The Dane Moore NBA Podcast

It’s normally after a Timberwolves loss where questions about the big picture enter the frame. But Tuesday’s win over the Kings left me wondering about the long-term prospects of the Timberwolves defense. Asking the question: How concerned should we be about the Wolves defense? We also saw the upside of the Wolves “outscore you” strategy, and dig into the intrigue there. Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell going off on the offensive end but leaving much to be desired on the defensive end How much will a training camp and learning the schemes help the Wolves defense next season? Debunking conspiracy theories as to why DLo isn’t starting, but still asking the question: Why is DLo still not starting? What impact is DLo coming off the bench having on being able to better understand the KAT and DLo pairing? Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All good things come to an end. On Sunday night, the Timberwolves one-game winning streak was snapped by the Los Angeles Clippers, and Naz Reid’s 695-shot streak of having never taken a midrange jumper also came to sad end. In remembrance, on today’s pod, we take a look at the shots being taken under Chris Finch. Yet another blowout loss against one of the league’s premier teams * Including explanation for why the Wolves haven’t been able to hang (audio included) A look into the shots the Timberwolves are both taking and allowing under Chris Finch * And how those numbers compare to what the Wolves were doing under Ryan Saunders Celebrating Naz Reid taking his first ever midrange jumper * And a look into how Reid has fit in next to KAT in the post and DLo on the perimeter Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's show, Britt Robson of The Athletic joins to discuss: a Timberwolves win over Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat (0:00); the competence of the Wolves when all three of KAT, DLo and Ant play (10:00); and what Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore purchasing the team might mean for the future of the franchise (37:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Minnesota Timberwolves have actually looked like a functional, perhaps even good, team when both D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns play. After a win over Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on Friday night, we dig into why the Wolves have won five of the nine games that the team’s two highest paid players have both played in. Topics include: How good and how bad the defense has been this season with KAT and DLo both on the floor + What is likely to sustain from those minutes big picture How the Timberwolves got a defensive lift Friday, particularly from Jarred Vanderbilt + Why Vanderbilt’s best position is seeming like power forward next to KAT or Naz Reid Chris Finch’s coaching style + His willingness to forego rotations to play the players who are playing well that night Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If the Minnesota Timberwolves core players are Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Malik Beasley and Jaden McDaniels, who of the other 10 players on the roster make sense to be on the team next season? Rather than digging into another Timberwolves blowout at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, we go through each of the ten role players case to have roles next season. Will Ricky Rubio get pinched off the roster financially this summer? Has Rubio made a case to stick around with his play next to Edwards and/or Russell? Could the Wolves attach a 2nd pick to Jarrett Culver and get a veteran bench piece? The Juancho Conundrum Why Josh Okogie is starting to look like he could be a real bench piece on a playoff team someday Is there any chance Ed Davis or Jarred Vanderbilt return? Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The value of Karl-Anthony Towns to the Minnesota Timberwolves might shine brightest thios season when he is off the floor. With KAT not playing on the one-year anniversary of his mother’s passing, the Timberwolves failed to compete in his absence. On today’s pod, amongst other things, we dive into the Timberwolves staggeringly poor numbers with KAT off the floor this season. Looking at the numbers of the Wolves other best players with KAT on the floor compared to their numbers with KAT off the floor — and why they find success next to KAT The emergence of the KAT and Naz Reid pairing under Chris Finch after the two rarely shared the floor under Ryan Saunders Josh Okogie speaks on the weight he is feeling after another death to a black man in the greater Minneapolis community (audio from Okogie included) Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does the sale of the Minnesota Timberwolves from Glen Taylor to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore mean for the future of the organization? On today’s show, we dig into how the news of the Timberwolves being sold will have a profound impact on whatever the Timberwolves will become — and where they will become it. We discuss: How new ownership hints at the possibility of more organizational competence while removing the guarantee that the Timberwolves will forever be in Minnesota The significant hurdles that would need to be overcome to move the Wolves The similarities and differences between the ownership change that happened in Seattle before the Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City The excitement around the organization about change — including Karl-Anthony Towns’ love for A-Rod What impact might an ownership change have on the future of the Gersson Rosas regime? How the two-year mentorship window between Taylor and Rodriguez/Lore lines up with KAT’s future and his next contract Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the Minnesota Timberwolves’ overtime loss to the Boston Celtics, Britt Robson of The Athletic joins the pod to unravel the latest Wolves mysteries. We discuss everything around the Wolves this week, including: The early returns of the Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell pairing, now that Russell has returned + how Anthony Edwards is fitting in as a third head in that dynamic Chris Finch’s searching for pieces to compliment the DLo, KAT and Ant trio Reflecting on Britt’s piece on Jaden McDaniels’ rookie season + how he is proving to be a seemingly perfect fit in Minnesota Has McDaniels’ play and fit removed him from being an outgoing piece in a big trade this summer? The passing of DMX — and how his music was something that Britt and Kevin Garnett connected over back in the day Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since Chris Finch took over as the head coach, Karl-Anthony Towns has frequently been defending on the perimeter, guarding big wings — and is playing some of his best individual defense of his career. What if this became a full-time thing? What if the Timberwolves traded for Myles Turner? On today’s pod, after surrendering 141 points to the short-handed Indiana Pacers, we discuss what needs to change for the Wolves defensively, and ask if trading for Turner is a path worth considering. Anthony Edwards postgame comments about the Timberwolves defense How Chris Finch has been using KAT on the perimeter defensively more often The impact of elite rim defenders in today’s NBA What Myles Turner would bring to the Wolves Using what Denver traded for Aaron Gordon as a guideline for what it would theoretically cost the Wolves to acquire Turner this offseason Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Monday night was the return of D’Angelo Russell after a two-month knee injury. The news came out of nowhere, and just before we found out that Malik Beasley will be out for the next 4-6 weeks with a hamstring injury. On today’s pod, we focus on how the new-look Wolves look and fared with DLo back in the rotation and then dug into Anthony Edwards’ case for Rookie of the Year over Tyrese Haliburton. Russell playing almost exclusively alongside another point guard (Ricky Rubio or Jordan McLaughlin) and the importance of finding “Off-Ball DLo” The impact of how Russell is used on Edwards What does Edwards need to do the rest of the season to win Rookie of the Year over Haliburton? How many GMs would take Haliburton over Edwards if we re-drafted the 2020 class today? Sign up for Dane's Patreon ($5 a month) at: Patreon.com/DaneMooreNBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices