55 days without a notable Wolves transaction. The wait is over.

Chris Tomasson of FSN was seemingly the first to report. I'll spare the white jokes: Kahn has signed banger PF Lou Amundson to a 1-year, guaranteed, minimum salary deal. Amundson, 29, played with Indiana last year averaging 3.5 points and 3.7 boards in 60 games for the Pacers. Lou brings an interior toughness to the team. While he is not overly skilled, he fills the bench utility big role of Anthony Tolliver, an energy guy who will work his tail off and piss off the opposition. It remains to be seen how many minutes he will get playing behind D-Will and Cunningham off the bench, but Lou is a serviceable bench big and a safer pickup than Hassan Whiteside (although plenty of good arguments could be made as to why Hassan would have been the better signing). This leaves the Wolves' current roster at 14 players, leaving 1 more spot  that may very likely go unused for now. It seems that, barring a trade, this is the roster you will see to start the season. Lou is a solid acquisition, but I am slightly surprised Kahn didn't go for a true center to help spell Pek and Stiemsma, two centers with feet about twice their respective ages. However, the 14th roster spot is nothing to lose sleep over. Lou is a good pickup at that price.

The writing is on the wall: Anthony Tolliver is a  long shot to be back at this point given the dearth of Power Forwards on the roster. As much as we loved Tolly the person, his season last year was sub-par at best. Hopefully he gets the money he felt he deserved and a solid role elsewhere. 

Editor's Note: Recently TwolvesBlog invited the TimberTrolls to become members of our writing staff. The TimberTrolls are primary Spanish-speaking so pardon the language barrier! We welcome their pictures, .gifs and videos with open arms and hope you enjoy their posts throughout the season and beyond. Before the season kicks into gear, they will post some of their old favorites, as well as some pictures that never really made it onto their Facebook or Twitter pages last season. Here is their first post:

 

Hi Everyone!
 

We are the TimberTrolls, a spanish timberwolves fanclub that follows the team with humor. After a great season, the team became a family. Here you can see them eating together one night:

 

Or sharing the car to go home after a match:

We start this season with changes but i hope the TimberTroll spirit won't dissapear.

The team has changed the roster and become more "white":

 

I hope we can have a great time together and be happy with our team!

 

Regards:

 

TwolvesBlog is excited to announce a partnership with the WORLD RENOWNED group of Spanish Timberwolves fans: The Minnesota TimberTrolls! The TimberTrolls are best known for their extremely hilarious pictures, .gifs, and videos featuring Ricky Rubio and the Wolves, and for spearheading international interest in the team we know and love. Content will be posted on the front page here (as well as in the Minnesota TimberTrolls section above) and can always be viewable on their Twitter, Facebook and G+ accounts linked on the right side of the page. You can read a profile of them featured in the Minneapolis City Pages here.

We here at TWB are very excited to have this group of die-hards on board and we hope you enjoy their excellent work throughout this next season! Here is a collection of highly amusing .gifs from this past season:

 

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After a crazy summer that turned our cute "puppies" into an instant playoff team, we decided to ask our TWB writers what they thought about the offseason.

1.) Is this the most anticipated season in Timberwolves history?

Mike Reynolds: I think at least in the last 8-9 years. The Cassel/Sprewell year takes the cake for most anticipated. A case could be made that last year was huge as well with Rubio and Adelman being signed and the lockout simply being over and saving Winter in Minnesota. It certainly is one of the most critical seasons in team history. I will give it a firm 2nd place, mainly because we aren't starting the year with Rubio at full health which is a huge drag. However, It is the first time since the mid-2000's we can, barring major injury, almost guarantee a winning season. A great feeling. 

Jon Schweppe: Given the complete lack of anything resembling decent professional basketball in Minnesota for almost a decade (except the Lynx, of course), I'd have to say yes. We started to seem our team's transformation last season, before Ricky went down with his ACL injury, but I anticipate incredibly competitive basketball this year and quite a few sell-out crowds at the Target Center. Personally, I can't wait.

Erik Cox: 2nd only to the MV3 year. That was a more popular team in general, plus Ricky's injury and the goofy collection of white dudes will leave enthusiasm tempered until the team produces. 

John Grooms: Most will point to the Sprewell/Casell/KG run as the season fans licked their chops over but I’ll go on a whim and say this year is the most anticipated.  Similar to that season, there is an established franchise player finally receiving support from recognizable stars in the league.  Kirilenko and Roy may not receive the same draw Sprewell and Casell offered, but I’d argue that they are joining more fan friendly players than existed in the 2003-04 roster. With Love, Rubio and Pekovic, this team has become a league pass favorite almost overnight and a team that spectators are begging to entertain them.  Fans may not feel as much confidence heading into this season as they did eight years ago but I think more than ever there is a feeling this team will be both ‘fun’ and ‘good.’

College Wolf: Taking into consideration the entire overall pulse of the fanbase, I don't think you can say with complete certainty that this is THE most anticipated season in the short history of the franchise. I am sure that for some fans, yes, the will most definitely be their own personal 'most anticipated' season.  But don't get me wrong, and I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, as this is certainly in the Top 5 as far as this subjective measurement metric goes. 

The MV3 Western Conference Finals season was probably the most anticipated, and possibly the follow-up season as well.  Granted, 04-05 was a total dud of a year, but the anticipation was massive coming off our near-Finals appearance. I don't think anyone can deny either of those seasons.  
And then you have the initial season of the franchise back in '89.  For a hoops fan in Minnesota, how could THAT not be one of the most anticipated? I mean, we were finally getting our very own NBA franchise!  Heck, even last season (Rubio... finally, yay!) was pretty darn anticipated as well, especially considering the rising star that K-Love has become.

So while this season is very anticipated to most fans, I do think Rubio's injury does put a slight damper on things.  As far as I can tell, he won't be back before December from what I've been reading.

Click "Read More" to check out the rest of the responses!

Nearly everyone is looking at the Wolves to make a climb in rankings this season.  With an offseason that brought Brandon Roy, Alexey Shved, Greg Stiemsma, Chase Budinger, Andrei Kirilenko and Dante Cunnigham, the expectations for this team will be higher than ever.  While nearly every new player signed is a strong improvement from those who've departed, the team is still deficient in several areas, most notably defense.

Last year, the Wolves ranked 25th out of the NBA's 30 teams in Defensive Rating according to basketball-reference.com.  Even with a rebounding monster in Kevin Love and the goliath of a man that is Nikolai Pekovic, the Wolves were barely able to hold their own against competition on the defensive end.  With a revamped roster and a full training camp, it's worth asking if the Wolves will figure out how to better limit opponent's possesions and make the necessary improvements to propel them to league averages.

Before examining how the new roster additions will affect the Wolves' defenesive woes, let's evaluate who were the biggest contributors this past season.  Not suprisingly, the stars of this team were those who provided the most value.  Love secured the most defensive rebounds, Pekovic held the best blocking percentage and Rubio became one of the most lovable thiefs to ever grace this fine sport.  Yet, none of these players proved themselves to be the complete package defensively.  Even Love, the lone All-Star, is still to this day largely criticized for his defensive shortcomings.  This season, it's likely the Wolves will rely more on the continued improvement of Pekovic and pray for greater contributions from players like Derrick Williams and Luke Ridnour.

Williams will surely be the prayer most in doubt.  Depending on how you view the glass, you either believe Williams needs more time to reach his potential or his play thus far has already proved his ceiling.  Although most will look to his offensive game to determine whether he's worth keeping, his defensive value should also be harshly judged.  During the 2011-12 season, Williams averaged 3.5 defensive rebounds and finished second behind Love in defensive rebounding percentage.  As he tries to shape himself into a small forward this season, it will be interesting to see how greatly these numbers change.  It's likely Adelman will look for Williams to be more active on the boards and more importanly play his assignments with a greater focus and agressiveness.  If he can be more locked in, Williams could provide the defensive boost that would lead to a better transition game for the Wolves bench unit.

Unlike Williams, Ridnour will not be expected to make any great leaps but instead produce minor advancements to become the defensive guard missing in this roster while Rubio is away.  Lest we forget, Ridnour was perhaps the most stable presence on this team following Rubio's injury.  He brought energy, desire and control each night as the Wolves' starting point guard- at least offensively.  The team will look to Ridnour this year to strive for the tenacity Rubio brought each game.  Ridnour's defensive win shares were equal to Pekovic's this past season, proving he was capable of stepping up defenesively when it mattered most; it will be even more important this season that Ridnour continues this trend.  It's clear that management still holds Ridnour's professionalism and modest talent in high regards; with all hope he proves once again capable of leading this team during Rubio's absence, this time around with a defensive edge.

Fortunately, Ridnour will have more help than he did last season with newcomers clearly able to bring more dedication than many of his prior teammates.  Kirilenko, Roy, Shved, Stiemsma, Budinger and Cunningham should all help get this team off to a better start and provide key support during late-game situations.  Right off the bat, fans should notice holes being filled by the team's new talent.  Specifically, shot-blocking, an almost non-existent feature of the team, will be aided by Kirilenko and Stiemsma's time on the floor.  For two seasons in Utah, Kirilenko averaged 3 blocks per game (BPG) and last year Stiemsma averaged 1.5 BPG in just over 13 minutes per game.  Both players will be able to prevent fellow small and power forwards from getting to the rim.  Those that may have been invincible against the Wolves last season (Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, etc.) will have a much more difficult time finding open driving lanes.

Perimeter defense is another area requiring major adjustments.  Ridnour can occasionally provide a spark for this team but otherwise the Wolves often find themselves turning heads as faster and more athletic guards blow by them.  Unfortunately, the additions of Roy and Shved only resolve this issue to a minor degree.  Shved showed in the Olympics that he often had trouble sticking to his man and failed to readjust through mismatches.  Roy can similarly be quite passive on defense, a quality that may be even more emphasized due to his lingering injuries.  With no cartilage in his knees, it's doubtful Roy will easily be able to get around screens or move laterally at all.  Unless Shved turns into another player entirely, it's hard to believe either of these guys will be able to handle the speed and athleticism of their peers.

The best cure for this team's guards and overall defensive weaknesses will be Rick Adelman.  His experience, extrordinary use of in-game lineups and unrivaled reputation for extracting players' strengths should all point to noticable progressions from the whole roster.  Furthermore, a full training camp should be able to show Adelman's coaching staff who signals the most defensive promise.  With practice time and strict direction, it's possible even poor defenders like Shved will ratchet up their play a notch or two.

With the evidence presented and predictions drawn, the fairest conclusion is the 2012-13 Wolves will improve defenesively but not dramatically so.  There is so much room for this team to grow but their offensive strides are likely to be much more apparent early on than any defensive adjustments. With the excitement surrounding the Wolves offseason moves, it's easy to begin forming fantasies of what this team could be.  However, while these Wolves could be a top 10 defensive team in this league, it's more probable they will fall somewhere in the middle of the pack.  That kind of jump should not inspire disappointment but rather a more realistic goal to reach for.

A look back at the Cherokee Parks era.
Update: this prompted a quick search for a Googs throwback mix. Enjoy.
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Per a team release, the Wolves have announced a franchise-record 78 games will be televised locally/nationally this season.. This is great news for fans who, unless you dropped a cool $175 for NBA League Pass, had to miss several big games last season when the Wolves were making a January/February run. Channels are MY29, FSNN, FSN+, NBATV, TNT and ESPN. Here is the schedule in case you are desperately craving news and just want to study it closer. 

 

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The Wolves currently have 13 guaranteed contracts on the roster, leaving two roster spots available to round it out with washed-up veterans, novelty players and/or Caucasian prospects. Let's take a look at the best of what's left.

Needs:

1. Nothing special. An additional big body, preferably a traditional center. But PF's who can rotate in and defend/fill a spot/simply not be a liability should be considered. 

2. A reserve swingman. With Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko both being susceptible to injury, it is only a matter of time before Luke Ridnour could be playing small forward in crunch time again. And while this shockingly worked in several big games last year, such a situation is about as ideal as spending an eternity in Hell unwrapping CD cellophane wrap (the bane of human existence).

3. Not much else other than perhaps a talent consolidation via trade, but that is not the purpose of this. It's safe to say a PG is generally not needed at this point. Thus, any such player will be omitted from the remaining dudes (or dudettes in Jonny Flynn's case). Combo guards in the build of Luke Ridnour and Barea were also omitted. A guard added would ideally be able to defend the small forward position, and is more a SG/SF-type.

4. A novelty player! Lets do this!

5. A veteran, quality locker room guy.

Cash Available: None. Minimum salary exception only as the Wolves are over the cap.

Now that the filter has been placed on the list, here are some free-agent possibilities:

CLICK "READ MORE" TO SEE THE LIST

 

 

Dwight Howard will keep his beaming smile much to the chagrin of teams and fans across the league.  After a year of committing some of the biggest PR blunders in NBA history, Howard has found himself in exactly the position he had hoped for- competing for a championship in a highly lucrative market.   As part of a four-team trade on Friday, Howard became the newest center for the Los Angeles Lakers, continuing the team’s long tradition of acquiring All Star big men in highly expensive fashion.  When one considers what past Lakers centers (Shaq, Kareem and Wilt) have done during their career in Southern California, there is reason to believe Dwight and his new teammates may pose a serious threat to the Western Conference competitors in the foreseeable future.

With Howard now on the starting roster, the Lakers are a true powerhouse in the league.  By joining Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol, the Lakers’ starting five will have accounted for 33 All Star appearances.  If that fact alone does not give rivals cause for fear, it is also worth noting the Lakers have improved their bench considerably by adding Jodie Meeks this past week and Antawn Jamison earlier this summer.  Simply put, the team is stacked.  Only a few teams will have a roster that can not only handle but also compete with this talent.  The Thunder will still be able to hold their own due to their speed, athleticism and any improvement from Durant, Ibaka, Harden and Westbrook this offseason.  However, there is another team that might be able to shake this Lakers cage- your very own Minnesota Timberwolves.

While this prediction seems bold and arguably outrageous given the Wolves’ past shortcomings, there is reason to not only entertain this possibility but perhaps even take it seriously.  Here are the factors to consider when examining these teams against each other: roster matchups, Adelman’s coaching success and looming risks for the Lakers.

1.  Roster Matchups

There are only a few centers in the league that can match the strength and size of Dwight Howard.  There are even fewer centers that can actually slow him down.  One could argue a member of this select party is Nikolai Pekovic. In their one meeting this season, Pekovic was able to put Howard in foul trouble early and hold him to a mere 4-11 shooting.  Alternatively, Pekovic was able to score 16 points and grab 13 boards, proving he was a player to be watched throughout the season.

If Howard and Pekovic are indeed the elephants of the league, then consider Rubio and Nash the respective mice.  Just in the way that Nash can find more holes than Swiss cheese in a team’s defense, so can Rubio.  Their craftiness and overall court vision is unrivaled amongst their peers, making them the perfect matchup for this scenario.  Before his injury, Rubio barely trailed Nash in APG and quickly became the trusted leader of the Wolves squad.  If Kobe does not embrace Nash’s play the way the Wolves did with Rubio, it is possible Rubio could have an edge over his elder.

We saw in yesterday’s Olympic final that Love was desperately needed to battle Pau Gasol throughout the third and fourth quarter.  Love was able to quickly limit Gasol's output and secure key rebounds to help lead the US to victory.  Like Gasol, Love was incredibly valuable to his Olympic team in generating extra possessions from his size and work on the boards.  But consider this stat per Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune- Pau Gasol & Kevin Love grabbed 61 rebounds each (most in Olympics). The difference- their minutes on the court: Gasol (228) & Love (138).  Love is considered by many to be the best power forward in the game right now.  While he might not be as strong defensively as Gasol, he is arguably the more valuable commodity due to his three point shooting and rebounding skills.

Bryant and Roy may not appear comparable in the slightest; however, even they own some distinct similarities.  Both are recovering from the same blood-spinning procedure they took on this past year.  Their success hinges on whether their knees can continue to battle the swelling and soreness as they play on.  Bryant has proven he can still compete at a high level, inspiring Roy to pursue the same goal.  Over the course of the next season, we will see if this surgery is truly revolutionary or simply a band-aid for greater ailments.  On a side note, one can also not deny that before Roy went out he was one of the best closers in the game, a role that he and Bryant will likely take upon themselves even as they battle injuries.

2. Rick Adelman’s Past Success

Think back to the ‘Sacramento Queens,’ labeled as such by Shaquille O’Neal when he proclaimed “We ain’t scared of the Sacramento Queens” during the 2002 Western Conference Finals.   This Sacramento Kings squad, coached by Rick Adelman, was desperately close to reaching the NBA Finals and making Shaq and his fellow Lakers the butt of their own joke.  The Kings nearly defeated the mighty Lakers if not for some timely whistles, still highly controversial to this day.  This hard fought series became the heart of the Donaghy allegations and its egregious calls still leaves a lasting stain on basketball a decade later.  Spectators across the league were left to ask “What if?”, wondering if Adelman’s Kings were robbed for a chance at basketball glory.

Fast-forward to today and you’ll notice the 2012 Timberwolves seem to mirror that 2002 Kings squad with each team built around supreme foreign talent (Rubio, Kirilenko, Pekovic/ Turkoglu, Stojakovic and Divac) and players capable of knocking down corner threes (Budinger, Shved, Roy/ Jackson, Christie, Stojakovic) and effectively cutting to the basket.  Add a once-in-a-generation forward/center hybrid in Love and Webber and one can dream these Wolves may go just as deep into the playoffs.  The one person that will be able to shape this team into a strong playoff competitor is Rick Adelman.  His unique ability to manage  game lineups and draw the most from young talent could very well take these Wolves further than most expect.

3.  Looming Risks for Lakers

Adelman is largely considered one of the best coaches in the league; the same cannot be said for Lakers coach Mike Brown.  Many wondered if Brown would even return to coach the Lakers after losing to the Thunder in last year’s playoffs.  Back for another shot, it will be championship or bust for Brown.   Unlike Adelman, Brown is not nearly as effective at toying with lineups and tapping into his players’ innate talents.  This fault leaves room for other teams to exploit the Lakers, forcing mismatches upon them and changing the tempo of the game.

The Lakers may also be forced to learn once again that the first time isn’t always a charm.  We have seen multiple times throughout NBA history that chemistry doesn’t always develop within one season.  Even after securing Shaq, Kareem and Wilt, the Lakers were never able to make the championship their first year.  With nagging injuries plaguing Nash, Howard and Bryant, this season may be an even greater test for how quickly this team can mesh together.  Wolves should view this situation as an excellent opportunity to not only make a splash in the playoffs but also threaten the Lakers if they ever see each other in the postseason.

 

The NBA is a league of favorites.  Spectators and fans alike are more prone to make guarantees than to consider upsets and favor underdogs.  More opinions will state with confidence that the Lakers are going to the Championship than the Wolves will make it past the first round of the playoffs.  Let’s say the Lakers secure the #1 or 2 playoff seed and the Wolves land in the 7^th or 8^th spot.  Who’s to say there isn’t a fighting chance for the team with more lakes than celebrities? Maybe there isn’t enough supporting evidence to make an argument for this case and this article is just a shot in the dark.  One way or another, there is always room for hope and the potential for history to be made.

One step closer...!!! no comments