[szczerbiakcomebackParticipant]

 So here are the Minnesota Timberwolves, agreements with Roy and Batum give the team some hope as they finally have a legitimate shooting guard. Problem solved right? Wrong. With making the moves necessary to free up the space to sign those two, plus Derrick Williams’ attempt to move to the SF…their line-up looks like this:

PG: Rubio/Ridnour/Barea/Lee

SG: Batum/Roy/Ellington

SF: Williams/Budinger/Johnson/Hummel

PF: Love

C: Pekovic/Tolliver

the Timberwolves have successully moved their logjam from the F/C position to the SG/SF. Of the 7 SG/SF players, 5 can play both positions. You could move Williams to PF but you can’t expect a #2 draft pick to take a reserve role behind one of the league’s best big men. Not to mention the Wolves have absolutely ZERO post-defense skill now. I am kind of hoping Portland matches the Batum offer and then asks for too much in a sign-and-trade so that they turn it down and are able to sign a defensive big man.

[sheltwon3Participant]

I thought Batum was a sf.  Why would you start a rookie over two very quality vets

[szczerbiakcomebackParticipant]

 Either way, with Batum the Wolves have 7 SG/SF and 3 big men… there is a major problem there. Not to mention 4 PG…

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

PG: Rubio/Ridnour/Barea/Lee

SG: Roy/Ellington

SF: Batum/Budinger/Johnson

PF: Love/Williams/Hummel

C: Pekovic/Tolliver

Disaster averted.  

Williams and Hummel can both play power forward, as they did in college.

[HaleParticipant]

Hummel is not going to be able to guard 4’s in the NBA and Williams clearly doesn’t want to.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

It looks like they would start Batum at the 3 and then bring Derrick Williams off the bench at power forward and also power forward. They might also try to use Chase Budinger at shooting guard since he has decent size and can shoot.

Then Wes Johnson would be the third small forward or the third shooting guard. This loaded team will allow them to play some small ball with Kevin Love at center and Batum and Derrick Williams at the forward spots. Don’t think they can play that too much but I can see them giving it a shot.

At guard I can see some Barea and Roy lineups where Brandon Roy runs more of the offense and Barea plays off the ball as a scorer/shooter similar to how the Mavs used him in 2011.

Robbie Hummel looks like the odd man out here as there are already a bunch of options at the 3/stretch four positions. Malcolm Lee probably won’t play much. I wonder if they can turn Malcolm Lee into a big man to bring off the bench. The T Wolves don’t have much at the 5 off the bench with Tolliver being more of a power forward’s size, and only Kevin Love as a legit power forward (Derrick Williams is kind of a tweener).

[B FreeParticipant]

 Blazers will match the offer for Batum

[RickyRubio9Participant]

 S&T with the Blazers for Derrick Williams is what rumors are signing..Batum to Minnesota, and Williams to PDX

[HaleParticipant]

What something is going wrong when you just got Brandon Roy and have a possibility of swapping D-Will for Batum (a much better fit)?

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I don’t think there’s a real issue here.

PG: Rubio, Ridnour (also plays some at the two) and Barea (same as Ridnour)

SG: Roy (It’ll be interesting to see him in this style of offense and if he’ll start… IF he doesn’t start, how will he handle a bench role? How will he handle not being the guy and not being able to dominate the ball?)

SF: Batum and Buddinger (both guys can play both wingspots, so they can play together if need be)

PF: Love

C: Pekovic/Milicic

Johnson isn’t good. Ellington isn’t good. Webster, due to injuries, just no longer seems to be good or just needs a change of scenery. Hummel is a rookie. Lee is young and won’t play much at point guard.

The good thing is they have solid depth. If someone gets hurt, they have someone to step in.

 

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 It is entirely speculative to think that Roy can still play in the NBA. Most likely his knee will act up and he won’t really finish his contract. If he can play, it will be limited minutes and off the bench. He doesn’t make sense paired with starters as he is a ball dominating scorer. 

Williams can back up Love and the SF spots, though Batum would be the starter and Buddinger is worth of play time. 

Pencil in some time for Love at the 5 spot as well. There is no reason why Love can’t play the 5.  For example, no problem against the Thunder (Perkins you don’t have to guard, and Ibaka and Collins are no bigger than Love) or the Heat (Haslem is small and you don’t have to guard him). When playing the Rockets, you don’t have to guard Asik Omar so a Batum, Williams, Love frontcourt should be fine. I’m not saying Pekovic doesn’t play. Far from it, the guy was a beast last year. I’m just saying that Love should swing to the 5 spot on many nights to bring in Williams, Batum and Buddinger.

No clear answer at 2G. If Roy doesn’t pan out (which is likely) then we might be seeing Ridnour and Barrea again with Rubio. Oh well, at least it is a high skill line up.  

[Author]

Posts