11-09-2020, 12:33 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-09-2020, 12:38 PM by KillerLeft.)
https://theathletic.com/2162937/2020/10/29/timberwolves-draft-smokescreens/?article_source=search&search_query=Timberwolves
Thought this was interesting for Mavs fans, and it furthers the point of "you can't believe anything at this time of year."
Seven months of draft preparations, film chewing and intelligence gathering has only ramped up the gamesmanship, but this is a tale as old as time. For Wolves fans, it has happened since birth. When the franchise was entering its first draft in 1989, then-coach Bill Musselman was high on a point guard from Texas-El Paso named Tim Hardaway. But prior to the draft, Muss was told by Warriors coach Don Nelson to be wary of Hardaway because his knees were an issue. Musselman took Nelson’s counsel to heart and chose a different point guard, Pooh Richardson, with the franchise’s first-ever draft pick.
Four spots later, at No. 14 overall, who did the Warriors select? Hardaway, who turned into a five-time All-Star and the quarterback of the Run TMC era in Golden State.
Several executives polled in the last few days pointed to the 2017 draft, when the Dallas Mavericks were believed to be high on French guard Frank Ntilikina at pick No. 9. Reports leaked prior to the draft of their intention to hire Ntilikina’s coach in France to coach their summer league team. And a photo of Mavs owner Mark Cuban visiting Ntilikina in France circulated in the weeks before the draft. Cuban’s GM? Donnie Nelson, Don’s son.
The Knicks ended up selecting Ntilikina with the eighth pick. The Mavs took Dennis Smith Jr. at No. 9, and there was belief that is who they wanted all along. There are countless other examples of subterfuge over the years, including former Hawks GM Danny Ferry going to extraordinary lengths in 2013 in an effort to get Giannis Antetokounmpo to fall to them at No. 17. Sometimes it “works” in the above cases of the Warriors and Mavericks. And sometimes it doesn’t. The Bucks grabbed the future MVP at No. 15.
Thought this was interesting for Mavs fans, and it furthers the point of "you can't believe anything at this time of year."
Seven months of draft preparations, film chewing and intelligence gathering has only ramped up the gamesmanship, but this is a tale as old as time. For Wolves fans, it has happened since birth. When the franchise was entering its first draft in 1989, then-coach Bill Musselman was high on a point guard from Texas-El Paso named Tim Hardaway. But prior to the draft, Muss was told by Warriors coach Don Nelson to be wary of Hardaway because his knees were an issue. Musselman took Nelson’s counsel to heart and chose a different point guard, Pooh Richardson, with the franchise’s first-ever draft pick.
Four spots later, at No. 14 overall, who did the Warriors select? Hardaway, who turned into a five-time All-Star and the quarterback of the Run TMC era in Golden State.
Several executives polled in the last few days pointed to the 2017 draft, when the Dallas Mavericks were believed to be high on French guard Frank Ntilikina at pick No. 9. Reports leaked prior to the draft of their intention to hire Ntilikina’s coach in France to coach their summer league team. And a photo of Mavs owner Mark Cuban visiting Ntilikina in France circulated in the weeks before the draft. Cuban’s GM? Donnie Nelson, Don’s son.
The Knicks ended up selecting Ntilikina with the eighth pick. The Mavs took Dennis Smith Jr. at No. 9, and there was belief that is who they wanted all along. There are countless other examples of subterfuge over the years, including former Hawks GM Danny Ferry going to extraordinary lengths in 2013 in an effort to get Giannis Antetokounmpo to fall to them at No. 17. Sometimes it “works” in the above cases of the Warriors and Mavericks. And sometimes it doesn’t. The Bucks grabbed the future MVP at No. 15.