2008-2009 Minnesota Timberwolves outlook

An indication of the state of the franchise, I bought season tickets for the Minnesota Timberwolves for $129 last March. That’s right, $129 for 43 games…$3 per game.

Here’s the plan: I’m going to write a post-game recap after each game, but first, let’s go through the 2008-2009 roster.

Guards:

Randy Foye: After a season washed away due to injury, Foye is a score-first point guard who needs to greatly improve his penetrate and pass. He’s a decent – but not great – mid-range jump shooter who tends to get better as the game progresses into the 4th quarter. He’s a poor man’s Terrell Brandon, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of at this point. Foye’s absolutely part of the nucleus.

Sebastian Telfair: Probably the purest point guard on the team. Good vision, exceptionally quick, and has a good mid-range jumper. He’s got a real future if he can stay out of jail, which should be easier in Minnesota than in Boston.

Kevin Ollie: Just brought in to be a veteran presence. I’d rather have kept Blake Ahearn, who played extremely well in the development league last year, and deserved a shot. Ahearn’s got tremendous range, and is scrappy on defense. Ahearn is the Wolves’ Martin Nance.

Rashad McCants: Was once considered to be the second best defender and second best offensive option on the team. Then, Kevin Garnett was traded, and McCants is now neither. He is so offensively gifted that it’s truly tragic that he’s now such a defensive liability that the team can’t afford to have him on the floor. If he puts forth some effort on the defensive side of the ball, and if he stops launching 25-footers instead of participating in the team’s offense, the higher-ups won’t be as quick to trade him as they are currently.

Mike Miller: One of the purest long-range shooters in the league, and has been for the last eight years. Apparently Kevin McHale didn’t get the memo, though, that this team doesn’t need another good shooter who plays average to below average defense. That said, Miller is a nice veteran who is as unselfish as he is a leader on the floor.

Forwards:

Ryan Gomes: A decent player on a horrible team. He’s very inconsistent with his jumper, undersized to play the four and not athletic enough to guard the threes. However, I’ve heard he’s worked extremely hard on his defense, and is now one of the team’s premier defenders. The fact that he’s starting, however, is indicative of the state of the franchise.

Brian Cardinal:  A throw-in from Memphis in the trade. Thanks. Cardinal might not play more than 100 minutes this season.

Craig Smith: If this guy were three inches taller, he’d be an all-star. Exceptionally soft touch around the basket, tremendous rebounder for his size, and very strong. Built more like a linebacker than a power forward.

Rodney Carney: Considering we traded literally nothing for this guy, I don’t mind having him. Kevin McHale called him a “world class athlete” and “freakishly athletic.” Sounds like the next Ndudi Ebi.

Mark Madsen: One of the most talentless players in the history of basketball. Makes Nick Punto look like Ozzie Smith. But he’s an incredible chemistry builder, cheerleader and community guy.

Corey Brewer: The team’s best defender last season, and will again be counted on for that role this season. Brewer’s very long, quick, and has exceptionally good hands. That said, Corey Brewer is, by far, the worst shooter on the team. It’s like he sees double and shoots at the wrong basket. I was hoping for a Tayshaun Prince-type player on draft day 2007, but Brewer’s offense makes Prince’s look like Scottie Pippen’s.

Al Jefferson: Really the only guy on the team with unquestioned talent. Jefferson is an absolute monster on offense, with quick moves and good footwork. Needs to work on his passing if the inside-out game with Mike Miller is going to be any sort of a threat. His defense is decidedly poor, but we knew that coming in. McHale says he’s worked on Al’s defense, which can only mean it’s gotten worse. Jefferson should average 22-12 this season, and could make his first all-star appearance.

Kevin Love: I’m in wait-and-see mode with this guy. The Wolves traded superstar potential for current solidness when the team swapped Mayo for Love. Love supposedly possesses great shooting touch for a big man and has an outlet pass to die for.  Granted, Love plays little to no defense, and is undersized to play the five and is nowhere near athletic enough to play the four. Might be the Delmon Young to the Grizzlies’ Matt Garza.

Center:

Calvin Booth: Reminds me of a more injured Loren Woods. He’s this year’s Theo Ratliff.

Jason Collins: The team’s only true center. Great. Is Stanley Roberts available? No? How about Robert Traylor?


Overall: This will be the worst defensive team in the league, and it won’t be close. The 2008-2009 Timberwolves might give up 120 points per game. Randy Wittman is not a defensive-minded coach, and it will show. Offensively, this team has a lot of talent, especially with regard to outside shooting. With three players who shoot 40+ percent from outside – Miller,  McCants and Foye – this year’s squad can score. It’s just a matter of interior passing and draining shots. The Wolves are scarily thin in the frontcourt, so if Jefferson gets hurt or even has a mediocre season, the team won’t win many games.

Prediction: 26-56. What? It’s better than last season! Although let’s be honest, it really couldn’t have been much worse. Add a couple draft picks, and get rid of MarJar’s contract and ‘Toine’s shimmy, and the outlook is bound to trend upward.

Next: Thoughts on game 1 versus the Chicago Bulls.