What Is The Wolve's Future?

[George O'Brien]

Hassell just signed an offer from the Blazers and Troy Hudson (an unrestricted free agent) is not yet re-signed. It is not out of the question that the Timberwolves could lose both. If that happens, what is left is an aging team that may not be effective much beyond this coming season.

Three of the key Wolves are over 30: Sprewell will be 34 in September, Cassell will be 35 in November, and Ervin Johnson will be 37 in December.

Considering that Garnett and Szczerbiak are rumored to not get along and Olowokandi was notably ineffective; it is not clear there is much for the Wolves to build on beyond this season. Fred Hoiberg had a great season, but he makes Casey Jacobsen look like a super athlete. Madsen is a low skill banger and Ebi is years from becoming a player.

If the Wolves don't get Hassell and Hudson back, they could be in trouble this season. But even with them back, this team could drop back into the pack in just a year or two.

I would guess that they will be shopping Szczerbiak, but he is fairly expensive - five more years on a contract which pays $9 million. Beyond that, it is hard to see that they have much else to offer. Maybe somebody will take Olowokandi, but they won't get much for him.

This year, even without Hassell and Hudson, the Wolves are over $59 million in a year that seems certain to have luxury tax. Their financial problems will be reduced when Sprewell and Johnson come off contract next summer, but that will not get them enough cap space to do much in the free agency market.

My guess is that they will bite the bullet and match on Hassell and pay Hudson which put them well above the luxury tax level. They have little choice if they want to make one more run at getting a championship. But going forward, I don't see a lineup of Hassell, Hudson, Szczerbiak, Olowokandi, and Garnett being more than a fringe playoff team at best.

 

[NJYAJ09]

um, lets talk about the suns, ok?

 

[fordronken]

um, lets talk about the suns, ok?

Yeah. We haven't exhausted those topics yet...

 

[George O'Brien]

Yeah. We haven't exhausted those topics yet...

Actually, I think looking at the competition is relevlant. If you want to tie it to the Suns, then consider this - the Wolves are probably the second best team in the West and they aren't likely to stay there very long. The chances of the Suns getting to the finals is greatly enhanced by the fact that the Lakers are done, the Kings are shaky, the Mavs are much weaker, and Houston traded defense for offense.

If the planets could get in alignment and the Suns pick up Dampier (a huge and unlikely "if"), I could see the Suns being in the top four this year and making a push for it all by next season.

In any case, we spend a lot of time partying over the problems of the Lakers. Why no party when the Wolves have problems?

 

[az jam]

Having lived in Minneapolis before retiring to Scottsdale I did follow the Timberwoves. They have a billionaire owner in Glen Taylor willing to spend money. Also Kevin McHale has done a credible job at getting players. The franchise is Garnett. Glen Taylor and McHale will do whatever is needed to improve them. They certainly have made mistakes (the Joe Smith fiasco) but resigned Kevin Garnett to a long term contract and promised him to bring in the players like they did last year with the acquisitions of Cassell and Sprewell. IMO they will continue this approach. I do think they will move Wally Szczerbiak maybe to the Celtics as Denny Ange likes him.
However, something has always been missing and I can't argue with you on their future as the past year is the first year that they have actually advanced beyond the first round.