Will the emergence of the timberwolves and the 76ers boost KU recruiting?



  • @Statmachine they are fun to follow, when I can get their games!



  • @Statmachine I think for sure Jo Jo and the 76 er’s are right there, I think they are on their way , think they can play a major factor and soon with what they building. - -You would think for sure couldn’t hurt as Jo Jo one of the main foundation pieces for that team. - - - -Rock Chalk All Day Long Baby



  • @Statmachine

    The Wolves have 4 quality starters in Rubio as PG, Wiggins as SG, Buttler at SF and Anthony Towns at Center; Dieng at PF is a step down. They also have a number of young backups with good potential. They are one quality player away from being a credible contender.

    The Sixers have put together a nice collection of young talent with a lot of upside…if only they can stay healthy…


  • Banned

    @Statmachine

    You know I just don’t have enough NBA knowledge and experience to really say.

    Funny on the way home today from another long travel. The sports channel I was listening too. Was talking about Wiggins and Embiid.

    Thing is or perception. Wiggins is about to break out, and Embiid well he needs to find a way to stay on the floor.



  • @JayHawkFanToo Rubio is gonzo.

    There are PGs to be had right now though that Minn. Could really use. Brandon Knight comes to mind… Or even, Suns were talking Bledsoe might be available if they can’t pull off any trades. All it would take is a 3 team swap. Something like:

    • Bledsoe, Barea and Powell to Min.
    • Rubio and Bender to Dallas
    • Dieng and Min 2-1st Rd and 1st Round Swap w/ Dallas (Best pick between two goes to Suns) to Phoenix.

    Win-Win-Win. Dallas gets a solid PG for cheap. Minn Gets bench depth and an upper-level PG to complete their lineup. And Suns add trade ammo or continue the rebuild.

    The odds of that trade are slim. But, I think Minnesota will add a better PG than Rubio and pull off something similar when it is all said and done.

    Other options:

    • Darren Collison - Fox and Mason. Writing is on the wall. Best 3pt% of PGs last season.
    • Austin Rivers - If Paul resigns, Rivers could be a guy that becomes available.
    • Jrue Holliday - NO needs to get a 1st Rd pick back after what they gave up for Cousins. Rubio plus a 1st Rounder For Holliday and a 2nd Rd Pick.
    • Marcus Smart - Giving him a chance to be the starting PG might do him good. Also, with his D, under Thibs, he could really blossom.
    • Avery Bradley - Almost verbatim what I said for Smart.
    • Patrick Beverly - Straight swap. Maybe Rockets throw in a 2nd or give up a lottery protected 1st. Could be what both teams are looking for.


  • @Kcmatt7

    As a floor general and passer, Rubio is probably top 3, if you have seen him play, his passes are a thing of beauty. His defense is not bad, he steals the ball often enough and he is great at the FT line. The glaring issue is his lack of scoring and poor shooting.

    Right now I would say he is an overall top 15 PG and if he ever improves his shooting and scoring he would easily move to top 10.



  • JayHawkFanToo said:

    @Kcmatt7

    The glaring issue is his lack of scoring and poor shooting.

    This is why Minnesota is trying to trade him. They want a PG who can shoot better than Rubio can.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10

    Yes, but it is not easy to find a PG that averages almost 10 apg with an assist-to ratio of 3.5.



  • @Kcmatt7

    Any chance they become an option for Chris Paul?

    I really don’t know how the $ thing would work for the T-Wolves but I’ve seen what it would take for the Spurs and Rockets to possibly land Paul and the price was steep.

    If your upgrading from Rubio to get shooting/scoring etc I didn’t see a PG Minnesota should be jumping up and down to get.

    Bledsoe would be the best option but I don’t know if the Suns plan to keep shopping him now that they have a 3rd piece to go with him and Booker. That wouldn’t make much sense for the Suns.

    There was reports that Rubio for Reggie Jackson during the season could have been an option. Maybe the Pistons PG becomes an option this off-season…

    It’s clear the Wolves need and are looking for an upgrade to this team going forward at the PG position.



  • @JayHawkFanToo Argument isn’t if he is good. It is if the T-Wolves can find someone better. Or, a better fit for their team.

    Rubio is not that. They already can’t shoot the 3 at the other 4 spots right now. SOMEONE has to be able to shoot. Or at least be an elite defender.



  • @BeddieKU23 No chance on CP3. They could make the money work. Trade Rubio and Dieng for scraps and they’d have enough room for him. It is convincing him to leave LA for Minn.

    And, at this point, I think they need to look for a guy who would just fit. Jackson would be fine. Bledsoe would fit with Thibs. I really like Collison because he can just get buckets. And I REALLY like Bradley under Thibs. This team isn’t going to win outscoring people yet. It is because they can play mad defense. Rubio, solid on D but not elite. Imagine Bradley next to Butler. Absolutely terrifying to bring the ball up against that.



  • @Kcmatt7

    Minnesota has in a way the same problem that KU has…who would want to leave California for frigid Minnesota other than for a ton of money?

    KU has the same issue trying to recruit elite players to what is the stereotype of a boring Midwest location instead of the high power East and West coast locations and big cities.



  • @JayHawkFanToo Did I say something that contradicts that?



  • @Kcmatt7

    Nope, I thought I was agreeing with you…😃



  • @JayHawkFanToo Those may be good numbers, but that doesn’t change what Minnesota is looking for in a PG and Rubio doesn’t fit what they want out of a PG. They want a PG who can shoot well and that’s not Rubio and Minnesota is apparently willing to sacrifice in the ball handling department if they can get what they want at that spot.

    If I was the Spurs, I’d be all over Rubio instead of CP3 knowing what Rubio brings to the table



  • @Texas-Hawk-10

    With Wiggins, Buttler and Towns the scoring is now pretty decent. I do agree that Rubio would be great for the Spurs; he is a great game manager and perhaps more importantly…a fun player to watch.



  • @JayHawkFanToo Oh ok I was so confused for a second haha.

    Yea only way Minn. gets a star is through the draft, home state, or trades.



  • @Kcmatt7

    Good points. The amount of money Paul can get staying with the Clippers is staggering but I was throwing it out there because of how exciting adding Butler to Wiggins/Towns is and the thought that the biggest name out there might possibly look at them as a destination. If he wants to win then I’m not sure the Clippers are going to be what gets him there.



  • @BeddieKU23 I think CP3 signs a 1 year deal somewhere with a 2nd year Player option. Then I think he opts out so him and LeBron go win a championship somewhere together the next season.



  • Kcmatt7 said:

    @BeddieKU23 I think CP3 signs a 1 year deal somewhere with a 2nd year Player option. Then I think he opts out so him and LeBron go win a championship somewhere together the next season.

    Certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

    If I was a PG, young or veteran sans the cold of Minnesota I’d want to be apart of that trio they have. No team is poised to make a bigger jump then they are.



  • JayHawkFanToo said:

    @Texas-Hawk-10

    With Wiggins, Buttler and Towns the scoring is now pretty decent. I do agree that Rubio would be great for the Spurs; he is a great game manager and perhaps more importantly…a fun player to watch.

    Scoring and shooting are not the same thing and Minnesota was hot garbage from behind the 3 point line. Brandon Rush and Zach Lavine were their best 3 point shooters at 38% which is not good.

    I would also be highly concerned about Wiggins long term because he was the worst defender in the NBA last year. We all know he was a very good defender at KU so his struggles on defense are purely effort and when effort enters the equation, that’s a big concern.



  • Ben McLemore is set to become a free agent. Source tells @LegionHoops the 76ers are interested in signing him.



  • @Statmachine that would be great news!!



  • guess we will see? he is a good catch and shoot guy (or was at KU). He could play along Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons and be pretty successful since they are not strong options at the 3 pt line! It could end up being really good for him and the 76ers!



  • @Statmachine Ben needs to find something he can do well besides shoot. That is his problem. He doesn’t rebound well for a guard, despite having a 42" vertical. He doesn’t pass well because he can’t drive the ball and force a double team. He plays below average defense, despite having a decently long wingspan and quick feet and again, a 42" vertical.

    Thankfully, he is out of Sacramento now though. I’d rather him go play for a winner where he can learn what it takes to be successful at the NBA level (GSW, CLE, SA), but I guess anything is a step up. He is too athletic to not be a better player than he has been.



  • Perry Ellis will play for the Minnesota Timberwolves during Las Vegas summer league action July 7-17



  • At 32 years old, Chris Paul is getting old when compared to the average NBA age of 25-26. He probably has one 4 year contract left in him before his value drop drastically.


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