Our honest first reaction to yesterday’s announcement of a Chris Simon trade was this: the Wild is going to miss the playoffs. Right now, you could say the Wild is only two points out of the No. 3 seed. You could also say they’re three points from the No. 9 seed, which would be out off the playoffs. If their 4-1 loss last night — preceded by a dreadful week and on the heels of the most head-scratching local trade we can recall since Cassell and a No. 1 for Jaric — is any indication, the latter scenario is more likely. Colorado, the team three points behind them, made itself infinitely better in the past few days by acquiring Peter Forsberg and blueline depth. The past week for the Wild and recent weeks for the Wolves have forced us to ask a very strange question: which team will win more games next season? We put the over-under on the Wolves at around 32 victories next season. Call us crazy, but we think the past 16 games tell us far more about the local NBA squad than the 5-34 start. Included in that 7-9 mix are victories over Golden State, Phoenix and (last night) Utah, as well as close losses to Boston (twice), San Antonio, Houston and Dallas (tied into the fourth quarter). Add a draft pick, a full year of Randy Foye and another year of experience for the kids next year, and they could be somewhat frisky. The Wild? We’re just not sure. Two weeks ago, we were sold. We were convinced, based on their play to that point and the nature of their contract situations, that this was the year they would make a deadline move that made them a legitimate contender and at least pushed them into the conference semis. Maybe Simon will prove everybody wrong. Maybe Doug Risebrough will be vindicated. But on the flip side, maybe this will end poorly enough for the unthinkable to become possible next season: the Wolves outplaying the Wild.

Fasola-link! Buford T. Justice.

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