The Minnesota Timberwolves are a franchise with an archive of rebuilding schemes that collectively give off the vibe of a broken-field runner at a nursery school football game, jam-packed with tragi-comic plot twists borne of contextual confusion, cartoon collisions and affably earnest dysfunction. Over the years, the front offices and locker rooms alike have been peopled by vain villains, disheartening busts, over-lauded phenoms, wannabe antiheroes, noble mediocrities and plucky pros scrapping for dignity.
Consequently, perhaps the best way to begin this sincerely hopeful preview of the Timberwolves 2021-22 season is with a eulogy for the brief, frenetic, checkered tenure of the Wolves recently deposed president of basketball operations, Gersson Rosas.
Rosas arrived in May of 2019 as the antidote for the regime of his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau. Thibs was brought in to develop the top players taken in the previous two drafts, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, especially on defense. He was forced out in the middle of his third season because he steadfastly supported his win-now acquisition Jimmy Butler even as Butler demanded a trade and continued to brutally haze Wiggins and Towns … without improving the defense. (In classic Timberwolves fashion, Butler and Thibs both got their I-told-you-so moments of glory in Miami and New York, respectively, as the Wolves continued to languish.)
Thibs was booed out of Minnesota for being a myopic, alienating curmudgeon who trusted the intel of watching tape more than crunching numbers and regarded “family” as distracting interlopers. Four months after he was canned, his successor Rosas strode into his introductory press conference accompanied by universal gushing among the foot soldiers within the Wolves organization. He pledged fidelity to modern analytics, cooed about the chemistry when he and owner Glen Taylor got together with their wives, and, juggling an adorable twin on each knee while seated on stage, declared that “family” would be as an integral part of Wolves culture.
Too much of it became a bill of goods. The talisman for this sunny cultural makeover was a trip to the Bahamas for the entire team. Somehow everyone seemed to have a fabulous time clowning and hooping at an island resort, all expenses paid. And if anyone needed proof of that there was vivid, superbly edited footage available just a click away on the team’s website. The Bahamas sojourn turned out to be as genuine and predictive as any reality show.
In less than a year’s time on the job, Rosas had taken a blowtorch to the roster, retaining just two of the 15 players he’d inherited from Thibs and spending over the NBA salary cap as the Wolves won just 19 of 64 games. In less than two and a half years, he’d been bounced out of the organization for creating a “toxic environment,” that included a consensual affair with a married co-worker.
From “family culture” to “sustainable winner,” the broad strokes from the reign of Rosas make for easy snark. Truth is, for a pint-sized guy who never played beyond high school to become the first Latino (born in Colombia) ever to run an NBA franchise required an extra dose of moxie. But Rosas displayed enough arrogance and hypocrisy to merit his demise. As POBO of the Wolves, he consistently sought to demonstrate that he was the smartest guy in the room, behavior which — given the tactical terms of human relations and his unquestioned position of power and leadership — immediately disqualified him as the smartest guy in the room.
Giving Rosas his due
All that said, the Wolves head into Wednesday’s opening game of the 2021-22 NBA season in better shape — in both the short- and long-term — than they were when Rosas took over less than 30 months ago. The man deserves props on a number of fronts.
The player Rosas chose with the top pick in the 2020 draft, Anthony Edwards, is talented enough to have a viable chance of becoming a superstar, with a guileless charisma that plays equally well among teammates in the locker room and fans on social media.
Chris Finch, the coach Rosas went to extraordinary lengths to procure in the middle of the season last winter — snatching him off the bench from the Toronto Raptors, where he was an assistant coach — combines open-minded original thinking and plainspoken honesty in a manner that can simultaneously appeal to a player’s head and his heart, engendering loyalty even as Finch enforces accountability.
When it comes to NBA-caliber talent, the current Wolves roster is stocked with more depth than the franchise has enjoyed in many years. Part of this is maturation. Half of the top dozen players in the Wolves rotation last season were aged 22 and younger, including Edwards and the steal of last year’s draft, combo forward and defensive stalwart Jaden McDaniels, whom Finch has boldly (foolishly?) compared to a young Scottie Pippen. In the frontcourt, center Naz Reid, power forward Jarred Vanderbilt and even combo guard Jaylen Nowell (who is on the rotation bubble), are reasonably expected to sustain the upward trajectory each of them demonstrated last season.
Another part of the better depth is related to health. At the top of the pecking order, the two Timberwolves who have been All-Stars and are on maximum salaries, Towns and point guard D’Angelo Russell, played dramatically fewer minutes than their six-year career norms last season. Assuming a more typical playing regimen for both would mean their replacements would go back to strengthening the bench contingent.
The third upgrade in depth stems from trades engineered by Rosas during the offseason. When the maneuvering was over, the Wolves had parted with Ricky Rubio, Juancho Hernangomez and Jarrett Culver while adding Patrick Beverley and Taurean Prince. Beverley is a significant upgrade over Rubio at the backup point guard (and tandem playmaker when Finch wants to move Russell off the ball in the backcourt), mostly because of fit and chemistry. He’s a more efficient scorer, especially on catch-and-shoot three-pointers when “DLo” wants to swing the ball or drive-and-kick it in his direction. Rubio is no slouch on defense, but PatBev is better; he is more capable when battling in bigger matchups and a more tone-setting, pertinent communicator. And he is one of the few players as good or better than Rubio at being a respected voice in the locker room.
The areas where Rubio is superior to Beverley are in the realm of ball movement, court vision and health. But even the fact that PatBev is not a “true point guard” helps his fit, as he will be less competitive with and jealous of DLo as the team’s primary floor general and correspondingly less disheartened running the offense with the second unit.
The other kindred position swap in the Wolves rotation resulting from trades is Taurean Prince assuming the role of combo forward and emergency small ball center from Juancho Hernangomez. On paper, their value is similar. On a team that could use more size and banging, Juancho is two inches taller, rebounds better and posts similarly weak defensive numbers relative to Prince. But ever since the opening of preseason at Media Day, Prince has been hollering about how much better he feels after ankle surgery that he delayed for more than two years. The excuse acquired credibility as Prince’s defensive recognition and movement in the Wolves four preseason games was vastly more effective than Juancho’s inert, scarecrow approach, and his superior accuracy from three-point range and comfort with systems akin to Finch’s pass-happy offensive sets make him a better fit on both sides of the ball.
Finally, it doesn’t hurt that both PatBev and Prince are on expiring contracts (at $14.3 million and $13 million, respectively) providing Rosas’ replacement, Sachin Gupta, with a pair of intriguing chips (especially Beverley, a valuable defender for a playoff-bound team) at the trade deadline if the Wolves are no longer in the postseason hunt. For all his foibles, Rosas deserves a fist bump for swallowing his considerable pride and including Culver his first draft pick as POBO who became an absolute bust and would not have made the Wolves rotation this season anyway — along with Juancho in the trade for Beverley. It was a nifty personnel coup before he was banished.
Reasons to be slightly optimistic
So, with the tantalizing promise of Edwards, the innovative guidance of Finch, the improved health of max stars KAT and DLo and a deeper bench, will the Wolves be printing playoff tickets for the second time in 18 years in the spring of 2022?
Highly unlikely. It is one thing to say that the Wolves should be much better at figuring themselves out and beginning to establish some positive momentum after finishing with a combined record of 42-94 in the two years with Rosas at the helm. It is quite another to put them among the top eight teams in a diminished but still rugged Western Conference.
Optimists like to point to the 11-11 record after KAT and DLo were finally healthy together in the last seven weeks of the 2020-21 season. But that slate was still only 10th best in the West during that span. Sure, 10th will get you into the “play-in” games, where if you win twice against higher seeds you’re belatedly in the playoffs. But even that final spurt last season was accomplished despite the team ranking 13th among the 30 NBA teams in offensive efficiency (points scored per possession) and 26th on defense (points allowed per possession).
So: highly unlikely. But — for a change — not ridiculous.
Wolves fans can hinge their hopes on the dim possibility of the playoffs, but there are more realistic frames by which to be optimistic about the 2021-22 Wolves season. Chief among them is the expectation that we will finally get some clarity on the current, interminable rebuild of the team, coupled with the knowledge that there can be a viable Plan B if it doesn’t pan out.
Since 2015, the Wolves have hitched their future to the performance of, first, Towns and Wiggins, and, for the past 20 months, Towns and DLo. It has been a period pock-marked by tragedy: the death of Flip Saunders right after he drafted KAT; the passing of KAT’s mother and other friends and relatives from Covid; all beset by the frantic churn in surrounding personnel throughout the organization.
This hurry-up-and-wait dynamic has generated the worst of both worlds: stasis and instability. Bottom line, in terms of both chronological age and NBA service time, KAT and DLo are now entering the supposed prime of their careers. It is time for them to demonstrate that there can be real traction from their leadership before team and players alike are compelled to conclude it just isn’t going to work out.
One can make a strong argument that KAT is the most accurate shooting big man in NBA history. He currently ranks 6th all-time in true shooting percentage, which properly weights three-pointers, two-pointers and free throws. Towns excels at every shooting distance. He is a matchup nightmare who can punish large opponents by taking them out to the perimeter and bully smaller defenders down near the hoop. He is an above-average passer and handles the ball well for a big man.
But after six years in the pro game, KAT has never been a reliably competent defender. He is a poor decision-maker when called upon to make rapid-fire adjustments. He can be bullied by more physical opponents, resulting in him accumulating retaliatory fouls and breaking his focus to bark at the referees, sometimes at the expense of not hustling back up the court in time.
KAT has been forthright about his trials and tribulations, for better and for worse. His honesty and pinpoint descriptions of his piquant grief over losing his mother, and others, to COVID, was therapeutic to him and profoundly illuminating to those who heard him. His calling out of the disrespect he received at the hands of Thibs and his proxy Butler was overdue. His mention of the revolving door of players, coaches, and executives that have come and gone from this franchise during his career is as accurate as his shooting.
But with the notable exceptions of Thibs and Butler, he has not been treated shabbily. On the contrary, from Taylor on down, the franchise has catered to his desires. The hiring of coach Ryan Saunders was widely viewed as a KAT-pleasing maneuver. The steadfast pursuit and significant bounty required to obtain KAT’s avowed buddy DLo was about high-end chemistry and morale as much as pure talent value. And various coaches have tried various defensive schemes in an attempt to mitigate his defensive shortcomings.
DLo likewise offers up a complicated blend of beguiling offensive virtues and acute defensive flaws. He is remarkably clever with the ball in his hands, superb at dribbling and at varying the speed of his movements and the pattern of his gambits. He’ll whip a deftly timed pass to the weakside corner without a hint of prior acknowledgment, or feign a drive and pull up for a jumper, or maintain his dribble in traffic in a cat-and-mouse game to draw the foul, rising up with his long wingspan to bury a jumper if the defender doesn’t bite. But on defense he lags, sometimes for the entire play, sometimes just long enough for his man to blow past him, or for an opponent to get in shooting rhythm because his close-out is late. Last season, he allowed his disrespect for Saunders to hinder his performance, demonstrating an indifference long before being slowed by injury.
If KAT and DLo can become even average NBA defenders, the Wolves’ chances to make the playoffs rise considerably. (DLo also faces the challenge of getting enough quality touches for the other two potent scorers in the starting lineup, KAT and Ant Edwards, without sacrificing too much of his own scoring prowess — a very fine, tricky balance to achieve.) But if a roster led by KAT and DLo don’t, for whatever reason, generate enough positive momentum this season the prevailing circumstances portend a major shakeup.
The younger, more aggressive ownership tandem of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are slowly but surely taking over for Taylor. At the POBO level, Gupta is more circumspect and less ego-driven than Rosas, and is much less personally invested in the need for KAT and DLo to flourish. As head coach, Finch is less rigid than Thibs and less of a pushover than Ryan Saunders, able to take a dispassionate approach toward accountability. When he called KAT a “top 5 talent” in the entire NBA recently, it felt like a standard as much as a compliment.
The good news is that perhaps for the first time in the desultory history of the franchise, a failed rebuild would not leave the Wolves bereft back at square one. On the contrary, they could pivot to the career timelines of Ant and McDaniels (ages 20 and 21) and reap a significant haul for the likes of KAT and (to a lesser extent) DLo.
Can Finch’s system shore up the Wolves’ defense?
Of course, a better option is getting the most out of the significant talent and depth that currently exists on the roster. Schematically, Finch has overhauled the defensive philosophy in a manner that requires near-constant hustle and alert teamwork. Instead of automatically dropping back to protect the rim in the half-court defense, KAT and other bigs will confront the pick and roll at its leverage point, relying on the “low man” to slide down from the wing or weak side if and when the roll man commits to the hoop.
It’s a sound strategy because the Wolves don’t really have any bruising rim protectors to control the paint. But the new system can’t totally address that fundamental weakness either. Speed, grit and coordination exercising the scheme can provide unpredictable resistance, but adept passing generally trumps active defenders in the modern NBA. And the Wolves will be especially vulnerable to opponents with a bevy of accurate three-point shooters, as Finch philosophically opts for rim protection over challenging above-the-break treys (deterring corner threes remains a priority), especially from secondary scorers.
The realistic goal here is not an elite defense, or perhaps even an average one. Last season the Wolves finished 28th in defensive efficiency. Improving that ranking up to the high-to-mid teens would allow what should be a prolific offense (near the top ten in efficiency) to win a decent percentage of the shootouts that will characterize Wolves games this season.
But that will require rapid acclimation to achieve cohesion in the new system — and some trial-by-fire torching by smart, quality opponents as the Wolves get up to speed. Speaking of speed, although the Wolves were horrible in transition defense last season, Finch is still demanding that they contest for offensive rebounds before scrambling back down the court in time to forestall fast-break buckets. In other words, constant effort on defense, always a key component of a strong defense, will be especially important. And by limiting the amount of switching on defense and demanding extended offensive possessions before heading back in transition, Finch is making conditions more obvious for when players aren’t hustling or diligent to the scheme. At least the Wolves’ small but athletic and deep roster suits this approach.
Roster depth and the need for some balance between offensive and defensive acumen makes player rotations, and even the composition of the starting lineup, up in the air just a couple of days before the opener. The “Big 3” of KAT, DLo and Ant are all locks to start, and it is difficult to imagine McDaniels not joining them.
But that fifth spot dramatically changes the dynamic and could become situational. One option is pairing Beverley and DLo in the backcourt of a smaller lineup, where Ant and McDaniels are the forwards and KAT is the center. More importantly, this is currently the odds-on favorite to be the closing lineup, addressing the trend of teams going smaller in crunchtime.
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If the Wolves find that KAT is being overwhelmed on defense, Ant and McDaniels can be bumped back to shooting guard and small forward, respectively, and a more rugged power forward — Jarred Vanderbilt, Taurean Prince, even Josh Okogie — is inserted while Beverley sits out. Last, and probably least often, if the Wolves want to go for ultimate fireworks right from the opening tip, Malik Beasley would join the shooting gallery alongside the Big 3 and a token defender at power forward.
For better balance and opportunity and less redundancy, Finch will stagger the substitutions so that one of the Big 3 is on the floor at all times. Expect DLo or Ant to sit early and then rejoin the fray to beef up the offense on the second unit. As for the second unit, Finch is being coy about how deep his rotations will go each game and whether it will be further extended by a different cast from game to game. He has spoken about using as many as eleven players under normal circumstances (not prompted by foul trouble), and can reach even further down without creating a farce on the court.
Specifically, there are 10 locks for regular playing time: KAT, Ant, DLo, McDaniels, Beverley, Beasley, Prince, Vanderbilt, Naz Reid, and Okogie. Strong cases can be made for both Nowell and third point guard Jordan McLaughlin being in the mix, and situational time made for Jake Layman, rookie Leandro Bolmaro and power forward Nate Knight. Injuries will inevitably make this depth a luxury.
A prediction: 38 wins … and other fungible rewards
Relatively speaking, I’m optimistic about the Wolves this season. I do not predict them making the playoffs for only the second time since 2004, or boasting a winning record for only the second time since 2005. But what Rosas has wrought and Finch will execute will feel less like a nursery school gambol than the makings of a basketball team that can generate fungible rewards, has room to evolve in different ways, and can keep your investment and enthusiasm without you feeling like a sap.
Assuming a league-average burden of injuries and disruptions, I’ll predict between 35 and 41 wins, both over the Vegas consensus projection of 33.5-34.5. Split the difference and call it 38-44.
After four seasons writing for The Athletic, it is nice writing about hoops for MinnPost readers again. If you recall, I enjoy fostering a vigorous comments section, so if you have any feedback please engage.
Nice to have you back.
I subscribed to the Athletic for a couple of years. There were some great writers there, but a lot of garbage writing too.
Thanks for your loyalty Pat. I obviously have my issues with The Athletic, but in their defense, they employ such a large stable of diverse stylists on staff that there will be gold and garbage for most everyone. At least here, without the pay wall (tho take note that “this story is not free” is a necessary Minnpost mantra) you get the look-see without the initial investment.
Welcome back, Britt! I’ll follow you anywhere! Hoping your articles continue complementing Jon K.’s as best is possible. For how much I pay The Athletic, I’m pretty frustrated by their decision-making. Congrats on getting an equal or better gig.
Thanks Eric. Jon and I have such complementary strengths and mutual respect that I imagine our pieces will align for a more complete whole even when we are writing in separate venues.
Thanks for this Britt. Looking forward to your work in this space. Most pundits currently have the Wolves looking at a top seeding around 10 and it looks like you are in a similar “play-in” upside position. Am I crazy to think they are better than the Pelicans, Kings and Spurs and maybe level with Memphis and a Clippers team without Kawhi? That would put them at 7-8 I guess, so still play-in level, but the injuries and depth on those teams with the exception of Memphis should make for at least something to play for through March/April and then we see what happens.
Not necessarily better or worse than the Pelicans, Kings and Spurs; more in that grouping, though I agree that that is going to be where the play-in scrap occurs. In my opinion Memphis is a superior team, although I confess that I am mystified by their off-season, especially handing up Beverley on a silver platter and deciding Adams over JV all for the sake of a draft pick they probably could have gotten if they’d stayed put.
Hi Britt,
Greetings from NY, and welcome back to MinnPost! With this club, it’s always been wait and see, and this year is no different. From the moment Towns stepped on the court in Summer League back when he was drafted, it looked like the word was out that he didn’t respond well to pressure and physical play. I have a serious doubt whether he has the mental toughness to overcome or at least temper his on-court shortfalls. Regardless of making the playoffs, removing himself as a primary reason of why the team is failing (if they do) would be a worthy goal. In comparison, KG left little doubt that it was management failing to surround him with talent. Can Towns achieve that level of rarified air? Again, we’ll see.
I’ve got my Timberwolves/Knicks tickets for MSG in January. It’s all love in NYC right now for Thibs, but I’m waiting to see how long he will take to clash with management over any a number of issues. Still, I’m longing to hear him yell “cutters” from the rafters, along with a choice profanity. It’s great to look forward to sitting in an arena again.
The issues with KAT are less of a mystery now and more of an adjustment–fortunately true about both his offense and his defense. His attitude and/or personal makeup is less set in stone, although I agree that there is a yin and yang to his “mental toughness” that makes his virtues and vices in that regard surprising on both sides. Unfortunately, unreliability is antithetical to leadership.
I am a victim of pre-season optimism.
I see 44 wins.
However – I can deal with the disappointment. I am use to it.
Sounds like the right attitude both ways.
The twolves are currently ranked as one of the worst nba teams, so I’m unwilling to buy into his message.
Latest ranking has them as the 21st worst team.
That may be right – but that is why we play the games.
The only preseason rankings I take super seriously are the Vegas win totals, having learned over the years that because accuracy–or at least a balance of consensus that doesn’t burn them–is the key to their survival, they are very good at zeroing in on what matters.
So, don’t know if the Wolves are 21st there, but I am pretty confident saying the Wolves are better than 10 teams–meaning at least 20th–in my book.
Fantastic review and preview and, as always, beautiful prose that makes me feel like I’m reading on a long slide. I did raise my eyebrow at “piquant grief,” as that’s not how I’d describe it and am curious as to your definition. It’s been a while, and it’s great to read you again. Go Wolves! (No, seriously, stay)
Eric, thanks for the kind words and in particular a nod to my writing. Even more, thank you for forcing me to go look up the definition of the word piquant. I was jolted to see “pleasantly” as an adverb before “tangy” and “stimulating.” Obviously his grief was not pleasant. But it was poignant, provocative (two later synonyms), and yes, tangy and stimulating. The phrase that was in my head when I wrote it was the one where he said the old KAT had died and that after April 13, “I don’t remember that man. I don’t know that man.”
So, thanks for the catch. If I’d looked up the word and seen pleasantly, I would have chosen differently.
My canceled sub to The Athletic (until they gave a ridiculous renewal offer) coincided with your return here. I always liked this forum.
The middle 40 games have always been the ones that, factoring in health, reveal who the playoff possible teams are. Their slide 2 years ago and the one when KG and Prince were starting coincided with that middle area. It’d be great to bank as many wins as they can before that, of course. That’s where the veterans help with grinding out wins. They’ve lacked those grinders, who are essential to surviving 82 games.
It’s certainly true that Rosas’ acquisitions this summer and hiring of Finch set them up for some good vibes at least to start the season. It’s hard for me to get over how blunt the rest of his teardown was. As a fan, it’s great that Edwards is here and Wiggins is not. Looking at the bigger picture, Edwards is here because of Towns’ wrist injury and the pandemic as much as anything Rosas did. McDaniels and Vanderbilt became quiet gems as much because of injury as anything else; arguably, Vanderbilt might be gone by now without that opportunity. Meanwhile, they have few quality veterans and inexperienced players who other teams don’t think of as assets, all while punting on 1 1/2 seasons of Towns’ max contract. If he’s traded next summer because he says he’d leave the following one, I still think it will be more because of Rosas’ efforts than despite them.
You’ve enriched my comment sections everywhere I’ve gone Greg, so it’s especially good to see you here. And yes, I’m settling in nicely. If you’re right about the middle 40 games–#22-61 on the schedule of an 82-game season–January is going to be a particularly litmus test. Of the 15 games that month (#36-50), only three are at home, and then spaced out for maximum disadvantage on the 5th, 16th and 30th.
I think you sell Rosas short. Edwards was not a no-brainer as the top pick–in fact Ball won the rookie of the year and Wiseman was regarded by many–me included–as the better option at the top spot. If we had a do-over I think Edwards would be the right choice. As for the rest of it, there is a lot of “what ifs” that are part of the normal course of any team’s ups and downs. Suffice to say that Rosas took Vando as a throw-in on a trade and took McDaniels late in the first round when a do-over would make him a lottery pick. If he demonstrated a consistent virtue in any part of his regime, it was finding undervalued talent on the margins. Whatever you think of Nowell, Naz Reid, Jordan McLaughlin and perhaps Bolmaro, there are reasons now to see that all have reasons to suggest they belong in the NBA, and for the most part were obtained for a song.
The point of today’s column related to KAT is my firm belief that if he is as good as the glimpses of his ceiling suggest–that historically good TS%, him being the player named as the top one to build a team around in two NBA GM surveys earlier in his career, and Finch calling him a top 5 talent–then he has to demonstrate much more of that value; not all of it, but enough to be the best player on a winning team for the first time in his NBA career. I’ll congratulate him if and when that does happen.
I understand the pushback. On Vando, I wonder 2 things: 1) was he considered more valuable than Keita by each team, or the other way around, and 2) why Rosas thought so highly of Juancho when any astute observer can see how much of his game is fluff. I also wonder if he’d actually have drafted McDaniels if his likely role — shutdown defensive wing who makes 3s — was apparent. I think my larger problem has more to do with how much of the roster was devoted to fringe youth. Reid and Nowell are more fun to watch improve than they are consequential to winning. So many minutes were given to players who remind me more of the Ryan Gomes/Craig Smith/Rodney Carney/Shabazz Muhammad type of young player than of guys who force their way into a rotation and help them win. Terence Mann was taken 5 spots after Nowell, for example, and he’s essentially a Clipper playoff hero. The consequence is these players get overrated, which leads to the fingers pointed back at Towns when Jokic and Embiid have had much better surrounding talent and experience.
Well put and understood. I agree with most of it and you already know where I don’t.
ts the Wolves. Get real
Worst winning percentage in pro sports
Huh, I thought I got “real” throughout the column. Did you read the lede? The part where I talk about relatively, to the point where “optimism” connotes a predictive record six games below .500? The place where I say “printing playoff tickets for the second time in 18 years,” or “their second winning record since 2005,” in the course of declaring that I think neither of those things will occur?
Ah, but I did say “hopeful” a few times, and that was apparently too much for your cynical lizard brain to process.
I love the game of NBA-caliber basketball, and on the occasions when the Wolves approach or even reach that caliber, I like to describe it, celebrate it, analyze whether or not it can continue. That’s my “real” world. I suspect it may be more enjoyable than yours.
Insulting your readers, much class.in that?
You disparaged what I wrote with dismissive cynicism. I pointed out the three or four places where you chose to ignore me acknowledging how cynicism and disappointment have been a part of the Wolves fan experience.
I encourage a comment section where people are called out for lazy, half-sentence put-downs, and if you don’t want to put forth the effort to contribute something meaningful, you can expect it. If I am going to take the time to engage, it is going to be in a place where people want to come to educate and be educated. I’ve learned a lot from my readers over the years and I want that to continue.
Finally, that accountability goes both ways: As a writer who obviously likes to toss around vocabulary, it wasn’t much fun being appropriately called out for a poor word choice by a smart commenter yesterday. Hopefully it makes me a better, more judicious wordsmith next time.
This is exchange is part of the reason I am a fan of Britt. And I have been on the receiving end of comments like this, probably deservedly so.
No b******t to be found here. Again, welcome back.
I was a fan since day one. One can only stand so much abject futility. We have earned the right to cynicism
Great contributions Greg.
You have a right to stop being a fan you know, if you’ve had enough futility. We won’t miss you.
Good to have you back Britt.
Great article and a great set of comments as well.
My one wish for the year — a repeat of my wish for last year — is that we be able to see the main “building blocks” play together at least 80% of the games. This wish did not come true last year. This team desperately needs to evaluate what it has and not have injuries frustrate those evaluations.
The last two years have been so frustrating due to the pandemic and injuries. For example, my hunch is that Saunders kept his job longer than planned due to the pandemic and injuries buying him time from Taylor or, more indirectly and perhaps likely, in delaying Rosas being comfortable bringing a proposed firing to Taylor. It’s absurd that we still don’t really know what we have in D-Lo and KAT, even after 2 years.
I hope that the ability to play together will produce a clear evaluation of which path — you lay them out nicely, KAT + Russell or Ant + Jaden, — to choose and not the dreaded ambiguity that often delays decisive action. Lore recently uttered the cliche “too quick to hire, too slow to fire” when alluding to the Rosas decision. I wonder if he’ll encourage the same approach to team building if signs that KAT + Russell is not the future become steadily more apparent as the season wears on.
Thanks Nate. Agree that the absence of a reliable sample size has been frustrating, not only because it withholds information but because it delays the familiarity process that develops synergy. Maybe this year.
The two timelines was a concept I debated frequently with Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA on twitter) in our many podcasts together, enough that I adopted it with tweaks to my own context. There will be seeds and sometimes full blown fruit from the things Dane has said that made sense to me that will find their way into my copy. So if you and other readers are feeling rich, toss a little money not only to Minnpost but over to Dane’s patreon account–or at the very least, if a staunch Wolves fan, give him a listen whether or not I’m on with him.
I am a proud supporter of both MinnPost and Dane Moore and love his podcast, especially the must listen Dane and Britt episodes. I hope your work with Dane continues to bear fruit for both of you so that we all may continue to benefit. If you have followed Britt to MinnPost and aren’t yet listening to Dane Moore, definitely consider it.
My season-opening need
was the return
of the Robson lede.
Back from behind the paywall sh*t
I welcome back
The one-and-only Britt!
Very kind and nicely done Jeff.
You’re a poet
And you have knowledge of it.
Always a great read. Can’t wait for the day when Minnesota gets professional sports franchises in baseball, football and hockey. so I can read about them too! 🙂
Been reading you since the Secrets of the City days (or whatever it was called, back during the Big Al era). Very happy for your new gig and opportunity, and especially for gaining more control over your work.
The question I had for you is what don’t you like about Bolmaro? You sounded down on him in a recent podcast. From what I’ve seen this preseason, I figured you’d enjoy him because his defensive energy and tenacity are right up your alley. Yes, he’s a bit spazzy, but he’s also a legit good defender and prospect, certainly no worse than JO. What am I missing?
Appreciate the loyalty and good tidings.
I think my Bolmaro angst is because he’s so “cute.” He’s got that wide-eyed, happy-to-be-here demeanor that makes me think he is a long way from developing what are admittedly an intriguing set of skills. But so many folks think he’s going to be great (maybe because he was taken between Edwards and McDaniels in the draft) while I regard him as a very raw project who dribbles too much, doesn’t have a repertoire to fall back on when opponents take away his tendencies, and hustles on defense but doesn’t really have a feel for the game at either end of the court. (Also the form on his shot is worse than the accuracy so I don’t know yet if it is functionally unconventional or needs to be fixed.)
Sure, that’s typical of a kid who hasn’t logged a single NBA minute yet, but Bolmaro is not an exceptionally young rookie. He is 11 months older than Edwards, a few weeks older than McDaniels, approximately a year younger than Nowell and Naz and about 18 months younger than Vanderbilt. In other words, one could say his learning curve versus his chronological age is behind the progress of the aforementioned players.
Maybe it is a curmudgeon attitude–a lot of people are high on Bolmaro. But within the organization, I suspect that’s because they didn’t have a draft pick to display to the fans this season and Bolmaro was the stand in.
Anyway, hope that’s too harsh. He’s got time, and will probably get the opportuity, to develop into something valuable. We’ll see.
Britt, can you describe how your “access” (games, seats, personnel, etc) compares now to when you were with The Athletic? Or does a press pass just transfer? I suppose you’re not going to lose contacts, obviously.
Fortunately, nothing changes. I think the Wolves organization has grown used to changing the designation on my press pass every three or four years.
People normally describe themselves working for xyz company and it changes from time to time. You get to have media outlets say “We employ Britt”.
On a complete side, I hope you enjoyed the John Coltrane at Seattle release
Enjoyed (loved)you hopeful column on “My Boys” Glad you were able to go home again to Minn Post for the rest of 2021 I’ll be at the home opener Wednesday night (and also at ten more games) So this ol” broad would like and be thrilled with a W to start this season GO WOLVES
Thanks Judy. A fast start is crucial: Six of the Wolves first seven games are at home and they should be favored in the first three against Houston tonight and then New Orleans without Zion twice.
I think your projection on the Wolves is reasonable; I see them as a team that should be contending for the play-in with their level of talent. If you presume average health it’s easy to forecast the Warriors, Lakers, Trailblazers, Nuggets, Mavericks, Clippers, Suns, and Jazz as a top 8 in the west, but a significant injury could derail several of these teams quite badly. The Grizzlies and Hornets didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory in the off-season, and the Kings seems to have a bigger position imbalance than the Wolves. Spurs arguably don’t have a top 50 player on their roster. Rockets and Thunder are still rebuilding. If you make the same assumption on health for the Wolves that you would for every other team in the West, I like them in the 9-10th spot even without projecting leaps forward for any/all of the young players.
But some team that everyone is thinking is top 8 right now is probably not going to make it: injury, trade, decline, implosion…something. (there always is, right? My bet might be on the Clips: Paul George is an excellent player and they have some depth, but he might not be able to carry the load all year.) So there’s a window for the Wolves to surprise projections if they stay healthy.
If the defense can evolve beyond “not abysmal”, they should be able to compete and be at least a fun team to watch.
Britt, so much about individuals and their talent levels, not nearly enough on do our top players fit together, make their teammates better and can they drive the team to wins. Basketball is still a 5 man game where ball movement, body movement, cutting, spacing, screening work. There are no statistics kept by the NBA for those “skills” and hopefully Coach Finch can get his “stars” to do the little things it takes to win games. I think he will. Looking forward to seeing all 5 players help and recover, sprint back and scramble on D plus top players giving up themselves for teammates (making them better) on O. Go Wolves.
I think they should trade for Kevin Love.