I didn't listen to the whole game, but from what I heard, Jaric clearly has to go. They need to work out a trade to get rid of him ASAP. It would be nice if they got rid of THUD too.

I know that the topic of Griffin's limited playing time is often discussed. Most everyone thinks he should play more. But, the man cannot shoot the basketball. Sure, he gots hot sometimes and hits a few in a row, but so do I. This would be OK if he came with the energy every night but he so clearly does not. Ben Wallace, the only man in the NBA, showed Eddie and pretty much every other T-wolf what it actually means to exert oneself effectively in a basketball game.

As has been mentioned before, Griffin should not shoot the ball, ever. His horrible shot allows teams to rotate away from him and stay away from him. There is absolutely no point in giving him the ball on the perimeter. His man doesn't actually guard him. Everyone hopes he'll shoot (except his teammates and the fans) because at least 70% of the time he's going to miss. And the way he misses! Oh my god. Why can't they just keep him down low, the a roving animal searching for rebounds to tip in?

Griffin has a lot of potential. He deserves to play and have learning experiences. His talent and youth are very valuable assets for this team. But when he doesn't come with energy he needs to sit down. He needs to understand that in order to play he needs to play with at least 1/4 of the energy and enthusiasm that Ben Wallace has. I know that he's fragile and has had serious mental issues. But if the Wolves want to decide whether or not to resign this guy in 2 years (although has the option) they need to know whether he can handle demotion and use it as motivation.

As McHale once said "Some guys have potential written on their headstones."

Blount is the wolves other option at center and his defense doesn't seem to be any better than Griffin's. But when Griffin doesn't play with enthusiasm, Blount is just as good on D. And at least he can hit a shot and make someone play defense.

I know Detroit a great basketball team but I saw no energy from Griffin until the fourth quarter tonight. At least Blount scored.

All in all, I think a game against Detroit is not a good way to measure this team's progress. Detroit is pretty killing everyone. And being that this game happened to occur the night after they lost for the first time in 12 games and that the Wolves are formerly Saunders's wolves, makes the comparison even more meaningless. I think the Pistons would have beat the Mavericks by 10 tonight, and the beat the Wolves (a team about half as good as Dallas) almost 20.

Alright, since Britt ain't around, I'm bustin' a mini three-pointer of my own:

1. Gel - it ain't jes fer hair

Okay, while I have to admit that even my own expectations exceeded what really happened on the court tonight, let me just say that the Pistons are a well-oiled machine (no pun intended). This game really demonstrated what a cohesive offense can do. While the Wolves were scrambling to find a spark, the Pistons knew exactly what they were doing: sticking to their own game plan. The Pistons are simply the best team in basketball right now because they know how to play together. It's tough to blame anyone on the Wolves for this, but obviously we are still fumbling for an identity after the trade. It's impossible to compete against a Pistons or Spurs team that has a very definite rotation, where players know the system they work within.

2. Trenton still 0wnz

Seriously, after the way he has played over the last month, I cannot understand why anyone can knock his game. My best guess is that he's not your prototype 2-guard. He can't take guys off the perimeter, or shoot a long-range jumper. Trenton needs to be fed the ball where he wants it (the post) to be effective, but when he gets it down there, he's pretty close to Shaq-style. Unstoppable. I'm serious. Oh, and when he goes back on the other end, he still manages to play excellent defense on the opposition's best swingman. KG aside, Trenton is our most consistent player and needs to get more touches, if not more minutes.

As I mentioned, the only knock on his game is that he is no threat from the perimeter, which allows opposing defenses to sag when he touches the ball away from the basket. Suggestions are welcome, as long as they don't involve subbing Rashad for Trenton. Don't get me wrong, I think McCants is going to be an explosive player in this league, but if you're only going to show up for garbage time, you may as well be in a league that is exclusively garbage time - the D league.

Rashad needs minutes on the court, and his game to this point hasn't shown much improvement by playing with NBA-caliber players. While the competition is a step down, I think his confidence can take a big step up if we moved him to the DL. Play a few games against scrubs, remove the pressure, be the go-to guy, then come back. In addition, the Wolves can identify roles that certain players need to play at without "forcing" Rashad into the mix.

3. Solid play.

So. Errm. The Wolves had solid play for a quarter instead of a half (see last game). While this has a direct correlation with point number one, there are a few other things that could contribute to us playing better overall.

Ricky, you can't force things. You're not the defender that Wally is, but you have have much more active hands and can create turnovers. Run with that, Ricky, I'll take you handling the ball in a fastbreak anyday. But when you're closely guarded on the perimeter in the half court set, please don't force heroic three pointers. If you have a weaker defender, do something creative and get a step past the guy and pull up, or pass off to a teammate.

Marko, I like you and your game, but there's a reason you're going to be demoted by season's end. You see the guys we've traded for? Some of them have something to prove, and I wish you would play like that. You have a height advantage over almost everyone who guards you, please pull the trigger when Chauncey sags 10 feet back and you have the ball in your hands.

Troy, sorry you didn't play tonight. No one will admit it, but we all were wondering, "I wonder if Troy could've gone 9/9 from downtown tonight and pulled us out of this?" It's possible.

Anyway, it's late, I'm going to bed. Let's hope we get some chemistry together over the next two games, then get ready for the long season ahead. As an optimist, I think if we get it together we can play on the same level as the Phoenix team we face next week (though not the same style). Cheers!

I watched the game last night and I was wrong about Marko and Hassell.

THis is hard because when KG was under 25 we could afford to be patient. Losing in the first round of the playoffs wasn't so bad, because there was always next year. You cold get down on Terrell Brandon or Joe Smith, Because they seemed so easily replaced. Remember when it was KG playing small forward, Rasho and Joe Smith. That front line doesn't look so bad right now.

The Wolves are a long way from getting back to competing with the best teams in the league as last night clearly demonstrated. The most difficult part is not knowing whether Casey can bring the new pieces together to get us there. There was never any doubt that Flip could get us there way back when.

I can't break down individual players skills. I just like to watch the flow of the game and Detroit is a pleasure to watch. The Wolves were almost there for many years and now they fallen off.

If they get back there--by then KG is on the downside of his career and is more of a role player and not the dominant force he was during his MVP days. Sort of like Kareem or what Shaq is trying to do in Miami. But, then, who is going to be our Magic or even Wade.

Finally, as far a Marko, I have one question.

Concerning the hangover comments: Is this just a quip related to his disheveled appearance or is he really haeding in the direction of David West. If it is the latter case, trade him for Anthony Peeler.

Perhaps this is a knee-jerk reaction, or maybe he meant shooting 3pointers, but I'll take issue with antonymous' opinion that Trenton Hassell "can't shoot the long range jumper".

http://www.82games.com/0506/05MIN8A.HTM

This shows us that Trenton has an effective (i.e. compensated for 3ptrs) FG% of .464 when shooting jump shots. He's also shooting .364 on treys. I'd say that's at least "decent".

To me, the real issue is that Trenton's offense has been an afterthought or a situational emergency effort (e.g. the shot clock is winding down and the rest of the team is standing around). Notice that just over half of his shots are taken with less than 8 seconds left on the clock.

Antonymous-

I can honestly say at no point was I wondering if Troy could come off the bench and hit 9 trey's to win the game. Despite the dissapointment of a loss, I sat on my couch with a huge grin on my face as Troy sat on the bench. That was step one to making this a better team. Now, step two is to get him and his salary off the team.

Why was Ricky Davis posting up so much? It didn't seem like he had an advantage and I'm pretty sure he was brought in to slash and drive towards the basket. Trenton can post up if the wolves want a wing to do that.

Wow,
I guess we found out what we were missing in Wally. Nobody on this team can shoot any threes, so Detriot just lay back close to the basket and dear the puppies to shoot it. At first I thought Ricky was going to be an upgrade from Wally, but now I think Wally is a better ball player than Davis. I don't know where Mchale got the idea that Davis could play better defense than Wally. From the look of thing, Wally was a far better defender than Davis ever was.
Also, at least every night, Wally was given you an effort. In last two games, it looks like Davis did not even show up to play at all. I would now rather keep wally and trade for Blount.

Hating Guy

Given their onerous contracts, no team is going to take either Marko of Thud. If Banks develops into a reasonable PG, then Marko should become a sixth man. His biggest problem right now is that he can't shoot. If he can straighten out his shooting, he could be very effective in the sixth man role, especially as he can play three positions. As for Thud, the only hope is to use him as a three point specialist.

Runs of 20-2, 12-1 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters respectively killed us. Why is that this team is consistenly outplayed in these two quarters ?

Looking at popcorn shows that Jaric is much to be blamed for this turnaround. While his -14 was as bad as Blount and almost as bad as Davis's -13, Jaric didn't score last night in 19 minutes of play. He was in during large parts of the two keys runs for the Pistons, and he was just putrid in the the beginning of the third quarter when the Wolves could have made somewhat of a comeback. Why Casey continues to start this guy is beyond me. If he thinks it is because of his defensive skills, he should think again because he wasn't very good last night on the defensive end either. I totally agree with the Britt's assessment of Marko's fragile mental state.
He's just down on himself right now and is playing terribly. Someone needs to a light his fire.

And what is up with McCants ? Watching him in the 4th quarter makes me wonder if someone is going to get in this guys face and tell him
to try harder because if he doesn't, he'll soon be playing at the YMCA. I know he played most of his minutes in garbage time, but Ben Wallace was still out there busting his butt. The guys obviously has offensive skills but it appeared to me last night that he just doesn't try; he stops his dribble when he should push it, stands around on offensive and defensive sets. But then he'll actually use his quickness and make some good plays. Why can't he do this all of the time ? I mean he can't be tired playing only 10-15 minutes a game right. Watching Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton play the game with so much energy and passion was sickening compared to watching McCants. Watching him joke around with the Piston players towards the end of the game was even worse.

So McCant's doesn't seem to give a shit and Marko doesn't have confidence. Which brings me to the point of Casey. I know that it must be difficult for him to juggle in new lineups barely a week into a trade that radically changed the structure of the team, but I seriously question his ability to motivate players right now. I was glad to see him get a technical to try to fire up his underachieving
players. Now he needs to get thrown out of a game to indicate that he gives a damn.

As a Wolves fan, it is hard to be objective, but I have tried to read the last couple of days of posts in such a fashion, and it is sad (and I am as guilty as the rest of you, unfortunately). Here we are wondering if Marcus Banks, Ricky Davis, Trenton Hassell or Mark Blount is the answer, and how we can get rid of Thud and Marko (by the way, I noticed that while Marko was getting lit up by Tayshaun Prince, Sam was scorching the Magic for 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists). While I have hopes for Marcus Banks (he at least appears to have some of the skills required of an NBA point guard, something that neither Thud or Marko have), the simple truth is, the Wolves are a dead end. I hate to be such a pessimist (and despite my pessimism I will continue to watch and enjoy the Wolves as best I can because I simply love the NBA), but this team currently is made up of a tiring superstar whose passion is clearly on the wane, a bunch of mediocre players under large contracts, a disinterested GM, and a coach who, after a strong start, appears to be in over his head. Let's face it. Even if Marcus Banks becomes an excellent point guard, and Trenton continues to improve, and Ricky Davis continues to score at 20 points per game, and Mark Blount continues to knock down the 15-footer, this is, at best, a borderline playoff team that cannot compete with the Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Grizzle, Heat or Pistons.

Except for KG, I submit the Wolves have the WORST roster (especially when you consider the salary commitments) in the league.

I really hate to say it, but the time has come to trade KG (both for the good of the Wolves and the good of KG; I absolutely love KG, but I'll just watch him on NBA ticket and wait for the Wolves to start from scratch). Wolves should move KG to Knicks or some other team for a bunch of expiring contracts (Penny Hardaway and Allan Houston for example) and make the team getting KG take Thud, Marko or, preferably, both.

That way, Wolves can leverage the remaining value of KG into a roster that is clear from burdensome contracts. Then Glen Taylor should hire a real GM (not McHale and certainly not Rex Chapman, which you would understand if you heard him on Barreiro the other day) and move on.

As much as I hate to say it, it's time.

Anthony Peeler???? That's the kind of foolishness that kept him here as long as he was, and what brought ChickenHead here as well.

Jack-it-up basketball. Flip didn't have the cohones to put an end to it. (Personally, I think he liked it.)

Yeah, I was joking about Troy, too, but I wouldn't say that he doesn't have it in him. There's a 9/9 game somewhere in there, but I think we're all unwilling to endure what it takes to find it.

As for Trenton's long range game, I was referring to the fact that he doesn't hang out beyond the arc looking for a three like so many other SGs. He just plays his position much differently than others who catch the ball on the perimeter and either shoot if they can, or attempt to take their man off the dribble. I actually like Trenton's rainbow jumper, but I'll take him in a post-up situation (so long as he has the height) any day.

As for Ricky posting up, that's just sorta in his nature - how he reads the game and the situation. Sometimes his play isn't conventional, but the ball goes in the basket enough to let it slide.

Also, I looked on the 82games site and couldn't find the definitions for "close" and "jump" - anyone know what the range for this is? That 10 footer Hassell takes in the middle of the lane could really go either way...which CLEARLY PROVES you can't fit his game on a website! ;)

I referenced Peeler, because that was who we got for Doug West and West was in a Jaric type pout at the time and happened to spend too much time after games tipping tall cold ones. I'm wondering if Jaric might have the same tendencies.

Korzo,
I agree with you about the roster issue. However, I think that KG has a lot of good years left in him. I know he's logged a lot of minutes but he's the kind of specimen like Malone and Stockton were in terms of durability. I mean, the guy never misses a game, is superbly conditioned, has never had a major injury, and so on. I would have to agree with you on the fact that he's tiring of this franchise, but he's got 3 years left in his contract. I think he's still worth trying to build around rather than trading him and totally blowing up the team. With some of the new faces, I think KG is willing to give it another couple of years try.

As far as watching, you'll watch the big Ticket on NBA Ticket ? I have to be honest, the only reason I watch the Timberwolves is because of KG. Would you really continue to watch the Timberwolves if he was gone ? You might be more of a hoops junkie than me but I'm just wondering. Like someone said before, do I really love the Twolves or do I love KG. I know the answer personally. I'm just wondering about others.

Carlos, thanks for the comments. I have a problem, and it's watching the NBA. The other day I watched the Hawks-Bobcats, I'm not kidding, so I would watch the Wolves. But you are right, I am a HUGE fan of KG (absolutely my favorite athlete of all time) and I would immediately become a fan of whatever team he went to (unless it's the Lakers, then I think I'd struggle a bit). That said, I really hate watching this current Wolves team. If they blew everything up, I'd at least have some hope (which I really don't now). Truth be told, I may never get over the Sam (and a No. 1) for Jaric trade.

Korzo, to turn your statement on it's head, I think this team has the potential to be competitive in the western conference with any team not named the Spurs or the Suns this year so long as KG's on the roster. We played the Mavs even, with Wally on the roster and we held our own with the Spurs until the final six minutes of the fourth quarter. Hence, there's no reason to abandon ship.

Besides, until 2007 rolls around, this issue is pretty moot. The free agent market this summer is HORRIBLE. So, there's no use in clearing out salary to make any significant run at free agents this year. One might as well be patient.

That said, if we can convince another team to take Jaric or Hudson for an expiring contract, I'm for it. So far as I know, the salary cap is 61 million next year. With either Jaric OR Hudson off the payroll, we're at about 52 million. So, we would be in position to take on a Ricky Davis kind of player without dispensing of KG.

While Hudson's contract makes him virtually immovable, Jaric's potential and versatility does not. Three teams were after him this summer: Cleveland, Denver, and Utah. All 3 still are looking for help in the backcourt and all 3 have expiring contracts that they are trying to unload by the trading deadline: Drew Gooden, Nene, and Harpring. All three make about as much as Jaric. So, I think it's possible - actually probable -- that Jaric gets dealt before the deadline.

Be patient all. Be patient.

I think we're suffering from a case of basketball bulimia. This team got younger (KG, despite minutes, is 29, the other guys are in their mid- to younger-'20s, and only Blount is over 30). It is not the Detroit Pistons - no one in the league is...there's a bigger gap here than with any team in years (double digits over EVERY team in the east).

I think there's a squad here that can play together through '06-'07 (a season and a half) and get significantly better. If Hoiberg comes back next year - no sure thing, I grant you - we've gone a long way to getting the 3-pointer problems solved.

Dwane gets to show what he can do now. He's a rookie coach and has shown it, but he has the chance to add real value now and I remain optimistic he'll get better.

By the way, FYI on the draft picks - the next two drafts will be weak-ass because of no high schoolers (the new age limit) and we'll have to wait until the 2008 draft to see that talent re-emerge when they're 20. It's a bit of silver lining for the stupid Jaric pick, though it makes those already-Walmart-level 2nd rounders more like Aldi-level.

antonymous - On the 82games player stat pages, the "Close" category is combined with "Dunks" and "Tips" into the "Inside" summary. I think it's safe to assume that it does not include 10-foot jumpers. I believe that Roland Beech and his crew just use one or another of the "official" play-by-play records. The ones I've seen, especially the ones on nba.com, just record "Layup" or "Driving Layup". This is why I also provided Trenton's 3FG%.

And to Null - It seems there's a new myth being propagated that Wally is/was a major three point shot taker/maker. This year, with the Wolves, 156 of his 636 attempts (which, by the way, does not count shots that resulted in two-shot fouls by opponents) or about 25%. His 3FG% was .394 this year.

Over the previous four years, about 18% of Wally's shots were from behind the arc, and his 3FG% was .419 (which is not a statistically significant difference).

By contrast, this year, some 45% of Ray Allen's shots are 3PAs.

Nope, a big complaint on Wally was that his favorite spots were just inside the 3pt line and he never seemed to work on changing that in his time here.

http:/nba.com/celtics/stats
http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SZCZEWA01

Not to get all Tom Kelly on your ass, but it is a long, long season, and the best way to watch a team is to keep perspective and go one game at a time.
I can pretty much always give you a hyper-positive or hyper-negative scenario for this squad, because they are mediocre--not great, not terrible. If you crave drama, the plot line that will probably remain is the Wolves edging into the playoffs or not, and whether that's a good thing or not.
But, as an example of positive thinking that's not unrealistic, Minnesota just played by far its toughest month on the schedule--two with the Spurs, two with Dallas, Detroit, Memphis, Miami, Indiana and Denver, versus just three patsy games (two with Boston and one with the Knicks) and they went a respectable 7-9 while incorporating a variety of players into the system late in the month. Trenton Hassell had his best month in a Timberwolves uniform. Kandi's gone and Huddy's not getting regular minutes. Marcus Banks is somewhat beguiling. And Kevin Garnett has less onerous responsibility for the basics, freeing him up for more versatility and efficiency late in games.

Whoever called out McCants is accurate in my book. I don't know if he's lost or simply disinterested on defense, and I frankly don't know which would be worse.

I think Ricky Davis is going to feast on weak defenses, which means a pretty big weekend in Portland and Golden State.

At the risk of pissing off Britt, or David for that matter, if Trenton Hassell is your third option, you will never be a contending team. (Notice I'm not saying championship team) He is a good, Bruce Bowen type of player. However, he won't bring you the type of consistent offensive results a team needs to compete with the higher echelon teams.

To consistently play quality defense, you have to have an offensive clue. The key to the Wolves, as with any championship contending team, is the ability to go to the basket when the going gets tough, draw fouls, and overall attack the other team's defense. You reduce the number of jump shots, thus the transition opportunities (easy baskets) you give the other team, and limit the runs that all NBA teams go on. Simply put, when you dictate the way the game is played for more minutes than the other team...voila! You win games, and win in a way that allows you to compete in the playoffs, where you play better quality teams, the game is more half-court, and ultimately it's a more grind-it-out, every possession counts sort of event. What is Hassell consistent at? Defense. He's developed to the point where's he's not an offensive liability, but if you're going to depend on his offense to help you dictate the game, sorry, ain't gonna happen, not on a truly contending team.

I agree with Britt; Davis is a key in the next couple of games. Even in this wait and see state, we should beat these teams. The newbies have to start proving they can compete with teams other than the Celtics, and be part of the solution everyone is hoping they will be.

Never, ever trade KG. Look at what happend to Philly when they traded Barkley; or LA when they traded Shaq. You don't trade Hall of Fame players, especially loyal warriors with heart like KG.

The problem isn't merely talent or lack thereof. It's a rookie coach more than anything. And a team that is still not familiar with each other or with a system, and a coach going through the learning curve (albeit slowly). This is a team Flip Saunders, Jerry Sloan, or Rick Carlise would will to 50 wins.

There's no such thing as a quick fix in the NBA. Sure, there's a quick bump over the top (Rasheed to Detroit; Shaq to Miami last year), but no trade or drastic rebuilding is going to make it better. Give the rest of the season a chance.

And never, EVER trade KG.

Peter - Looking at the popcornmachine confirms your opinion of Hassell; except that his numbers don't show what kind of affect he can have on a game that has precious few inside players. Look, this team is not a contender but at this point any player that shows energy and focus is more than welcome. And right now thats Hassell and KG.

The real problem, as Britt pointed out, is Jaric. Since the season started I've thought that Jaric was over rated. Just looking at the way he brings the ball up court is enough to make me throw my Diet Pepsi at the tube. His D is suspect and he's a hot-and-cold shooter on a team that *needs* consistancy.

I think Casey should play Banks at PG for the rest of the season and play Jaric as a sixth man. For all the reasons Peter mentioned. His ability to make defenses (that are not the Pistons) pay for hovering around the hoop will make KG a lot more effective.

I for one am not ready to write the team off. But I have to admit, it's getting harder and harder to keep my cool at the end of games.

Korzo opined: "Except for KG, I submit the Wolves have the WORST roster (especially when you consider the salary commitments) in the league."

I found this extremely hilarious after a long winded, ahem, "disussion" with some Laker fans, who are convinced that (KG and KB aside) the Timberwolves had a better lineup than "they" do. This was just before the departure of the Mike and Wally show, which I believe will prove an upgrade at every point.

I guess I'm saying that it depends upon your point of view. But, geez, please, how could the Wolves possibly be worse than, say, Toronto?

izisharp, amen. uttering the phrase, 'let's trade kg' should be accompanied by a hammer to the kneecaps.

wouldn't the lack of high school players in a draft make it more beneficial for a squad like the wolves? nevermind draft stuff, developing mccants is gonna be a marathon headache.

does anyone read steve kerr's big steaming loads of crap on yahoo sports? it's entertaining, cheerleader stuff -- kind of like his tv commentary. spurs! spurs!

leave hassell alone. the poor guy has to lock down every night and still manages to up his scoring and he's getting slammed for what he's not? marko, eddie, blount, banks and rashad should be the ones vying for the 3rd spot -- and drawing your ire. 'not on a contender' bs. leave trenton alone, it's not his problem.

Jes for fun - Kandi displays his ambient cluelessness. See:

http://www.hoopshype.com/interviews/olowokandi_woelfel.htm

david, thanks for the link to the kandi article.

"Oh, yeah. I know I can play. It's just a matter of being given an opportunity. When I was with the Clippers, I was in a situation that was very different than advertised. With the Wolves, I was told what my role would be and then, when I got there, there was some disparity. So I'm looking forward to being on a team where I'm needed."

when i read this statement, i threw up in mouth a little bit.

Levi -

While I don't agree with Korzo, he did mention the salary qualifier, which greatly strengthens his case.

For example, Toronto: $6.8 million in obligations as early as '07-'08 - a year when the Wolves are at $57 mil (although $22 mil is KG). If the Raps secure Chris Bosch (although writing that blows my mind) their obligations go up but they have more freedom to put FAs around him.

My nominees for junk include:

* Golden State, $52 mil in 07-08, $56 mil in 08-09. Davis, Richardson, Murphy, Foyle and Derek Fischer clocking in at $7 mil in '08-'09.

* Sacto, $44 mil in 07-08 and $40 mil in 08-09. Pepare to ride with Bibby, Artest, Miller, Kenny Thomas, Shareef

Neither team is carrying a superstar, as the Wolves are. If they trade KG, they get way down way quick (though, I should note, not as far down as they should).

It is fair to say the Wolves have one of the worst situations in the league.

Came back last night from Detroit after taking a mini-vacation with a buddy of mine (and fellow hoops junkie) to see the Wolves play at the Palace on Wednesday. For those of you who gripe about $6+ beer at Target Center, it may help a little to know it goes for $7.50 in Auburn Hills and the selection isn't near as good. The atmosphere was great, though! I can see why they've had 100+ consecutive sellouts.

It was interesting, upon returning, to scroll through all the comments over the past couple of days. Lots of folks appear to be teetering on the edge of the cliff and seem to be in need of a deep breath. Yes, the Wolves got whupped by Detroit on Wednesday. Guess what? So is everybody else. The freakin' defending NBA champions got their butts handed to them twice by the Pistons this season!

Here's what I can see so far from the trade, which some folks have mentioned. Ricky Davis fits better with KG than Wally did. That's pretty obvious. Blount may not be a big rebounder, but he's a hell of a lot better than Kandi. Banks could be a nice addition and I hope he keeps getting minutes to see if he can deliver on some of that potential we saw Monday. Justin Reed is an improvement over Dupree or Madsen - I think the Tom Hammonds comparison was pretty apt.

Oh, and while not a trade-related item, Trenton Hassell is a damn good player who's made big strides on offense this season. Anyone who can't see that needs to try actually watching the game or getting their eyes checked. Jaric as a sixth-man could work nicely if Banks shows enough to deserve to start. I'm certainly not ready to dump him yet, though. As for Griffin, I hope his detractors would please keep in mind that the guy is trying to learn how to play center after being a forward for probably his whole life. You don't learn to play a new position at the NBA level in a few weeks or even a few months. It's going to take time for him to learn to play inside and change his shooting habits.

The Wolves may have their cap issues, but to say they have the worst roster in the NBA is a stretch to say the least, even with the cap issues. Any roster with KG cannot be the worst - he's probably actually underpaid again. As bad as Blount's contract is, it's not as bad as Jerome James, Adonal Foyle or even Brian Cardinal when you factor in performance. Jaric's contract is not as bad as Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson or even Wally's for that matter.

As for the team's performance, while I'm no happier than anyone else to see the team struggling at .500, I'll bet a lot of fans in Houston, Sactown, Portland or Seattle would trade places with us, not to mention about half the Eastern Conference, even if we don't make the playoffs this season, which wouldn't be the end of the world since it would send our first-round pick to the Clippers.

Before we start crazy talk about blowing up the team or trading KG, let's actually try and give this roster a little time to gel. There's three more weeks left before the trade deadline and personally, I'd only look to move T-Hud for a draft pick because they can fill his role with Bracey Wright at 1/10th the cost. Where's the web site that says which teams have extra first round picks available?

Just for the record: I like Hassell, and I don't think anyone's beating up on him. He needed to step up his offense in order to play better defense; that is, make his defender--usually the great perimeter scorer on the other team--work hard and not cheat off the ball in transition. That doesn't make him a viable third option however. But I wouldn't readily trade him; we need our Bruce Bowen, the lock down defender, and sometime scorer.

As for KG, I'd have to see the alternative before I'd even consider giving him up. He may end up the same as David Robinson, a great player who alone could never push his team over the top. It took him going past his prime, then adding Duncan before he received his true reward. Of course, that would imply that the Wolves failed to build a proper team around KG in his prime, and that we could actually find a way to add a player of that stature. Hopefully the club can reverse it's current downward spiral, and give KG a shot at what he deserves.