State of the Wolves, pre-lottery edition (Part 2)
Let’s talk now about the other guys, and see how they do or don’t fit in.
Marko Jaric: Jaric was largely the same player in 2007-2008 as he has been for the rest of his career — flashes of occasional brilliance, stretches of competence, and periods of head-scratching and cursing. He can play three positions and play them all inconsistently and imperfectly. I suspect that if Jaric ever got the chance to play on a good team where he could merely play off of other players and wasn’t really relied on to do anything substantial, he could prove to be a very nice piece. Alas, he’s played his entire career with the Wolves and Clippers. The Wolves would love to move him, but with (still) three more years at nearly $20 million left on his contract, get used to two more years of Jaric on the floor of Target Center.
Sebastian Telfair: Proved he was worthy of staying in the league before injuries derailed the second half of the season. The draft will determine his fate here — if the Wolves end up with Rose or Bayless, Telfairis gone. Otherwise, I imagine the Wolves will try to bring him back cheaply.
Kirk Snyder: Acquired from Houston in the Gerald Green trade, he proved just how weak this team is. He went from being a consistent DNP-CD in Houston to a key component here in a week. Showed some grit defensively and an occasional nose for the basket. Another player who the Wolves will likely try to bring back on the cheap if the draft doesn’t produce a SF/SG type.
Antoine Walker: Walker’s expiring contract is McHale’s big trade chip to play this season. Everyone expects McHale to play it in the offseason, but I fear that Glen Taylor — who is increasingly running the organization on the cheap — will prevent such a trade from being made and allowing the cap space to open (or he’ll try to force Walker into a buyout to save a few bucks).
Mark Madsen: In the annals of all the stupid McHale moves, signing Madsen to a five-year deal has to be one of the more underrated stupid moves. It was pointless then, and even more so today.
Michael Doleac: We hardly knew ye.
Greg Buckner: See Antoine Walker, but with less money at stake and less poison if he’s around the team.
Chris Richard: Looked kind of OK when he was out there. If it weren’t for the Wolves’ complete lack of depth at the 4 and 5 this year, he would have been much better off spending the entire year in the NBDL and playing.
Craig Smith: Probably the most intriguing question of the offseason. Smith is the only true find McHale has had in the second round at any point in his career. Can the Wolves let him walk away? The sad reality is that if Gomes is resigned, having both Smith and Gomes is redundant (and assuming the Wolves truly intend to upgrade in the middle around Jefferson). So, all things considered, Smith should probably move on. Can McHale find a sign-and-trade deal that will work to salvage some value?
