quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: Minnyme

She is a strong 3 pt shooting combo guard. She's a more stable replacement for Hornbuckle. Wiggins & Thorn will be back-up PGs. So I'm looking for a post to fill the final 11th spot on the 2012 roster.

What is Erin Thorn likely to add to the team?

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

Houston's role was diminishing pretty severely. Wright and Wiggins were the first players off the bench and Harris will likely see a bigger role next year. Not to mention a 1st round draft choice coming in. She wanted to play somewhere were she could get some minutes. They were probably going to have to non tender her and moved up 6 spots in the 2nd round instead.

Yes we are so good that she didn't have much of a role with us but it seems like we could have done better than six spot move up in round two for a talented player like Houston.

quote:

Q. What do you expect from the No. 3 pick, and what are you going to do about those other draft picks?

CHERYL REEVE: You know, I think we are in a unique situation in that we feel like we have talent and depth at each position. I think when we describe our greatest need, we talk about, we need a player that is certainly first and foremost is talented.

But we are looking for a second component, which is somebody that can understand playing a role or even a diminished role on a team. So the quality of the individual and their history in being able to step outside of being the best player on team, which most of these guys have been throughout their careers.

So we are hopeful that we are able to combine the talent with the mind set of being selfless, which was such a big part of our championship run. And then we certainly expect that player to be somebody to be helpful to us; it may not be in the immediate future, but we would certainly have a plan for that player that would require patience.

With regard to the picks outside the first round, we are in the same boat as everyone else in that none of us have very many positions available, and we will look to add what we believe is the best player in those positions, at 18, 19, 20, that will make for extremely quality training camps and hopefully put themselves and be in positions to actually compete to knock somebody off, but that will be tough to do, I think in all of our situations.

quote:

Q. When you pick a player at No. 3, how difficult is it going to be to preach patience and to have that player be content with a role on a loaded team? After all, these are top players who are used to being stars. And the second part is on draft day, do you anticipate you and Roger Griffith are going to be aggressive, or are you going to be in a position to sit back and field offers?

CHERYL REEVE: You know, with your thoughts on No. 3 and preaching patience, it is something that we have been talking about and even publically, especially around these parts where I think our fans understand the situation that we are in. We are very excited to be adding a lottery pick to our team. There is nothing that isn't important about that.

I think, again, it really depends on the player that you're talking about in terms of how hard it will be. But what I'm really, really confident in with our group is not only as a staff, I feel like it will be clear in our communication with them.

But we have such a great group of players that it will be very easy for the player that's drafted to the Minnesota Lynx to be able to trust the situation.

You know, I think whether it's our situation, which might seem more extreme than the others, but really for every player that's going to be drafted, there's going to be a challenge with regard to it's not going to resemble the same thing that has been for them throughout their college career, most likely. It's very rare that that happens. That's where we are in the league.

I think our situation is a little more exaggerated. But I have got such a great group of veterans that I think we will be able to handle that very well. And again, the player will be disappointed. I never want them to be content.

But certainly there's a lot of work to be done, and when their number is called, then they will be taught that's what pros do…they are always ready. I suspect the person we draft will really fit into our group.

With regard to the second part, I don't know if I would ever describe Roger to be aggressive in any way. And I certainly don't think that this draft pick will be any different for him in that there's communication with a number of teams and often times how the draft plays out, if suddenly there's a player available that maybe a team can anticipate and would like to have that player, the phone rings. If not, then we are ready to make our pick and we move on.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

Lynx need to figure out a way to get Ogwumike. Anybody else will be a waste of time.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Minnyme

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

Lynx need to figure out a way to get Ogwumike. Anybody else will be a waste of time.

Now, now

But no way LA gives up the #1 pick(Ogwumike) but they might be willing to give up 1 of their other post, (a slight maybe) but I have no interest in helping them fill any needs. So, we'll have to make due.

For me, months ago I tagged 2 players that I'd love to have on the Lynx knowing we had no shot a Nneka Ogwumike. And at this point I still like those 2 players:
Shenice Johnson-G/Miami & Devereaux Peters-PF/Notre Dame. 

S. Johnson is a combo guard. About the same height, built as Wiggins & Wright, is a good defender, has good handle ran the point some @ Miami and can create for herself & other on the offensive end.

So why do we need another one of those you might ask  -- Well, because she' good  ) She would be a perfect fit because of her skills & personality; which is why I could have done w/out the team signing Erin Thorn if in fact Seattle does pass on SJ & she is there at #3. I would not trade Wiggins or Wright,so if a deal is looking to be made, only way I'd move any of our young guards is if someone came back with a BIG time offer .... and I just don't see that happening. So if she's selected I'd look for Maya Moore to slide over & play some PF when needed. That's the position she played most in college & lord knows she's better at it then Charde Houston so it wouldn't be that big of a stretch.


As for Devereaux Peters, yes I like her over Glory Johnson. The thing that scares people away is that her first 2 yrs in college she suffered 2 ACL tears to the same knee. Thus the only reason I can see for some declaring GJ has the greater "up side". Now almost 3 yrs removed from her last surgery, her last 2 full season she was the Big East Defensive player of the year ('11,'12). She's shown she's durable playing 30+min/gm when ND wasn't blowing teams out. ND played a very similar style as the Lynx do. She's very good in the pick N roll game. People love how "athletic" GJ looks, she has the hyper, energy type of vibe. But she also has the bull in a china shop quality for me.

Can’t be said that GJs a better rebounder then Peters. Both are agile, quick enough to step out & guard the perimeter. But Peters has by far been the better shot-blocker & is, IMO the better interior defender. I feel that Peters is the more disciplined defender (despite her early foul trouble in the F4 Championship game) then GJ. Both need to work on their offensive games beyond the paint. Overall, I just like Peters game a little better. She’s more of a perfect fit then GJ for me. Peters past knee issue don’t bother me so much when I look at what we need from a rookie post that won’t be getting but 5-15 mins/ from game to game.
I’m not willing to trade any of our returning players (trading E. Thorn would be ok w/me) unless it was some blockbuster type deal with what we’d get in return.

So if we should come out the draft with S. Johnson or D. Peters or G. Johnson, I’ll be good.

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

Well if we want one of them we can obviously get one of them. Player by the name of Stricklen you didn't mention would probably be the only other possibility. I irritate some of the Lynx fans around here for saying this but as much as I love Whalen the super-quick PG types can give her trouble and I want that backup ball handler who can come in and help handle the press. Maybe Shenice Johnson can do that I don't know.

quote:

With a look toward the distant future, the Minnesota Lynx drafted Notre Dame forward Devereaux Peters with the third overall pick of the WNBA draft on Monday, April 16.

The 6-foot-2 Peters won't be counted on to contribute in a major way. The defending WNBA champions don't have a glaring need and have perhaps one spot available on a roster that is loaded with veterans in their prime and young talent that has embraced supporting roles.

Peters is the two-time Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and averaged 11.8 points and 9.3 rebounds this past season in leading the Irish to a runner-up finish in the NCAA tournament.

Behind Lynx veteran center Taj McWilliams-Franklin, the league's oldest player at 41, Peters can learn from the WNBA pioneer, as well as from power forward Rebekkah Brunson.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

Hey DL....would it be better to have the Lynx GM draft for the Twolves too?

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

Post draft stuff from Nate:

Julie Wojta is a great fit for the Lynx in theory, but their roster situation makes that selection somewhat unfortunate: On almost any other team in the league, Wojta would be the early favorite for steal of this draft at #18. She would be a great fit for the Lynx in that she's got an ideal skill set as a complementary pro player who can do a little bit of everything and she shot 40.8% from the 3-point line in her senior year. It would be difficult for her to make the roster this season, but there's little question that she offers as much or more than some other players currently on WNBA rosters, athletically if nothing else.

Damiris Dantas might be expected to come to the states next season: According to a report by the Brazilian Basketball Confederation, Minnesota's second first round pick (#12) might be ready to come to the states in 2013. Translated (via Google Translate): "This year is very important for the Brazilian National Team and I am very focused on the Olympics, but from next season I will defend Minnesota."

quote:

... will Reeve approach this camp any differently with her team the defending WNBA champion?

Not a chance. This camp is expected to be as tough and productive as last season's.

quote:

She (Peters) and Candace Parker are the only two NCAA players in the past 10 years to register 75 blocks, 75 steals and 75 assists in a single year. She also collected 363 rebounds this year with the Irish—the second most during a single season in school history.

quote:

Thorn brings nine years of professional experience to Minnesota, spending six seasons with the Liberty and the past three years with the Chicago Sky. She brings additional veteran leadership to an already deep bench, a third ball handler that can also play off the ball and an intelligence for the game that fits in well with the team Reeve has in Minnesota.