Game Day: A match of equals

by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 7:52 AM CST Comment 26 comments

While MJ may have soared high above Kevin McHale on the court, he has been the Iron Ranger's equal in the front office, delivering his teams a collection of mismatched players and crazy draft picks like Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison.

Tonight in Charlotte the creations of these two Hall of Fame players/Hall of Shame GMs will square off in a battle of 11-loss squads.

Will the Iron Ranger make another road trip? Will Shaddy get any burn in his home town? Will he make the return trip? Are the two teams working on exchanging a few of their mismatched pieces with one another? If such a trade is made will the pieces be any less mismatched on their new teams? Will MJ make his way off the golf course to return the Iron Ranger's phone call? Will the Iron Ranger make his way out of his deer blind to make the call? Will Papa Glen finally put an end to the madness? The answers to these questions and many more....tonight, in Charlotte.

In the spirit of yesterday's inaugural Mega-Deal Monday (on a Sunday), here's an honest-to-Pete Mega-Deal Monday, the Charlotte/Minny edition:

To the Bobcats:

Rashad McCants
Jason Collins
Corey Brewer
Calvin Booth
conditional 1st rounder

To the Wolves:

Raymond Felton
Gerald Wallace
Alexis Ajinca

I'm sure the 'Cats would love to get rid of Morrison, and he's everything McHale loves in a player, but I'm hoping against what I suspect is the Iron Ranger's main target should he really be considering a deal with the Bobcats. The "I just have to have that Morrison kid" thought-bubble is probably visible above his head at this point. Just thinking of how the FO would try to spin any trade that brings the team Mr. Morrison makes me chuckle.

What say you?

UPDATE: Looking around at last year's games against the 'Cats, I was reminded of the fact that the Wolves' last game against Charlotte featured one of the craziest shooting nights I have ever seen, with Charlotte posting an amazing 72% true shooting percentage.

Charlotte beat the Wolves despite attempting nearly 30 fewer shots than Minnesota. They also had 3 players with at least 8 shots shoot over 70% from the floor (unadjusted for TS or eFG). Their worst shooters were Raymond Felton and Earl Boykins...who each had an eFG of 50%. Their highest volume shooter (Jason Richardson) had an eFG of 64% on 21 shots. If you add in his free throws (9-12) he had a TS% of just over 68%.

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I’d hate to let go of Brewer, just like that guy, but well, you can’t get anything for nothing. Seems like a lot of good value for us. Do we lose much space for 09 and 10 free agency’s?
(Can’t check it myself since I’m browsering from the work space in a tiny window).

by Wim (Belgium) on Dec 1, 2008 8:54 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Taking on Wallace....

….would pretty much reduce any future free agency moves to an MLE, but this is probably what they would do anyway, as I can’t see them being real players for top line talent without a trade.

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by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 9:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

by Wim (Belgium) on Dec 1, 2008 9:31 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Felton

Felton is about to hit restricted free agency, and with Augustin’s arrival it sure doesn’t seem like he’s in Charlotte’s long term plans. How much do you think he’ll get on the open market? Probably at least Mid-level money based on potential alone. Could he earn more?

by Blakeley on Dec 1, 2008 9:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Very little.

I doubt he’d get 1/2 an MLE at this point.

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by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 11:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't help but to think...

how the dynamics of this team would be different if we would have kept Mayo. With Foye’s play ever improving (albeit inconsistent), that would have made for a nice back court. Kind of 2 co-point guards/combo guards. I suppose Felton is a better pure PG than Foye, but if the FA insists that Foye start, I would hope that the other guard is another combo guard with some size who can help with the ball handling. Having a traditionally sized PG, whether it’s Felton or Bassy, starting, with Foye at the 2, I don’t necessarily like. I guess today I’m thinking I would like to see what we could do with 2 combo guards. Of course tommorow I may change my opinion!

by wolfen on Dec 1, 2008 9:50 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

There's always Jerryd Bayless...

…maybe the Wolves could work out a trade :)

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by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 11:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Bayless

would fit the bill PERFECTLY. Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my keyboard. Honestly though, it will never happen even though the blazers seem to already have a glut of guards. Hell I’d give them Love straight up for him…..

by wolfen on Dec 1, 2008 1:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Is it too late?

to get off the Twolves bandwagon and get back on the Vikings? ;)

by Andy B on Dec 1, 2008 10:53 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Never!!!

Childress will still find a way to screw this up. They will lose to the Lions. They should have lost that 1st game and they’d effectively be out of the playoff hunt if it weren’t for a phantom pass interference call.

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by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 11:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You heard it here first folks!

S/P is picking the Lions! GRRRROOOOOWWWWLLLLL!!!!!!!!!

by plinytheelder on Dec 1, 2008 12:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Here's how it will go down...

…the NFL will cave on the 4 game suspension for the 2 overweight giants in the middle of the Vikings’ line and reduce the suspension to a single game. They miss the Lions game and the defense gets torched by a rejuvenated Daunte.

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by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 12:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

when you put it that way it doesn’t sound implausible. Last night I was thinking that the only way they miss the playoffs now, unless they totally implode (always a possibility for the Vikes), is if those guys – i.e. their 2 best players, or at least 2 of the top 4 (with AP and Winfield), get suspended.

And maybe Daunte will get hot…though isn’t he already falling out of favour (I think he was pulled last game)?

I have to say it’s tough not to root for a team that has a guy like Peterson – did you see some of those runs, where he was pulling 4 and 5 guys forward for an extra few yards? It almost makes it a pleasure to watch the Vikings – overrides the cringing in anticipation of the bonehead mistake that costs them the game.

by plinytheelder on Dec 1, 2008 12:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The NFL didn't cave

But, they certainly screwed up. What a joke! The Williams wall didn’t take diet pills to mask steroids, they took them to lose weight. They’re fat. Fat and fast and athletic. Now Pat Williams is out almost $1M.

The NFL goes around fining one of its most dynamic players who loves to play the game, Jared Allen, for playing hard $75K. It is ridiculous. David Stern can be pretty stupid, too. But I hate the idea of fines and making scapegoats of players. Basketball is ten times the sport football is, but the Vikings defensive front four this year has been almost as much fun to watch as Adrian Peterson running the ball, maybe even funner. The WOlves don’t have as dynamic players who make as much impact on the game as the William’s and Allen. I wasn’t seriously considering getting off the Wolves bandwagon, but the Vikings recent span of games at least made watching the Wolves a little less painful. Now, they might be without the Williams Wall for the remainder fo the season and playoffs (if they make it)…. This is more disheartening than Brewer’s injury.

by Andy B on Dec 3, 2008 7:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't say I follow the Vikes more than what I hear on KFAN...

….but didn’t the NFL tell the NFL PA and put it on the website that these pills were a no-go? I think the big indictment here is that the NFL encourages its players to be massively overweight and that they have to resort to medication to maintain weight. It’s a gruesome game.

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 3, 2008 9:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Reusse actually had a good column on this

tying it to NFL labour issues and the like. I think you hit the nail on the head when you say the NFL encourages people to be overweight and then need to lose weight – which is precisely why it’s so hypocritical to suspend these guys.

by plinytheelder on Dec 3, 2008 2:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Man this team is maddening

So, after tonight’s game, basically 20% of the season will be done. In case you haven’t looked at the base stats, here are some things to noodle on:

3pt FG% (in order):
1. Bassy
2. Brewer
3. Gomes
4. Miller
5. McCants
6. Foye.

So yes, the wolves do have 3 players shooting over 40% from 3, it just happens to be Bassy, Brewer and Gomes. Of course, they take less than 50% of the threes taken by Miller, Foye and McCants.

Right now, Brewer has a higher FG% than Foye, McCants and Love. He’s shown improvement. Foye and McCants have taken a step back (though Foye is showing signs of life).

Either Witt’s got to be judged on wins and losses or he’s got to be judged on young player development. He’s failing on both accounts. How much longer can he last?

by Sterno on Dec 1, 2008 11:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I was really hoping..

….that the 3 point % stat would hold until after game 20 when I make my quarter pole post. It’s pretty stunning.

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 11:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

honestly...

i’m not sure there’s a coach out there in the league who would make much of a difference in either player development or wins and losses with this group of players. You can lay the blame squarely on the person who is making all of the personnel decisions. That being said, McHale will surely outlast Witt.

by wolfen on Dec 1, 2008 11:37 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

And that's the big problem

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
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by Stop-n-Pop on Dec 1, 2008 11:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d love to get Gerald Wallace.

by jianfu on Dec 1, 2008 12:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think he's what we need in the help side shotblocker arena...

and he’s improving from the line (70+ the last two seasons, but 67 career), BUT do you know how many GP Wallace has averaged in the past 4 seasons? 62.5

I love his game and I think it would fit, but his injuries are a HUGE concern.

by wyn on Dec 1, 2008 1:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Wallace's injuries . . .

Seem to come when he’s played out of position at the 4 (which he obvs. wouldn’t do with Minn). Wouldn’t Charlotte have to get Bassy or Ollie in return as well? They would appear to have only Augustin at the point after Felton leaves.

I love this trade, and it figures into my thoughts that the Wolves should forget about the top-tier FAs in 2010, and get other teams 2nd tier FAs who are being jettisoned to clear cap room (Hinrich?).

However, the same factors that drive the Bobcats to make the trade may make it unlikely to happen—that is, clearing salaries not for cap room, but just to save expenses (which I believe has motivated the Wolves’ moves at least as much as the potential to sign a premier FA). You might be seeing the beginning of Small Market/Big Market teams you see in baseball.

by PoorDick on Dec 1, 2008 3:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Last year that appears to be true...

… but what about the year before and 06/07? 82games.com has % of a team’s minutes that each player played:

These numbers don’t really prove either of our points, but it looks like position doesn’t have a consistent correlation with his injuries.

by wyn on Dec 1, 2008 4:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Good point

But I take him for 60 games over any other realistic options for 80 games. Can we safely assume that Brewer’s injury cancels any possible deal for him?

by PoorDick on Dec 1, 2008 4:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs