Illini in the Pros (Basketball)

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#51      
mattcoldagelli
hooraybeer said:
really goes to show that the NBA is all about getting an opportunity. TSJ has been wasting away on the bench all season for unknown reasons, then immediately inserted into the starting lineup and—surprise!—produces.

has to be incredibly frustrating as a player to know what you are capable of but have coaching cost you tens (hundreds?) of millions of dollars
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The reasons aren't really unknown, they've been covered at length in this thread. It is tough for a guy who needs the ball in his hands to crack this Minnesota lineup when healthy, but the Wolves are looking pretty savvy to have grabbed depth at guard both in the draft and ahead of the trade deadline.
 
#52      
ChiefGritty
Ant averaging 35 mpg and TSJ averaging 13 mpg is not a coincidence. Not a natural duo on the floor, TSJ's skills overlap Ant's more than they complement him. TSJ did fine last night, but he was a -10, the lowest on the team.

Ayo is different.

Minny really wanted that other guard spot to be a true PG type, but Mike Conley is on the downslope and Bones Hyland just isn't that good.
 
#53      
GForce
OrangeBlue98 said:
The colors actually come from San Antonio’s annual Fiesta San Antonio.

fiestasanantonio.org

Fiesta® San Antonio Home

The Official Fiesta® San Antonio home page and website. Find the events calendar, schedule, parade tickets & your favorite Fiesta® events!
fiestasanantonio.org

The Spurs do a near perfect job of incorporating those colors. I think it looks fantastic.
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I was thinking they looked more like Miami's alt uniform, but if that's the case, then it really is a brilliant stroke.
 
#54      
Mobi
ChiefGritty said:
Ant averaging 35 mpg and TSJ averaging 13 mpg is not a coincidence. Not a natural duo on the floor, TSJ's skills overlap Ant's more than they complement him. TSJ did fine last night, but he was a -10, the lowest on the team.

Ayo is different.

Minny really wanted that other guard spot to be a true PG type, but Mike Conley is on the downslope and Bones Hyland just isn't that good.
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Ayo compliments Ant better and I think he is at least as useful as a young Conley but TSJ is in minus partly due to Wemby's blocks. He is a real advantage when facing a team like Denver with no interior presence. Makes most senses to start him from the bench and pair him with someone like Conley. What really matters is whether Wolves will sign Ayo back.
 
#55      
OB positive
That being said Minnesota should have traded him to get what they really wanted coming off the bench and give Shannon a chance to blossom elsewhere. As long as they have Ant I don't see them treating him any differently because Ant want the ball in his hands. Pretty selfish on Minnesota's part. Hopefully another team will see Shannon's potential and make a strong bid to get him.
 
#56      
jrichisamazing
really goes to show that the NBA is all about getting an opportunity. TSJ has been wasting away on the bench all season for unknown reasons, then immediately inserted into the starting lineup and—surprise!—produces.

has to be incredibly frustrating as a player to know what you are capable of but have coaching cost you tens (hundreds?) of millions of dollars
Click to expand...

That's why I'm hoping I get to see pro/real basketball in the US in my lifetime. So many talented American players can't find their place in the NBA and go over to Europe where the majority of us will never see them play again.
 
#60      
ChiefGritty
TSJ is an important asset for Minnesota as an affordable team-controlled 1st rounder. They're starting to wake up to the possibility that he might be an important player for them, but then it was trading an important (declining) asset in Rob Dillingham (to a team that's stupid) that brought them an important player in Ayo, so they will be alive to that too in the offseason.

There is some level on which TSJ's highest calling in the NBA might be "good stats bad team guy". Your Anfernee Simons', your Cam Thomas', guys of that nature. Those checks still clear.
 
#61      
Mobi
ChiefGritty said:
TSJ is an important asset for Minnesota as an affordable team-controlled 1st rounder. They're starting to wake up to the possibility that he might be an important player for them, but then it was trading an important (declining) asset in Rob Dillingham (to a team that's stupid) that brought them an important player in Ayo, so they will be alive to that too in the offseason.

There is some level on which TSJ's highest calling in the NBA might be "good stats bad team guy". Your Anfernee Simons', your Cam Thomas', guys of that nature. Those checks still clear.
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Finch finally woke up and I have to give him credit that he took accountability after game 6. They started designing things for TJ in this 1st game. I don't think they are going to trade him soon cuz he is affordable.
 
#63      
SkyysNotFalling
An underrated part of the programs turnaround has been being able to watch our guys nearly year round.

Our season went into the first week of April this year 😏

Now we have multiple guys playing roles on playoff teams

Then it’ll be the summer league where we should have 2-3 guys at least playing in that..

Then next thing you know in 10ish weeks it’ll be right back to being basketball season..
 
#65      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
ChiefGritty said:
TSJ is an important asset for Minnesota as an affordable team-controlled 1st rounder. They're starting to wake up to the possibility that he might be an important player for them, but then it was trading an important (declining) asset in Rob Dillingham (to a team that's stupid) that brought them an important player in Ayo, so they will be alive to that too in the offseason.

There is some level on which TSJ's highest calling in the NBA might be "good stats bad team guy". Your Anfernee Simons', your Cam Thomas', guys of that nature. Those checks still clear.
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Do we think Minny wants to trade him at this point? Their coach seems to have unlocked something (even judging by his press conference comments).
 
#66      
OB positive
mattcoldagelli said:
That is kind of the whole point of running a team.
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Ok so is it the keeping a good player who you barely play just si no one else can have him or the not trading him for someone that you would regularly put in the rotation. Doesn't make sense to me especially when you are not contending for championships. Minnesota is a one big gun team and that is how they are coached. Doesn't help keep Ant healthy either with all the usage.
 
#67      
Tevo
SkyysNotFalling said:
An underrated part of the programs turnaround has been being able to watch our guys nearly year round.

Our season went into the first week of April this year 😏

Now we have multiple guys playing roles on playoff teams

Then it’ll be the summer league where we should have 2-3 guys at least playing in that..

Then next thing you know in 10ish weeks it’ll be right back to being basketball season..
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And don't forget summer FIBA games where past, present and potential future players will get more experience and air time.
 
#68      
Fly Illini Fly!
One of the critical aspects of last night’s game was the coaching chest-match.

Gobert was a negative for most of the game offensively. He’s not a scoring threat at all against Wemby, and because he can’t space the floor, Wemby was essentially inevitable at the rim.

Late 3rd QTR and for pretty much the entire 4th — MINN took Gobert off the court and played 5 out. That’s when they made their run.

Spurs countered by putting Wemby on TSJ, essentially thinking he was the weakest shooter on the floor. That’s when they gave the ball to Terrance at the top, and screened Wemby… which is all the time TSJ needs to get an uncontested layup or draw a foul.

That happened multiple times before SAS was forced to adjust.
 
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#69      
Illinicpa14
OB positive said:
That being said Minnesota should have traded him to get what they really wanted coming off the bench and give Shannon a chance to blossom elsewhere. As long as they have Ant I don't see them treating him any differently because Ant want the ball in his hands. Pretty selfish on Minnesota's part. Hopefully another team will see Shannon's potential and make a strong bid to get him.
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Selfish?

Minnesota owes it their fans to try to produce a winner, not to help TSJ in his career.
 
#71      
ChiefGritty
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
Do we think Minny wants to trade him at this point? Their coach seems to have unlocked something (even judging by his press conference comments).
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I mean the reason you would say yes, keep him, is that he's cheap and under contract for multiple years, and Mike Conley and Bones Hyland are free agents, so TSJ offers more for less money on what is going to be a very expensive team, especially to the extent they are determined to retain Ayo.

But the reason you would say no is that having Ant, Ayo, and TSJ all on the same team doesn't make a ton of sense from a role perspective, and TSJ is now an asset that might bring them the kind of help that would maximize that team (Tre Jones, Twin Cities native and perfect third guard true PG on a cheap deal! Call the Bulls!)

But then Ayo is a UFA, so if he goes elsewhere, then it's a whole other story.
 
#75      
the juiceman cometh
OB positive said:
Ok so is it the keeping a good player who you barely play just si no one else can have him or the not trading him for someone that you would regularly put in the rotation. Doesn't make sense to me especially when you are not contending for championships. Minnesota is a one big gun team and that is how they are coached. Doesn't help keep Ant healthy either with all the usage.
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They keep him because he's cheap insurance for this very scenario where multiple guards are injured. Now, if they could trade him for a legit rotation piece then sure, they probably do that. But if they can't find the right trade they're not going to just unload him for whatever just because he would be better off. The bitter reality is that professional sports franchises are no different than corporations writ large in that betterment of their employees is only valued to the extent it helps the bottom line. Altruism isn't part of the equation.
 
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