*** NBA News, The Athletic, ESPN+ Insiders Thread ***

[flexbuffchest]

Draft first.

I'm on team keepbeas

Me too. He'll be playing in the NBA regardless next year and he'd help this team a lot. Normally I'd want nothing to do with players this stupid but I'm so damn tired of the Wolves losing talent.

[mglviks]

i have talked ad nauseum about wanting OO. and you know that. my comparison to wiggins is that the rap on wiggins is that he doesn't really seem to enjoy playing basketball - and that lack of passion has held him back. edwards just had an interview in which he said his first love is football and if an nfl team offered him a contract, he'd dive at it. he doesn't even watch basketball. that's the comparison.

You didn't read the entire article though.

TWO WEEKS AFTER our first interview, Edwards' mood has shifted. He's no longer brushing off the draft, admitting that he's eager for it to get here. The Lakers opened up a 2-0 lead on the Heat in the NBA Finals the night before, and he's hoping for a miracle: a sweep that would prompt the league to move up the draft, something that Edwards would love.

"I pray," he says of the possibility. "I'm excited. I'm just ready for it to get here, for it to happen, for my family to be happy, and wherever I land I'm just ready to put the work in."

His enthusiasm for the game comes through in a way it didn't the last time we spoke. He goes into detail about how he's studied Chris Paul and how he can learn from his ability to shoot over a defender of any size. He says he can learn from the league's big men about how to create space in the paint.

"Basketball is my life," he explains. "I love it, and it's what I do. Basketball is my heart, but football is where I started, so I'll never forget about that. But don't get me wrong, basketball is my No. 1 because I feel like it's going to get me through a lot of the stuff I need to get through.

"And it's what I do. It's a job. I feel like I'm working right now. I love it."

We talk about what basketball has gotten him through, and he tells me something I'd never heard before: He says he had another sister, Arielle, who died before he was born. And like with his mother and grandmother, Edwards says he would play for her on her birthday.

But he doesn't want sympathy, and you won't catch him feeling sorry for himself. Everything he's done since his mother and grandmother died has been about making them proud. That has always been his purpose.

2 weeks of getting coached up on what to say.

[irishman89]

been reading up on this as well. I think this may affect the draft a little.

At first I assumed it was an Achilles tear, but they said he's getting tested in the next couple of days so that's confusing.

[shoteh]

been hearing lot more about this. crazy

[flexbuffchest]

Here comes Wiggins to the rescue!

[flexbuffchest]

i have talked ad nauseum about wanting OO. and you know that. my comparison to wiggins is that the rap on wiggins is that he doesn't really seem to enjoy playing basketball - and that lack of passion has held him back. edwards just had an interview in which he said his first love is football and if an nfl team offered him a contract, he'd dive at it. he doesn't even watch basketball. that's the comparison.

You didn't read the entire article though.

TWO WEEKS AFTER our first interview, Edwards' mood has shifted. He's no longer brushing off the draft, admitting that he's eager for it to get here. The Lakers opened up a 2-0 lead on the Heat in the NBA Finals the night before, and he's hoping for a miracle: a sweep that would prompt the league to move up the draft, something that Edwards would love.

"I pray," he says of the possibility. "I'm excited. I'm just ready for it to get here, for it to happen, for my family to be happy, and wherever I land I'm just ready to put the work in."

His enthusiasm for the game comes through in a way it didn't the last time we spoke. He goes into detail about how he's studied Chris Paul and how he can learn from his ability to shoot over a defender of any size. He says he can learn from the league's big men about how to create space in the paint.

"Basketball is my life," he explains. "I love it, and it's what I do. Basketball is my heart, but football is where I started, so I'll never forget about that. But don't get me wrong, basketball is my No. 1 because I feel like it's going to get me through a lot of the stuff I need to get through.

"And it's what I do. It's a job. I feel like I'm working right now. I love it."

We talk about what basketball has gotten him through, and he tells me something I'd never heard before: He says he had another sister, Arielle, who died before he was born. And like with his mother and grandmother, Edwards says he would play for her on her birthday.

But he doesn't want sympathy, and you won't catch him feeling sorry for himself. Everything he's done since his mother and grandmother died has been about making them proud. That has always been his purpose.

2 weeks of getting coached up on what to say.

There's definitely an element of that. But you can't just discount what he says as if it all false.

[j2j]

Philly fans sending Horford’s sister threats after the trade

But toxic masculinity isn't a thing

[shoteh]

GSW frantically looking around.

[Mplsfonz]

Money and glory chasing gets you to the finals with your team on your back and Gets a top 5 lotto team to the 3rd seed. Towns is a hard working saint. Got it.

The guy who traded up 3 hours early for a guy who wasn't there then drafted a guy he didn't want better than the guy who drafted high school KG. Got it.

Good luck with that. The coming institutionalization I mean. MIKE! MIKE!

Butler was a full grown bitch ass diva. What did he do with Chi, Mn, Phi? Nothing. He got paid by a ready made team that was already on the way. Good for him. Plus the east was WEAK as hell, and plenty of covid cases played a part. And as I recall, we offered him the MOST we could, and like Marbury, it wasn't enough.
Lets see what he does next year. And I will leave it there.
KAT may not be the answer, but Butler and Thibs set us way back with the win now theory. I also would like to win, but I would rather like and want to root for the players on my team. Butler was an asshole from day one. (I was actually at the MOA the day he came there.) But I was showing my LA based Mom a good time.
If Butler had shown respect for our club, then I would not dislike him so much. Real pros work with teammates instead of name calling and running to the media.

What did he do? He came in like he was a god, act like nobody worked harder than him, (which could be true) Then instead of grooming teammates, he belittled them. IN THE MEDIA! Don't call players soft and entitled, even if you think they are. IMO.Won way more when he was there than before or after he left. That's all.But KAT and Wiggins had ZERO to do with that right?
Towns the bitch went to Taylor and said he doesn't like him. Proof? Link? Etc.?That's why Butler didn't get extended WHICH HE ASKED FOR. I am sure we offered him the most we could. (Maybe somebody could confirm.) But I believe he wanted more than we could offer. Bitched some more to the MEDIA how Wigs and Towns were entitled who had never done anything. Etc.Then when he found out why he demanded a trade away from the loser bitch and the dumb ass owner who knows dick about basketball but overrode his coach/GM and one good player. Cant argue with the owner bit, But Butler wanted to be THE MAN. He hated KAT was that guy here. Now whether Towns is that player, time is running out. (Maybe it starts tonight.) Butler went to Philly and was the 3rd man, bitched his way out of there. Miami was a good spot because all they needed was a #1. He helped elevate that talent. But don't expect Hero to bail you out next season. I hope he fails, but that's because he disrespected my fav BBall team.

Butler in finals with a legit organization. Towns on boat with NBA whore during practice.

Well, we'll see. Towns may be repurposed this season, and if not, we can live with his 20/15/5 40% from 3. He may even play D.

[Hoop Dreams]

[T_J]

That blows. Wanted to see their revival this year.

[Hoop Dreams]

[Philo Beddoe]

pffft, he is no EuroLeague MVP though.

[SHAFA]

Philly fans sending Horford’s sister threats after the trade

Philly fans can eat a dick. They are the worst.

That’s disgusting. Al’s a solid dude. There’s nothing unlikeable about him.

[RubeTube]

Al should join our squad.

We cheer on bums. Aww shucks. Get em next time, Al!

[Hoop Dreams]

Thibs is probably pissed!

[Corre Ricky Corre]

Thibs is probably pissed!

Grab Bobby Portis!!

[Seenin]

How Anthony Edwards became the player the Timberwolves couldn’t pass up

Jon Krawczynski 3h ago 65
After months of staring at video cut-ups, making phone call after phone call and gritting their teeth through impersonal Zoom meetings, Gersson Rosas, Ryan Saunders and a contingent of Timberwolves decision-makers hit the road for a sprawling, eight-day, cross-country road trip to get some elusive face-to-face interaction with some of the top prospects in the NBA Draft.

There was a little pep in the group’s collective step to be back out on the road after so many 14-hour days stuck in the office. And while the due diligence they conducted to prepare for a critical decision with the No. 1 overall pick went a long way in formulating opinions, there was still so much value placed on real, organic conversation over a dinner and eye tests conducted in an actual gym.

The tour included stops in Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles, where many of the 2020 draft prospects were clustered and working out and was aimed at helping provide more clarity on the path forward for a team that was in need of an infusion of high-end talent. It was in Malibu that the Wolves booked a section of the posh, ocean-front sushi restaurant Nobu for a socially-distanced sitdown with Anthony Edwards, widely considered one of the top three players up for consideration with the top pick. With the waves lapping at the shore, Edwards separated himself from the pack and paved the way for his selection on Wednesday night.


Like the rest of the class, Edwards had question marks. Did he want to be great? Did he love the game the way he would have to love the game to develop into a star? Rosas and Saunders knew they had about 24 hours to get a true read on a 19-year-old who had been through hell and back earlier in his life, and they started with some pointed questions at that dinner.

“‘We need to know who you are, good and bad, flaws and no flaws,'” Rosas said, recalling what they told him. “His ability to put his guard down, to be honest, to be humble, to show who he is what he’s been through and where he wants to go was very refreshing.”

The conversation flowed naturally. Saunders and Rosas are both on the younger side for a coach and lead executive, and there was an easy chemistry that developed through the meal. Edwards likened it to a college recruiting trip, which allowed him to open up and have honest conversations about what he has to work on and the limits he is prepared to push as he leaves his home state of Georgia for the first time in his life. Despite all the hype surrounding Edwards in his one season at Georgia and all the talk of his standing in the draft with LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman in the first tier of this draft class, that dinner was when it really sunk in that Edwards could be the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Rosas and Saunders talked about the offensive and defensive systems and how Edwards would fit in. They gave him an idea of what would be required of him in training camp, in practice, on game day. They set expectations for the work that would be needed to make Edwards a great player. And they showed him how he would be surrounded with talent to help ease his transition from one year of college to the NBA.

“Probably when Minnesota came to see me, I had a great feeling that I was going to be the No. 1 pick, just because of everything they were telling me,” Edwards said. “It boosted my confidence a lot more once I sat down and talked with them.”

The Timberwolves sold themselves to Edwards and vice versa. Edwards had to answer questions about motivation, about how important the game was to him and how he was ready to help change the perceptions surrounding a long-suffering franchise. And when his words weren’t enough, he let the workout the following day do the talking.

At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Edwards’ physical tools have always been plain to see. But it is one thing to watch them on a flatscreen in the Timberwolves training facility. It was another to see him run the fastest 3/4-court sprint they had ever recorded. They had seen plenty of his dunks, even some in-person while scouting the SEC tournament in March when the coronavirus shut down the NBA, but it was another thing to watch him explode to the rim while standing 10 feet away.

Wolves personnel saw a body type like James Harden, one of the most durable athletes in the NBA, only with more bounce. Harden clearly has an other-worldly skill set that would make direct comparisons unfair. But watching him move, as our Sam Vecenie wrote in his scouting report, “his body control and fluidity is ridiculous for his size.” Donovan Mitchell, Victor Oladipo and Dwyane Wade are other names mentioned, purely from a physical standpoint, that can be hard to ignore.

If his skills ever catch up to his overpowering physical traits, he could be the kind of bucket-getting, end-of-the-shot-clock cheat code that would wreak havoc in between D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns. And if the Wolves can instill a defensive tenacity and focus to go with the frame of a strong safety, well, look out.

Anthony Edwards
Through one lens, Anthony Edwards is a talent with the potential to reach All-Star heights in the NBA. Through another, concerns about his desire sound familiar alarm bells in Wolves’ fans heads. (Dale Zanine / USA Today)
For now, those are only possibilities, the kind of best-case scenario wishful thinking that permeates draft rooms across the league this time of year. But more than anything Edwards did in that practice gym during the one-on-one visit, it was a decision he made that really caught Rosas’ attention. As the workout started, Edwards’ trainer included some shooting drills with midrange jumpers mixed in.

“He stops the workout and tells the trainer, ‘Minnesota’s system is different. We’re not taking those shots today,'” Rosas said. “That was him on his own, unprompted. He gets what we’re doing here. He values what we’re doing. That’s what excites us. He’s a young guy who needs a lot of support, needs a lot of development and needs more experience. But he’s an incredibly intelligent young man who understands what’s going on and he’s willing to work to be a very special player in this league.”

Not only did Edwards show recognition for the game, but his frank and honest assessment of his flaws belied what can often be heard from the mouths of 19-year-olds. Edwards spoke openly of his need to lock in defensively, to put forth more consistent effort on that end than he did at Georgia. He acknowledged that he needed to change his diet to cut out the junk food that was a staple in high school and college.

The first step toward fixing a problem is recognizing there is one in the first place, and Edwards’ self-awareness made a strong impression. For a team with so many issues on the defensive end, hearing the No. 1 overall pick give a frank assessment of his lack of focus in that area was illuminating.

“If you want to be the best player, one of the best players ever, you gotta be able to be locked in every time you’re working on playing the game, watching film, doing anything that has something to do with making you become a better player, better than yesterday,” Edwards said, essentially admitting that wasn’t always the case at Georgia. “I feel like that played a big role in me growing and becoming more mature. I feel like I took it upon myself to just stay locked-in and just know that I have to be better defensively all around.”

“He’s got a lot of character. He’s been through a lot in his life,” Rosas said. “I love his grit. I love his toughness. I love that he has a chip on his shoulder. Does he have everything figured out right now? No. But the passion for being the best person he can be, the passion for the game, the passion for who he wants to become is something we’re excited about.”

Gersson Rosas and Sachin Gupta
Gersson Rosas (left) was fielding trade calls right up until the Wolves were on the clock. When it came time to pick, Edwards was the clear-cut choice in the Wolves’ eyes. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Timberwolves)
The Timberwolves kept their preference close to the vest leading into the draft, even conducting trade calls right up until the clock officially started on the No. 1 pick. Rosas said more than 10 teams were inquiring. Some teams, like Charlotte, wanted to get ahead of Golden State at No. 2 to take Wiseman. Others, like the Knicks, were believed to be looking to move up for Ball.

A trade never really got close to happening, sources said, based in large part on the Timberwolves being unwilling to take what they viewed as subpar value to trade down and potentially miss out on Edwards. As their evaluation progressed, he simply emerged as the player they felt they could not afford to pass up. Rosas, EVP Sachin Gupta and every Wolves official who spoke publicly leading up to the draft said the team would take what it believed was the best player, regardless of fit. That meant, presumably, that Ball could have been selected despite playing the same position as Russell, and Wiseman could have been selected even though he and Towns would have overlapped.

But Rosas said taking Edwards, a more seamless fit with Towns and Russell, had nothing to do with fit at all. From that face-to-face meeting about a month go on up until the pick was made, Edwards was the clear front-runner in their eyes.

“He stood head and shoulders above any player in this draft and we were excited to be at No. 1 to be able to select him,” Rosas said.

Ball’s passing acumen was impressive, but there were plenty of question marks surrounding his game and makeup as well. And his quiet nature was a contrast to Edwards’ more engaging demeanor. Wiseman made it clear early on that he had questions about a fit in Minnesota, and the Wolves have a system in place that isn’t conducive to a twin towers setup. Through the exhausting process, the conversation just kept turning back to Edwards.

An eventful Timberwolves draft night
1
Drafted Anthony Edwards
17
Traded to OKC for Ricky Rubio, picks 25 and 28
23
Drafted Leandro Bolmaro in deal for picks 25 and 33
28
Drafted Jaden McDaniels
Make no mistake, Edwards scares some scouts and executives because of a perceived lack of motivation, and the fact that Georgia would not have made the NCAA Tournament if there was one last season didn’t help either. It’s easier to coach a skill or a technique than it is to install a heart. The Wolves found that out with Andrew Wiggins. But the Wolves see major differences between Wiggins and Edwards, a more vibrant and outgoing personality than the more subdued Wiggins. They see a player who has a fire that can be lit.

Most importantly, they see Edwards for what he is — a young man who just turned 19 years old in August and should have just finished his senior year of high school, not his freshman year of college. There is room for him to grow, and it is up to them to make sure that growth is productive.

“His honesty and transparency can be misconstrued, but he’s a very humble young man who’s very intelligent, and is a guy who’s tough and is willing to work to do great things in this league,” Rosas said. “We’re confident in that.”

The first steps they are taking include assembling a roster that can make life easier for him. They already have Towns and Russell as the franchise pillars, meaning Edwards will not have the pressure that many No. 1 overall picks face of coming in and carrying the team right away. Edwards can ease into things on a new team and in a new home city for the first time in his life.


They also traded the 17th overall pick to Oklahoma City as part of a package to bring Ricky Rubio back to Minnesota. It’s a heart-warming tale to have Rubio back where his career began and playing for a coach with whom he shares a special bond. But what the Wolves needed was a playmaker on the floor and a leader in the locker room, and the 30-year-old Rubio checks both of those boxes. He can play off the ball and let Russell run the show or quarterback the second unit. He will get others involved, but he also played with a rookie Donovan Mitchell in Utah, so there is hope that Rubio knows what it takes to help mentor Edwards on and off the court.

“They can put me on the third-string team, fourth-string team, they can tell me I’m a DNP for the whole year. I’m going to compete no matter what,” Edwards said. “I feel like I’m back at the beginning stage. Yeah, I’m the No. 1 draft pick, but I haven’t played a single game in a minute. So I have to prove myself. I feel like I have a lot more to prove when it comes to the game.”

That is exactly what the Wolves want to hear. Reasonable minds can disagree on Edwards over Ball or Wiseman. But the Wolves did their homework and believe they took the player with the best chance to be a multi-time All-Star. For all intents and purposes, once that dinner and workout was finished in Los Angeles about a month ago, it was all over for Ball and Wiseman as well.

There is one other element that factors into the Wolves’ optimism that Edwards can blossom in Minnesota. When the Wolves called him to make him the No. 1 pick, Edwards sat on a couch between paintings of his mother and grandmother. Both died of cancer when he was 14 years old, setting up a volatile period in his life as he waded through high school without the two women who raised him. It is an unfathomable pain that the Timberwolves know all too well. Saunders lost his father to Hodgkins lymphoma in 2015. Rubio lost his mother to lung cancer in 2016 and Towns lost his mother to COVID-19 in April. They can all understand each other on a level that many their ages cannot.

The Wolves have been preaching family ever since Rosas and Saunders took over. Now they will lean on that mantra more than ever as they continue to try to find their way in the Western Conference.

They know Edwards is no sure thing. There are big areas that need to be addressed, including his 29 percent shooting from 3-point range in college.

“Basically, Edwards’ future comes down to Edwards himself,” Vecenie wrote in his draft grades. “If he wants to become an All-Star, he can do that. All it will take is hard work and an insatiable desire to be great.”

Right now, the Wolves take comfort in knowing that Edwards understands how far he has to go as well. It doesn’t guarantee success. But it’s a start.

“He’s got some special skills and some athletic abilities that you only see in great players, and that’s a great place to start,” Rosas said. “Our evaluation of him in terms of motivation and grit and toughness, we were very comfortable with and we feel like the more he ages and develops and grows, the better player he’s going to be and the more consistent player he’s going to be on both ends.”

(Top photo: Courtesy of Anthony Edwards / NBAE via Getty Images)

[Oriole81]

Philly fans sending Horford’s sister threats after the trade

Philly fans can eat a dick. They are the worst.

That’s disgusting. Al’s a solid dude. There’s nothing unlikeable about him.

I don't know the details of this situation, but...

1) It's common knowledge that Philly fans universally are awful, so I'm not sure she should be that surprised.
2) Just because Al is a great guy doesn't mean his sister can't also be a huge whore.

[Ask Not]

Philly fans can eat a dick. They are the worst.

That’s disgusting. Al’s a solid dude. There’s nothing unlikeable about him.

I don't know the details of this situation, but...

1) It's common knowledge that Philly fans universally are awful, so I'm not sure she should be that surprised.
2) Just because Al is a great guy doesn't mean his sister can't also be a huge whore.

You're saying it's important that we keep an open mind to sister Horford being a whore?
Will do.

[SHAFA]

2) Just because Al is a great guy doesn't mean his sister can't also be a huge whore.

Yes, I’m sure that Horford’s single season in Philly gave a group of fans such an intimate look into his sisters personal life that they were justified in that level of vitriol. Especially this guy:

Hey you dumb c**t, you shouldn’t be talking shit about philly fans honestly they should be ashamed about the fact that your brother made the team look like complete garbage. You and your brother should go drive into a canal and drown. You’re a waste of life and your brother is a disgrace to the NBA. Kill yourself b***h.”

Is that still an argument you want to try and make here?

[Oriole81]

2) Just because Al is a great guy doesn't mean his sister can't also be a huge whore.

Yes, I’m sure that Horford’s single season in Philly gave a group of fans such an intimate look into his sisters personal life that they were justified in that level of vitriol. Especially this guy:

Hey you dumb c**t, you shouldn’t be talking shit about philly fans honestly they should be ashamed about the fact that your brother made the team look like complete garbage. You and your brother should go drive into a canal and drown. You’re a waste of life and your brother is a disgrace to the NBA. Kill yourself b***h.”

Is that still an argument you want to try and make here?

Internet comment threats are not real.
Would it be nice if it never got to this point? Sure. Is it possible to turn back time and put the metaphorical toothpaste back in the tube? Probably not.

[SHAFA]

Internet comment threats are not real.

Go tell that to the families of those who've committed suicide due to bullying over social media. Let me know how that conversation goes.

[Beef Supreme]

2) Just because Al is a great guy doesn't mean his sister can't also be a huge whore.

Yes, I’m sure that Horford’s single season in Philly gave a group of fans such an intimate look into his sisters personal life that they were justified in that level of vitriol. Especially this guy:

Hey you dumb c**t, you shouldn’t be talking shit about philly fans honestly they should be ashamed about the fact that your brother made the team look like complete garbage. You and your brother should go drive into a canal and drown. You’re a waste of life and your brother is a disgrace to the NBA. Kill yourself b***h.”

Is that still an argument you want to try and make here?

I’m sure she had it coming. I mean, her brother didn’t win these guys a championship. She’s lucky she’s getting off that easy.

[KevinBaconIsNotMyHero]

Philly fans can eat a dick. They are the worst.

That’s disgusting. Al’s a solid dude. There’s nothing unlikeable about him.

I don't know the details of this situation, but...

1) It's common knowledge that Philly fans universally are awful, so I'm not sure she should be that surprised.
2) Just because Al is a great guy doesn't mean his sister can't also be a huge whore.

What a take on point 2. Imagine hating women this much.

[Dan33185]

[SHAFA]

It'll be interesting to see how Wigs responds to his newly increased role now.

[sh1mmyya]

It'll be interesting to see how Wigs responds to his newly increased role now.

He will respond the way he always responds......no response.

[irishman89]

Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA
about 7 minutes ago
If you're Milwaukee and looking around for options similar to Bogdanovic, wouldn't Malik Beasley, who is also a RFA, be at the top of the list? Timberwolves reportedly tendered Beasley the QO today, but he could also be signed + traded. Donte DiVincenzo would work in Minnesota.

I feel like Milwaukee doesn't quite understand what a great player they have in The Big Ragu. I would love this swap.

[SHAFA]

It'll be interesting to see how Wigs responds to his newly increased role now.

He will respond the way he always responds......no response.

Entirely possible, but I'm curious to see if Kerr, Curry and Green hold his feet to the fire and coax something out of him. I can't imagine Dray would tolerate the kind of loafing he was known for here.