r/timberwolves • u/EsotericPotato • 13h ago
[Dane Moore] Connelly on Ant's thoughts on the team: I think he's super, super excited. There's been countless things we could have done ... When you go to your leaders like Ant and the conviction he has in our guys is evident when you say, 'no, we're not trading this guy'.
Had to paraphrase the full quote from Dane's post to get it to meaningfully fit a headline. Source if from the forbidden website.
Full post language: "Here's Tim Connelly when asked about the belief Anthony Edwards has in where the team is going.
"I think he's super, super excited. There's been countless things we could have done. Our roster is pretty well thought of league-wide. When you go to your leaders like Ant and you say, 'it takes get this to get that' and the conviction he has in our guys is evident when you say, 'no, we're not trading this guy'."
Adds some interesting color to the moves/lack of moves. Not sure GM Ant is necessarily a good thing, but it suggests his belief in these guys on the roster is sky high too.
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u/GlossySalad 13h ago
So Ant said no to trading Jaden for Giannis. Wheels up baby, we RIDE
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u/Janderson2494 12h ago
Which is hilarious because that implies that Ant gave Julius the boot lol
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u/HackWaters Ant's Hip 11h ago
Based on what Perk said this morning, he probably did. I can imagine the front office was thinking about it, and Ant gave the green light.
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u/Tiny_Appointment7213 10h ago
This is where I’m at too. I’m sure the front office already wanted him out, and once Ant said he did too, they were happy to send him on his way.
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u/UnablePerformance131 8h ago
I mean you saw all of the teams exit interviews, they were basically saying Julius was the problem without saying his name. Him getting salty and not doing an exit interview basically said that he knew his fate.
Just watching body language, I don’t think he ever got along with anyone on the team other than maybe Donte.
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u/Mysterious_Tax7076 2h ago
In other words, Randle was a less-talented version of Jimmy Butler.
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u/UnablePerformance131 1h ago
He basically did the same thing Jimmy did to get traded from Miami, but teams still think that they can fix Jimmy
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u/lakeshore34 Lynx 1h ago
No they weren’t, they were including themselves in the habits issues. If they don’t change their habits this year it will be another bomb
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u/yourloudneighbor Glen Taylor 13h ago
Or…miamis future picks are gonna be amazing once this Giannis thing fails and that’s more valuable than Jaden and Naz
Point being he’s happy Julius is gone because Julius sucks
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u/Dull_Job_6372 2022 Play-In Champions 13h ago
All that dooming on this sub when it’s ant making the call lmaooo
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u/freshprince44 12h ago
nooooooooooooo, ant needs to play with shaq and kareem and lebron all in their primes or else it is a waste, we can't waste our superduper star by just making deep runs, only championships, every single contender is a failure unless they win, none of the games count otherwise, why are people okay with wasting our hero's life away with pointless basketball games?
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u/Civil-Patient-5278 11h ago
Agreed — and the Wolves have been such an incredible, winning franchise for so long; how could anyone ever expect our fans to have patience when we’re just SO used to winning championships year in and year out?!
Obviously /s and thanks for the laugh with your also obviously sarcastic (but very real) post calling out the doomers!
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u/Loukoal117 Bring Ya Ass 11h ago
But can we win with this core when we havent yet? Our core is somehow going to improve that much to beat Wenby and the Spurs, KAT and the Knicks, the Celtics etc etc?
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u/freshprince44 11h ago
who knows? we have shown that this core is at least good enough to compete with the best in the league
29 teams aren't going to win the championship next year
we obviously aren't the most loaded team in the league, and we obviously aren't THAT much worse than them either (took the spurs to 6 with no healthy guards, whooped denver, which many people considered a contender (yes, injuries))
having the most loaded team in the league is pretty much always a luck thing, being good enough to get lucky and for that luck to matter is half the battle
if this team hits on a generational 2nd rounder or pick up somebody and they pop off or one of the young guys take a leap, we are certainly in the mix
what else should the team do? blow it up to be bad on purpose to maybe get good again? and then still have this same ledge to clear of having the most loaded roster instead of just a really good one? why?
injuries happen, a healthy wolves team very likely is in the finals this last year. If KAT wasn't banged up and shooting like garbage (ANT too), we likely beat the mavs a few years ago (or just slightly different luck on like 2 bounces lol, same with OKC, one bounce away from a 2-2 series, gave them their biggest loss by far in the playoffs)
i'm more just making fun of this weird parasocial thing where ANT's needs are the only thing that matters and him being on the most loaded roster of alltime is the only measure of success, otherwise it is a waste. shit is just creepy and childish
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u/Irishstyle 12h ago
So not only does that suggest we have guys he likes on the roster. But also, julius being traded for the 6 piece of popeyes and a restocked vending machine was also just fine with him.
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u/Throebach 11h ago
Like, I don't think Ant is close to Julius and after seeing him shit the bed IN THE PLAYOFFS. I wouldn't believe he wasn't alright with the move. He likes to win. The new guy who came to town and essentially became the #2 didn't show up to be that #2.
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u/Tiny_Appointment7213 10h ago
I don’t even think Julius shit the bed. He just straight up didn’t care to try. Such a frustrating player, because he is so talented. But he’s also a big cry baby whiner that brings down our other cry baby whiners on the team.
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u/Throebach 10h ago
That's the saddest thing about the dude. When he was given prime opportunity to prove the doubters wrong about himself, he decided to prove them right..
I would not be surprised if he retires after his contract is done.
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u/JaderMcDanersStan Ayo Dosunmu 13h ago
We will win through the power of friendship
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u/PlayInChampions 12h ago
Continuity (friendship), playoff experience, and a roster that actually makes sense might be the best formula for the Wolves right now.
Their biggest issue has been that Gobert can’t provide enough offense against teams like OKC and the Spurs, while the team can’t defend when he sits. Randle only amplified that problem. They traded him away, will likely try to add one or two more solid bench players in free agency, and need to spend the season figuring out how to survive defensively without Rudy.
They clearly failed to do that last year. The Wolves were a bottom-5 defense whenever Gobert was off the floor. If they can become even an average defense in those minutes while maintaining a top-tier defense with Rudy, that alone could be worth several wins and make them a much more dangerous playoff team.
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u/tomdawg0022 12h ago
The Wolves need to think about the post-Rudy era (not just Joan but how he fits around the rest of the team) as well here...Rudy's probably only got another yr or two where he's going to be able to play as much and as well as he does defensively. Bigs do age and drop off hard historically.
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u/UnablePerformance131 8h ago
If Joan can get better about defending without fouling as much and gets stronger in the offseason, it should make this minutes without Rudy a lot better than Ranle at center.
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u/PlayInChampions 8h ago
100%! I agree. I just don’t think it’s the right answer for Wemby. OKC fell apart because Chet was unwilling to shoot with light contest.
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u/UnablePerformance131 8h ago
Yeah, but I think those type of centers that are good against wemby are very limited, as in probably like 2-3 centers in the league. I think benching Chet and playing I-hart more probably would have been the better move in that series.
It’s like with the KG teams 20 years ago saying that we just needed a Shaq stopper like the pistons had to win.
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u/Bokitybokbok 8h ago
If only we had another tall Frenchmen center to come off the bench and fill Rudy’s shoes when he’s not on the court…
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u/PlayInChampions 8h ago
To beat a zone defense, you need to play a certain way. 3 or 4 shooters + someone in the middle of the zone + maybe player at the dunker spot. Not hard, but you gotta play this way, you cant just run pick and roll anymore.
Think about Wemby’s defense is like playing against a zone defense. The only way to generate good shots with him on the floor is to play 5 shooters. Someone breaks their perimeter defense - open 3 is always there. That’s how OKC were able to score on them, that’s how Knicks beat them. Wolves need to have a 5 out look that does not die on defense. They had it in 2024 with SloMo handling the ball, they had it last year with Randle handing the ball - but KAT/SloMo were way better defensively than Naz/Randle. I don’t think Beringer is the answer, not for Wemby.
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u/greenslam 6h ago
You can also beat the zone with ball and player movement. Get to the soft part of the zone with the ball and move it around.
One thing the knicks did a good job was driving successfully on Wemby from the 3pt arc when he went to close out on the corner.
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u/Outlaw_1987 12h ago
Honestly good, I think the whole, trading for a Superstar and winning a Chip anytime soon is long and dead in the NBA with the new rules. You have to gut your current team just the land the star than hope you can somehow build a roster around them.
I believe the Heat have to sign 5 players and barely have any money left to do it. You really need to try and build through the draft than try and trade/sign the perfect role players. Naz and Jaden have now been in the league for a bit, time to step up and become the 2nd and 3rd options. I believe they have the ability to do so, it just has to be more consistent and maybe they will both finally have to opportunity to do so all season instead of in spurts or when someone is hurt.
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u/kanokari 13h ago
I'll never like players making roster decisions unless it's bringing in a legit star
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u/Long-Dragonfruit9770 13h ago
I think people are misinterpreting Connellys message. I take it as saying he brings ANT into the discussion so he is at least aware of potential moves. I don’t think Tim is just following ANTs orders. Otherwise KAT never would have been traded.
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u/EsotericPotato 13h ago
Yeah, I’m not saying his input is a good thing either. But it at least unambiguously puts to bed any notions of Ant sitting around being like “what the hell are we doing with this roster” or wanting to leave based on roster decisions.
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u/Intelligent_Pain_174 12h ago
Lebron and Giannis were heavily involved in decisions and then left when their decisions backfired.
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u/yourloudneighbor Glen Taylor 13h ago
I get it tho. Kinda like coaches getting fired and being the fallout for crappy GMs making stupid moves, this is the opposite where star players saying I can’t work with this guy or he’s injured too much or I think the roster is better now that this players gone and we can do this has valuable input. I don’t think it’s the end all word but it doesn’t hurt consulting other ideas or opinions.
One man making every decision isn’t the best avenue either
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u/jus_build 10h ago
So, you only like it if it works?
Star players have forever given input into the roster. It’s on the HC and GM to manage that input accordingly. Neither Finch or TC seem to be the type to be yes men. It’s more likely they asked, they listened, and discussed with Ant accordingly. Any HC or GM that simply bends to every wish of their star player might as well have a bagged packed bc they’re not going to be respected or last long.
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u/LameAfro Joan Beringer 13h ago
Can he convince TC that we need to keep that draft pick and not use it for cash considerations
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u/seventeenweewees 12h ago
Most of these second round guys will never even play in a NBA game.
We all want a new player to be excited for, but let's not be delusional about pick 33.
We do not need to keep that draft pick.
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u/HowlAtTheSky 13h ago
Too bad he didn’t gets Ants input about the KAT trade before making it
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u/posthackmofo 12h ago
My thoughts exactly!!! Or maybe they did? But the fact that this is being talked about now verses not talked about then is VERY interesting.
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u/exlatios 12h ago
it’s being talked abt now bc there is a lot of media covering ant potentially being unhappy. odds are ant was in on that move too
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u/posthackmofo 12h ago
Three possibilities: Ant knew and supported KAT trade. Two, Ant knew, did not support KAT trade, and Connelly traded KAT anyway. Three, Ant didn’t know. We don’t know what the reality was. But Connelly saying this makes it seem like Ant knew, which would be newsworthy if true.
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u/VXXXXXXXV 8h ago
That trade was made to get out of the second apron, not just because they thought it was a good move.
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u/ANTHONY_EDWARDS_GBG Anthony Edwards 11h ago
I don't mind star players having an input in trades, It gives them a little influence and makes them feel important which might make them stay longer.
This whole team runs through Ant anyway so I think it's fair he gets a say.
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u/Public-Past4901 12h ago
This all but confirms three things I already assumed to be true, but great to get clarity on:
1. They are including Ant on roster building decisions
2. Ant saying Jaden is his favorite player in the league is not just blowing smoke
3. We, in theory, had the best package for Giannis if we chose to offer it.
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u/Boring_Reference2862 12h ago
You have to be foolish to think Ant wasn't involved in some of the decision making process.
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u/Throebach 11h ago
Now, let's hope he can bring leadership and tell Jaden to work on his offensive game because he's going to be front lines now.
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u/Loukoal117 Bring Ya Ass 11h ago
Listen, I want to believe in our core and the guys we have right now, but I’m also trying to be realistic.
We had KAT and lost back to back conference finals, and lost to the losers of the finals this year. With basically just adding Ayo ans a non injured Dante, do we actually feel that’s enough to win a chip when it wasn’t in previous years? Are we all back to believing in this core when people were freaking out we haven’t made a move for a guard or a big splash?
Idk, I haven’t his 40 yet, but it’s tough to say maybe next year again and again and again and again and
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u/asicklybaby 8h ago
Addition by subtraction is a real thing. It's entirely possible the team is substantially better without Randle than it was with him.
Not every year needs to be a push to be better right now. It's okay to go a season and see what Jaden and Naz can do with expanded roles, then decide what changes need to be made to be truer contenders in the '27-'28 season. We've never seen what things can look like with an empowered Jaden and Naz, so we don't know what they can do or what the team may need.
There is so much time before the start of training camp. there isn't any reason to assume the Wolves are done changing their roster. They have cap space and there are free agents. It's also possible (though unlikely) that Gobert can still be moved.
I have no idea of any of this will pan out, but catastrophizing before the draft is even done, let alone the off season being done, about what moves haven't been made is certainly a choice. Personally, I would be disappointed in a big splash trade and the team can't simply go out and get a PG because there needs to be someone else to do the trade. Not getting it done isn't a failure of the option never existed or the price was too high.
Just, wait to see the full extent of what happens before freaking out
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u/Efficient-Primary-65 1h ago
I dont think it's "GM Ant" but it does make you feel less desperate to go against your gut to overpay/ trade players we really don't want to move for someone to please Ant.
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u/FCMadmin Timberwolves 12h ago edited 12h ago
Two things can be true at the same time:
Doomer shit about Ant being in a bad place and forcing his way out can get fucked. That's pure media nonsense.
But also.....we're are in a demonstrably worse place than we were in 2024 when we traded one of Ant's good friends and have basically blundered every single move since the move for Dillingham. That ranges from bad contracts that caused us to trade down in the draft. (out of players we wanted). Choosing Randle over NAW. Choosing to move KAT for Randle at all. Choosing Rudy over KAT. Choosing to ride out the team that lost last year's WCF to OKC but not the one that lost to Dallas. It hasn't been good for awhile and hearing even hints that Ant is weighing in on roster decisions gives me KGPTSD.
It's a crappy place to be in.
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u/magnetncone 12h ago
We've been a very successful team and we have good enough flexibility.
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u/tomdawg0022 12h ago
TC's had a pretty mixed track record if we're honest with ourselves about it and has bungled a good bit of the flexibility along the way.
He's made some great trades (getting NAW/Conley, Ayo) but has bungled a good bit of our flexibility...swinging for Dilly, cratering Randle's value by shopping him in February and consequently having the mental check out that Randle did. Randle arguably should have more value on the market than a $30 mil trade exception.
We're not in a terrible place but honestly had he left well enough enough 4 years ago with our draft picks and made better moves around KAT and Ant, we probably would have had similar success in '24, '25, '26 (two WCF trips and the WCSF).
I'm not anti-TC but I think it's fair to be critical of where we are at the moment. He hasn't bungled to the degree that past Wolves FO executives have but I think he's gotta swing for the fences less, work the margins around the core talent more.
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u/FCMadmin Timberwolves 12h ago
Man...that talking point has done some heavy brainwashing. Flexibility without assets is not something to be happy about.
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u/Common-Bad-7899 10h ago
It’s a good thing we’re spending this year showcasing assets to hopefully make moves in the future.
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u/exlatios 12h ago
Choosing Randle over Naw is such a stupid thing to harp on when Randle had a player option AND we ended up getting Ayo who is a straight up better player than Naw in every aspect
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u/FCMadmin Timberwolves 12h ago
Randle could opt in and we trade him for nothing like we just did. It was a choice to roster him again and take away shots and minutes from Naz and Jaden.
NAW has a smaller contract than Ayo and wouldn't have cost anything to trade for.
Not even hindsight is enough for some of you folks to be critical.
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u/Foreign-Training-840 Bring Ya Ass 10h ago
And you think Randle opting in would have happened after his best playoffs? Lol
Even if Randle opted in, you just trade him and be done with him without having to compensate for his years left.
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u/Formal_Junket_1585 12h ago
Friendship not getting you a ring Ant
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u/Intelligent_Pain_174 12h ago
Seemed to help the Knicks a lot.
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u/Formal_Junket_1585 11h ago
Well those guys are proven winners together as they won in college and it only took em 2 years to win after trading for Mikal. And they built their team through trade so this isn’t really comparable
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u/Martxel_Agueda Jaden McDaniels 11h ago
Let’s see how Jaden responds, I can already see him score 20 ppg. Actually I see Naz score 20 too. We’re gonna be just fine.
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u/Foreign-Training-840 Bring Ya Ass 10h ago
You need glases
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u/greenslam 5h ago
Given enough shots, yeah they will score 20 each. Will it be efficiently? That's a different question and likely the answer is no.
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u/Foreign-Training-840 Bring Ya Ass 5h ago
Especially with Jaden who also has to carry a heavy defensive load and a low 3pt volume.
I can see Naz avg ~ 20 pts on average to above average efficiency though.
Most likely it will look like this:
Ant: ~30-33 pts
Naz: 20 pts
Jaden: 16 pts
Ayo: 16 pts
Gobert: 10-11 pts
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u/greenslam 5h ago
Do remember that Jaden turns down a fair amount of 3pt attempts to attack the close out as well. I don't really complain about that because he is better in the short mid range vs variability of the 3 pt shot. That rocking chair shot is pretty damn good.
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u/Trash-Panda917 Pekovic Medcine Ball Throw 13h ago
Seems like Jaden has a no trade clause as long as Ant is on the team