www.hoopsworld.com/article_23211.shtml

Good article Stephen. This season will be interesting but very fun. We really have no idea what to expect from this young team. I know that I am very eager to find out. No matter what happens, they have my support. I think that our Wolves can win the preseason game on Oct. 10.

Good breakdown.

December is going to be a BRUTAL month.

They have a chance to do some good in January and February due to the number of home games, but Feb is deceptively hard... as they play some very high caliber teams.

I'd say right now our chances of making the playoffs are between 0 and 5%. That doesn't really bother me. I just hope we get some good experience and build chemistry, while figuring out who we need to keep and develop for the future.

College Wolf is absolutely right. The main goal in this first year of the new-look Timberwolves is to develop chemistry and take a good look at the players they have acquired via the KG trade and the draft (of the recent years). Like I said in a diffenrent thread: The Wolves got to have a fine supporting cast ready when Jefferson enters his prime in a few years. Barring one of the young guys creating a monster year out of nowhere, I'd say to consider their chances of squeazing into the playoffs \"slim\" would be an exaggeration.

I am happy that the toughest month (December) will be gone by BEFORE our rookies hit the wall, and the friendly schedule at the end of the year (don't know what the Pistons bring to the table, since we'll play them twice in April) might enable the team to close out the season on a positive note, winning some games againt easier and maybe tanking competition...i dearly hope we won't be. That might create some sort of positive effect, momentum and chemistry for the 2008-2009 season.

EDIT: Sorry, almost forgot...great work, Stephen

Sanyarin wrote:

- Good analysis. The Wolves should be fun to watch, and finally we won't have to endure anymore \"tanking\" at the end of the season. That will be quite a relief. At least our youngsters should be able to play hard every game and give their all. If we win 33 or so games and have the 11th worst record (thusly losing our draft pick to the Clippers in the Cassell/Jaric trade), I don't even care. It will be a positive step forward for our young core.

Now... if we could just get rid of Blount and McCants (among a few others.)

College Wolf:
Myself:
I have read that you don't have a very high opinion on McCants and I'll admit that he now seems sort of redundant with Gerald Green around - who plays the same position, style and hasn't had microfracture surgery. But I would like to give him at least one additional season to prove himself. I guess there won't be that many suitors for him right now anyways, so we won't loose that much trade value.

Speaking of suitors, like I said I would LOVE to get rid of Blount, but is stupid enough to take him? The only way might be to deceive one poor other GM that he can't have a happy Ricky Davis - who at least might generate some interest - without his old buddy. Or maybe some contender with a rich owner can afford to trade for both (against some syntethic balls from last season) and buy out or release Blount afterwards.

Yeah, it's true... I'm not a big McCants fan. Seeing as how we currently have 16 guys for 15 spots, I'd love to dump McCants and keep Richard. However, if we end up keeping him I guess I could put up with one more season on a rookie scale contract. However, if he doesn't show us a lot this season, he's GOT to be gone.

P.S. No one will take Blount straight up. I'd be completely shocked if we could trade him for anything without having to include other young assets.