Not Quite There Yet (The Timberwolves Odyssey)
A year ago I stated that "things were looking up in Minneapolis." (If you don't believe me read it here) Well unfortunately for them, it may have to wait at least one more year. Why do you ask? I can sum it up in one word:
INJURIES
Here's what the I/R looked like for this tumultuous season:
Brandon Roy missed 77 games
Chase Budinger missed 66 games
Alexey Shved missed 10 games
Nikola Pekovic missed 23 games
Ricky Rubio missed 32 games
Kevin Love missed 64 games
Andrei Kirilenko missed 18 games
JJ Barea missed 8 games
That's basically their entire rotation hurt at one point or another. The only guy who didn't miss a game this season was Luke Ridnour. Ridnour was the model of consistency for them this year. He started at both guard positions throughout the year, depending on Rubio's injury, and put up 12 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds a game. I would call him their MVP if it weren't for Rubio going on a tear the latter half of the season. Still, would you expect him to be still kicking 10 years in?
Rubio came into this season hobbling from last year's knee surgery. The Wolves smartly put him on a minute-restriction when he came back, instead of just throwing him right into the fire. It took him a while to get cooking, but man, post-All-Star breaks down like this: 13 PPG, 8 APG, 5 RPG, and a league-leading 2.9 SPG.
The city of Minneapolis has totally embraced him, and from what it seems, he ACTUALLY enjoys it there. He wants them to win obviously, but even if Love does bail in a couple of seasons, there is still a bright spot. Rubio is a terrific pure point guard, and makes the game easier for his teammates, and with the added bonus of being fun to watch. If he could develop a jumper I seriously think he could be in the conversation of elite point guards. I'm not saying THE best, but in the ballpark of your CP3's, Rondo's, and D-Rose's.
As for Love it was a pretty symbolic season for him that paralleled the team as a whole; injury-plagued. As I mentioned earlier, he missed 64 games. He put up his awesome stats when he did play, but I'm a little concerned he may start to be an injury risk seeing as how not only did he re injure the same hand this year, but has missed chunks of every season due to various injuries. Let's hope next year he is fully healthy because he may be on borrowed time in Minnesota.
Pekovic is a lot like Love in the fact that he is injured way more than anyone would like. However when he is on the floor he can get it done. 17 and 9 is what you want from your center, and Pek could very well be an all-star someday if he can stay on the floor. Had he not missed any time, he probably would have been the Wolve's MVP for the overall season.
Nobody knew who Alexey Shved was coming into the year. Now, he is a rotation player for probably any team. He's 6'6" and can play either guard position or small forward, and can shoot lights out on certain nights. I witnessed him drain 4 straight three's in person. In December with Rubio still out, Shved was starting and averaged 11.4 PPG 2.8 RPG 5.8 APG and 1.1 SPG. That's great numbers for role player-let alone a rookie. Shved should be a big part of the T-Wolves future, (and everyone loves to pronounce his name in the process). Maybe Kahn isn't such a moron at drafting after all.
Chase Budinger was also hurt most of the year (shocking!). However, his return at the end of the season was welcomed with open arms. Like Shved, he is a young gun that hopefully will be part of the T-Wolves future for years to come.
The Wolves signed two guys in the off season that had me shaking my head. Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko. Roy had "retired" with basically each knee hanging on by a thread, and Kirilenko had been overseas the past year, but even before that was a shell of his former self from his days of being one of the most versatile players in the league.
Well Roy was a huge gamble, and didn't pay off at all. But, had he been just half as good as he used to be, that would have been a steal actually. He wasn't, and probably never will be again, it's quite sad actually.
Kirilenko on the other hand was a pleasant surprise. Yes he missed games, but he always has, and we are talking about Minny, they make the Lakers' injury plagued season look pretty tame. I digress. AK47 seemed focused this year. He was a defensive presence on a team that sorely needed it. He fit the system, and really was better than anyone could have hoped for at this stage in his career.
Derrick Williams, has so far been labeled a bust, but with post-all star numbers of 15 and 6, he is starting to show promise. Granted he also got more minutes with Love being out. It is nice to know that he is capable of delivering when needed.
So yes, injuries permitting, next year is the year. Assuming they can resign free agents Pek, Budinger, and AK47. Pek being the top priority because let's face it, quality centers are hard to come by anymore. That said, I think the Wolves can be a lower-seeded playoff team even in the stacked Western Conference.
INJURIES
Here's what the I/R looked like for this tumultuous season:
Brandon Roy missed 77 games
Chase Budinger missed 66 games
Alexey Shved missed 10 games
Nikola Pekovic missed 23 games
Ricky Rubio missed 32 games
Kevin Love missed 64 games
Andrei Kirilenko missed 18 games
JJ Barea missed 8 games
That's basically their entire rotation hurt at one point or another. The only guy who didn't miss a game this season was Luke Ridnour. Ridnour was the model of consistency for them this year. He started at both guard positions throughout the year, depending on Rubio's injury, and put up 12 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds a game. I would call him their MVP if it weren't for Rubio going on a tear the latter half of the season. Still, would you expect him to be still kicking 10 years in?
Rubio came into this season hobbling from last year's knee surgery. The Wolves smartly put him on a minute-restriction when he came back, instead of just throwing him right into the fire. It took him a while to get cooking, but man, post-All-Star breaks down like this: 13 PPG, 8 APG, 5 RPG, and a league-leading 2.9 SPG.
The city of Minneapolis has totally embraced him, and from what it seems, he ACTUALLY enjoys it there. He wants them to win obviously, but even if Love does bail in a couple of seasons, there is still a bright spot. Rubio is a terrific pure point guard, and makes the game easier for his teammates, and with the added bonus of being fun to watch. If he could develop a jumper I seriously think he could be in the conversation of elite point guards. I'm not saying THE best, but in the ballpark of your CP3's, Rondo's, and D-Rose's.
As for Love it was a pretty symbolic season for him that paralleled the team as a whole; injury-plagued. As I mentioned earlier, he missed 64 games. He put up his awesome stats when he did play, but I'm a little concerned he may start to be an injury risk seeing as how not only did he re injure the same hand this year, but has missed chunks of every season due to various injuries. Let's hope next year he is fully healthy because he may be on borrowed time in Minnesota.
Pekovic is a lot like Love in the fact that he is injured way more than anyone would like. However when he is on the floor he can get it done. 17 and 9 is what you want from your center, and Pek could very well be an all-star someday if he can stay on the floor. Had he not missed any time, he probably would have been the Wolve's MVP for the overall season.
Nobody knew who Alexey Shved was coming into the year. Now, he is a rotation player for probably any team. He's 6'6" and can play either guard position or small forward, and can shoot lights out on certain nights. I witnessed him drain 4 straight three's in person. In December with Rubio still out, Shved was starting and averaged 11.4 PPG 2.8 RPG 5.8 APG and 1.1 SPG. That's great numbers for role player-let alone a rookie. Shved should be a big part of the T-Wolves future, (and everyone loves to pronounce his name in the process). Maybe Kahn isn't such a moron at drafting after all.
Chase Budinger was also hurt most of the year (shocking!). However, his return at the end of the season was welcomed with open arms. Like Shved, he is a young gun that hopefully will be part of the T-Wolves future for years to come.
The Wolves signed two guys in the off season that had me shaking my head. Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko. Roy had "retired" with basically each knee hanging on by a thread, and Kirilenko had been overseas the past year, but even before that was a shell of his former self from his days of being one of the most versatile players in the league.
Well Roy was a huge gamble, and didn't pay off at all. But, had he been just half as good as he used to be, that would have been a steal actually. He wasn't, and probably never will be again, it's quite sad actually.
Kirilenko on the other hand was a pleasant surprise. Yes he missed games, but he always has, and we are talking about Minny, they make the Lakers' injury plagued season look pretty tame. I digress. AK47 seemed focused this year. He was a defensive presence on a team that sorely needed it. He fit the system, and really was better than anyone could have hoped for at this stage in his career.
Derrick Williams, has so far been labeled a bust, but with post-all star numbers of 15 and 6, he is starting to show promise. Granted he also got more minutes with Love being out. It is nice to know that he is capable of delivering when needed.
So yes, injuries permitting, next year is the year. Assuming they can resign free agents Pek, Budinger, and AK47. Pek being the top priority because let's face it, quality centers are hard to come by anymore. That said, I think the Wolves can be a lower-seeded playoff team even in the stacked Western Conference.
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