Mods if you need to take this down I understand
I am a Denver Nuggets fan with a hopeful future as an NBA analyst and I’ve recently started a basketball focused YT channel. I was hoping I could get some insight on your team as I’m covering them for an episode on my show. I’ve watched them all week like they were my team and I’ve been checking any podcast or sports blurbs covering them. Just wanted to get more of a fan sense and what to look out for as a TWolves fan. If this sounds interesting I’d love any feedback.
My main questions were
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What is something about this team that you guys understand that the NBA fans/media don’t
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If there are any stats that you guys think does a good job of explaining who this team is or just something fun that other fans would find interesting
Thank you guys! Take care of TC for us. He’s a Denver treasure
My underhyped X factor about the new wolves is the amazing job this new staff has been doing in terms of chemistry, making new additions feel right at home and improving market interest (down to improving the quality of our digital content/recording gear). New coaching and ownership seems to be moving in the right direction, we were a joke around the league not so long ago.
2nd point: Despite a couple of new additions not really meeting expectations, we’re an incredibly deep team, like I could see some of our G league guys providing some solid mins if we depended on them (Luka Garza is Iowa Wolves father). For a franchise that struggled so bad to surround its stars with talent, it’s incredible how far we’ve come in that regard.
There’s probably a ton of other stuff to point out but I’ll let the rest of the sub get theirs.
- I don’t think non-Wolves fans understand that KAT is the secret sauce to the defense - his size, rebounding and help defense is what allows Rudy to roam or fully contest out in space.
- I also don’t think people fully comprehend how high Jaden McDaniels’ ceiling is and that he is more than a 3&D player. The Wolves coaches and FO realllly believe in him and see him developing into a “Scottie Pippin-esque” player. They also gave up 2 extra picks bc they desperately wanted to keep him out of the Gobert trade and “talks had a significant stalemate” because of him. This is a great article talking about it. 2 picks before Jaden even made his defensive leap last year, the FO might value Jaden even more now.
- Based on this article with interviews with the FO, it seems there was a lot more thought that went into the Gobert trade then people (even Wolves fans) might realize. It wasn’t just “owners want to make a splash”. Sachin Gupta (who created the Trade Machine and is a analytics whiz and our assistant GM) did a lot of statistical projections to show why getting Gobert would help. They went through different schemes, counters, white boarded out the X&Os. They stopped talking to the Jazz and looked at other trades when the Jazz kept asked for McDaniels, but ultimately kept coming back to Gobert. It seems they REALLLLY believed Gobert is what this team needs and were excited that they could get him and keep their core. Connelly pulled the trigger after Finch said “we’ll stay big even when they go small” and it’s because of KAT - they think KAT is why getting Gobert will work, even against smallball. That article is really helpful to understand how they made the decision.
- I think Dane Moore and Jake Paynting (Howls and Growls) are great reporters/writers/analysts to know about Wolves stats and lineups. They have great podcasts and short videos.
Something fun is Naz Reid. The billboards in Minneapolis that simply say “Naz Reid.”, the Naz Reid shower curtains and the jeopardy contestant who named her cat NAZ REID (in all caps). He is religion here lol. An undrafted overweight player who transformed his body and with hard work now is one of the best backup bigs in the league; his story is probably the best developmental story in our history.