March 8, 2012

Sit Back and Relax Mr. Kahn

As one of our most esteemed followers noted after last night's victory, I too am hoping I am not just reacting to one night's performance when I say this.  At this point, unless the Wolves are acquiring a 1st or 2nd scoring option before the trade deadline, I really hope no significant deals are done to disturb what's going on with this team right now.  Are the T'Wolves on a path toward the NBA Finals?  I think that is probably quite a stretch.  However, the type of player it would take to get to that level would take a trade piece with the names "Rubio" or "Love" on the back of the jersey to make that happen.



I don't think there's any question David Kahn has no interest in letting either one of these two kids go unless the Thunder call offering Durant and Westbrook.  The other trade pieces we have - Ridnour, Beasley, Williams, etc - just aren't going to be enough to get the type of real impact player that would significantly improve this team.  Rumors have flown from Jamal Crawford, to Anthony Morrow, to Monta Ellis, to Pau Gasol, and OJ Mayo.  With the chemistry that is evolving within the current Timberwolves roster, I would be very hesitant to break that up.

Even though the Wolves roster doesn't contain one player who can realistically take over a game, every game, down the stretch; it seems like every night a different player is stepping up to help Kevin Love out.  Last night Wes Johnson lit up the scoreboard from the opening tip and looked like the guy the Wolves expected coming out of Syracuse.  Derrick Williams has had nights where he took guys like Kenyon Martin to school down the stretch.  Michael Beasley has his nights when he is into it to give this team a lift on the offensive end.  Luke Ridnour, no matter how frustrated I have been with him in the past, has really gelled into a likeable option on the offensive end - fairly consistently.  Rubio, Barea, and Pekovic (when all three are healthy) are a pesky combination on both ends of the floor every single night.  Even Martell Webster has nights when he looks like he could shoot with anyone in the league.  And then there's Darko, who seems lost all the time - except against Blake Griffin, which could have a significant impact if we can just hang on to a playoff spot down the stretch here.

Are the Wolves still very inconsistent?  Definitely.  I just think making a trade right now as the NBA season starts to wind down would only make this roster more inconsistent.  I feel like as the season has gone on, the wing players (namely Ridnour, Wes, and Webster) are starting to gain a little more confidence each night where this team can become a legitimate playoff team - a team to be feared even just a little by the higher level teams in the Western Conference.

Again, I don't know if it was because Ridnour and Johnson played so well last night and the team is on a little bit of a roll; or if it was because Jamal Crawford, the latest rumored future Timberwolf played so terrible last night.  I just don't think there is a realistic trade option out there this year that will significantly help this team make a playoff push.  I think free agency will be the way to go this off-season.  That will probably mean saying good-bye to Michael Beasley, but I could see the Wolves trying to keep him too.  Hopefully free agency will mean saying hello to Eric Gordon, OJ Mayo, Nick Young, or even JR Smith.  Or, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, a guy like Austin Rivers through the draft.

Maybe all of this talk is for not because Wes Johnson's career did a 180 last night.  There I go dreaming again...

Follow Wolves Rubes on Twitter @wolvesrubes.

1 comment:

  1. You nailed it. I was just thinking the same thing last night. It seems that each night someone different is stepping up for a huge game along side Love. I don't know how healthy that it, especially during playoff basketball (there I said it), but the rumored players coming to the Wolves would not provide any different results.

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