It is very possible that soon the Wolves will have to choose between one of them. They both really are meant to play the same position (sg) and they will be up the same time for big extensions. Possibly even max. They also share similar strengths and weaknesses in their games . Bad defence, good scoring, no playmaking/rebounding. They are the same age. If you were the Wolves which one would you choose to keep? Or would you choose to pay both of them ~24 million per? To which would you give the max 5 year extension?
I'd keep Lavine. Or if they really want to keep both, just hope Pek retires and attached a couple of 1st Rounders to Rubio and move him outta Minny.
I think they're both overrated. I'd keep LaVine since his shoes are cooler. Doesn't matter either way, I can already see everyone on that team rolling their eyes every time steam starts coming out of Thibs' ears.
Keep the player that has the higher motor. And I think that might be LaVine. I was not a big fan of LaVine's initially but have warmed up to him. Especially with his 3pt shot. Wiggins looks the part. But I kind of question his motor. He just kind of drifts like Rudy Gay.
Wiggins is a lazy bum who gets by with his tremendous physical gift at the moment. I will take LaVine any day of the week, that kid has superstar potential in him, dare i say a lil bit of Curry'esque persona in him. Trade him for talents and/or picks, while his stock is still high and the rest of the league is still intrigued by his "potential", it would serve the Wolves future much better.
IMO, they will definitely need to choose and should trade Wiggins by the deadline. He's the biggest tease in the NBA.
Lavine has missed some games lately and the Wolves went into a win streak. Why? Not because Lavine is the cause of all evil but because Wiggins gets to play sg, there are lot of less isos and you don't have to hide two bad defenders on the wings. Instead of two no d sg ThibS is using a proper SF. I honestly think that a team that is built with Lavine +Wiggins with both of them getting near max contracts will go nowhere. They must pick one. Lavine is much worse on D but he's a better shooter. He also has shown more improvement in his game so far. Wiggins has the better trade value. It's a dillema. I don't know which one I would choose but I think very soon one of them will have to be traded. And probably if it's Wiggins he will be traded before his 4th year ends.
I see how the Wolves have done without Lavine starting, but I don't think they have to choose. Something the Lakers did is start Russell and bring Clarkson off the bench after starting with Russell all of last year. Lavine may need to take this approach because the Wolves bench is horrible and winning do this, like the Spurs and Warriors, and now the Rockets.
Thats also a temporary solution. However would you pay for a bench player 20+ million per? Would he even accept it? Clarkson was a second round pick who was older. Lavine is different. There are many who believe he can be a star as well.
I'd pay him Eric Gordon $$$ or even 4 for $52, not $20 M. I also feel, just like with CJ McCollum, if you trade Lavine you won't get equal value back for him potentially.
Both until you can't. Unless one of those guys is a team chemistry killer I'd keep both and hope for the best. If it doesn't work out, just trade one of them eventually. It's not like they're in win-now mode anyway.
I don't think they have an issue with paying both of the guys. However, I do think that they're more willing to part with LaVine in a trade instead of Wiggins.
I don't see how that would be possible. Lavine if he tests RFA will get at least one max offer. A young wing that can shoot and may have star potential? There will be teams lining up to pay him. So..looking forward in 2 years from now the Wolves will have to pay 70+ million on only 3 players. Two of which most likely will be one way players who can't create for others. I don't know. Does this look like a core than is constructed to win? Maybe they can trade Wiggins or Lavine for i.e Noel + Lakers pick (top 8). That's not that bad value imo.
True, but he may be willing to take less, IF his ego can take it. Like Beverley, althoigh not likely and I don't blame him.
Some podcasts that attend wolves games have not been excited by Wiggins, supposedly he's got a predictable offense. Lavine is one of my favorite players to watch, he really has the potential to be dominant. Throw away the stereotype of only a dunker.
Was gonna comment similarly, how Lavine being out seems to be team improvement through substraction. It has players fitting into what Tom Thibs wants to do on defense. And it allows more touches for Towns their best player, instead of Lavine and Wiggins alternating isos and chucks. I'm not a big fan of Wiggins. Cleveland absolutely did the right thing trading him for Love. He's bad on D and a black hole on offense, but with only ok not great offense that doesnt deserve the ball hogging. He'd be the player I'd let go, to get back more in a trade on PERCEIVED value.