Are the Timberwolves going to be playoff bound after their off-season roster changes?

Michael Beasley vs. Chase Budinger

The Timberwolves roster received quite a bit of changes during the off-season - and we still have quite a ways to go until the regular season starts back up again! With all of these changes, do you think that the Wolves will have a better shot at making it to the playoffs in the 2012-13 season? Personally, I think they do. And here's where the trades/changes stack up.

1. Andrei Kirilenko replacing Wesley Johnson: Johnson was, simply put, not a good fit for this team. He just doesn't have the skill set to be competitive at a professional level. Based on the numbers and level of play that Kirilenko has put up over the past year, he definitely will be an improvement over this - even if he doesn't play up to the level he played in Utah last season. Basically, he doesn't have very big shoes to fill so he shouldn't have a problem improving Johnson's place on the Wolves roster.

2.  Brandon Roy is coming out of retirement to replace Martell Webster. Even in a good season, Webster struggled to put double digit numbers in scoring. In his last year in the NBA - a season that was plagued with injuries - Roy still averaged 12 points per game. Even if he simply plays at his "hurt player" level, he'll be an improvement.

3. Chase Budinger is coming into the team to replace Michael Beasley. I have to say that while their numbers are somewhat the same, their reputations are what set them apart. Beasley was a consistent controversial figure for the Wolves: between impregnating multiple women at the same time and posting photos with weed in the background - combined with his lackluster performance last season - this guy didn't draw a crowd or a positive image for the Wolves at all. It was time for him to go.

What do you think of the prospects of the Wolves making it to the playoffs this season?

Summer in Minnesota with no Timberwolves rumors.

It's an odd week when there's literally nothing to report in the world of the Minnesota Timberwolves these days. No trades, no prospective roster changes, no offers on the table, not even something coming out of the rumor mill! With such a quiet week, you would think that I wouldn't be blogging. Well, you're halfway right - since there's nothing new to report I've definitely been keeping busy. So today I'm blogging about the best ways to take advantage of the summertime weather when there's nothing going on in the land of the Wolves!

1. Head out on a boat: it's summertime in Minnesota. So BE a Minnesotan and get out on a boat! But you do have to pronounce that ooot on a booooat.

2. Go for a walk around Lake Calhoun: there aren't a ton of months that you can actually enjoy the lakes in Uptown. So do it while you can!

3. Head up north for a few days: take some time out of the office to get away for a few days. Since you're within driving distance, it can be just for a couple of days!

Tell me: how are YOU enjoying these summertime days?

Andrei Kirilenko: the new addition to the Timberwolves Roster?

And in more exciting news from the Timberwolves roster rumor mill (are you getting sick of hearing me say that every week yet?), the Wolves are in contract negotiations with 31 year old player Andrei Kirilenko that would apparently be part of a three way deal.

Currently Kirilenko is in Russia - he went back to play in the Russian league with the lockout last year - but he's ready to come back to the states. He was originally signed by the Utah Jazz where he's spent the last ten years of his career. And now the question is posed: Is Kirilenko the kind of talent that the Wolves need to expand their playoff prospects this year?

Yes, he is a solid player. Yes, he is a veteran of the league and could possibly be a really great addition. The problem is that he's no spring chicken anymore - and that you never know when he will (or if he has) peaked as a player. Basically: he might help for the season, but there's no long term guarantee.

Timberwolves Roster Rumors - yes, again

There's always something new and exciting coming out of the rumor mill when it comes to the Timberwolves roster these days, isn't there? The latest news has been the battle for Nicolas Batum from the Portland Trailblazers roster. The Wolves were willing to offer up $46 MILLION over three years for Batum to come to the team. The only problem was that since he is a RFA, the Trailblazers simply had to match the offer to keep him. And they did - which means 1. this kid is getting PAID and 2. the Wolves won't be going over their salary cap for now - something that was a guarantee if they DID end up signing Batum.

So what do you think is next? Who's the next power player this team is going to go after?

I have to say that even though we didn't get this kid, it sure has made for some exciting fodder during the NBA Offseason!

Kyle Korver to the Timberwolves Roster

Man oh man, do the Wolves seem to be making up for lost time in terms of trades this off-season. They're now reportedly looking at perimeter shooter Kyle Korver of the Chicago Bulls roster to continue bolstering their lack of strong players at this position. The big thing is that while they made a great move signing Brandon Roy for this key position last week, they still need to add another strong player to fill this role. Korver would be a great option. He's been ranked one of the best 3-point shooters in the league - something that not only do the Wolves desperately need, but would really fill out the roster with the strong play skills of team leader Kevin Love.

Anyway: no matter what happens, I have to say that I am pretty damn impressed with the Wolves trading talent this off-season. It makes me wonder a little bit where all of this is coming from, but hey - they're setting us up to have one of the best teams we've had in a really long time. It's going to take some time for these new guys to mesh together, but I'm getting really excited to see what the future holds AND really excited for the Timberwolves schedule this season!

Brandon Roy OFFICIALLY Part of the Timberwolves roster

Well, it's official: Brandon Roy is now officially part of the Timberwolves roster! And in celebration of this great nab by the Wolves, here are some important things you need to know about Mr. Roy:

 1. Roy was the Rookie of the year in the NBA in 2007.
2. He was originally intended for the Minnesota Timberwolves but got traded to the Trailblazers before the start of his first season.
3. He's been named to the All-Star team 3 times.
4. In college he played ball for the University of Washington.
5. Because of knee injuries and the lockout, Roy retired last fall - but will be making a comeback with the Wolves!

As a fan, I have to say I'm excited to see what this potentially game changing player will bring to the team. Happy weekend!

Timberwolves roster: Brandon Roy

Rumor has it that the Wolves are interested in adding Brandon Roy to their roster. Plagued by knee problems at the start of last season, Roy "retired" but is now looking to make a comeback in the 2012-13 season. On the plus side, Roy is the perfect guy to fill out the shoes that are open at the shooting guard position. But that's only if he can stay HEALTHY: something that he doesn't exactly have the track record for. I don't know what kind of hoops this kid is going to jump through to prove that he's not a liability, but there better be something that he proves before he's officially added to the Timberwolves roster, that's for sure!

Timberwolves Roster Rumors: Jamal Crawford

The rumor mill has an interesting turn for the future of the Timberwolves roster this week. Supposedly the team is interested in signing shooting guard Jamal Crawford of the Portland Trailblazers roster. Now, this wouldn't come as so much of a surprise if we were just looking to fill a hole in that position on the team. But this roster is being built out "young" - ie, all of the players that have been added are at an age where they definitely haven't peaked in terms of their playing careers yet. At 32, Crawford would be significantly older than the rest of the crew and an interesting choice. I understand that every team needs a certain maturity about it, and I wouldn't be upset about adding someone like Crawford to the team. I'm just saying that it's an interesting change in the direction that the Wolves were obviously on - basically a 90 degree turn. Anyone else find this just a little odd?

Jamal Crawford in action:

Minnesota Timberwolves Summer 2012 Five Game Schedule

Every summer, the NBA hosts a basketball event in Las Vegas that's kind of a short lived summer league, if you will. It generally involves 24 teams in the league that will play give games as a sort of intramural league that keeps them in shape in the off-season and gives fans a chance to catch a little mid-off-season court action. Here's what's on the Timberwolves schedule for the series:

On July 16 they take on the L.A. Clippers, COX Pavilion, 9:00 PM
On July 17 they take on the Charlotte Bobcats, Thomas & Mack Center, 9:30 PM
On July 19 they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers, COX Pavilion, 7:00 PM
On July 21 they take on the NBDL Select team, COX Pavilion, 7:00 PM
On July 22 they take on the Memphis Grizzlies, COX Pavilion, 7:00 PM

So if you're really desperate for some Timberwolves action this summer, you COULD take a trip out to Vegas to check out the games. Or just find them on TV - which might be better, since it's around 120 degrees in Vegas in the middle of the summer. Your choice.

Is Michael Beasley of the Timberwolves roster going to the Lakers?

The newest rumor to come out of the Timberwolves roster rumor mill: that Michael Beasley is going to be picked up by the Los Angeles Lakers roster. And what do Wolves fans have to say about this? Take him. We don't have room in our Timberwolves budget for this guy, especially if he's going to be an under performer. Basically, what Beasley brings to the table just doesn't benefit the roster structure that we have in Minnesota. Timberwolves ticket holders also were not excited about this guy last year - to the point where the booed him at the Target Center. Now that's not to say that his particular skill set wouldn't benefit another team (like the Lakers), it just isn't right for the direction of this team. Keep on keepin' on, Wolves! We want a good team this year!

No more Michael Beasley for the Timberwolves roster

Well, it's looking more and more like Michael Beasley will no longer be playing on the Timberwolves roster. Based on his inconsistent level of play throughout the past season, the Wolves are making no moves to keep him. Which basically means that this summer, Mr. Beasley could become a free agent and go to a team he chooses. Honestly, I don't know that he's going to get the $8.1 million he's after right now. Coming off of a terrible season with a team that had potential but went down with a bang, there aren't a lot of teams that are going to be willing to pony up that kind of dough to pay for a player that definitely contributed to the terrible second half of the Timberwolves season this year. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves Roster

Hey-o Minnesota Timberwolves fans! Did you know that Kevin Love of the Timberwolves roster was named to the 2012 All NBA Second team? That's quite an accomplishment for our Mr. Love. To kick things off, you might be wondering: what the heck is the all NBA second team? Let me tell you...

At the end of the season, all of the points earned by each player are tallied. Then all of the players are ranked based on their point totals. The top five players are the "NBA first team", the next five make up the "second team" and so-on. Looking at the list, you can see that Kevin Love is actually sixth in the NBA for points - ranked just below Chris Paul of the Clippers. Basically this is a really big deal, and we are super lucky to have this guy on our team! To the extent that I'm actually excited for Timberwolves tickets to go on sale for next season - and the summer hasn't even started yet! I can definitely wait for the winter weather, but a Wolves game wouldn't be so bad right about now...

What do you think the Wolves do in the off-season?

The Minnesota Timberwolves are now officially in their "off-season", and the other day I got to wondering: what do these guys DO with all of their downtime? Obviously they train and work out for next season, but there has to be more for them to do than that. Here's an imaginary list that I came up with. It seems pretty accurate too!

1. Travel with their fam - throughout the regular season, these guys are on the road a LOT. That means they need to spend some QT with their families - perhaps a trip to Paris with the basketball wives?

2. They make public appearances. Mostly these are scheduled. You can see if they'll be at an event near you today :)

3. The play in celebrity golf tourneys. Summer is the time for golf tournaments in general, and there are several celebrity sponsored tournaments not just in the Twin Cities but all across the nation. Two locally are the KFAN golf tournament and the Trent Tucker golf tournament - both of which always have a good list of local celebs participating. 4. They hang out and catch up on Ice Loves Coco. Or, you know, whatever shows they actually watch.

What do YOU think the Timberwolves do in the off-season?

Glen Taylor Looking To Sell Timberwolves

Oh yes, he is starting to look for a minority partner to join him as an owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Someone that could, one day, buy him out of the franchise. Don't get all up in arms yet: he's not looking to move out of the NBA right away and is definitely still committed to the future of this team. He says he wants to get the Wolves back to a "relevant" state in the NBA before he starts to think about fully selling the franchise. Other moves by the Wolves, including them petitioning the state for money to re-vamp the Target Center, would aid in Taylor's search for an NBA business partner. It will be interesting to watch all of this play out!

NBA Playoff Tickets

Even though our Minnesota Timberwolves are officially OUT of the playoffs, I am still planning on watching the other teams battle it out to the Championship. Personally, I'm a huge Lakers fan (since they were the original Minnesota team...) and will be cheering them onto the end. Currently, they're taking on the Denver Nuggets. This could be an interesting match up - the Nuggets were not so hot earlier in the season but seemed to pull their ish together and actually could be a strong competitor for the Lakers. That being said, the Lakers are an amazing team and have a long history of going pretty far in the playoffs - so they could come in and just dominate the Nuggets to no end. I mean, the first two games were total Lakers wins. I'm thinking about flying out to LA if the Lakers make it to the second round of the playoffs. Lakers playoff tickets are definitely NOT cheap, but this would be a well-worth-it trip! We'll see what happens on Friday and Sunday!

End Of The Timberwolves Season

We're nearing the end of the Minnesota Timberwolves season. Well, we'll there as soon as tomorrow, when the team takes on the Denver Nuggets in their final match up of the season. Are you sad that the season is over? I'm not. Starting off on a high and ending with the record we had this season - even if we DID make a lot of great rebuilding moves - didn't make me sad this year. I just kind of feel blah about the team in general. I had such high hopes for this season, like the last several seasons, and the team just could not get their asses in gear and meet the fan expectations. Will I be going to the game tomorrow? Yes, because Timberwolves tickets are super cheap and my kid will have a blast. Will I be sad that the season is over? Nope. Time to enjoy a little summertime in Minnesota.

Disappointing Day with the Minnesota Timberwolves

I'm feeling a little sad about how the Timberwolves season is winding up today. Stupid Wolves. Yes it was a positive building year. But the only thing that's good about the remaining games this year is the fact that Timberwolves tickets are super cheap! They just couldn't knock out enough wins to even be CONTENDERS in the playoffs this year - which is disappointing for all of us Wolves fans who have been waiting on pins and needles for even somewhat of a comeback this year. :sigh: Yes, there's always next year. But I'm not so sure that this won't be my last year as a Wolves ticket holder without some serious improvements by the Timberwolves roster.

No Playoffs for the Timberwolves. But a Positive Season Nonetheless.

So yes, you're probably sitting here super disappointed that your Minnesota Timberwolves roster yet again didn't make it to the playoffs. Which is definitely understandable! But have you looked, really looked, at the season they had this year compared to last year? I mean, they had a bunch of winning streaks. They actually played together as a team. They added some great guys to the Timberwolves roster - ala Ricky Rubio. And they surely didn't flat out suck all season - hell, they had a chance at actually making the playoffs this year! So we can't really write this season off as a total loss. These guys played with heart - for the majority of this (shortened) season, showed us that they DO actually have some potential and that we should hold out some hope for next season. Because you never know: with less drama (like the lockout drama this year) and some hard work over the summer, we really could have a playoff bound team next year. It's all about the re-building, people!

And if you want to get in BEFORE the rebuilding of this season is done - well, there are still a few games left on the Timberwolves schedule to grab some seats for. Check 'em out.

Timberwolves Roster Out, Wolves Lunch Box In

 

So our Minnesota Timberwolves aren't playing so hot right now. Basically half the roster is out with injuries and we've got no shot of actually making it to the playoffs. That being said, I do have something that's at least a LITTLE big exciting for all of you Timberwolves fans out there: this awesome T-wolves lunch box! It looks like a basketball court and has all of the NBA logos on it, but features the Timberwolves logo. Pretty cool, no? Now you can be environmentally friendly (no paper bags!) AND support your local team just by carrying this awesome lunch box! 

Tonight on the Minnesota Timberwolves Schedule

Tonight on the Minnesota Timberwolves schedule, the Wolves take on the Boston Celtics in a serious match up at the Target Center - this is one you don't want to miss! Kevin Garnett hits his old home court and tips off against Kevin Love and the rest of the Timberwolves roster. If you don't have your seats yet, you should probably get on that. Timberwolves tickets for this hot game are not going to just sit around - and prices could actually go UP in price before the games starts tonight. I do know that local ticket broker Perfect Tix has seats available and has a pick up location at the 508 Bar and Restaurant on 1st Avenue like a block from the Target Center - can't get any easier for pick ups than that! Howl the Wolves to victory against the Celtics tonight!

Timberwolves Gear: Get Your Minnesota Timberwolves Jersey Coozies

This has got to be one of the best birthday presents that my man has ever gotten. I love these little mini sized jerseys, perfectly sized for these beer bottles. They look just like the Timberwolves jerseys which is just adorable, are perfectly sized for your beer (or root beer) bottle and will be great for keeping that drink chilled while you're sitting on the beach. I love it, and I know my hubby will too!

I Love the Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are my team. I absolutely love them, whether they're playoff bound or playing like crap. A Wolves fan til the end! And even though I'm super bummed that Rubio is probably out for the season, I'll still keep you updated on everything Timberwolves during the season. Keep reading to stay updated!