In the latest installment of the Rhino Diaries, Craig Smith talks about how he got his nickname from the team's "Name The Rookies" contest last season. Smith also reports back on some of the team's recent activities: 

During the bus-ride back to the Istanbul castle that we're staying in, Al (Jefferson) and Gerald (Green) had their joking session on each other, in which Gerald said Al's nose is so big he could smell a thousand miles away. Al came back by saying Gerald looks like Juvenile (the rapper who used to be with Cash Money Records ... If you don't know who he is or what he looks like Google him, it's funny).
 

 

From the Associated Press:

People in the Midwest are a typically patient bunch, but there isn't much willingness to wait for Minnesota's teams to turn around their struggles and perform at a consistently better level.

 

 

The Old Timberwolves Logo - Giving Foye A Shot 

 

 

Mike Trudell/Timberwolves site posts video of an interview with Randy Foye from media day.  

 

 

The Wolves come in last in John Denton/Hoopsworld's power rankings.  

 

 

In a conference call with the media, Coach Wittman says about the team's second-round pick:

Chris Richard has come in and established himself as a banger, and does all of the dirty work. He's rebounding the ball really well.

 

On whether Al Jefferson was more "assertive" in practice yesterday, Coach Wittman said:

Today he was much better.

 

 

From Mark Madsen's blog at the Pioneer Press:

Rumor has it that the NBA is going to pay for the rim Chris Richard broke last night in practice. That way, Glen Taylor won't have to write the check for that. Ha! After resolving that accident, we were graciously invited back there tomorrow night -- to the same gym -- if I understand correctly.  

 

 

From Rick Alonzo/Pioneer Press:

Coach Randy Wittman said one of McCants' hamstrings became sore during a scrimmage Wednesday, and the third-year guard was sidelined as a precaution. McCants warmed up and participated in drills but then noticed an issue.

Tuesday night, McCants suffered what originally was described as a cramp during that practice and sat out.

"We don't want it to become a strain or a nagging injury," Wittman said. "You don't know whether it's the soreness from the cramp or if it's the hamstring."

 

Also, Theo Ratliff returned to action Wednesday after being limited Tuesday by back stiffness...

 

 

NBA.com offers a season preview of the team.

 

 

Bill Ingram/Hoopsworld on the Hassell-Buckner trade. 

 

 

Eric Pincus/Hoopsworld on the Wolves post-Garnett.  

 

 

From Charley Walters/Pioneer Press:

Curiously, Juwan Howard, who after being acquired by the Timberwolves said he looked forward to playing with Kevin Garnett, said he hasn't had any conversations with Garnett since he was traded to Boston.

From Jeff Caplan/Star-Telegram:

Greg Buckner was disappointed the Mavs traded him to Minnesota on Friday, and making matters more complex was the fact the Timberwolves were bound for training camp the next day -- in Istanbul, Turkey. 

Buckner's agent informed him that he technically had a week to join the T'wolves if he needed more time, but Buckner immediately flew to Minneapolis to join his new teammates. 

As a parting gift, Buckner will receive a bonus of about $560,000, 5 percent of the more than $11 million left on his contract, as part of a trade kicker negotiated into his deal with the Mavs. 

The trade kicker, unusual for a mid-level salary player such as Buckner, is typically split between the two teams.

 

 

On his own blog, Mad Dog writes on sightseeing in Turkey and how Gerald Green is "an amazing talent."

 

 

Mike Moreau/Hoospworld writes that the Wolves "made out like bandits" in the Garnett trade 

 

 

Mike Trudell/Timberwolves site posted a video interview with Ryan Gomes in which the player talks about the upcoming season, his wedding, and his love of 50 Cent and poker.  

 

 

From Athlebrities.com: 

Today, as part of the NBA Cares love-tour currently making its way around Europe, the Timberwolves held an Adidas Court Dedication in Istanbul.

 

 

In a chat on ESPN , J.A. Adande is asked if the Wolves are the worst team in the leauge. 

Yes, and Kevin McHale's continued employment is just as mystifying as Isiah Thomas' 

 

 

In John Hollinger's ESPN chat, he says about the Wolves that "we know they'll stink." Hollinger is also asked if the team is "going to be able to turn Ricky Davis into a Rafer Alston, Carlos Arroyo, or Jason Williams and be able to package Jaric or Blount with Davis."

 

That's the idea, with Davis and one of the dead weight contracts to Miami for Doleac and Williams being the most workable pairing. However, I think Riley wants to exhaust all options before going that route. He already traded Davis once (straight-up for Chris Gatling, no less) and I'm not sure he's much of a fan. 

 

 

 

Click here for some of the players' responses to the media day questions.   

Assistant GM Rob Babcock with a report on training camp:

The young guys are doing well. Cory Brewer is everything that we expected, bringing defense and energy to our team. Sebastian Telfair has shown the ability to pressure the ball and run the team. Gerald Green makes an unbelievable athletic play every practice. Chris Richard brings a physical presence inside and is not afraid to bang against anyone. Randy Foye has the confidence of a year under his belt and the new players from Boston have added savvy and experience as well as low-post scoring. Our only incident so far was last night when Chris Richard dunked the ball so hard that it broke a bolt in the rim and we had to cut practice short. I don't think he did it on purpose...

 

 

 

Mark Narducci/HoopsHype on Ricky Davis' charitable contributions 

Just ask Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak, who Davis has partnered with to help in the Minneapolis Promise program. This program has served several thousand youngsters by setting up a career center, a summer job program and free college tuition. It has been funded with private and city funds and Davis has recently gotten on board.

 

“Ricky Davis is not only a great player, but he is doing great work in the community,” Rybak said. “I have found him to be so compassionate and humble.”

 

The Mayor also says:

“It’s doubtful that I will ever be a Timberwolf,” Rybak said, “but it is likely one day that Ricky could be a mayor.”

 

 

 

Wolves PR Director Mike Cristaldi also reports back from Turkey:

 

 

From Stephen Litel at the newly revamped Hoopsworld:  

For over a month prior to the official start of training camp, a majority of the Timberwolves returned to the Twin Cities for voluntary workouts. It was during this time the jumpstarting of team chemistry began. After the trade that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston, chemistry becomes even more important than before, as well as players embracing new roles.

 

 

Tony Mejia/CBS Sportsline ranks the top 50 players for the upcoming season and puts Al Jefferson at #50.

Paul Pierce made it possible for Jefferson to get a little breathing room in the paint in Boston, but he might not have that luxury with the Timberwolves. Teams are going to collapse on him in the post, but that's only going to make him better down the road. For now, though, he's in for more losing.

 

 

From Steve Bulpett/Boston Herald:

Anyone who knows both Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins [stats] knew it wouldn’t be an issue, but the two players did have some history before they were united on the Celtics.

It happened last February, when Garnett woofed at Perkins, who was on the bench and returned fire then and afterward.

From Mark Madsen's training camp blog at the Pioneer Press:

Towards the end of our second practice tonight, Chris Richard went up and dunked the ball. I was actually on the side getting treatment on my shoulder and I had my face down on the training table. So, I didn't see it, but I heard a huge crash. I looked over and he had actually broken the rim. Chris Richard had actually broken the rim! So, I hear the crash, and then I look down on the court and I see a little bolt rolling toward me at halfcourt. Then I turn and see that the basket at the far end is broken. Two seconds later, one of the banners on the wall falls down...

 

 

Ryan Gomes also updates his diary at the Star Tribune:

Tomorrow, I'll get to see more of the city. Theo Ratliff, Fred Hoiberg and I will dedicate a refurbished school basketball court and do a little clinic for the kids. It's part of the NBA Cares program, and I'm looking forward to getting out and seeing a different part of the city and meeting some of the people here.

 

 

From Rick Alonzo/Pioneer Press:

After a rigorous workout routine, Smith looks more sculpted than ever, even more toned than he appeared at the Las Vegas summer league in July. Smith has improved his strength and stamina as he begins his second NBA season, coach Randy Wittman said.

 

Smith weighs 255 pounds. He was listed at 272 last season. More than numbers, the change in his body is striking...

 

Newcomer Greg Buckner has been a pleasant surprise, providing strong leadership in training camp, Wittman said...

 

 

John Hollinger/ESPN with a team forecast that includes a 2006-2007 recap, offseason moves, biggest strengths (frontcourt scoring) and weaknesses (management), and outlook for the upcoming season ("not good").

 

 

From Charley Walters/Pioneer Press:

Look for Dwane Casey, who still has a year of salary coming on his Timberwolves coaching contract, to take a job as a college basketball TV analyst for the coming season.

 

Kevin Garnett, traded by the Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics in July, still owns two houses in Orono.

 

From DLIC/Free Darko:

I'm coming to learn that the hardest part of a rebuilding process is not getting over the magnitude of someone like KG, but dealing with all of the casualties that come with it. The Hassell/Buckner deal is clearly just a swap for a more manageable contract. Glen Taylor give me something to live for.

 

 

From Mike Max/WCCO:

It's not a first for Randy Foye or Craig Smith to play together for the Minnesota Timberwolves; they were teammates in Turkey with an All-Star team in college.

  

 

 

Steve Aschburner/SI.com with a Western Conference Primer.

Key camp question: Will Jefferson feel pressure to replace Garnett?
The Wolves can talk about a KG-by-committee approach to replace the future Hall of Famer's scoring, rebounding, passing and defense, but Jefferson was the stud in their 1-for-5 trade with the Celtics. He and Garnett have swapped lockers in Boston and Minny, and you know their stats will be compared all season.

 

 

The Wolves site has set up a separate section called Training Camp Central which features articles on the preseason as well as audio and video from the staff and players.

   

 

 

New Wolves blog The Old Timberwolves Logo on Ndudi Ebi's signing with an Israeli team. 

 

 

Mike Trudell/Timberwolves site takes a look at Al Jefferson.  

While Foye appears to be taking the next step in terms of leadership, Al has asserted his desire to take his own next step: "You never want to step back. You always want to go forward. As long as I stay healthy and go injury free, things will go well for me. I know when I step on the court that I want to win, I want to play hard, and I'm going to do what I have to do to come out with a W that night."

From NBA.com:

NBA TV will tip off its coverage with doubleheader action on Saturday, Oct. 6, beginning with a contest between the Celtics and Raptors in Rome live at 2:30 p.m. ET followed by the Timberwolves against Efes Pilsen from Istanbul on tape delay at 5:30 p.m. ET. Dave Johnson and Tim Capstraw will call the first game, while Rick Kamla and Alaa Abdelnaby will announce the second game. NBA.com will present a live webcast of the Timberwolves-Efes Pilsen game beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

 

First Craig Smith, then Ryan Gomes, and now Mark Madsen is blogging about the team's training camp in Turkey and London. Check out Mad Dog's diary at the Pioneer Press.Like the other players, he discusses the amazing hotel and the awful traffic. Below is an excerpt from his most recent post:

 

Juwan Howard is a great addition to the team. He keeps the guys nice and loose on the bus. He's been sharing a lot of stories about his time in Houston with Coach Jeff Van Gundy and Yao Ming. We were even talking about his years in the Fab Five...he has so many good basketball stories. Along with sharing stories during the bus rides, Juwan has been providing a great presence on the court with his leadership. He is always looking for ways to teach and explain things to the younger guys.   

Ryan Gomes will have a daily diary at the Star Tribune for the length of the team's training camp. From today's "entry":

"Our hotel is like staying in a castle. It reminds me of reading about the ancient times of Western civilization back when I was in school. You can see the river from our rooms, and you can sit out on the balcony and watch all the boats going back and forth [from one continent to the other].

"We haven't had any time to do any sightseeing yet, but you see so much just from our bus when we go to practice twice a day. It took us an hour to get to the arena this morning because there was a car turned upside down in one lane of a two-lane highway. Istanbul traffic is even worse than Boston traffic is."

From Rick Alonzo/Pioneer Press:

Forward Craig Smith probably won't practice with the team this week because of a sprained ankle. And it's doubtful he will see action in London next week, Wittman said. But the ankle is healing well.

The protective boot was removed Monday, and Smith worked with a trainer.

Point guard Randy Foye is one of the few Wolves who had been to Turkey.

He even practiced at the gym the Wolves are using, during the World University Games in his college days..

  

Stephen Litel/Downtown Journal on the three players who stood out on first day of training camp at the Target Center:

Sebastian Telfair was hitting his shots, making solid passes and running at a very high speed, all while helping Gerald Green to battle through his tired legs.

While running unlike I’ve seen in years from him, Juwan Howard kept pushing Mark Blount and Ryan Gomes to impress the coaching staff.

Disgruntled Marko Jaric was by far the loudest cheerleader of his team. He seemed to be so impressed, a smile or two actually formed on his face. 

David DuPree/USA Today on each team's key issue. For the Wolves:

Did they get enough for Kevin Garnett? 

From Charley Walters/Pioneer Press:

Pssst: The Timberwolves' trip to Istanbul was set up a year ago with Kevin Garnett (since traded) to be the featured attraction in Turkey.

Timberwolves executive radio producer Bill Hohenecker, who has resigned, worked more than 1,100 games for the team.

 

 

Craig Smith checks in from training camp in Istanbul via a diary on the team's site.  

So, an hour later, we got to practice. Unfortunately, I'm unable to participate because of my ankle (which looks really good and I might be back sooner than I thought). Still, guys look good fighting through the jetlag and the 110-degree gym. We finished practice, came back to the hotel, and I decided to take a swim. The pool is open 24 hours and it's right next to the bay water (which you shouldn't try alone because it can be a little scary). Since I am the Rhino, I took a swim and that put me straight to sleep. The second day came and went so fast. We have double sessions today and there were, no joke, guys dying out there giving it all they had, and I'm on the sideline riding a bike.

 

 

 

Ricky Davis on being in Turkey:

"It's a fun place," shooting guard Ricky Davis said.

 

Davis, entering his 10th year in the league, has seen his name circulated in trade rumors as the Wolves continue to mold their roster for the regular season. But he's a true veteran on a team featuring nine players who are age 25 or younger.

 

"I'm going to go out and be the leader and be the guy they need," Davis said.

 

 

The Timberwolves site posts a transcript of a conference call from Coach Wittman in which he talks about training camp thus far. On Craig Smith's ankle injury, Wittman says:

He's a lot farther along from where I though he'd be after he turned his ankle. I don't really anticipate him (playing over here).

 

 

Marc Stein/ESPN has the Wolves dead last in his first power rankings of the season. The Celtics come in at #2.  

You suspect that Mr. McHale won't mind starting Life After KG with what has to be the most faraway training camp in NBA history. Can't imagine he'll encounter too many disgruntled Wolves fans in Turkey.

 

  

Brian Mahoney/AP Sports on the Wolves and Celtics preseason matchup in London.