The Minniesota Timberwolves are the epitome of a small-market business in professional sports. It's a phenomenon that characterizes itself through three things: an earnest approach, tight finances and an abusive relationship to your occasional superstar players. Right now, the T-Wolves are all that and that's why I feel an irrational sympathy for them. I want them to do good, the way the Oklahoma City Thunder are going good right now.
Their 2012-13 season was atrocious. Kevin Love played a whopping eighteen games. Ricky Rubio missed the first few months because of a knee injury and took time to find back his timing of old times (but eventually did). Nikola Pekovic wrestled with injuries too, they gave employment to J.J Barea and David Kahn still managed the team. The way they were handled, the Timberwolves don't deserve to do well, but I still wish 'em well against all odds. Partly because Kevin Love is the face of the franchise and is still my favorite active player. So here are suggestions for their off-season.
- Enjoy the post-Kahn era. It's finally over. David Kahn, one of the most incompetent general managers in history of professional sports, has finally lost his job. This is great news. Old road warrior Flip Saunders has taken over, and you will like him. While he doesn't have a spectacular personality, Flip has a good nose for talent and the respect of his peers. He has a low profile because he's been down on his luck more than Simpsons' Gil Gunderson in his career. So relax and be hopeful, not-so-rabid fan base. It can only get better.
- Convince AK47 to stay. The best looking white boy in modern basketball Andrei Kirilenko has been the glue guy, last year for the Wolves. It doesn't matter what exactly he held together, but he's been as consistent and versatile as ever. It doesn't matter if Kevin Love is coming back. With gunners in the back court and the low post, you need a do-it-all wing and Kirilenko is the best jack-of-all-trades north of LeBron James. AK has a the option to walk out on the team, but find a way to make him stay. The team will be that much better with him aboard next year.
- Start thinking basketball first. I know the finances are tight. I know you need a Hercules figure to carry the team on his back. That mentality drove Kevin Garnett away after he gave you his everything and it's about to drive Kevin Love away too. He will most likely leave after his contract expires (in two seasons) because he wants to play basketball in a successful environment rather than carry the hopes of a bunch of fat executives. So stop with the emotional abuse and focus on basketball for the next two years. Who knows? Maybe he'll change his mind. I think Flip Saunders is the right guy to operate that change in culture.
- Draft a shooting guard who can actually shoot. The T-Wolves has the ninth overall pick in 2013 draft and there should be interesting options for scoring shooting guards at this rank. C.J McCollum, the machine from Lehigh or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, maybe. They need a backcourt scorer to live in symbiosis with Ricky Rubio and solidify the starting five. Kevin Love is the only other efficient shooter in the starting rotation and you need to take pressure off him since he's coming back from such a horrible hand injury.
- Get your bench straight. There are two guys worth investing time and effort on, on the T-Wolves' bench: Alexey Shved and Derrick Williams. The first is a gifted passer with a knack for spectacular plays and the other is a powerhouse at the post. They are perfect reserves for Rubio and Love. The rest could all be flushed away. Get J.J Barea out of there. Greg Stiemsa, Mickael Gelabale. They are sub-par role players. The 2013 free agent season is rich in depth guys so have fun, cut some guys early and go shop.
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