Minnesota Timberwolves

Starting Five		Player Rating
C	Ervin Johnson	4
PF	Kevin Garnett	10
SF	Wally Sczcerbiak	7.5
SG	Latrell Sprewell	7.5
PG	Sam Cassell	8
		37

* Player Rating on a 1 to 10 Scale. 10 denotes best at position in the NBA with no weaknesses, 5 would be average player who holds his own etc.

Reserves		Position Rating
C	Michael Olowokandi	5
PF	Gary Trent / Mark Madsen	7
SF	Trenton Hassell / Ndudi Ebi	7
SG	Fred Hoiberg	7
PG	Troy Hudson / Blake Stepp	8
		34

* Ratings based on ability of bench to fill in a position. More than one backup at a position would influence the rating as would one player's ability to play multiple positions. For eg. Wally and Spree's flexibility makes a three man rotation at SG and SF which gives a higher bench rating than Hassell alone deserves and it affects both bench positions.

Sep '04

Minnesota did everything they needed to -- re-signed all their players from last year. I really think they should stick with their lineup rather than do something drastic like going after Kidd. They have the perfect set-up right now: two aging stars with expiring contracts and two young stars with long contracts. Not to forget last season's MVP in his prime and who could be even better this year as his offensive game has improved every season. Some consistency from the center position is their only real need.

Minny is also supposed to be courting Malone. Guess that would leave Garnett playing center, a position he would dominate. Besides Shaq, he wins every other matchup at center -- even against Duncan.

Would Flip have the guts to do this on a constant basis? Have Garnett play center in an improvised role, a combination of what Olajuwon did in Houston and what Vlade did in Sacto. A little further away from the ring, facing up rather than back to basket with the offense going through him.

Putting another PF next to Garnett makes Minny a fast, flexible team and even Madsen is an improvement over Johnson/Kandiman. Of course, if they don't get Malone, then it becomes a change of pace option rather than their main option.

Lastly, give Wally a chance. His outside shooting and running the court ought to go well with both Cassell and Spree, especially since he usually makes his move without holding onto the ball for too long. He was just settling into his game last year and a long off-season of work rather than recuperation should see him at his best this year.

 

Old Post -- July '04

Needs:
The Wolves need to resign Troy Hudson desperately. He's a great match with Sam, providing a change of pace and can even slot in alongside him occassionally. A line-up of Hudson, Spree, Wally, Garnett and Madsen would be one of the quickest in the NBA and would drive opponents nuts. Look for Minny to go after another experienced PG as insurance if Stepp can't contribute right away. Hoiberg should also be resigned and may fill that need while also providing backup at SG.

Backup Point Guard
Troy Hudson would be their first choice but if his price goes above their ability to pay, they may go after someone like Carlos Arroyo or Greg Anthony/Kenny Anderson from the Pacers.

Center
Would the Warriors consider a sign-and-trade of Olowokandi for Dampier? Its better than losing him for nothing. But would the Wolves give Dampier the large contract he wants? Since he left a lot of money on the table, at least one team has probably offered him about $10 million per year for 4-5 years.

Prediction: If they can lock up Hudson and light a fire under the Kandi man, there is no reason they can't win the West again especially since they should have Wally for the whole year. They need to keep Sam and Spree's minutes in the low 30s to avoid them wearing down by the playoffs, even if it means sacrificing a few wins. That would also keep Wally and Hudson happy...