Before you get mad at the headline and think I’m an idiot:
Yes, I wrote it. Yes, I’m aware that Rob Dillingham and J.J. McCarthy are different players for different teams in, most importantly, different sports.
Comparisons between the two require a little bit of imagination.
And yet that’s where my head went on Thursday, Feb. 5, when we received word that the Wolves were trading Dillingham as part of a larger deal with the Chicago Bulls to land Ayo Dosunmu.
I talked about the trade at the start of Thursday’s Daily Delivery podcast and will no doubt have more to say on Friday’s show.
At the start of today’s 10 things to know, let’s look at some of how Dillingham and McCarthy were living parallel lives, at least until Thursday:
- Both were big swings near the top of their respective drafts in 2024: Dillingham No. 8 overall after the Wolves pulled off a trade with the San Antonio Spurs (the centerpiece of which was an unprotected 2031 first-round pick) and McCarthy No. 10 overall with the Vikings after they had maneuvered and traded up to ensure they would be able to draft a coveted QB.
- It was hoped that both would solve problems that have vexed their teams for a long time. The Wolves have been searching for a long-term point guard for years, while the Vikings have a spotty history drafting and developing QBs.
- Both were very young for their draft classes: McCarthy was just 21 when picked and was the youngest of six QBs taken in the first round that year. Dillingham was 19. Given their ages, it was assumed that both would need at least a year to develop before they could potentially step in as meaningful contributors. Thus the 2025 season was huge for both second-year players.
- But McCarthy and Dillingham both faltered. McCarthy had a hard time staying healthy and struggled on the field as the Vikings fell to 4-8. He was better down the stretch, but long-term questions about his future remain. Dillingham struggled with regular rotation minutes early this season before being relegated to garbage time in recent months.
- The Wolves pivoted in trading Dillingham, essentially admitting he wasn’t the right player or fit on this team even though they received nowhere near the value they spent to acquire him. McCarthy’s rookie year injury probably buys him more time than two seasons, but you never know. Like I wrote earlier this week, the firing of GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah means McCarthy has lost a likely ally. We will find out what Kevin O’Connell really thinks of McCarthy in the coming months.
- Star Tribune Wolves writer Chris Hine wrote more about Dillingham and the Wolves’ continued pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo in our live blog ahead of Thursday’s 2 p.m. NBA trade deadline.
- But ESPN is reporting that Giannis isn’t going anywhere before the deadline.
- La Velle E. Neal III and I talked about Giannis and Minnesota United’s pursuit of James Rodríguez on Thursday’s podcast.
- The Wild have already had 23 games go to overtime this season. They have 13 wins in overtime or a shootout in those games, including a 6-5 overtime victory over Nashville on Wednesday night heading into the Olympic break.
- I enjoyed Bobby Nightengale’s story on the connection between Twins pitcher Bailey Ober and Patriots QB Drake Maye.
