mikeyvthedon
I guess out of that you say that two of them, Beasley and Rubio were expected to be fringe All-Stars. Kevin could make an All-Star team based off of his ability to get double doubles, but I am guessing he will never be considered a top PF in the league just because of his lack of defensive presence. He is a good athlete for a player his size, I mean, he jumped 35, but honestly, he would be on the bottom end of PF’s as far as speed and quickness. Plus, Kevin is a ticking timebomb for injuries, I hope he never gets hurt, but it is always a worry. Than you have Wesley Johnson, who looks like he could be a stud, but how good will he really be? Is he a top flight SF? Where will he play in this scenario with Beasley and Love? Is he quick enough to guard 2’s? Can he shoot well enough to be a threat at 2? My point is, who amongst these players really stands out as a team leader. If you say Rubio, than will he be like a Nash type facillitator. He has a lot more tools on defense than Nash with his length and is quicker, but the guy will never be the shooter Steve Nash is. I am not knocking Rubio as a shooter, but it is just not realistic.
If Michael Beasley and Kevin Love play the 3/4, the Wolves have two major defensive issues. Unless Beasley somehow turns around and starts averaging 22-25 per game, anything less does not get the job done. Rubio has the most potential to be a top player, and even at his best, the West at this point has many players who will most likely be better than Ricky at PG for a long time (Westbrook, Paul, Williams, Curry). I just do not see these four players being near the top in the league, two have yet to play and the other two have major holes in their game. Kevin put’s up huge and efficient numbers, but I still think most nights his check will play just as well as he does. It just seems like the Wolves are trying to become a less athletic, slower paced version of the Warriors. I mean, if you are trying to follow the Don Nelson model of confusing personnel choices at least go after the Mavericks, who made a few gambles and paid off. It seems like Kahn is trying to play it safe in some ways, and that is a way to get majorly burnt.