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T-wolves on their way
By Derek Sullivan
Published:
Monday, September 29, 2003
This week the 2003-2004 Timberwolves begin training camp at St. John's.
Unless you are a huge Timberwolves fan, you will not recognize this team from the one that took the Lakers to six games in the spring. Gone are such long-time Timberwolves as Anthony Peeler, Joe Smith, Terrell Brandon, and Rasho Nesterovic.
Peeler was the starting two-guard for six playoff teams. Impressive? Well the Wolves were 7-19 in those playoff games. That's a .269 winning percentage that only the Detroit Tigers would be proud of.
Joe Smith, long-time friend of Kevin Garnett, is known for an illegal contract that stripped the Wolves of three first-round draft picks. Smith provided the Wolves with a guy that would do the dirty work, take charges, and provide a block or a put back basket. Unfortunately, Smith did not do enough to make up for the lost draft picks and probably needed a fresh start. He will get his start in Milwaukee.
Rasho Nesterovic played well last year, but left Minnesota to go to the hated Spurs. Forget that traitor.
Then there is Terrell Brandon. Oh, poor Terrell,the man that had to fill the void of Stephon Marbury. Brandon was a fine point guard except that he was brittle as fine china. He got hurt more than, well to be honest, I don't know anyone that got hurt that much. He will retire and who cares?
So if players leave, others must come in to replace them. So here comes an alien, a horrible dancer, a "Kandi Man," and a man known more for how he holds a neck than how he holds a basketball.
First there's the alien. That would be Sam Cassell, who is the fourth point guard since 1999 to try to replace Marbury. He takes over for Terrell Brandon and moves last year starter Troy Hudson to the sixth man role on the bench. Cassell, a career 15 points a game scorer, won two championships in the mid-nineties.
The Wolves hope that Cassell will be the clutch shooter that they have missed so badly. He can get to the hoop and score,he can shoot the three and finish the break, although Cassell is also a ball hog.
Next, there's the horrible dancer. Mark Madsen won three titles with the L.A. Lakers, and danced like a man having a seizure at the Laker's championship parades. Hopefully "Mad Dog" will bring toughness and attitude to the Wolves. Joe Smith was smaller, more expensive, and more fragile then Madsen (at least the Wolves hope so).
Like I mentioned earlier, Rasho decided to join Tim Duncan on the World Champion Spurs. When the Wolves' management heard of his decision they immediately flew out to Los Angeles to meet with Michael Olowokandi.
The "Kandi Man" is a talented and sometime lazy center, but at a solid 7-feet and 270 lbs, he's a tremendous shot blocker. Olowokandi never reached his potential with the Clippers, but the Wolves hope they can develop him with some coaching help from hall-of-famer Kevin McHale. McHale, the Wolves' Vice President, and head coach Flip Saunders, hope the Kandi Man will provide the kind of solid interior defense they have been without for so long.
Finally, there is Latrell Sprewell. The former Warrior and Knick is still known as a punk who choked his former head coach. Since that day in 1998, he has been a decent citizen in New York. He is 33-years-old, and not the explosive player he was in the '90s, but Sprewell is still another clutch player who is more athletic then 90 percent of the league.
Some worried he would complain about playing in a small market and not show up. Instead Sprewell showed up talking about winning a title with Wally and Garnett.
On the surface, everything seems to be great. Clutch shooters, hard working players, added athleticism and interior defense seems to put the Wolves toward the top of the conference. But as the saying goes, too much of anything is a bad thing.
Will there be enough basketball for six players that averaged over 13 points a game last year? Will Wally Szczerbiak enjoy playing small forward full time? Will Sam Cassell pass the ball? Will Olowokandi play hard ALL YEAR? Will all the new veteran players realize this is Kevin Garnett's team? Will the loss of good friends such as Joe Smith, Felipe Lopez and Terrell Brandon effect Garnett's attitude?
To be honest, I do not know.
I guess we will find out next spring when the Wolves will try for the eighth time to advance to the second round of the playoffs, something the Twins and Wild did just last year.
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