Reality of Derrick Williams trade ideas.

he is a bust. Or that he isn’t good, or that he wonn’t be good in the future. You said it in your post, he is stuck behind the man averaging the most minutes in the NBA. That is why people are talking about trading him. He is rotting away on our bench. We need to do the right thing and move him before he potentially does prove to be a bust (not suggesting he will). Right now, he still has the shine of the #2 overall pick, and he has shown some good things when he is on the floor. Personally, I would like the see Williams start at the 3, and just see what happens. Not like he could do worse then Wes. But I’m sure you will disagree with this, and that’s fine. We are all entitled to our opinions.

but I agree that people shouldn’t be too hard on Williams at this point (he’s young, he’s shown some good things with the not-as-good). I’ll even agree that the Wolves probably won’t trade him.

Here’s the part I hate: the best argument for trading him is because he is pretty good and has room to imrpove. We don’t have a lot of other trade bait to get a good SF or SG. If he gets us a good player at a position of greater need, I’d make that trade in a second.

I feel like this argument has needed to be re-stated way too many times.

for Eric Gordon in a heartbeat! I’m just not sure Glen would go for having 3 guys (Love, Gordon and potentially Rubio) making the max or very close to it.

.. it is extremely rare for a team to trade a lottery pick player during his rookie season. After draft nights, fans start to see the player at his best possible future, and the team’s marketing arm ramps up to capitalize on that excitement.

For the 2011 wolves, we have an interesting situation where this has not happened. All eyes are on the other rookie, Ricky Rubio, and because of questions about position fit, I think that people have entertained an idea of trading Williams.

Because the situation is so rare, it’s likely Williams carries very high value in the league. He’s clearly the best player in this rookie class that could possibly be available, and still carries some marketing potential from the media he got last year in Arizona, and prior to his #2 selection on the NBA draft. This makes it possible for a rebuilding team to part with a beloved star performer, and still keep fans engaged for the future. Also, in a time when teams are seeing their stars force their way to destination cities, Williams won’t have leverage for four .. or more likely seven .. years.

Now, the question becomes “WILL the Wolves consider offers for Williams?” Yes, he has a lot of potential, and even better, yes, he’s locked into a rookie deal, that allows them to concentrate their payroll on more important needs. However, trade value comes from uniqueness, so I think the wolves may be hearing some pretty extravagant offers. Whether they act on them .. that we will have to see.

I think there are many competing perspectives on this that will never be reconciled. That, of course, is the beauty of anonymous fan sites. Around and around we go.

The possibility always exits that a trade that makes sense comes around and we accept it. That said I do agree it is unlikely that we will trade Derrick Williams anytime soon. I personally am good with that. I like him and have reservations about many of the prospective trade targets being suggested. I worry that Gordon is injury prone and that Batum is not worth the money he will command. People will disagree with these but it’s how I see it.

I also do not really understand the idea that Williams and Love can’t play together. Love and Al Jefferson, I thought, struggled to play together. Not because they played the same position but because they had similar strengths and abilities. If the hope is that Williams can shoot and drive that should compliment Love who can shoot and pass. I get that defensivly they might struggle together but both could be helped in this regard by a true shot blocking center (why I would rather see us over pay Hibbert than over pay Batum). I tend to think that, although I agree that Williams is more of a true PF than SF, he can probably play just enough SF and Love can play just enough Center for them to both get plenty of minutes once Williams develops a bit more.

There are so many great forwards in this league right now, I just don’t see a team giving up a good SG for him.

..what’s the first day that Williams can be dealt?

Isn’t there a 30-60-90 day period after signing your contract where you cannot be dealt? I’m not sure the specifics so if someone knows I’d appreciate it.

Maybe the waiting period has already lapsed?