Category: Minnesota Timberwolves

Vegas wrap up

Hasta la Vegas

Summer League is just one big crap shoot, if you think about it, making Vegas the perfect fit to host the event each year. Players from all different backgrounds gather in the City of Sin to dodge the limelight and focus on the task at hand: Proving your NBA worthiness.

It’s not easy, I’m sure. Being a Vegas visitor just six months ago, it’s nearly impossible to ignore all the glitz and glam that is the Strip — Even though that was my prerogative. But for players that already had a taste of the high life that the NBA offers, staying focused on improving your game is a troubling and difficult task. There’s no hiding Derrick Williams’, a recent 21-year-old turnee, Instagrams of him photobombing with bitties in the club. It’s all in good fun, right? Maybe. But maybe not considering all eyes were on him, urging for a change in his approach to the game, from start to end.

I’m not scolding or pointing the finger at anybody. I actually think Williams had a strong showing in Vegas, but I’m merely suggesting that Vegas is an interesting spot to plop these in-between pros and recent college grads as they fight for NBA glory, or even just a shot at making a team. Vegas has the ability to sift out those that are trying their hardest and those that may have other matters on their mind.

Musings aside, I digress. It’s time to review what we saw or didn’t see in Vegas.

Derrick Williams:

Considering he was the most intriguing prospect on the Wolves’ squad, let’s begin with him. Instagrams and partying aside, Williams had himself a Summer League. That’s all. Not great, not bad.

Williams reported to the Wolves’ camp about 15 pounds lighter. I really wonder whether the weight loss was his, Adelman’s or Kahn’s suggestion. No matter who’s idea it was, it was apparent they were looking for a leaner, conditioned and hopefully quicker Williams with the hopes that he could fill the 3 spot the Wolves so desperately need to fill. The weight loss certainly attributed to a cut and faster Williams but was it enough to consider him a 3?

The debate will go on and on. My opinion? Sure, why not. It’s all going to depend on how well Adelman can integrate Williams into the offense and how well Williams can make decisions within the given sets. Oh, and don’t forget how well he can defend other 3′s. Adelman’s screen-heavy offense could bode well for Williams but it really lies on whether he can think fast on the court. Last season, we didn’t see that. But with a little more chemistry with his teammates, he may be able to succeed on this team after all. He set out in Vegas to make attacking the hoop and drawing contact a big priority, and that he did. But his jump shot is still pretty ugly and his dribble-drives are oft-wild and always result in a foul, in his favor or against. There are plenty of kinks that need ironing but you can visibly see the talent there. It just becomes a matter of sprouting him in the right spot to capitalize on all that potential. And, yeah, I do see that happening in Minnesota.

Wes Johnson:

Everyone seems surprised with Johnson’s Vegas outing. Not me. Like everyone, I’ve shared my frustrations over Johnson the past two seasons but I can honestly say that I’ve never waived the white flag. I’m hoping that those of you who did, can at least sail it at halfmast for just a little bit longer.

Before jumping into Johnson’s performance, I think it’s important to note how ignorant we can really be. We get too spoiled thinking top-5 picks will succeed right out of school but that’s not always the case. Johnson was the fourth overall pick in 2010. He came into a lousy franchise with lofty expectations that he couldn’t possibly fulfill. Of course, he struggled, and it mirrored over to 2011 due to the lack of a true offseason and the roster turnover — Johnson claims he’s a “chemistry” player. But with a full offseason under his belt and clear vision of what the team needs him to improve on, Johnson has set out and done just that.

Now, having said that, Johnson certainly turned up the heat in Vegas, leading all Wolves in scoring with 20.5 ppg. The jumper we all dreaded last season has a new spunk to it with actual rotation on the ball, and they were all falling in Vegas. He worked on adding some aggressiveness to his game too by utilizing a susceptible pump-fake to get the defender off his feet. Two hard dribbles later, he rose with a mid-range jumper that almost always went in. There were still pieces of his game that seemed skeptical like his overall ball-handling and attacking the rim but everything else seems to be settling in. There was an air of confidence above his head at all times, good shot or bad, it didn’t matter. With a spring in his step, Johnson could finally grow into the lottery talent he was expected to be.

Robbie Hummel:

I’m disappointed in Hummel’s performance. Maybe he was shaded behind Williams and Johnson but he actually never played alongside them too much. I do, however, know what he’s capable of and I think he knows what his niche is with the Wolves moving forward, and that’s to be a three-point specialist. I also hope he doesn’t get caught in that mold at the same time. There’s a fine line of of staying in your comfort zone (Three-point shooting) and going above and beyond the call of duty. I just hope Hummel doesn’t get too comfortable and pushes himself to get better in his rookie season.

Kammron Taylor:

Ahh, the Chris Rock of the NBA. Taylor did a great job of directing the starting five each game. He’s a solid pick and roll point guard with good speed. But the fact that he can’t use his left hand at the rim is alarming, and his passing skills are nowhere near that of Rubio or even Ridnour. Taylor has a future in the D-League and certainly abroad, just probably not with the Wolves due to the depth at the point guard position right now.

Corey Fischer:

Fischer shoots way too much, even if he is a good shooter. He’s more of an undersized 2-guard than a true point. Fischer will likely be playing abroad again next season.

Zabian Dowdell:

The Wolves came to Vegas with the best names on their roster, starting with Dowdell. Unfortunately, Dowdell didn’t do enough to put his name in lights. He won’t be at Wolves’ vet camp.

William Buford:

This one hurts me. I actually really like Buford and wish he got more playing time. In high Ohio State days, I saw him live multiple times and he reminded me of Harrison Barnes-lite. Obviously he’s not that good but there are aspects of his game that mirrored Barnes’. But because he didn’t see much time, Buford’s NBA future is in doubt.

Jet Chang:

The name train continues. Chang played 0 minutes unless you count the scrimmage against Denver. Just sad.

Coby Karl:

Karl is your true-blue coach’s kid. Learned from his father, George, Karl shows the basketball i.q. of someone who’s been around basketball his whole life (Duh). He’s just really, really smart. Thing is that he’s got game too. His three-pointer is solid and he has good court vision. If Wayne Ellington is on his way out, I’d love to see Karl get an invite to camp in the Fall. He could make the most of it.

Sylven Landesberg:

Who?

Lamont Mack:

Who??

Papa Dia:

Who???

Lior Eliyahu:

Eliyahu was part of the Budinger trade coming from Houston. He really could’ve stayed in Houston for all I care. He doesn’t have much of an NBA future.

Tony Easley:

Easley didn’t see a whole lot of time but he has serious length. He’s 6’9″ and his wingspan is enormous. That’s all I got, though.

Luke Sikma:

Another coach’s kid, Sikma had a fine Vegas outing. His gritty work in the paint says a lot about his character — and a little on how his dad probably coached him throughout his life. He’s a relentless force to be reckoned with and has a non-stop motor. With the Wolves needing some girth on the front line, maybe Sikma can get a shot.

Mike Harris:

Harris is one beefy dude. Like Sikma, he was tough to keep off the boards, and even had a team-high in points in the finale against Memphis (22 and 12). Sadly, Harris is much too small to do any damage against any NBA frontcourt.

Paulo Prestes:

Prestes was the starting center each game. He’s a wideload of mass, an immovable object in the post. He actually has some game to him too; he understands the game much better than a lot of big guys do (Think Hasheem Thabeet). But in the end, he’s still a big guy searching for his place in the world. I don’t see him making the roster this year or even next. The big fella has some work to do before that can happen.

Gary Johnson/Luke Nevill/Luke Sigma/Garrett Stutz:

Good luck next year.

What Happened in Vegas

In case you missed it because you didn’t have NBA TV or didn’t care because it was Summer League, I figured I’d write a quick post for those who just want a summary. Actually, this may not be quick-quick, but far from a dissertation. I figure this is also a good way to head off some common questions I get every day from my followers, since now I actually have some answers to a couple questions I couldn’t answer before. Of course, anything I say good or bad should probably have the, “It’s only Summer League” caveat attached to it.

“What about Paulo Prestes?”

This was one of those things I had no idea about. Since he was taken in the 2nd round in ’09 we’ve heard little about him. Well, here’s the deal. He’s 6-10 and 275 pounds; “plodding” is a good word to describe him. And he spent last season playing in Lithuania.

Last night he put up 5 points, 5 rebounds in 5 minutes, but didn’t see much action until later so the coaches could get looks at other players. Prestes would go on to finish with 9 points and 8 rebounds in 19 minutes of action and 4-7 shooting. However, he started out 1-3 and shot 42% last season in Lithuania, so don’t expect that 4-7 to be the norm.

Prestes did however shine on the glass and as an on-ball defender. He’s big and strong, but he’s by no means a quick player. Some of that he does make up for with his strength and smarts, but quicker opponents may exploit that at the next level, especially if they make him step out. Yet, he was a +8 and could not be moved once he established position.

With 3 fouls in 19 minutes, he would have to enter the NBA as a 3rd string center if those types of numbers held up. Thanks to his shooting he likely could never be higher than a #2 center on a good team. His best case would be if the Wolves brought him along like Nikola Pekovic and give him a year to adjust to the NBA game and then expand his role. He may never be the efficient scorer Pekovic is, but could certainly learn how to move his feet on defense like Pekovic to compensate for his slowness.

All-in-all, I like Prestes. I don’t know if he’ll be here or not, though. And remember, it’s only Summer League.

“Yo, What about Robbie Hummel?”

I think Rick Adelman may wear a Robbie Hummel jersey under his suit this winter. I’m serious; he’s going to love Hummel. Hummel was the shooter that was advertised (3-6; 6 pts), very active on both ends (+13) and the glass (6 rebounds), and showed some passing ability. If Robbie’s knees allow, he could be a potential Wayne Ellington replacement.

“Does Wes Johnson have a pulse?”

Well, I think you have to have a pulse to take 17 shots and only wind up with 16 points. The same player that could only get to the line 32 times last year somehow managed to get four attempts in one game. Shocking, I know. Unfortunately, that’s about where the praise for Wes’ game ends….and this paragraph isn’t even completely positive.

There were times tonight when he realized that he should be able to get to the rim at will against his competition, and did. Then there were other times when he continued to be the same passive player we’ve known. What’s more is his incredibly off-putting body language; give me Irrational Confidence Guy any day.

(If you didn’t watch the game, Wes attempted to post up late in the 4th in the high post but was pushed out by the three point line by his opponent. It was a little funny, but we now know that Wes isn’t very good at the shooting guard, small forward, and power forward positions. If you’ve seen him handle the ball you can imagine how good of a point guard he’d be and if you’ve saw his aborted post-up attempt you can imagine how well he’d do at the 5. Ok, now I’m just piling on. )

“What position is Derrick Williams?”

I answer this question every day, and tonight changed nothing as far as my answer. Before tonight I thought Williams was a power forward, and now I really think he’s a power forward. Yeah, he showed some things that a small forward would do, but his best moments were when he was at work down low. Losing weight has made him quicker, but it didn’t hurt him last night.

Williams still loves the three, but finished 1-4 from there. Derrick Williams is not most effective taking long jumpers, but when he’s aggressive and assertive in getting to the hoop for high percentage shots. Watch any Derrick Williams game, and this is apparent, yet I argue this almost every day.  I don’t know how else to convince people other than to point out he went 4-12 overall from the floor, if they didn’t watch the game.

(Hmm…what position is better suited for players who struggle with the outside game…)

Defensively, he worked hard and stuck with his man, for the most part. One post play bothered me was when Williams forced the defender to kick out and stand straight up while leaving his defensive stance. That is not a good look, but can be fixed. But, he sure could stick Adam Morrison!

Adelman actually joined the broadcast and was asked if he thought Williams could play the 3, to which he replied “No, I don’t. He’s never played it before!” As Jonah pointed out during the game, Adelman sounds like he just wants Derrick to work hard no matter what position he’s playing, even if Adelman isn’t sold on him.

Adelman did say that he is bigger and stronger than most NBA 3’s (I’d bet most power forwards are…), but will need to do the little things to get on the court. Most of this we already know. Ultimately, Derrick Williams can lose all of the weight he wants, but the number on the scale isn’t affecting his playing time, or job security.

Everything You Need to Know Before the Signing Period Begins

From L to R: Brandon Roy, Brandon Roy Jr., and Nic Batum in a scene that could possibly be re-lived this winter at Target Center.
From L to R: Brandon Roy, Brandon Roy Jr., and Nic Batum in a scene that could possibly be re-lived this winter at Target Center.

Well, since it’s Tuesday and I’m on vacation, I have the luxury of being able to post on back-to-back days. It helps that my vacation takes place now when there isn’t any big news, but a bunch of little stories that make it just worth sharing. After all, if only one of us has to spend a gorgeous summer day at their computer, why not be the one with almost 37,000 tweets? Alright, let’s get to the updates.

- The Timberwolves sign Russian star Alexey Shved. Shved is a combo guard that could potentially make Luke Ridnour and JJ Barea expendable. If the rumored terms of his deal are correct, his 3 year/$9 million dollar deal makes him not only cheaper than Barea or Ridnour, but a good overall value.

With the Olympics around the corner and Shved playing for team Russia, expect his press conference to happen with in the next couple of days. Nice pick up for the Timberwolves, and if you don’t know about Shved look into him.

- An update on the Nic Batum situation…kinda…sorta…I think. Apparently there is a chance that the Pacers matching the Blazers’ offer on Roy Hibbert makes it less likely for them to match the Wolves’ offer on Batum if they stick to their 4 year/$50 million dollar offer because they may feel their team isn’t good enough to justify having that contract without Hibbert. But we don’t know that for sure, and last we heard from the Blazers (last week) they were still gonna match.

We do know that Batum wants to play for the Timberwolves first…but would be OK if he had to return to Portland.

Then there’s the issue of the sign and trade, a move the Blazers GM Neil Olshey said that he wasn’t interested in, but apparently they have the framework of a deal done that’s being held up by Blazers owner Paul Allen. To make an even more complicated situation even more complicated, Derrick Williams may be suddenly untouchable despite the Wolves shopping him feverishly since last trade deadline.

Blazers people expect him to stay, Timberwolves people expect him to go. I’d personally suggest coming to your own conclusion.

In short: I know nothing!

- Brandon Roy wants to start. God bless this man’s competitive spirit, but I really get the feeling this is a bad idea. I’m happy he cares, I really am, and I do think he can play around 15-20 mpg and probably be OK. However, 30 minutes per game is probably out of the question. Whatever, if he pushes Shved, increases his own production, and saves us from watching Wes Johnson’s disintegration, it may not be so bad. Hey, he even said that he’s never felt better, and working out two times a day, so that’s good.

- Miscellaneous: If the Wolves do add Batum, they would have to buyout Brad Miller (retiring), Martell Webster (annual injury liability), renounce Anthony Tolliver’s rights and amnesty Darko! Milicic (bad at basketball) in order to make room…Last we heard to the Wolves were still in play for big men Greg Stiemsma and Jordan Hill, which is good because they are currently in need of frontcourt help.

Anyway, so that’s what’s going on right now. Everything is very fluid right now, so a lot or nothing could happen around 11pm when the signing period begins. No matter what, the Wolves’ offseason is looking to be a vast improvement over last season’s that barely got to 26 wins.

Understanding the Idea of Trading Derrick Williams

Oh hey, another Derrick Williams trade post! We dont have enough of these!
Oh hey, another Derrick Williams trade post! We don't have enough of these!

I spent my Sunday morning on Twitter once again discussing a Derrick Williams trade. Even though many people have had this same conversation many times, it seems that people really have a hard time grasping certain aspects of the idea of trading Williams. I’m not really here to debate the merits of trading Williams because not only have I already done that (last week), but others have and done a better job.

Still, I’m here today using the words “Derrick”, “Williams”, and “trade” in the same sentence.

One thing people seem to believe when discussing a trade is that trading Williams is synonymous with giving up on him, but it’s not. Look at the Timberwolves’ roster and you’ll notice that the Wolves’ best player (Kevin Love, in case you were confused) plays the PF position, and the Wolves biggest needs are at the small forward and shooting guard positions. Unfortunately, Williams also is best suited to play the power forward. This is called an “imbalance”. If you can move Williams in a way that returns a player to correct this roster imbalance, wouldn’t you do that to improve the team?

(Do I want to talk about Williams playing the small forward?)

(It might not be on topic, but it may prove my point…)

(Screw it, I’m going for it.)

While Williams has the size to play the position, he didn’t exhibit the necessary shooting range or defense to play the position. This is another area where people misunderstood me when I made this point, and assumed that I was burying Williams after some 60 games in the NBA. That’s idiotic, and I wouldn’t do that with any player.

But here were his shooting percentages from various locations on the floor according to HoopData.com: At the Rim- 63.3%; 3-9ft- 20.8%; 10-15ft- 28.6%; 16-23 ft- 29%; 3’s- 26.8%. Does this sound like a perimeter player? The only place he shot above 30% was within 3 feet of the rim? Hmm…what position could you afford to have that happen with? Oh yeah, a power forward or a center!

Can he get better? Absolutely. In fact, I don’t think he’s that bad of a pro shooter, yet neither do I think he’s as good of a shooter as he was in Arizona. He’s probably somewhere in the middle, and expectations should be adjusted accordingly.

Williams is apparently losing weight in an effort to move to the 3, but it seems to make more sense for him to get stronger and work on some post moves in an effort to become a better 4. Hopefully this doesn’t take away from his ability to play his best position or we’re in for another regression season from another Timberwolves second year player.

The second issue is that people talk about all of his potential. Now, I caught most games last season, but didn’t see “potential” play any games or even what number he wore. Ultimately, potential is a handful of magic beans that you hold on to because you don’t have anything substantial. Now, if you could trade those magic beans for something tangible, wouldn’t you?

This came up when someone mentioned him being traded for Nicolas Batum. The question was if Williams had a higher ceiling than Batum or who would be the better pro. Right now, it’s Batum. Whose ceiling is higher? Probably Williams’ because he’s taller. Oh, not that ceiling. Well then, Batum is only 23 years old, or the same age as Kevin Love. You can debate who will be better now, but all that I’ll say is that Batum is currently better and still has time to improve.

One more question for the “potential” crowd. Do you really think Williams will get the minutes he needs to develop with Kevin Love playing 38 minutes per game?

Few things in life are actually black and white, and sports are one of those. You have to think sometimes instead of making assumptions or sweeping generalizations about a situation. Trading Williams isn’t giving up on him; more like using surplus to meet a need. Does that last sentence make sense to you, because it makes sense to me.

Finally, it’s not reasonable to say that critiquing his rookie season is implying he’ll be the exact same player his entire career anymore than it is to expect a person to be the same all of their lives. There may be some people who read way too much in between the lines, but never once did I say he’d be the same player his entire career. And I will not shy from using the only sample we have from Williams, because it’s the only one we have.

Being open to trading Williams doesn’t mean that someone “hates” Derrick, either. He’s a good player, but there is much room for improvement, especially for a former #2 overall pick. Williams will likely improve, or he may not, but he’s very capable of developing.

Just keep these things in mind next time the discussion comes up.

Kevin Love to Yahoo!: "I want to win." We know, Kevin.

Ever since he started hanging out with that Team USA Kevin Love has become a lot more outspoken.
Ever since he started hanging out with that Team USA Kevin Love has become a lot more outspoken.

Admittedly, when I read the headline of the article from Marc Spears of Yahoo!, I thought that Kevin Love’s comments would be a little more incendiary or scathing. But they really weren’t. In fact, they were right in line with what Timberwolves fans have been saying for years: WE’RE SICK OF LOSING. And notice that Love essentially putting the front office on the spot isn’t exactly causing uproar is pretty telling of the views of outsiders, and no one seems to mind him voicing these opinions in a public forum.

Love’s frustrations are pretty understandable when he talks about not being able to talk playoff war stories with other members of Team USA even though he is a Top-10 player (at least) in the game. He wants to be successful, and from the sounds of it he would be OK with doing that in Minnesota. Take note of his word choice in the piece, particularly his use of “we”, he still wants to be here.

When Kevin was talking about improving the roster, commending the additions that have been made thus far, and mentioned that “We just can’t stand still”, I felt like my 3 Year Window post from last week was validated. In that piece, in case you missed it, I said that it may be more detrimental to the Wolves’ chances of keeping Love to be too afraid to trade a young player for a more expensive and talented veteran than attempting to make a big move to improve the team.

Even with all of that being said, it doesn’t feel like he’s trying to hold the Timberwolves hostage. The message appears to be simple: “Start winning or I’m out in 3 years.” Which is fine, because if you can’t win in 3 years you should probably start over anyway.

I like Kevin Love. I like that he cares. I like that he tries to get better every offseason. I like his 25-15 games. However, Love needs to make sure that he’s doing his part every night to make sure the Wolves are in the best position to win. By that I mean, quit whining to the officials about every missed call and get back on defense! Likewise, instead of leaving your man to take an open shot while you get in rebounding position, contest the shot and get a hand in his face.

Finally, if you’re the leader of the team by virtue of being its best player, they probably shouldn’t quit on the final month of the season. If guys aren’t in the huddle when coach is speaking or paying attention, which happened last season, get them in it. If this is Kevin Love’s team, he needs to be a complete leader, and not just by example, but also as an extension of the coaching staff, if you will. Coaches can bark at guys all day long, but when the players hold each other accountable, it creates a much better environment to operate in.

Anyway, this is really much about nothing. We’ve known for a while that Love wants to win, likes Minnesota, and wants to improve. It also seems apparent that the front office understands this judging by the Pau Gasol, Nic Batum, and the countless other players they’re tied to this offseason. At this point it’s really hard to disagree with anything that was said here.

With Nicolas Batum Unlikely, Is Andre Iguodala Next?

Will the Sixers finally be able to move Andre Iguodala, whos been on the trade block for what feels like forever?
Will the Sixers finally be able to move Andre Iguodala, who's been on the trade block for what feels like forever?

With Jason Quick of the Oregonian reporting that the Blazers met with Nicolas Batum and stated the team would match any offer in addition to being unwilling to negotiate a sign and trade, the Timberwolves were effectively eliminated from the possibility of Batum calling Target Center home next season. Well, what now? Per KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, Philadelphia 76ers have reached out to the Wolves to gauge their interest in Andre Iguodala.

Now, the Sixers are coming off of a playoff year and Iggy is coming off of an All-Star season, but he’s been on the block for what seems like forever and the Sixers reportedly are looking to unload his contract. Coincidentally, Iggy would fill the need of small forward for the Timberwolves. Naturally, the stars must be aligning, right? Well, it’s not that easy.

First off, you’d think a team with as much cap space as the Wolves have (or don’t have) that matching Iggy’s $13 million dollar salary would be a cinch, but it’s not. Seriously, it’s a glut of $4-$5 million dollar deals, and Kevin Love’s exetension.

Secondly, if the Sixers really want to do a deal with Minnesota, they may have to sell low on Iggy. But hey, they made the first call, so beggars can’t be choosers, right? I think the other saying is that beggars may have to deal their best player in a salary dump, but I could be wrong.

With all of that being said, I take to ESPN’s Trade Machine, and there are really three realistic offers for the Sixers to consider if they would just be shipping out Iggy.

Trade #1: Derrick Williams, Brad Miller (Buyout), Martell Webster (Buyout), and the Grizzlies pick.

Trade #2: Wes Johnson, Brad Miller (Buyout), Martell Webster (Buyout), and the Grizzlies pick.

Trade #3: Nikola Pekovic, Brad Miller (Buyout), Martell Webster (Buyout), and the Grizzlies pick.

Obviously the best return for the Sixers right now is Pekovic, but that would leave the Wolves with Darko Milicic as the only other center on the roster, and Philly could only offer Spencer Hawes in return; no thanks.

Trade number two would make sense from a roster standpoint, but not from a talent standpoint, since the Sixers would have a sudden need for a small forward.

Should they take Trade #1 they would be adding Williams to the power forward platoon of Elton Brand, Arnette Moultrie, and Thaddeus Young, who is also power forward capable. At first I thought that if the Sixers were absolutely set on shedding salary they amnesty Brand in addition to buying out Miller and Webster, but Brand is an $18 million dollar expiring contract, so that’s not happening.

See what I mean about the Sixers likely having to sell low on Iguodala to make a Wolves deal? Yet, I think the Wolves probably agree to the first two without blinking. It’s certainly a tough spot, but it’ll be an even tougher season if they don’t add something to small forward position.

What can Iguodala offer, besides being better than the in-house options?

-          He’s just 28, has two years and $27 milllion left on his deal, and therefore wouldn’t interfere with extending Kevin Love or Ricky Rubio in 3 years.

-          His 39.4% 3 point percentage likely won’t hold, but he’s average at worst from that range, and the Wolves were average from that range on a good night last season.

-          His defensive metrics were great last season posting 4.2 (1.0 being average) Defensive Win Shares and a 98 Defensive Rating (100 being average) last season.  He’s even a good defensive playmaker, averaging 1.7 steals per game for his career.

-          Additionally he can rebound and set up teammates.

Compared to what we saw last season from the Timberwolves’ small forwards, Iggy’s 7.3 Win Shares are greater than Webster’s (1.8), Wes Johnson’s (0.6) and Mike Beasley’s (0.5). He may not blow you away, but he’s the type of player who could improve the Timberwolves and he’s available, for the right price.

As far as the price, no one knows right now what Philadelphia wants right now; could be cap relief, picks, or some combo of the two. Maybe the Sixers are cool with not getting a player of equal caliber in exchange for their All-star, I know I am. All that I really know is that, while I like Chase Budinger, I’m not sure it’s a great thing for him to be a team’s biggest offseason addition.

(Final note: I know that they could still make a run for OJ Mayo, Courtney Lee, and/or Alexy Shved, but those guys are all shooting guards.)

Kevin Love is done for the season

Kevin Love is a rare talent, one that fans should make sure they appreciate.
Kevin Love is a rare talent, one that fans should make sure they appreciate.

In case you missed it, Kevin Love is done for the season, as the Wolves wisely decided not to bring back their franchise superstar for the final meaningless games of a disappointing season.

From the Pioneer Press:

Kevin Love has done more than his share of work for the Timberwolves this season, so the club decided to give him the final two games off.

Why not? The Wolves were eliminated from playoff contention in the Western Conference two weeks ago.

Why not indeed. A disappointing end to 2011-2012 for Kevin Love, to be sure. Once, when the Wolves were contending for the 8th spot in the playoffs, Love was a darkhorse candidate for MVP. Now his season ends in the ignominy of another losing season.

But rather than dwelling on these depressing thoughts, let’s remember some of Kevin Love’s highlights this year.

  • With Dwight Howard out for the season as well, Love has clinched his second consecutive double double title, achieving double digit points and rebounds in 48 of his 55 games.
  • Love scored 30+ points 18 times this season, including two 40+ games and one memorable 51 point output against the Thunder.
  • In fact, let’s talk about that Thunder game. Love single-handedly dueled Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, taking the Thunder to two overtimes before succumbing. Love’s ridiculous point totals were made more ridiculous by his efficiency shooting the ball (51 points on just 27 shots) and his 14 rebounds.
  • Love kept the Wolves competitive and vaguely on the edge of the playoff race for several weeks after Rubio went down, putting the team on his back night after night to keep them afloat.
  • Appearing in his second consecutive All-Star game, Love showed that he belonged this year, scoring 12 points and grabbing seven rebounds in just 18 minutes of play.
  • Love successfully pulled off three different facial hairstyles in one season, the manly lumberjack, the creeper-stache, and whatever weird Jersey Shore business is going on here. Quite the collection on snapshots.
  • His points per 36 minutes skyrocketed by four from last season as Love re-invented himself as a dominant scorer.

Despite a disappointing season, Love is a bright-spot Minnesota can continue to look to as next season approaches. He’s 23 years old and undeniably one of the top 10 players in the NBA.

If you haven’t already, make sure to take a moment as a Timberwolves fan and appreciate the fact that a marquee player like Love plays for this franchise. Largely thanks to him, things are finally starting to look up.

Kevin Love does pretty awesome things off the court too

My friends and family will both probably tell you I’m a fairly cynical person. But some things are too awesome to be cynical about. One example: Kevin Love’s relationship with St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Prepare yourself for the most adorable NBA-related picture you will see this year.

Ready?

Seriously....Dawwwwwwwwwww
Seriously....D'awwwwwwwwwww

Before Tuesday’s game against Memphis, Love met with St. Jude’s patients in an effort raise awareness for the cause.

I know it’s difficult, but tear your eyes away from the picture above and read the next few paragraphs. The picture will still be there when you are done. I promise.

From St. Jude:

Love’s relationship with St. Jude began when he met a St. Jude patient from Minnesota, Dylan Witschen. During Dylan’s treatment for a cancerous tumor, he had the opportunity to watch a Timberwolves practice and then meet Love. The two had a chance to chat and do a photo shoot for Rookie Relief, a St. Jude initiative. Later on in the year, Love invited Dylan to a Timberwolves game and a behind-the-scenes look at the Timberwolves locker room. Unfortunately, Witschen passed away from the disease on June 8, 2010, but Love continues his support of St. Jude through the Hoops for St. Jude program.

Fans can learn more about Hoops for St. Jude and participate in an online auction featuring autograph items from Love along with more current and former NBA stars by going to www.stjude.org/hoops. All the money raised from the auction will go to support St. Jude. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other deadly diseases through research and treatment. Funds raised through the Hoops for St. Jude program help St. Jude continue to provide the best care to the world’s sickest children at no cost to their family. It costs $1.7 million a day to operate St. Jude and more than 75 percent of those funds come from the public through programs like Hoops.

Well jeez, Kevin. I’m a blogger, I’m supposed to come up with snarky, sarcastic things to say. But when you keep doing awesome things, you make my job harder. Putting up 51 points in a game AND supporting Hoops for St. Jude? Seriously? You can’t throw a brother a bone?

No? Fine. Just keep playing like an MVP on and off the court. So selfish.

(Real talk: Click on the link above. It will be well worth your time.)

Kevin Love's annoying new habit

Let’s take a minute to discuss a dirty little not-so-secret that Minnesota’s fans have been trying to avoid talking about out loud for most of the season (though grumbling about it under their breath seems to be acceptable).

Kevin Love complains excessively to the refs, to the point where it’s detrimental to the Wolves.

Sometimes he has something resembling a legitimate gripe. But it becomes a problem when he spends so much time making exaggerated, pointed motions at the ref on one end that Minnesota’s overstretched defense, forced to play 5-4, gives up an easy basket on the other.

One such example happened toward the end of the first half against New York on Saturday. It started innocuously enough, with Rubio driving the lane and kicking the ball to a cutting Love, whose man, Jared Jeffries, wasn’t really paying attention. Love cut past him and headed towards the basket.

Tyson Chandler, however, wasn’t fooled and came over to help out. There appeared to be quite a bit of contact as Love attempted a contested layup and was knocked backward, but no foul was called. Love hit the deck as Chandler came up with the rebound and looked to outlet the ball. Note how much time is on the clock as Chandler attempts to outlet. (And for those of you with League Pass, note the choice of language Love uses on his way down. I chuckled.)

1:15 seconds. As Chandler outlets the ball, the Knicks begin a weird, half-hearted sort of fast break, 3 on 3 against the Wolves.

No sign of Love in this frame, but that’s ok. Pek hasn’t shown up yet. Neither has Tyson Chandler. Jared Jeffries is running along the far side, having just helped knock Kevin Love on his ass.

Rubio attempts to take a charge from Lin, and he fails. At this point, as you can see, there are four Knicks and four Wolves in the picture.

Here’s Tyson Chandler, the last Knick. (Sup, man?) Please notice the amount of time left on the clock. Also notice how Rubio’s flop has forced Luke Ridnour to cover both Iman Shumpert and Jared Jeffries while Lin plans his attack.

Lin drives into the lane, and since Ridnour is forced to cover Jeffries right beside the basket, Lin kicks the ball out to Shumpert, who spots up for three.

Oh hey, Kevin. Nice of you to join us. Note: it took Love eight seconds to get up and get back down the court with the rest of his teammates. He was three seconds behind the last Knick to arrive. These may not seem like excruciatingly long periods of time, but at game speed, it was an eternity.

Shumpert’s three misses, but since Love just arrived on the scene, everyone’s assignment for boxing out is totally screwed up. Lin comes away with the rebound while Rubio gets swallowed up by Love’s man, Jared Jeffries.

Since Lin got the rebound and Rubio is stuck with Jeffries, Love is forced to come out and try to guard Lin. Lin (predictably) drives by Love with ease and scores an easy layup.

For those of you keeping track at home, the three that Shumpert missed let Love off the hook briefly, but the botched rebound is also pretty obviously his fault. This may seem relatively insignificant, since the Wolves only ended up giving away two points on the play, but as you may recall, the final score of the game was 100-98. I’m not saying the Wolves lost because of this one play, I’m just saying that this theme of Love complaining to the officials while his teammates try to pick up the slack on defense is pretty clearly detrimental.

Yes, Kevin Love is a star now, and he probably deserved to start this year in the All-Star game (although in a game based on popularity, he was never going to beat out Griffin for the starter’s job. Sorry, bud). For the most part, he certainly has been a joy to watch and cheer for this year; it’s not every year one gets to watch their franchise player throw up 30-20′s and barely blink.

But this particular habit really needs to stop. He’s better than this.