NBA TV Preview

Remember the good ole days, when the Timberwolves used to get trounced in the playoffs?

For years, it pained Timberwolves fans to watch their team go down with a whimper in the postseason, but after two years on the outside looking in, those days don't look so bad.

Last year's 33-49 record was the second-worst in the conference, and represented the team's fewest wins since a 26-56 mark during Kevin Garnett's rookie season.

At only 30-years-old, Garnett is still one of the NBA's top 10 players. Last year, he averaged 21.8 points and 12.7 rebounds while shooting a career-best .526 from the field. One of the game's most intense competitors, he's still capable of carrying this team into the playoffs, but he needs a little more help than he had a year ago. That help has arrived, potentially, in the form of two versatile new guards.

Randy Foye, 6-4, is drawing preseason R.O.Y. buzz and comparisons to Dwyane Wade after an MVP showing at the Vegas Summer League. The All-American from Villanova averaged 24.8 points a game in Vegas, attacking the basket and scoring almost at will.

Mike James is the team's big free agent prize. After years as a complementary player on veteran teams, James exploded as a go-to performer on a young Toronto team in 2005-06, finishing 20th in the league in scoring (20.3) and 19th in assists (5.8) while exhibiting one of the NBA's most accurate three-point strokes (.442, 4th in the NBA).

An enhanced perimeter game will open up the floor for Garnett and Ricky Davis, the 'Wolves other prolific scorer. Foye and James enter an already crowded backcourt that features Marko Jaric and Troy Hudson. Trenton Hassell, an indispensable lock-down defender, will see time at guard and small forward.

The 'Wolves aren't nearly as deep up front, where Garnett and Mark Blount will be leaned on, even if Blount never becomes the player Danny Ainge once paid him to be in Boston. The only other veterans on the roster that are 6-9 or taller are Mark Madsen and Eddie Griffin. Minnesota can ill afford an injury to one of their big men, and might have to part with one of their guards to get some depth down low.

If Foye lives up to his advance billing, this is a team capable of a 10-game improvement. They'll have Davis and Blount, two mid-season acquisitions, from Day 1, they're one of the league's better defensive teams, and they possess Garnett, one of the game's most lethal weapons.
-- Bill Evans

2006-07 Wolves 10-Game Packages

Casey

Dwane Casey enters year two of a five-year contract, but shouldn't get too comfortable, because he could find himself on the hot seat if the 'Wolves struggle early.

The future of this team depends on the happiness of Kevin Garnett, who could opt out of his contract after the season. That means Kevin McHale must hold someone accountable if the 'Wolves aren't contending for a playoff spot.

Fueling speculation that Casey might not be long for the 'Wolves is the recent appointment of Randy Wittman as an assistant coach. Wittman, an assistant in Minnesota under Flip Saunders, was a finalist for Casey's job last summer.

Casey earned his reputation in part because of his role in the development of young players in Seattle, among them Rashard Lewis, Desmond Mason, Flip Murray and Luke Ridnour. How quickly he develops Foye, a potential second fiddle to Garnett, may determine his fate.
-- Bill Evans

X&O STRENGTH

Casey

It all starts with Kevin Garnett, one of the top players in the league…In the half court a lot of the offense will have to go through him…They also have a very talented rookie in Randy Foye who I would suspect would be a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year and that may end up taking some pressure off of KG offensively.

X&O WEAKNESS
If they can keep everybody healthy, they are looking for Troy Hudson to come back and that was a big loss for them…Just getting guys back on to the floor ready to play will help them a lot…But the flip side of that is having to mesh together a lot of new guys and develop camraderie.

HEAD COACH PHILOSOPHY
They probably would like to push the ball up but they have to make sure the ball goes to KG because of his talent level, his great passing ability, I think they will be playing off of him.
-- Dave Fredman (courtesy of the National Basketball Coaches Association)

I don't know if they're going to be much better than they were last year.
Mike James is going to be okay. Mike played well in Toronto because he was playing for a contract, but he also played selfishly. What teams will probably do is just get the ball out of Mike's hands; When he comes off a pick-and-roll they're not going to let him shoot those jumpshots they let him shoot last year. He also has Kevin Garnett on his team. Garnett's not going to stand there and not say anything when James comes down and throws up four straight threes on four straight possessions.
If you look at their roster, what have they done other than add James and Foye? Foye's a rookie and it's tough for rookies to come in and be effective right away.
It will help being Dwane Casey's second year there.
You know Garnett's going to come out and play hard every night regardless, but I don't know how much better it's going to get for them.
-- Eastern Conference Scout

Randy Foye: Maybe the most NBA-ready of all the 2006 NBA Draft class, Foye will step in and see plenty of time at shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Mike James: With more legitimate scorers like Kevin Garnett, Ricky Davis and even rookie Randy Foye on the court, James won’t be able to duplicate his career-high 20.3 points per game or 2.1 threes.

More fantasy news

Plenty to be excited about, but plenty of unknown heading into this season in Minnesota. Randy Foye will get every opportunity to perform in his rookie season, but it is his rookie season. Very few rookies head in as a sure thing -- a player worthy of a top five round pick. Foye is no different. Mike James is coming off of what was by far the best season of his career. Had he stayed in Toronto with minimal talent around him, a person could feel more confident in his return to form. The T-Wolves have tons of of fantasy value and aren’t loaded with firepower off the bench, which means the starters will likely log more minutes.
-- Jon Loomer
Timberwolves Fantasy Preview

Play Video

20.3

3.3

5.8

--

--

--

19.4

4.5

5.1

21.8

12.7

4.1

11.3

4.5

1.2

4.6

5.6

0.6

9.2

2.8

2.6

9.5

1.2

2.9

7.8

3.1

3.9

1.2

2.3

0.2

4.5

1.7

0.6

Serbia & Montenegro

Greece

Draft

Free agent

Draft

Draft

Free agent

Free agent

Free agent

21.8

12.7

2.8

1.44

2.11

91.7

(28th)

93.6

(8th)

.456

(11th)

.441

(9th)

-1.85

(24th)