Wolves trade #18 pick...

[pikestabber]

...for Houston forward Chase Budinger.

[Scott M]

OK, not really excited at first glance about this BUT I can easily talk myself off the ledge. The #18 pick has a lot of bust potential, it's high risk/high reward. With Budinger, you finally have someone at the two spot that can knock down open jumpers. If you've paid attention to the NBA, Budinger has some hops (dunk contest participant), can attack the rim (but has a slow first step and isn't aggressive enough night in and out), and is a great shooter from behind the arc. It may end up being a sneaky good trade, unless the #18 guy blows up in 3 years. Houston is building through the draft, lots of picks for them this year...closed circuit to Pierbridge - good thing Morley is doing the picking and not McHale yucka yucka yucka

[Scott M]

Oh oh oh, annnnddd they might acquire the rights to Lior Eliyahu.

Watch as Eliyahu gets the folding chair/cone defensive treatment and goes in for uncontested dunk after uncontested dunk. The Israeli league is practically the NBA minor leagues:

[Cecil]

Houston just acquiring picks to make a run at Dwight Howard and maybe Josh Smith as well. Could do a lot worse in the draft at 18 than Budinger, but would of MUCH rather they went after Kevin Martin instead. Im sure it wasnt an option, but oh well...

[Scott K]

kmart is way over paid, and he sucks on defense. I am glad they didnt take on his contract.

[Juan Grande]

Budinger is no better than Martel Webster. We already have a bunch of marginal SG/SF types in Webster, Ellington, W.Johnson, etc.

I would have rather seen them package the #18 and a player (Beasley) to move up a few picks and target Ross or one of the other SG/SFs.

They might have to change their name back to the Minneapolis Lakers with a starting lineup of:

Pekovic

Love

Budinger

Ridnour

Rubio

[CJH]

Finally, a 3-Point threat on the wing!!

[ozzie]

could have been worse but I wanted them to see what was on the board at 18...Fab Melo would have been an interesting pick as would have been the SG from Washington or A Rivers but they could have done worse than Buddinger......

[EBass]

This move does nothing for me. And what's this rumor about Roy and a 2 year contract? Ugh!

[Scott M]

I was like ozzie and curious to see who they would get at 18 (melo, rivers, other sg), but another facet is Budinger is cheap (less than a million a year) and can walk away after next year. They will have some cap space to try and bring some more talent to MN.

[ted4887]

They will have some cap space to try and bring some more talent to MN.

I think that is probably biggest reason for us trading this pick for Budinger.

[Scott K]

We have 2 1st round draft picks next year. Beal was the only one I really wanted out of this draft, and there was no way we were going to move up that far. This trade doesnt excite me much, but it doesnt really bother me much either. I still want to see a Mayo, Batum trade, but I wont hold my breath on that one. More then likely we will still get Crawford, and we will have our wing help. No stars, but better then what we had. Which if we would of had them last year, we would have been a dangerous team, until everyone got hurt.

[oleWalter]

Exactly. Budinger isn't a sexy name to be trading a first rounder for but he shot 48% from the corner 3 last year. And to the guy who said he isn't better than Martell, are you kidding me???

[Juan Grande]

Maybe a slight upgrade, but nothing to get excited about.

[CJH]

This was a bad draft year anyway. When the #1 pick is known for defense and not scoring potential.........