Derrick Williams...whats the plan?

[topdog]

well k.love is out for november so looks like williams is our starter. Being a glass half full guy I can see some good coming out of this. We don't play too many tough teams in the first month and if we come out of this with more w's then l's that will do tons for the teams confidence and d-will's.

I would agree that Williams likely will be a starter, but I think it depends in part on how guys play together - Adelman has kind of been mixing and matching with the reserve lineups so either Bud or Williams could move into the starting lineup or Adelman could go 180 on us all and start Cunningham.

I'd imagine Adelman goes with:

Pek
AK (at the 4 but interchangeable with Williams when both are on the court)
Williams
Roy
Ridnour

Stiemsma
Cunningham
Bud
Shved
Barea

[PurpleJesus]

AK to the 4, Chase to the 3...I see this as the likely scenario.

[PurpleJesus]

Anyone feeling more confident about Williams after today? Didnt think so.

Not only was his performance telling, but Adelman's refusing to start him as well is telling.

[topdog]

Anyone feeling more confident about Williams after today? Didnt think so.

Not only was his performance telling, but Adelman's refusing to start him as well is telling.

I wouldn't buy too much into a starting lineup that didn't include Pek or Ridnour.

I still think he can be a 3, but I'm not confident in him being a 4 - not enough size/post moves.

[PurpleJesus]

I wouldn't buy too much into a starting lineup that didn't include Pek or Ridnour.

I still think he can be a 3, but I'm not confident in him being a 4 - not enough size/post moves.

Well, with Love out, the question right now, is can he play PF.

And I would put some stock into him not starting today, as the starting PF position is up for grabs, which cannot be said about the C position (but maybe can be said about the PG spot).

[JeVo7]

I don't see Williams as a 4, but a 3 and he's a backup. He need to look up videos of big 3 players and work his way around. He attack the basket and mostly get block out by those big guys in there. I would like to see the starting line of

Pek
AK
Roy
Shved
Ridnour

I know most of you will not agree with Shved as a starter, but I see him as another Rubio to help us in the starting line. He can do some flashy passes, but in the preseason games...most of that are only to teammate who can't score and help him increase his games. So probably without Love and Rubio, Shved can make the scoring easier for us?

[PurpleJesus]

I don't see Williams as a 4, but a 3 and he's a backup. He need to look up videos of big 3 players and work his way around. He attack the basket and mostly get block out by those big guys in there. I would like to see the starting line of

Pek
AK
Roy
Shved
Ridnour

I know most of you will not agree with Shved as a starter, but I see him as another Rubio to help us in the starting line. He can do some flashy passes, but in the preseason games...most of that are only to teammate who can't score and help him increase his games. So probably without Love and Rubio, Shved can make the scoring easier for us?

I dont see him as having any position, which continues to be a big problem for him in the NBA.

[topdog]

I dont see him as having any position, which continues to be a big problem for him in the NBA.

He needs to watch another guy that didn't exactly have a position:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvRBGPj0fGo

Yep, as crazy as it is to say, Al Harrington should be a model for Williams' game.

[JeVo7]

I have no idea. I kind of see him when draft out...as a 4 and couldn't play that position because we have Love and now that he's slim down, He can play the 3, but his main position is the 4, not the 3. Love is out and Williams doesn't really have the size to fill that spot. I wonder if he's on a different team, can he really play the 4 without slim down. We'll see how he play this Wednesday since he get the start. Maybe that'll boost his games.

[Hawkeye15]

I am quickly losing it with Williams. He looks like he is playing in slow motion, the up and under crap needs to stop instead of just taking it as hard as possible, and the ****ing slow decision making "should I shoot it, not sure, ah screw it, may as well" needs to stop.

I think I am zero-ing in on my annual rag doll for the year...

[WSU Tony]

How can a guy of his size and athleticism have NO touch near the rim? Seriously, I'd rather have a Shved floater or AK "hook shot" from 6-8 feet out than Williams under the rim with the ball. His layup the other night hit the backboard and didn't come down within 2 feet of the rim.

He almost looks embarrassed after the close shots miss.

[Sota4Ever]

Bye Bye DWill.

[Bigus Dogus]

Yesterday, I was a function where D Kahn was taking questions, and I asked him where he thought DWill fit into the team. He was very defensive about DWill , saying something about judging him too early. But his point was that DWill is the youngest player on the team by far, and he was determined to give him time to develop.

Partly I think he is right, and if it weren't for the injury situation DWill's lack of development would not seem as significant. But it is hard to see any area where he is playing better now than he was last year. No one is asking him to be a superstar at 21, but I do expect that he would show more flashes, more consistently, at this point. I see no sign of the guy that lit up the Clips last year.

[Hawkeye15]

Yesterday, I was a function where D Kahn was taking questions, and I asked him where he thought DWill fit into the team. He was very defensive about DWill , saying something about judging him too early. But his point was that DWill is the youngest player on the team by far, and he was determined to give him time to develop.

Partly I think he is right, and if it weren't for the injury situation DWill's lack of development would not seem as significant. But it is hard to see any area where he is playing better now than he was last year. No one is asking him to be a superstar at 21, but I do expect that he would show more flashes, more consistently, at this point. I see no sign of the guy that lit up the Clips last year.

There is some truth to the injury situation forming our opinions. He is needed to produce, which may be too much to ask of him. It just sucks that we finally get a super high pick, in a draft that sucks. Imagine Faried on the roster instead....

If they show patience with him, fine. In about 3 weeks, he goes back to not playing much at all, when Love gets back, and Howard has learned the offense.

[Twinsfan24]

I was listening to Paul Allen today on KFAN and he had a quote about Dwill. Not sure if I agree or not. He said Dwill should be lucky that he is on an NBA roster right now. Once Love gets back he should see 8 minutes per game if that.

Now that is a pretty harsh statement. But as of late I can't say I don't agree. Once everyone is back healthy and with the addition of Howard I don't see Williams getting more then 5-10 minutes per game.

The problem then becomes if we do try to trade him it's based purely on potential. Someone may take a chance on him but we won't be getting much in return....

So do we leave him on the bench? Do we try to get him minutes if nothing else to improve his stock? Or do we try and trade him for what we can get?

I am leaning towards spot minutes here and there until he brings his stock up enough to make a decent trade. It's clear his future is not here in MN at least in my opinion...