Al Jefferson's a beast and what's not to (Kevin) Love?
Kevin McHale's greatest moment as an NBA executive came back in 1995 when he gambled and drafted Kevin Garnett, who became an All-Star for more than a decade. Garnett is an NBA champion now, albeit with Boston, and will be a Hall of Famer soon enough. But what gets McHale out of bed these days is the opportunity to work with two new Minnesota big men. First there's Jefferson, one of just four 20-10 guys in the league and a dominating low-post scorer. Then there's Love, a feisty rookie from UCLA who sees the floor and loves to pass. Thos are skills that got McHale into the shrine in Springfield. Love is delighted to be working with both former Celtics, and Jefferson is happy to have more help up front.
They signed their key free agents.
No one is going to argue that Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes and Craig Smith are the keys to this or any other kingdom. But for a team that has been selling rebuilding, softly at first and then infomerical hard last season, keeping the pieces together is vital. Telfair resuscitated his flagging young NBA career last season, Gomes is a "glue'' guy who can help any team, and Smith has added some small-forward skills to his previously burly game.
What went wrong:
Point guard still is a problem.
It's Randy Foye or bust, to a large extent. The Timberwolves were encouraged by their overall play (14-25) once Foye returned from a stress reaction that cost him the first 43 games. Still, he is more Dwyane Wade than Chris Paul, and that won't do much for the other four guys who involved in each play. Telfair would be best as a third guard, and there are some who feel the throwaway draft-night deal that sent Kansas rookie Mario Chalmers to Miami could come back to haunt these guys.
Whoever wrote that lost all credibility by saying "sees the floor and he loves to pass ... are skills that got McHale into the shrine." Just proves s/he knew nothing about McHale as a player. McHale's first three options were McHale, McHale and McHale, and with great sucess. But not all tall white people are identical...
The team looks so much better then it did last season, Miller is underrated and Love is a good prospect.. i do question how he and Al will do defensively
i still cant believe they gave up Mayo though... but thats just me
They didn't give up Mayo, they exchanged him and GAVE UP Jaric, Walker, and Buckner with their contracts.
Just remember we'd still have Marko, Gomes playin lots of PF, Foye and Mayo trying the same position a lot, etc.
And don't act like a player like Mayo is never available. Joe Johnson moved for Diaw and change, Ben Gordon could move, we got Ricky Davis, etc.
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Overall it was a good summer. Then again I thought last summer was good since other than KG few players cared (then the new roster cared but never won anyway).
I' glad they didn't pick Love at 3 and just hold. The Carney deal was icing on the cake. Not a wedding cake like Boston but a nice one and maybe we'll find it's an ice cream cake if we're lucky
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Minnesota Timberwolves Summer Report Card
Minnesota Timberwolves Summer Report Card
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