Read the words right out of Glen Taylor's, Kevin McHale's and the newest Wolves' player's mouths from Tuesday afternoon's press conference at Target Center:

WOLVES OWNER GLEN TAYLOR:
Well first of all, let me just tell you I'm appreciative of everyone here that came last week when we were getting ready for this announcement and we had it interrupted because of the tragedy that we had on the 35W bridge. It's been a difficult week for all of us. I thank you for coming back today and I know that you have the same understanding that I do. We did the right thing the other night, and our prayers and concerns are still with a number of families (suffering from) the terrible loss. I'm appreciative of the understanding of our players here who at the last minute were asked to change their schedules and come back this week, because it's important that we get an introduction. We want to talk with the players and we're prepared to do that today. With that, I'm going to ask Kevin to introduce the players and give a little bit of a background.

WOLVES VICE PRESIDENT OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS KEVIN MCHALE:
First of all, right here is the oldest, Theo (Ratliff). Then Al (Jefferson), Gerald (Green), Ryan (Gomes) and Sebastian (Telfair). These are the guys that we traded for Kevin Garnett. Trading Kevin Garnett was a huge, tough decision to make for the franchise. He's been a tremendous player here for years, and we ran back and forth trying to figure whether or not we were going to play the young guys ... If Kevin was going to be apart of that or not. At the end of the day, we felt that with the deal we had in place with Boston, we were able to get some young players, some draft choices and be able to build a good core group of young guys and take them forward. We were really excited about the deal, and ended up doing it. But Kevin will be able to play with two other All-Star players (Ray Allen and Paul Pierce), older guys that have a chance to win a championship. (We were) going young, so I'm not sure out paths were the same. With that being said, we're extremely excited with the young guys we got: with their abilities, their future, their potential. And potential is an interesting thing; it doesn't mean much until you realize it. These guys all can play, but can they go out and help a team win? That's what our league is all about. They have a lot of challenges ahead of them. They have to grow as a group, they have to come together as a group, they have to do a lot of things. The anticipation of the season from the basketball staff (is very high). We're very excited about having a talented group of guys together that can go out and compete.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SEGMENT:
On if there's any significance to having so many X-Celtics on the team:
McHale: Nothing. If all these guys had played in New Orleans, it would have been the same thing. Players are the same no matter where they play. That has no bearing on the situation whatsoever. You look at the talent, not where they're playing. And their capabilities, their potential and all that much more so than where they played.

On if the five players being together in Boston will help their collective transition:
McHale: I think the fact that these guys have all played together helps them. They'll still need to blend in with the other guys ... But the fact that these guys all came from one team helps them. They already have people they know pretty well, so when they come to town, they have some friendships. (Being traded) is always hard, I don't care where it is, so I think it helps these guys transition. But at the end of the day, they are professional basketball players. They've played basketball their whole lives, and they're getting ready to go out there and play.

On if any of the players feel pressure to fulfill the void left by Garnett:
Al Jefferson: No, I don't feel any type of pressure. You just have to work hard and try to make the team better, try to play the best that you can. That's all you can do. It's an honor to be involved in a trade for Kevin Garnett, one of the best players in all of the league.

On what McHale's plan to get bigger at the three, four and five positions working this offseason:
McHale: Yes, we did get bigger: Al is a four or a five; Theo is a four or a five, mostly a five; Ryan is a guy that is a three or a four, but is a big three and inside scorer; Gerald can play both the two or three -- Gerald, you're a solid 6-8, aren't you?
Green: Yes.
McHale: The only guy we got that was a (smaller player) is down there at the end in Sebastian. But the rest of the guys can play two different spots, can play big, and we're excited to have a big three-man like Ryan. We've struggled with some of those bigger threes, and he can go in there and bang them and hit them. He does a good job with those wings. I'm excited, because we did get bigger and that's something we wanted to do.

On if Telfair feels like this gives him a good, fresh start:
Sebastian Telfair: With the team that we have, where there are guys that want to come out and work hard ... I think it's a really good opportunity.

On if McHale thinks this team can contend for the playoffs this year, or if it will take some time
McHale: That's going to be up to these guys, and about how they come together ... We do have a lot of young players ... usually young teams don't do well in the NBA. It's important (for the players to) establish themselves a little bit, establish some roles, and that internal competition is usually very (important). But I don't think anybody can put a timetable on it. We start off by getting these guys in town to work out, go over to Turkey for training camp, and then come back and start playing games over here. It will start becoming clear how these guys can play together as the season progresses.

On the difference between building this squad in relation to Wolves teams in the past:
McHale: They're different. I've felt that until now, the best young players we've had together was the (Stephon) Marbury-Garnett-(Tom) Gugliotta group that was here. For whatever reason, that split up. (The current group of players) is probably, to me, the most talented young group we've had here. There are more (talented) players (this time). It's similar in some ways, but everything is a little bit different. It's a different time in the NBA, but it's a bunch of young guys and we'll see how quickly (they develop). But I remember during that (past) phase, everyone said it would take three or four years, but we made the playoffs that first year. So it can be done. These guys know how to play the game: Randy Foye, Craig Smith, Corey Brewer, Chris Richard and the other guys. We haven't all played together so it's very hard to say what we'll have.

On his health:
Theo Ratliff: Oh yes, as you know I only played a couple games last year. I had back surgery and everything. I've been working hard all summer and I'm feeling good about myself and what I'm able to on the floor. I've always been confident in what I've been able to do. I'm (coming with) a great bunch of young guys. I've seen them play and I've seen them grow and they're going to continue to grow and make their mark in the league.

On his reaction to the trade:
Jefferson: It wasn't that I took it hard, it was just that I've never been traded before. It was a shock. But now I think it's a great opportunity for all of us to come together and play hard and make this team a better team. I think when people say young, that means you're supposed to lose. I don't agree with that at all. We're all on the same level.

On Kevin Garnett and the new Wolves players:
Randy Wittman: First of all, it was an honor for me to be here with Kevin (Garnett) over the years. I was able to be here in 1995 when he was first drafted a skinny, young kid who turned himself into the player that he is today. Any coach would like to have that opportunity to coach a guy like Kevin. But like with any superstar whether it’s through retirement or through in this case a trade, the torch has to be passed along. I feel in making this move, if we were going to make a move like this, we had to do it in a way that we started with a good, young core group of players — and not doing it in a fashion where you are bringing in older players to replace Kevin and now you are having to start over in another two or three years. So I thought the opportunity that was presented to us with this deal made a lot of sense if we were going to go down that road. Now these players have an opportunity to build something special. We’ve got a lot of talent, not only up on the podium here, but with the young guys that we have with Randy, Craig, Rashad, Corey and Chris who we drafted, with the veterans that we got sprinkled in to join those guys. As I told these guys when we made the trade, a lot of these guys have already been initiated. Al and Gerald are going into their fourth year, Ryan and Sebastian their third years. They’ve been smacked around a little bit. They’ve learned the ups and downs of what it is to play in the NBA. I don’t anticipate any of these guys coming over here thinking that we’re going to lose. We’ve got to now come together as a young group and learn to play together and have each other’s back and compete. If we compete every night then the wins and losses will take care of themselves. And that’s the attitude that I think these guys need to have along with the guys that we have coming back.

On if the owner concluded that a title was unlikely unless he traded Garnett:
Glen Taylor: Yes, I think that would be correct. I had the feeling that we could probably play better than we did the last two years, but not well enough to compete for the title and I wasn’t satisfied with that nor do I believe that KG was after he had time to think about it. The idea here is to lay the groundwork for the potential to build something special. Obviously I know that the judgment of that is a couple of years out. Other than Theo, who brings us blocking abilities and the toughness that we need on this team, the other four men are very young, and they’re not brought here on what they’ve done, they’ve been brought here on what we believe that they can do in the future. Since three of them are fairly recent graduates of high school and one from college, they are very, very young men with a big upside. That’s what I’m excited about.

On playing with and against Corey Brewer, Randy Foye, Craig Smith in AAU ball and college:
Sebastian Telfair: I played with Corey in ABC Camp a couple of years ago -- he was actually on my team. I remember him being a good player.

Ryan Gomes: I played against Randy and Craig in the Big East Conference. We had a lot of battles, me and Craig especially The way these two have emerged as young players in this league is great coaching on behalf of the Minnesota Timberwolves and great work that both of those players have. Randy is a slasher, he can score, he can play the point. Craig is a banger down low. I think with the addition of what we have, that we have a good group of guys that are itching to get better in this league.

Al Jefferson: I’ve been playing with Corey since my senior year in high school in the All-America game and the Jordan Classic. And I’ve been watching them all play college too. He’s always had the same attitude since day one. So just to be back with him now… me and Sebastian and him are in the ’04 class, it makes it like a family reunion.

On what part of his game Wolves fans might be surprised by when they see him up close?
Green: I think my ability to shoot the ball will surprise people because everybody knows about the dunks. That’s what I’ve been working on in the summertime is my midrange game…and ball handling also.

McHale: I think with Gerald last year… How many games did you start and play heavy minutes the last part of the year?
Green: About 20.
McHale: He got major minutes at the end of the year. Ryan played solid ball on that team the last two years and Sebastian came in last year and got to start some games early on. Al was one of the fixtures. Al averaged over 16 points and over 11 rebounds a game. So these guys have played in the NBA. I know we are saying that they’re young guys, but they’re not 13 year old kids. These guys have all played NBA Basketball and are very capable NBA players. When we talk about potential, they all can get better because they are so young. They’ve done some very good things in this league. If you watched the Celtics quite a bit and I did on the league pass, these guys all just had shining moments for them throughout the entire year. I watched a game where Al and Gerald and Ryan really kind of controlled the game. They did a great job coming down the stretch and playing meaningful minutes. Paul Pierce wasn’t playing and it was very impressive the fact that those three young guys at their age were out there at the end of games controlling tempo and doing things that were very impressive. These guys all have played and they all have potential to grow.

On whether fans should have high expectations for this team:
Kevin McHale: That will all play out. Like I said, I haven’t seen this group play together either. It’s very hard for me to say what’s going to happen – I don’t know. These guys are going to dictate that. Ten rows back I’m not dictating anything. The guys on the floor are going to go out there and establish who they are and what type of team they are going to be. It’s going to be their team. These guys are five of 12 guys in the locker room with their presence and their personalities and these guys are going to have a huge impact on what this team’s going to be – whether it be good or whether it be bad. It’s going to come down to these guys. I have a lot of confidence in these kids, these young men, These guys are going to establish who they are and what type of team it’s going to be.

Theo Ratliff on how his back feels and his readiness for the season:
I feel great. I’ve had a number of injuries and it’s always an ongoing process rehabbing. I never really take a summer off. I’m constantly trying to just get my body in shape because I now that if I wanted to continue to play and to play at a level that I’m comfortable with, I have to continue to work. I feel good right now. I’m working with a great trainer in Boston and we’re doing some serious stuff, lifting a whole lot of weights – just getting ready. Like I said, this is a new day and I’m very excited about it and I’m ready to come back this year and show what I can do.

Kevin McHale on whether he feels his integrity has been challenged because this deal was made with Boston and since some people say the trade helped Boston get better and it’s unknown how good the players Minnesota received can be:
I think I said I know these guys are going to be really good, just how much better they are going to be (is the question). I’ve seen them all play and they are all very, very good players, very talented with the potential to get better. (Integrity challenged) No not at all. In talking to all the teams throughout the league and Glen said let’s look at every team, let’s talk to everybody. This, to me, was the best deal that we could make. Like I said, had they been from New Orleans it still would have been the same thing. That never entered into it for me. I know it entered into it with other people, but not with me.

On the reaction of season ticket holders to the trade:
Glen Taylor: I don’t think I can really answer that as a whole. I’ve just talked to a bunch of people just personally myself – I don’t know if that would be a good representation – and all those people said they understood why we did the trade and they think in the long run it was the best thing to do for the team. But they all said they’re going to miss Kevin. I think that’s been consistent. The question here potential and patience – I think that is the two things that I would say. We’ve got a lot of excitement here, lot of potential, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be wrong of me to say that we should have a little patience because we do have a bunch of young people on this team that have to learn to work together and to build. Now I’m not going to be too patient...

On whether the new players are frustrated with hearing his Kevin Garnett’s name all the time, even during this press conference:
Ryan Gomes: I’m not frustrated at all. He is what he is, one of the best 25 players ever to play the game. So his name is mentioned and hopefully one day that can be one of us. We understand the logistics of it and we’re happy to be where we’re at and I’m sure he’s happy to be where he’s at. It’s just part of the business. To be traded for a player of that caliber, we have some credibility ourselves. It is what it is and we’re here in Minnesota now and not in Boston. WE know how much he meant to this organization and to Minnesota and it’s just something that we have to deal with and now we have to go out and make names for ourselves.

Randy Wittman on whether he feels any added pressure on himself to make this trade work:
The pressures the same. My job is the same. Hopefully Glen will have a little patience. It’s just not these guys that are coming together. Time will tell, and they are going to dictate to me, how fast this team comes together and what that timeline is going to be. We’ve got guys that have been in this league... Theo presents something that we’ve never had — somebody who can block shots. I know that through his career that that’s what he can do and he can give me and give this team that we’ve never had here. We’ve got different things and different components that we’ve got that these guys have got to learn to play together and accept each other and learn to play as a team. If they do that, we’re going to go down that road a lot faster than I think some people think we can. But that’s what you have to do — work on playing together as a team. There's not one guy who’s going to carry this team, but we don’t need that one guy right now. We have an established group of players on this team who are capable of competing in this league and they’re going to have to do that.

Randy Wittman on how he’ll coach a younger team as compared to a veteran team:
Patience. I’ve got to have patience. Obviously we got Juwan (Howard) in the trade earlier in the summer and at least eight new faces we’re going to have here. So it’s got to be patience on my part in putting this thing together and waiting for the right opportunities to put pressure on them and then expect them to step up. But it going to take a little time for these guys to learn each other, to learn what each others game is and how they play together. That’s true with any team, but much more so with eight new players.

Al Jefferson on playing on a team with no star players right now and how that might make it tough to win:
I think it’s time for the young guys to step up and be that key player. I think it’s a chance for us to step up and be a leader, to be a key player for this team. We need to stick together, more than anything, as a team. When you don’t have an all-star player on the team you need to all stick together and just play harder.

Randy Wittman on if he’s suited for the role as a teacher:
That’s what a coach is. It doesn't matter if I’ve got a veteran-laden team or a young team, you still have to teach the game, even to guys that have been in the league. We have to understand that a player like Steve Nash started exactly where these guys are. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett... they all started where these guys have started from and turned into the players that they are. That’s what were hoping here. We believe that the talent that we’ve put together with these young guys that theses guys are going to step forward. What time is that going to be? That’s the question. I think we have to be patient to see the answer to that. Steve Nash didn’t walk into this league and become the great player he is today. He put in his time just as these guys are going to do.

On which new player will take the last shot during a close game:
Sebastian Telfair: I think we’ll throw it down to Big Al. He’s definitely one of the players in the league who’s established down in the post. But if Gerald Green got it, I definitely think he’d take it and make it.

Kevin McHale on what he would say to the fans, as a Hall of Famer trading a future Hall of Famer that fans loved:
The reason people loved Kevin (Garnett) is that he’s a very easy person to love. He’s a tremendous player and it was a privilege to be around him for many years. Echoing what Randy (Wittman) said, nobody comes into the NBA as an established player. You have to earn that right and Kevin earned that right over time. Anybody who does earn that puts a lot of time in. These guys have their time ahead of them to earn that respect that you get in the league. To fans of Kevin Garnett: Everybody will miss him. We’ll miss him on our side, too. But at a certain point — I know Glen spoke with Kevin a lot more than anyone else in the organization — at a certain point I think Kevin realized that we were going in a direction and he was going in a direction and he felt that a change would be good. I think it’s best for him and hopefully it will be best for us. At a certain point that time comes for everybody. Bill Russell retired and the game went on. Everybody has there time and moves on. But Kevin was a tremendous player for us for many years.

On having a lot of young players and whether that makes the veterans more or less important:
Kevin McHale: All the players are going to have to take responsibility. The young guys may be young in age but they’ve been in the league before so they’re going to have to take responsibility. The team is always constituted of everybody, there’s 12-13 guys on a team. I’ve never been a huge believer that if you’ve been in the league for 12 years that you gives you the right or makes you a better leader. I know guys that have been in the league 12-13 years and don’t say a word, which is fine. Who you are and your personality — you can be a leader at 23, 24, 25; and it’s happened. It doesn’t happen all that often, but it’s happened in our league. I was talking with Craig Smith about his second year in the league and what to expect and I said, ‘At 23,24 if you don’t know what to expect out on the basketball court, you’ll never know.’ You don’t just turn 30 and say, ‘now that’s the right way to play.’ There’s a right way to play and everybody knows what it is, you just have to go out there and do it. So these guys may be young but they’re... we’ll see... I think their personalities are all... I’ve enjoyed talking to each and every one of them. I’ve been impressed with their maturity level. I’ve been impressed with their approach. So we’ll see. One of these guys might end up being the leader of this team. It doesn’t have to be a veteran guy. And I don’t know if there is one leader. I think there’s a group of guys that get together and the team kind of follows them and I’m sure these guys will be part of that group.