Well the trend is holding: this team is a hell of a lot more fun to watch than past incarnations of the Wolves. All the promises of a fast-breaking, uptempo team are proving to be true, and I see a lot of potential in these guys.

With Brewer wreaking havoc on the wing and solid guard play from Sessions/Flynn, I think we’re one capable, two-way wing away from taking a big step forward. Imagine having an Iguodala type player out there duplicating what Brewer brings defensively while giving you 17-20 a game. Given the personnell and system we have now, this team is going to need to be able to defend the hell out of th perimeter and keep causing TO’s left and right, and a guy like that would fit right in.

Other than that, they need an athletic big who can consistently complement Love and Al. Here’s to hoping that Hollins can become that guy, but if not, we have no shortage of assets to use to bring one in. Either way, I like where this team is going. It’s still going to be ugly from a W/L standpoint, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and the tunnel is kind of fun.

Brewer’s liabilities will be much less exposed if he was playing with a very good scoring wing. But we can’t forget how much better his perimeter defense makes our frontcourt. He also aids us in getting more offensive opportunities than our opponents. With the right personnel, he will be a difference maker for a long time.

Both Brewer and Love are complementary players that require the right personnel at the 1, 2 or 3, and 5. If you can find complete players for those three slots, then you have a very good rotation on the floor. Every player doesn’t need to be a prototypical player. But you do need players to complement them to create synergy.

Another thing of note: This system really does seem to make it easy for Al to pass, and I thought he looked even better last night than the first two. The doubles seem to be predictable, which in turn creates predictable passing lanes, and he seems to be noticing this.

I really like the play (if you can call it that) where the two wing players in the triangle criss-cross after throwing it to Al on the left block, with the PG usually going baseline and the big wing going toward the top of the key. If the PG’s defender snaps back to double, the PG is wide open under the hoop. If he doesn’t, Al has a wide open baseline for a drop step. If the wing’s guy doubles, Al can snap it back out to him for an open J. Simple, yet effective.

Al actually should have had at least 3 assists last night, because Sessions got wide open on just that play and Al hit him perfectly. He was so open that I think he psyched himself out and blew the layup, but it was positive to see Al recognize it and make the pass as quick as he did (and someone got the offensive board and a putback because of all the defenders collapsing on Sessions).

Also, how about that biffed Flynn dunk! He might have missed it, but it was still ridiculously impressive, and I’d bet he puts it down next time.

But I did last night, living in Clipper-land as I do.

And I have to say, even with all the missed shots and unintentional comedy, I walked away from that game thinking Brewer is our best player.

Sure, he’s not the best offensive player (although he’s not that far off, since he, Al, and Flynn are the only ones on this squad who seem to be able get shots for themselves), but man, he makes a difference on defense.

It seems like the key to this Wolves team winning any game this season is going to be all the steals an fast breaks, and many of those get started by Brewer, his crazy quicks and his uncanny ability to just grab the ball out of people’s hands.

I guess what I’m saying is that Brewer is THE linchpin of the one thing this Wolves team does really well so far. And is, thus, our best player.

It’s quite possible that Brewer’s vices are inextricably entwined with his virtues. The same scattershot scramble that disrupts opponents’ penetration and fills passing lanes at both ends of the court is why Brewer can’t gather and coordinate himself to finish a shot either at the rim or pulling up. Put another way, his shooting mechanics are worse than Bassy Telfair’s—remember the airball free throw vs. Phoenix? His career shooting percentage is 37.8; this year, in the triangle offense that is very favorable to his constant motor, he is shooting 36.1%.

I’m okay with that if Brewer isn’t one shot away from tying Al Jefferson for most FGA on the team. His shot selection belies claims about his high basketball IQ. The dude shares the floor with Jefferson and either Flynn or Sessions. I understand that he’s mostly taking “good shots” but that damns his mechanics further. I don’t subscribe to the theory that repetition will help him; I think team success is a better booster for his skill set, and in chicken or egg fashion, I think if he dishes to more capable scorers more often, he’ll feel less pressure to convert his own buckets when they arise; maybe then he’ll be able to slow down. I say this because Brewer always can establish a rhythm in practice or in pregame warmups; its the adrenaline of game action that red-lines his motor and screws up his coordination. You’ve heard the cliche, “letting the game come to you”? Well, Brewer succeeds on defense precisely because he goes and gets the game by the tail. But that doesn’t work in refining your stroke. So he needs to deemphasize the shots and maybe then he can relax when fulfilling that aspect of his game.

I think re-signing him is on balance a good idea, if only for insurance in case he figures it out. But I want to caution that he is incredibly frail physically for the NBA and will be curious to see how that particular aspect of the soap opera plays itself out in the months ahead.

At this point, with 20/20 hindsight, the Brewer pick seems not disastrous, but problematical. I’d rather have Brewer than Yi Jianlian, who was taken ahead of him, and probably more than Mike Conley, taken even earlier. But imagine if the Wolves had selected Yoakim Noah or Thaddeus Young. (For the record, I endorsed the Brewer pick at the time it was made.)

Having watched the game in its entirety the thing that really stuck out to me was that even though Brewer still can’t finish around the rim or shoot worth a damn he does appear to be improving his ball handling. That play in the second half when he went behind his back with the ball in traffic with Baron Davis on him and than kicked out to Sessions for the J (may have been Ellington) had me double-taking. There were many times during Brewer’s rookie year when it didn’t look like he could even dribble, let alone shoot. It’s pretty obvious he’ll never be a two-way player but if he has shooters to pass to and looks to find them in transition rather than go up with a head of steam for yet another bricked lay-up things could take a turn for the better.

Also Britt would be curious as to your thoughts on whether Flynn and Sessions could be played together for even 5-10 mins a game, it’s pretty clear they’re two of our top 5 guys (particularly with Love down) and I just can’t wrap my head around worrying about size and position issues on a team with this little talent. Seems like a waste of both of their talents having them alternate 20 minute nights.

Great points Britt. It’s easy to get wrapped up in short-term thinking and not look at the big picture, but the Sessions/Flynn thing makes a lot more sense when viewed through that lens.

I am 100% happy that Pavs and Wilkens aren’t getting significant minutes, and that guys like Hollins and Ellington are. I’ve cried for player development for years, so it’s a relief and a pleasure to see it finally emphasized.

I’m also really looking forward to Love coming back. I can’t wait to watch him in that pinch post role dishing to cutters and popping jumpers.

1. I’ve heard the rumor that we had the Flynn + Johnson deal in place with Sacramento for Tyreke Evans. I was hoping to see the clip again to try to determine if this footage where he said Johnson at #18 was really at the draft or if they did some film editing in there to not offend Flynn.

If we really are that high on Johnson, and Chicago really feels like they have a shot at LBJ or Wade or Bosh, they seem like our most likely trade partner before the trade deadline. I could see the following deal going down:
Luol Deng + James Johnson for Cardinal + Wilkins
Chicago sacrifices a bit this year to free up enough cap room for one of the big three
Minnesota takes on a long risky contract in Luol Deng, but he is really the type of wing player we are looking for and only need to give up expirings to get him and get one of our favorite players from the 2009 draft thrown in.

2. Yes – I found this interesting as well. I also found it interesting that Kahn was saying “not in a million years did I expect him (Rubio) to be there”.

3. I found it weird how calm the room was when they picked. It almost seemed like it was staged after the fact. There really wasn’t any discussion at this point. To paraphrase, Kahn just said, “OK heres what we’re going to do, we’re going to take Rubio at 5 to help with his buyout and take Flynn at 6 – unless someone knocks our socks off with a deal before then.”

I’m hoping to see this again – maybe someone will post it on youtube, or I can try to find a Wolves weekly re-run.

is actually escalating, so 10.4 this year, followed by 11.3, 12.3, 13.4, 14.3. It’s pretty obvious he isn’t going to play up to that contract. However, I would value Deng at about 8-10 mil per year. I’m really trying to figure out right now what other assets Chicago would need to offer us in order to make up the difference in his value to what he’s getting paid. He is still only 24 years old, he’s a solid player both offensively and defensively, he’s 6’-9" and fairly athletic SF, he seems to be a good person, have a good work ethic, and a pretty good BBIQ. If he wasn’t on such a huge contract, he’d be exactly what we are looking for.
So does Deng + James Johnson + Taj Gibson for expirings work? Deng + James Johnson + 2010 1st? Deng + James Johnson + Taj + 2010 1st?

then I am not opposed to that deal. We would then have a trial run at him before we had to commit our RFA rights to matching an offer for him, and would then still have our MLE to use on Anthony Morrow, Ronnie Brewer, Travis Outlaw, (or Nickola Pekovic). If we wait until free agency for Gay, then we lose another way to add an additional young player with the MLE. Next offseason is all about maximizing the young talent we simultaneously have under contract. I think I still prefer the Deng deal however, depending on what additional assets we can get out of Chicago. Since this is the last time we are going to be under the salary cap for a while, the value of a Gay vs. a Deng salary really makes no difference in acquiring new players unless Glen Taylor is going to balk at paying the luxury tax. Deng’s injury history seems quite minor.

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that we’re expecting a lot in the FA/trade market next year.

Throw in 2 previous first rounders to take Deng who’s still a productive player averaging 17/10 this year with good D?

Gay for expirings?

Maybe Chicago would incentivise us taking Deng’s contract, but how often does that happen for still productive players? Gasol to LA is the kind of deal we’re hoping for right if we end up using our cap space for trade and LA sent 2 late firsts to Memphis in that deal. Gasol wasn’t that hot of a commidity at that time. Assets get sent back (1st rounder in the Philly Carney deal) for players who don’t have much talent in order to take a contract.