So I was on Twitter last night, and I saw this tweet:
Really amazing how little we have to talk about with just a week and a half until the NBA Draft. Thibs/Layden keep everything so locked up.
— On The Prowl (@ontheprowl_MN) June 12, 2017
This morning, another Timberwolves blogger echoed the same sentiment:
It's a tad crazy that we're 10 days out from the 2017 #NBADraft and the rumblings from 600 Hennepin Avenue are nonexistent. 🔒'ed down.
— Kyle Theige (@KyleTheige) June 12, 2017
Mr. Wolfson, a seasoned veteran, feels the same way too:
Find out enough stuff like this FA mini-camp happening this week. But yes, very challenging. Night-and-day from Flip.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) June 12, 2017
The Timberwolves blogosphere on Twitter—media, if you will. whatever the proper nouns are—doesn’t seem to be happy with Thib’s secrecy.
For me, it’s not a matter of being happy, or whatever adjective you want to ascribe to Thibs.
Here’s what I think is going on: Thibs, aware that the NBA Finals will be over soon, is carefully implementing his plans for free agency.
He’s seen the agent changes:
Sources: Minnesota guard Shabazz Muhammad has hired agent Rich Paul. Muhammad will be a free agent in July.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2017
Ricky Rubio decided to change agent, will be represented by Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports: https://t.co/iCrP2rNjNX pic.twitter.com/6UCKtKUdiI
— Sportando (@Sportando) May 16, 2017
He knows the headlines from the media—Ricky Rubio changing agents, for example—is a message that is directed towards him.
He also knows the media could be an outlet for players to indirectly speak their minds.
But you know what else Thibs knows? The agents.
Thibs knows the agents are looking after the player’s interests.
He knows he is competing with offers from other teams to attract players to Minnesota and, to a certain degree, retain the players on his roster.
Thibs knows the agents say one thing to his face, another thing to another team, and anything they want to the media.
Thibs knows the media headlines represent a fraction of the player’s true feelings and thoughts about the Timberwolves organization.
That said, I sound like I’m an insider, right?
Wrong. I say all of this with little to no certainty. I could be 100% wrong.
(If I’m wrong on anything Thibs, please correct me)
At the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if Thibs selectively utilizes the national outlets to speak his mind through his executives.
Thibs, like the other President of Basketball Operations, has a list of free agents that he wants for next year.
But Thibs, in my mind, knows that the player prices on the market correlates with the interest—the demand, if you will—that is generated by their agents.
That said, if I’m Thibs and I see agents drumming up their players, what will I do? I will create my own headlines:
The Timberwolves view PG Derrick Rose as a free agent target this summer, league sources tell ESPN. More here: https://t.co/k7pa1gsoHm
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 24, 2017
Wolves Expected To Pursue Jrue Holiday, George Hill, Jeff Teague: https://t.co/FYBFZXFSe6 pic.twitter.com/9mxcfrQfJj
— RealGM (@RealGM) June 12, 2017
Jrue Holiday, George Hill, Jeff Teague…Derrick Rose! I will throw names out there to put pressure on agents to set realistic prices for their players on the market.
You know what else I would do? I would use these headlines to hedge the prices for the pending free agents on the roster. (Think Omri Casspi or Shabazz Muhammad)
You get it now, right? The point is Thibs knows the politics behind free agency really well. The possibilities are endless, the negotiations: careful and thoughtful.
So for the Timberwolves outlets that are feeling frustrated about the lack of Timberwolves rumors, I say this: pay attention. Pay attention to what’s going on—what is being said and what is not being said—and put yourself in Thibs’ shoes.
Thibs is secretive for a reason.
A really good reason, when you think about it.
Go Timberwolves! Get your howl on.
Follow us on Twitter @howlintwolf & @Twolvesblog.
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