Hungry Like the Wolf

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Hungry Like the Wolf
Part 1: The Rebuilding Process

In an alternate universe not much different from our own, the Minnesota Timberwolves an NBA basketball team are and have been in a bad place. Ever since trading their franchise player Kevin Garnett the Timberwolves have been in a never ending rebuilding process. Recently some fans have been given a sign of hope the Glen Taylor has sold the team to an ownership group whom have had much success in the world of business. This ownership group immediately made a huge impact by firing the GM David Kahn. The new GM will be Jeremy Base a young (39 years old) independent NBA consultant. Base made his own splash as he got right down to business in his opening press conference.

"I believe I come from a different place then most GMs, I have been evaluating talent for years and I am going to be frank, the Timberwolves are not in a good situation. There is much to be done to get this team on the right track. I will be frank in saying that most top tier free agents will not consider coming to this franchise in its current state and even if we get this team running effectively we will still be at a disadvantage in the market we are in. Thankfully we have a new ownership that is willing to do what it takes to win. Unfortunately in the short term that may mean saying good bye to many players whom the fans really have grown to like as players and as people. This means changes in every aspect of this organization. This organization needs to evaluate talent better, if we are to get a super star on this team it will have to be through the draft. Also the NBA has financial limitations and it will be my job to find players that under utilized in other markets and give them a shot in this one, this is the only way we can get value for players at this point. At the same time we need to allow for financial flexibility in the future so that we can build a team eventually. Mark my words there will be change to this franchise and fairly immediately. The rebuild process starts in its truest sense right now."

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I will try and make this dynasty as realistic as possible. The Timberwolves will have to be underdogs through and through. I will not sign marquee free agents and I will over pay if I do sign a star. I believe this will make this franchise more realistic.

I will also handicap myself by trying not to go into the luxury tax and be financially prudent with my salaries.

I am trying to make this dynasty as realistic as possible to the actual challenges the GM of the Timberwolves would face.

[Tim Moungey]

Interesting to see how your house rules play out.

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Point Guards

Luke Ridnour: Ridnour has a long contract that is quite expensive for a backup point guard, but he has some qualities that I like such as good shooting, defense that isn't atrocious against other point guards and the ability to take care of the ball, even if he isn't the best distributor. I have no qualms about holding on to Ridnour but at the same time I wouldn't think twice about putting him in a trade as salary filler.

Sebastian Telfair: The only good thing about Telfair is that his contract is expiring, other than that he is a waste of roster space.

Johnny Flynn: Flynn is most valuable as a trade piece. He is not elite in any category, but then again he isn't terrible in any one category either. Flynn is marginal at best as a starting point guard. If possible Flynn will be traded, if not he is suitable as a stop gag point guard.

Ricky Rubio: We hold the right to Rubio, but I am no fan of his. He has been a terrible shooter in the Euro League, he might still hold some value.

Shooting Guards
Corey Brewer: An expiring contract and a fairly good defensive player. I will probably just let his contract expire and then sign someone else to replace him over the off season. If Brewer does stay long term it is in a bench role.

Wayne Ellington: A good shooter with terrible defense, his contract expires at the end of the year.

Maurice Ager: A marginal NBA player at best, when his contract expires he will probably not find a job in the NBA.

Small Forwards:

Martell Webster: Webster is not a good player yet his contract is long and expensive. Webster needs to go and will probably be packaged with a better player so another team can eat his contract.

Lazar Hayward: Another not-so-good in any category SF who has a very small minimum contract, he is insignificant to the future of this team. Maybe another team will see something in Hayward that I do not.

Wesley Johnson: A valuable commodity that I am not too high on. He is a 23 year old rookie, who seems to be a jack of all trades but a master of none. He does hold a great deal of value to other Gms I will look to shop him.

Power Forwards:

Michael Beasley: Beasley is forced to play out of position due to the superior Kevin Love being on the roster. Beasley is a mediocre volume scorer with attitude problems, he has a ton of ability and upside. He will be traded he not the kind of player that I wish to have on this team.

Kevin Love: The best player on a terrible team, also the teams largest trade chip. Kevin Love is good but is he the franchise corner stone, or just simply a stepping stone to a greater team. A lot of people would not like to see Love go, but I am open to that prospect if I get a good enough return.

Kosta Koufos: He has a multi-year deal and is a jack of no trades, Koufos needs to be shipped off somewhere and replaced with something useful.

Centers:

Darko Milicic: Milicic has a long expensive contract and really doesn't add to the team. It will be hard to move Darko but it might be necessary for future growth.

Anthony Tolliver: A marginal player that has a modest 2-year deal. He will probably ride out his contract as a Timberwolf.

Nikola Pekovic: Probably the best center on the team, he has a sizable contract for someone of his caliber but he is a suitable stop gag at the center position.

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Since I expect a complete roster over-haul after this year the current coaching staff will remain in tact. Next year all bets are off.

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Cleveland gets:
Darko Milicic
Kevin Love
Johnny Flynn
Lazar Hayward
and 2011 2nd round pick

Minnesota gets:
Antwan Jamison
Jamerio Moon
Daniel Gibson
Cleveland 1st Round Pick 2011
Cleveland 1st Round Pick 2013

Trade Winner: Short Term Cleveland, Long Term Minnesota(by far)

Cleveland is not high on the 2011 draft and would rather try and compete this year. They get the best player in the deal in Kevin Love. Cleveland is also high on Johnny Flynn and see him as having a future as a starter. Minnesota gets Jamison who is no longer a productive player and has a large two year contract. Cleveland also gets Moon who also isn't very good, but whose contract can be voided after this year. Daniel Gibson has a long and not so good contract, but this is the price that the Timberwolves had to pay for a deluge of talent in draft picks.

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Memphis Gets:

PF/SF Michael Beasley
SG/SF Wesley Johnson
SF Martell Webster
SG Wayne Ellington
2nd Round Pick(2012)

Minnesota Gets:

SG O.J. Mayo
C Hasheem Thabeat
SF Sam Young
C Hamed Haddadi
1st Round Pick (2011)

Winner: It really depends on how one looks at next years draft. I personally think there are some good players and therefore I pulled the trigger on this trade. Minnesota gets no real game changers, look for Mayo to possibly be traded again at the all-star break. Memphis definitely won on the talent side of things with Wesley Johnson and Beasley being the cornerstones of this trade for them.

[Tim Moungey]

Not sure I agree with that Love trade, personally. Cleveland manages to be competitive even with that roster and now they've added a legit franchise guy in Love and a quality backup PG in Flynn for Mo Williams. They could very easily make the playoffs in the weak East thanks to that deal.

I also think you're underrating Moon just a little bit. He has value as a defender.

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Starting PG

Luke Ridnour: a backup on most teams Ridnour will get a legitimate shot to prove himself in the NBA, the chances are that this will be his only season as a starter in the NBA.

Starting SG

O.J. Mayo: Mayo has a sweet shot and good defense, but his BBIQ isn't that great. Mayo will be the number one offensive option on what will undoubtedly be a complete rebuild year for Minnesota.

Starting SF

Corey Brewer: Brewer will be a defensive specialist assigned to the hardest assignments. Brewer can do a lot to increase his trade value in this role.

Starting PF

Antwan Jamison: Jamison is well past his prime, but he should be the no. 2 option for scoring on this terrible Timberwolves team.

Starting C

Anthony Tolliver: Tolliver gets the starting position because of superior endurance to the other centers and nothing else really. Like Ridnour this will probably be Tolliver's only season as a starter in the NBA.

6th Man:

Nikola Pekovic: Pekovic is really the most talented center on the team his endurance is the only thing holding him back. Pekovic has the talent to compete for 6th man of the year.

Rest of the Bench

Daniel Gibson: Gibson will get a lot of minutes as a backup to Ridnour this year. This will be the a great opportunity for Gibson.

Jamario Moon: Moon will get a lot of minutes at both the 2 and the 3, he is a good defensive player which is more than one can say for most of the Timberwolves.

D-League:

Hasheem Thabeat: Hopefully he will develop into what Memphis thought he would be already.

Sam Young: A marginal NBA player Sam Young will get more minutes in the D-League and therefore could potentially up his trade value there rather than sitting on the end of the bench in the NBA.

End of the Bench

Baring Injuries Sebastian Telfair, Maurice Ager and Hamed Haddadi will not be a factor on the team.

Conclusion: It is tank from day one this year for Minnesota, they will be lucky to get 20 wins this year. Some experts claim that this might be one of the worst teams in NBA history.

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The Timberwolves ownership has brought down ticket prices in preparation for a horrible turn-out this year. Many Timberwolves fans are very disgruntled that Love was traded. Jeremy Base's approval rating is very low at the moment. Most don't see the long term plan.