Lotto Recap: It's not that awful

A Noah, deng and picks for cousins and fillers?

But there’s already talk of Houston and Portland trying to move. I think I’m safe in assuming that they’re looking to acquire Cousins.

I think it’s important from a leverage standpoint that Kahn doesn’t act too hot on Turner and the #2 pick. The ability to pick Cousins at #4 will be an asset and not a burden in many team’s eyes. Lets get as much out of that asset as we possibly can. And if we’re able to trade less then Kevin Love to move up to #2 then Whoopdie Doo!

(OK, I actually like this song. Don’t laugh.)

I hope we scout this guy really well and find out he’s more Percy Harvin than Demetrius Underwood. The honest truth is that from a talent perspective Cousins could go number one overall. Now I’m obviously not saying he will, but if we are all in on Rubio then Cousins or Favors actually isn’t that bad. Cousins truly is a building block guy, so if he’s the pick I hope we are not too hasty in moving him.

One of them will be a Timberwolf. Turner would cost us, obviously. That’s what hurts about the lottery results.

I still think they’re getting Turner somehow. He’s just too perfect a fit for the Wolves, and much more questionable with Philly and New Jersey (both of whom need help at the 4 more than at wing). If the Wolves had to pick 4th, this isn’t the worst set-up above them if their target is Turner. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibilities that Turner slides to 4, although I don’t think the Wolves can afford to wait and see, either, particularly if they don’t want to touch Cousins. We need to hope Favors puts on a show in workouts (probably) and Cousins can alleviate character concerns.

(Also, maybe we should root for the Lakers to win the championship, to make size the hot commodity this offseason?)

I think Philly will go with Favors. He’s athletic enough to run, which goes well with the Sixers’ game.

Nets are a bit stuck, as Cousins is somewhat similar to Lopez, and they have some decent young players on the wings (as well as trying to lure Lebron). Do the Wolves cash in their Euro chips of Rubio/Pek to see if that gets that #3? Then move the #4 for something helpful?

but it’s all lipstick on a pig to me right now. I’ve rarely been this depressed over something basketball-related in my life. Another season of crappy basketball at the Target Center and Korean recipes at Canis Hoopus. I’ve lost my motivation for this stuff.

but we still have a great chance with the 4th pick.

Wall would have been a great asset to trade or build around, but I’ve never been sold on Turner. So I’m not that upset.

Also – MATH mofos, MATH! Stop being a bunch of Minnesota milkduds who bemoan their “bad luck” as if that had anything to do with it. Kahn can still make a good casserole out of the chips he has, much better than if we had the 5th pick.

This all rests on his shoulders anyways. In 2 months we’ll know what we got and whether he is the person for the job or not.

Wages of Wins on the Consensus Top 5 Prospects.

They don’t seem to factor in age, which is a huge deal. But I think there’s a lot of evidence out that the top prospects are much more fluid than is being assumed by a lot of people. And even if they’re not, Demarcus Cousins could well be worth the risk and the trouble (e.g., his maturity and his basically forcing their hand in dealing Al).

not a lot of stars, but some solid role players out there. as a laker fan, i wish we had more than 2 picks like you guys to rejuvenate our bench.

which players fit the triangle? i’d take aminu at #5. if he’s not available, then wesley johnson. i’d like to take tall, long players capable of both spreading the floor and making the post entry-pass. i’d try to trade up for xavier henry, even if it meant using up those other 2 first round picks.

Didn’t even watch how it ended. I hear it’s Washington’s year. Hurray for them, they certainly deserve something for signing Gilbert Arenas to a $100 million deal and intentionally dismantling their team. OK OK, I promised myself I wouldn’t be bitter. Well, after fuming for a couple minutes when we got our pick, I immediately drove to the drive in theatre to chill out. Iron Man 2 is awesome, and it helped chill me out. I haven’t even gotten so far as to wonder about who we should pick, or who might be available. But if I can just complain a tiny bit – it’s so damn hard being a fan of this team. We desperately need a franchise-changer, we almost certainly have to get him in the draft, and it just really, really sucks to get denied in the Lottery every year. We didn’t even need luck, we just had to stay in place. But no. Who knows what could happen, but right now, I’m just really sick of getting kicked in the gut like that.

says that Fegan (his agent as well as Rubio’s) openly cheered when the Wolves got the 4th pick. Interesting. That could have a couple meanings. From “Rubio has settled on coming here” to “Our reputation as a franchise is at an all time low.”

if the Wolves want to draft #2, they can get there, it will cost Pekovic to NJ, the #16 and #23 to Philly. If the Wolves get Turner and he is their starting SG for ten years, will anybody care that it cost them Pek, #16, and #23. Probably not, unless Pek is better than projected. Would it be nice to use these guys to improve a different position? Sure, but they will probably have a top ten pick next summer, and can trade Flynn to fill a need.

A good thing to me, this result means it is more likely Rubio is a Wolf in the next year or so.

I hope Kahn still pushes for Turner, the fact he felt sympathy for Wolves fans tells me he wanted to be here, perhaps because of the Big Ten connection. Long term it is best to have players who want to be here.

SNP, I also heard the Kahn interview and the comment about a deep draft for wings, but he went on to say they wouldn’t all be starters, which made me think he was talking about later in the first round and finding players like Ellington.

Question: Why is the pay the pick option reversed, meaning if the Wolves got the #1 pick you would pay five dollars, and if they got screwed with the #5 pick you would pay one dollar. I thought about signing up before the lottery, but sat in this section the first season the Wolves were playing at Target Center, these are bad seats, and unless the team is a playoff contender, upper deck baseline really isn’t worth $5 or the effort to get there. That stadium needed more seats on the main level, basketball is 3 dimensional and sitting by the rafters just stinks.

The draft is always a crapshoot. Nobody can tell who the BPA is yet. One thing we know for sure, mistakes will be made, and jewels will be found up and down the first and second rounds. Remember where Tony Parker got drafted? Kobe? KG? Nash? The list goes on and on and on. Last years # 1 Griffin hasn’t even played yet. Oden was drafted #1 overall, and has barely played in 3 years. All the speculation is fine, but if last summer is any indication, trades will be made, picks will be moved, and the transformation of this franchise has finally begun.

With JJ Redick? I really wouldn’t mind Redick on our team. Great shooter. Plays pretty good defense. Has played on contenders.

Would Orlando match a 4 year 16 million dollar deal for Redick?

Kahn had a Memphis Grizzlies logo next to his name during his interview.

is the one after he loses the election, with Kane talking to Jedediah in the empty campaign headquarters. It’s shot from the floor, where Gregg Toland had the camera mounted. The mood is desolate. I don’t feel that way, but the board does.

(Later on, if things go poorly, we can have Glen ‘Kane’ Taylor fire David ‘Jedediah’ Kahn for writing an unfavorable review of Jonny ‘Susan Alexander’ Flynn.)

But I think it connects to the current mood around here. Enjoy.

A few highlights:
- Cousins’ upside is Chris Wilcox
- Thinks the Wolves should take Wesley Johnson
- Said the Wolves aren’t in a place where they should be worrying about how Jefferson and Love fit together because they’re too good compared to their teammates to not play together
- Thinks Darko’s worth more like $3 mil than $4-5
- Doesn’t see any chance at getting Rudy Gay because of being an RFA and MN not being a destination FAs want to come to
- This was where I realized TV guys’ opinions are sometimes not better than the average rube fan: He thinks the Wolves should give Anthony Fucking Morrow the full mid-level exception and that the guy could put up 18 a game