Timberwolves: Preparing for the future

Now that the NBA trade deadline has passed, the Timberwolves need to evaluate their priorities as they prepare for the draft. We can comfortably say the Timberwolves are ready for their future. They have a beast of a scorer in Al Jefferson who could be considered a center or a power forward. Corey Brewer has shown the potential to be a shutdown defensive presence as a small forward. Sebastian Telfair has proved he has that special vision and speed needed at the point guard position. Ryan Gomes has been a pleasant surprise at power forward this season with his consistency which has proved he wasn’t just an “extra” in the Garnett trade.

This season has given us a better look at the players we should keep, let go at season’s end, or trade. At the end of the season Kirk Snyder, Michael Doleac, Theo Ratliff and Craig Smith need to go. I like Smith, but he never will get playing time with Al Jefferson at his position, and he will most likely cost too much to keep. Some decisions in the draft will affect if the Timberwolves should keep players such as Telfair or Gomes. The Timberwolves are on pace to have at least a top four pick in the NBA Draft. This would allow them draft to a future star player such as Michael Beasley (Kansas State), Derrick Rose (Memphis), Eric Gordon (Indiana), Jerryd Bayless (Arizona) or Brook Lopez (Stanford).

I have seen Beasley play in person and he is a monster. However, his attitude seems more noticeable than his talent. Beasley would allow us to play Gomes off the bench or release him and move Jefferson to center. Rose is a strong, smart true point guard that would permit us to use Telfair off the bench or release him and move Randy Foye to shooting guard. Gordon is a shooting guard with the ability to score on any play, slash to the basket and take over a game. With Gordon, we would be able to trade either Foye or Rashad McCants and have a second scoring option to Jefferson. Bayless is a tough, elusive point guard with the ability to lead a team. Bayless allows us to do the same as drafting Rose. Lopez is a large, quick and agile at center which would allow us to keep Jefferson at power forward and retain Telfair.

Just imagine this starting lineup in 2009:

PG- Derrick Rose
SG- Demar DeRozan (2009 potential draft pick)
SF- Corey Brewer
PF- Al Jefferson
C- Carlos Boozer (2009 Free Agent)

The Timberwolves will dump close to $18 million in salary this offseason which makes us one step closer to take a dip into free agency in 2009. They need to continue to let contracts to expire, retain the players who have proved their worth, avoid signing long-term contracts, draft carefully and trade unwanted contracts for less years on another player’s contract. In other words, if the Timberwolves can trade Marko Jaric, Greg Buckner or Mark Madsen for less years, they need to do it!