blk, 12.9 ppg
Omer Asik: 30 years old, 16.7 mpg, 5.8 reb, .4 blk, 3 ppg
Kosta Koufos: 27 years old, 19.7 mpg, 5.8 reb, .6 blk, 5.7 ppg
Tyler Zeller: 27 years old, 12.7 mpg, 3.3 reb, .6 blk, 4.2 ppg
Cole Aldrich: 28 years old, 13 mpg, 3.8 reb, .6 blk, 2.9 ppg

Vucevic is clearly the stats winner, but he's playing almost 11 more minutes per game than Leonard. Leonard is the youngest of the group by a considerable margin, is coming back from a significant injury, and still is producing as much or more than the rest of those guys who are making about the same money.

Leonard has trade value (how much is debatable), but some blazer fans are just blinded by their rage. Sometimes I feel like there's no balance with our fanbase, we either hype up players too much, or we think they're the most useless pieces of shit ever. The truth is usually in the middle though.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Leonard has trade value (how much is debatable), but some blazer fans are just blinded by their rage. Sometimes I feel like there's no balance with our fanbase, we either hype up players too much, or we think they're the most useless pieces of shit ever.

In my defense, I've thought Leonard was worthless since we drafted him.