Howlin' T-Wolf

At Timberwolves Media Day 2009 there was a both a lot being said, and nothing being said at the same time. At least nothing new being said. Most of the answers (and questions) were the boring stuff you’ve already heard about the upcoming (and up and coming) 2009-2010 Minnesota Timberwolves. There was the usual, “We need to focus on defense,” and “We’re excited to get out and run this year…” as well as a lot of “In 2-3 years were going to be able to contend…” and the oft-repeated question, “So how does Al look out there…?” That being said there were some good nuggets here and there from a few of the players that took time with the general media.

After Rambis and Jefferson went 1+2 (which I didn’t get much of as I was mostly taking in how the process worked, it being my first media day and all) they had Corey Brewer come over to the general media “station” which consisted of a backdrop screen of Timberwolves logos.  (The players had about 10-12 stations they had to go to which included pictures, interviews, as well as team marketing and promotional stuff. If you are wondering what this station looked like it was basically like you see after games with 5 microphones and 8 tape recorders from different media shoved in the players faces. ) In any case I got right up close to Brewer who was to put it lightly not that exciting. A man of few words you might say. This quote pretty much summarizes what Corey had to say:

“I feel good. I feel like the knees almost back to normal, feel like I’m running back to normal, so just hope we get to get out this year and run. It puts a smile on my face, ya know, when I hear running, and get out, ya know its fun for me cause its what I like to do and hopefully it can make my game go to the next level.”

I asked Corey specifically about how Rambis had mentioned last week that he was already working on getting him balanced on his shot and he said that he felt like “his shot was getting better this summer but you never really know until that first game.” If  he’s not sure what’s going to happen in a game, I can’t really imagine it is too much improved from last season.

Just for some perspective, Corey’s general media interview lasted 3 minutes, Ryan Gomes went 12+, Jonny 11, Love 7 (he was pulled away for photos) and Ramon 5. For both Corey and Ramon the media basically ran out of questions.

The reason Ryan went the longest? Let’s just say he loves to be behind the mic. Here was his opening exchange:

Ryan Gomes: That guy Ryan Gomes, that’s the first question, I mean he’s an interesting guy, you know he’s been doing a lot today, he’s been walking around with microphones, doing pictures, and audio, doing all types of stufff, how do you think he’s been doing?

Randy Shaver: So far so good.

Gomes: Thank you.

Shaver: Good interview with Jonny Flynn.

Gomes: Good Interview? Oh… yea, it was ok, I mean he could have got a little bit better at that but uh, it’s alright.

I also like his answer when asked about if he was even able to keep track of all of the team’s moves this summer: “Man you know I was on Timberwolves.com, ESPN.COM, Hoops Hype, every day just trying to see what was going on.”

I thought his savviest answer came when he was asked about what kind of camp he was expecting: “I think its gonna be an intense camp. I’m expecting probably a conditioning camp, especially with the style we want to play now is more up and down, so you know you want guys to be running the lanes and running the floor and push yourself to the level past when you think your tired, so I think that will be instilled… He told us he comes from a coach in Riley who’s known for his workouts and known for his preparation and preparing guys to play I think he’ll take that from him and then you know offensively and defensively he’ll take the mindset of [Coach Phil] Jackson and  more letting the players think out there and doing things, putting you in a set but know how your guys defending you and do that type of stuff.

A lot of Ryan’s answers centered around proving what both he and the team are able to do this year (rather than focusing on 2-3 years from now, etc.) and making strides this year and steps in the right direction by being committed each and every day and with consistency to work hard. I thought this was good and showed good focus from a guy who is going to be a leader in the locker room.

I asked him about what he’s been working on in the gym this summer (it’s been said he turned into a gym rat):

“Off the dribble, you know one-two dribble moves, shooting the ball, I don’t know if I’m going to play some 4, I think I’ll probably play a little bit of 4, so pick-and-pop, stuff like that, so just more shooting and you know my free throw percentage was down last year so working on that also, and finishing in the paint, cause I didn’t do a good job of that last year also.”

In other words, a little better than “You never know until the first game.”

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by Ryan who was both funny and sharp with his answers. I didn’t realize he had such a good personality and can’t help but think he is a great guy to have in the locker room.

Coming up in Part II: Jonny Flynn, Kevin Love, and Ramon Sessions.

Ok some quick observations from Timberwolves Media Day (I’ll have some more detailed quotes from the players up soon too):

• The players were dressed in the White Home Uniforms, coaches wore white T-Wolves polos.
• Player that surprised me the most: Ryan Gomes. Love his personality and have to think he is a great guy to have in the locker-room. He started out the general media questions by saying he was going to ask the first question, then proceeded to ask us what we thought about that Ryan Gomes guy. Funny stuff.
• Corey Brewer is on the shy side. That or he just likes really short answers. He was, however, taller than I thought.
• Kevin Love was his usual fun self. He did say the bossman put too many stipulations on what and when he can tweet which is why he’s been taking a break. He said he’d be back soon.
• Ramon Sessions was on the quiet side but solid I thought.
• Al Jefferson looks really damn good at 260.
• Ryan Hollins is really, really tall. And really, really skinny.
• Jonny Flynn is a legitimate 6′0″ in sneakers. I’m 6′1″ and I was looking him straight in the eyes. He had some great answers to questions which I’ll have up later. I now know even more why everyone is gushing about him. Very mature answers for a rookie.
• In general there was both a lot of talk about the future, 2-3 years down the line, when asked about playoffs and contending, and also a lot about going out right now and playing hard and proving themselves this year.
• The players are expecting a Pat Riley type training camp and practices this season with more of a Phil Jackson type coach, who lets them play during games, on the bench this season.

Click here to listen to the hour long set on the Dan Barreiro Bumper to Bumper show.

I was lucky to win a seat via Twitter from @MNTimberwolves (front row no less!) in the KFAN Pressbox this afternoon with Coach Kurt Rambis and President of Basketball Operations David Kahn. (BTW I got to ask a question about 3/4 of the way through which was in regards to whether Sessions can fit in as a two having only made 34 3-pointers in his first two years.)

If you’re a Timberwolves fan you should listen to the hour long show as it was full of great insight into both Kahn and Rambis’  thinking.

Some general observations:

• Kahn showed up even though he really looked like he should have been in bed (flu like symptoms). There were a couple of times I even thought he might excuse himself. Very big thank you to him for showing up when clearly he had reason to stay home.
• Rambis is freaking really tall. Kahn is not.
• Attire: Rambis – Long-sleeve black Adidas T-Wolves polo (w/ alternate logo) along with jeans and sneakers. Kahn – Black jacket over a black polo, jeans, Teva-like sandals, and an NBA “Destination: Finals” baseball cap.
• Both Rambis and Kahn answered every question thrown at them and neither looked uncomfortable. (Other than Kahn looking like he should be in bed.)
• Both seemed to have a good time going back and forth and I have to like Rambis’ wit already. (He even jokes he might not answer my question before I asked it.)
• Barrerio asked a lot of good questions which is in the audio about Rubio, the team’s defensive ability, and about Rambis leaving L.A. for MPLS.
• I spoke to Kahn briefly afterward and I mentioned how good I thought the Sessions signing was at the price we got him at (basically the same value as another 1st round rookie) and he  thanked me (genuinely) and agreed it was a great deal for us to have him and the contract is also very easily trade-able down the road if necessary. He’s constantly keeping his options open!

Honestly listening to Kahn and seeing him in person I still cannot help but feel like this guy is really freaking smart. There really is something about him that he just exudes (even under the weather!) the sense that he really is the smartest guy in the room. I left once again feeling that this guy really does know exactly what he is doing and feeling REALLY good about the future of our beloved Timberwolves.

Ok fellow Howlers, many apologies for my 3-week September sabbatical. I was swamped with getting things ready to move back to FL and just recently came down with a cold. (Thankfully not H1N1!) But enough with excuses the blog must go on!

Let’s get right to it:

In the last 3 weeks the Timberwolves have done some great things. They’ve added a veteran point guard while simultaneously getting more 2010 cap-space, signed a young, above average player to a steal of a deal, and added another 3-pt shooter to play the wing. Honestly I think September might have been the best month for the Timberwolves in the David Kahn era.

9/4/09 & 9/11/09 – The Timberwolves sign restricted free agent guard Ramon Sessions to an offer sheet and the Bucks have 7 days to match. The Bucks who would have had to go over the luxury tax to keep him, decline to match.

I’ll have more on Sessions later but for right now I’ll just say that I am pretty confident he will become the best dollar-to-production free agent any team has signed this summer. An A+ move for David Kahn and one that just might make more people forget about Rubio being here in Minnesota than you might think.

9/9/09 -  The Timberwolves acquire Antonio Daniels from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for point guard Bobby Brown and power forward Darius Songaila.

Here’s what Niall Doherty of Hornets247.com has to say about Daniels:

Daniels came to New Orleans from Washington in exchange for Mike James last December. His days with the Hornets were numbered, with his $6.6 million expiring contract the team’s best remaining trade chip, and rookie Darren Collison poised to come in and take up a chunk of minutes as Chris Paul’s understudy. As a 12-year vet, Daniels‘ best days are long behind him, but he can still run a well-oiled offense. He won’t beat many guys off the dribble or create his own shot, which didn’t work well for the Hornets last season since nobody else on the second unit could do those things either. But surround him with some scorers and he should do fine. He’ll find the cutter or the open man, and he’s capable of knocking down a flat jumper if he’s left alone. By all accounts he’s a great locker room guy, too, and probably one of the more media-friendly players in the League. I imagine he’ll be given a locker right next to Jonny Flynn.

Daniels is a great addition to the back-court, a clear upgrade over Brown as our 3rd point guard, as well as to the locker-room where he should be a great presence for both Flynn and Sessions.

9/17/09 – The Timberwolves sign shooting guard/small forward Sasha Pavlovic to a one-year deal. Another solid move by Kahn which helps round out the roster and doesn’t hurt our financial flexibility heading into next summer.  I should have a detailed post looking at Pavlovic’s game soon as well.

9/22/09 – The Timberwolves waive point guard Chucky Atkins. Another one of Kahn’s money saving moves as Atkins was only guaranteed 700k this year.

All in all I think that later in the year September will show itself to be the Timberwolves best month during this very busy off-season.

Here are five reasons I think it’s a good thing for the Wolves that Ricky Rubio is going to be in Spain until 2011:

1. Jonny Flynn is going to get all the playing time in the world to develop into a solid starting point guard and potentially a star (as Kahn believes he will be).

2. Rambis will not have to deal with juggling two young point guards and the headache added by Kahn in saying that the two could play together.

3. Along with #1+#2, Rambis and his new staff will get to show right away just how good they are at player development primarily with Jonny Flynn (along with Ellington, Brewer as well as Love and Jefferson). Rubio would have complicated the process both with playing time and attention outside of games in practice, etc.

4. Rubio’s asset or trade value doesn’t go down with him playing in Spain the next few years. In fact it probably goes up. Take a look at Draft Express’ 2010 NBA Mock Draft and count the point guards they have going in the first round. (For you lazy people who don’t want to check the list of 30 includes just 2 pgs and 1 pg/sg.) I’m pretty confident that there will be multiple teams looking for a point guard next June that will be willing to give up more than a Randy Foye/Mike Miller package for the Spanish sensation should Kahn choose to move him at that point in time.

5. Ricky gets two more years to mature as a player in his home country of Spain close to his family and will still only be 21 when he’ll be able to come over to the NBA in 2011. Knowing the toll the NBA takes on young players and the adjustments they have to make to the lifestyle I think there’s a good argument out there that Rubio could develop better in Spain than he could here with the Timberwolves.

In the end I really think this is a blessing for the Wolves that Rubio is staying in Spain for two more years. I hate to be a glass-half full guy at every turn (although my personality keeps me almost always positive) and I certainly don’t want to sit here and justify every last move Kahn has made but I can’t help it on this issue. I can’t see what the benefit of Rubio coming over this year would have brought to the team other than maybe some more ticket sales. I think it would have been a struggle for everyone involved (the team, coaching staff, and Kahn) to figure out how Jonny and Ricky fit together and if you believe in Jonny Flynn as I and most Wolves fans do (or seem to so far) then I think this is the best result for the team.

Disagree? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or via twitter @Howlintwolf.