Analysis: Wolves would be young if KG goes
By Kent Youngblood, Star Tribune
Last update: July 30, 2007 – 11:33 PM
In one day the Timberwolves could go from worrying about the present to thinking of the future. From trying to build around Kevin Garnett to moving on without him. You can bet the Wolves, if they complete a trade sending Kevin Garnett to Boston, will try to convince fans that youth will be served. Here's some advice: Be patient.
The reported deal would bring youngsters Al Jefferson, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green and Ryan Gomes to the Wolves along with Theo Ratliff's expiring contract. That will leave Minnesota with a ballooning roster filled with youth. There will be nine players age 24 or younger.
"One thing is for sure," Wolves veteran forward Mark Madsen said. "[If the trade happens] there will be a lot of opportunity for guys to step up. In one fell swoop we'd go from being an older team to being one of the youngest."
But you can expect some growing pains. The Wolves will be losing a hard-working elite player who has led the league in rebounding and could be counted on for 20-plus points per game.
Without that focal point, the Wolves will be looking to their young players to provide leadership, with second-year point guard Randy Foye one who will be expected to fill a lot of that void.
The good news:
• Jefferson, who by all accounts is a key to this deal for the Wolves, is coming off a breakthrough season. He will give the Wolves solid low-post scoring and rebounding ability.
• Green is a young but promising player who could turn into a reliable scorer.
• Telfair has had his scrapes with the law. But he has, recently, shown signs of maturing. If he can get his head on straight, he will add much-needed depth at point guard.
• The deal -- and the fact that the Wolves will be able to wipe away the salaries of Ratliff ($11.67 million) and Ricky Davis ($6.817 million) after next year, will put the Wolves in very good shape against the league's salary cap going forward.
And now the bad:
• There is a serious lack of experience at some key positions. Among them is point guard (both Foye and Telfair are relatively young) and small forward, where the list includes Green, Gomes and rookie Corey Brewer.
• The Wolves roster, after the reported move, would stand at 17, two over the maximum. The team is negotiating with point guard Troy Hudson for a buyout, and there is a chance Ratliff, coming off back surgery, might not play for the Wolves. Still, further moves will have to be made. The trade, a clear sign the Wolves have committed to start over, could signal the coming of more moves. The team might decide there isn't room for some other veterans in a dedicated youth movement.
The bottom line? The Wolves likely will have to take a step back competitively before taking many steps forward.
Here is how the Wolves' roster would look if the trade, as reported, goes through:
Point guard: Foye, Telfair and Hudson. The Wolves will bet that Foye becomes a leader, Telfair becomes an adult and Hudson becomes a memory.
Shooting guard: Davis, Marko Jaric, Trenton Hassell, Rashad McCants. Some of these names could be gone by the time the season starts. But as it stands, Davis can score and Jaric can play three positions. This is a make-or-break year for McCants.
Small forward: Corey Brewer, Gomes, Green. A lot of potential here, but not a lot of track record, at least not yet.
Power forward: Juwan Howard, Jefferson, Madsen, Craig Smith, Chris Richard. Talk about big shoes to fill.
Center: Mark Blount, Ratliff. Ratliff is coming off back surgery that all but wiped out his 2006-07 season.
