May/0812
Wittman? Really?
Can you imagine living in a world where Avery Johnson loses his job after going 194-70 (.735) and Mike D'Antoni possibly moves on after going 267-172 (.608), all while Randy Wittman keeps his gig after going 96-192 (.333)?
-Aaron Gleeman
Apr/082
Oh How I Think Fondly of Past NBA Drafts
With the 3rd Pick in the 2008 NBA Draft the Minnesota Timberwolves select:
Apr/080
Coin Flip for Second Slot in Lottery?
Ok, with 4 games remaining the Timberwolves are currently slotted in the 3rd best position in the draft lottery, which would give them a 15.6% chance of landing the #1 overall pick. However, at 19-59 the Timberwolves are only one game in the win column ahead of the Seattle Supersonics (18-61). This means that to catch Seattle the Supersonics will have to win one more game than the Timberwolves the rest of the way. Complicating matters is that Seattle has three games left and the Timberwolves have four.
On first blush it would appear that we have no chance in this equation. Seattle's three remaining games are against solid Western Conference opponents (San Antonio, Dallas and Golden State). However, here is the scenario by which we could catch Seattle. The Timberwolves have 4 remaining games, the next 3 of them on the road. I predict that we will lose out. We play Orlando, Memphis and Detroit on the road in the next week or so, and will lose all three. The only close game will be at Memphis, but Rudy Gay will prove to be too much on the road. Then we come home for the final game against Milwaukee, which we will use to give backups extended minutes to try to determine who should remain on the roster for next year (Richard, Smith, Telfair, Snyder, etc.).
If we finish the year 19-63 we have a shot. The reason being that Seattle will win one of its remaining games, and here's why: First they play San Antonio. There's a chance that Duncan and company could be resting their players. They have no shot at catching New Orleans for the number one spot in the West and might not have a huge preference whether they play Dallas or Phoenix. Seattle's second game is against Dallas. This is more of a long shot, but it's possible that Dallas might not want to win out, because securing the 7th spot means that they will have to play SA or LA. If you're SA, why not lose a couple, grab the 8th spot and play New Orleans in the first round? Which brings us to the game that I think Seattle has the greatest chance to win: Golden State. Right now GS is in the 9th spot, on the outside looking in. By the last game of the season they will likely be officially eliminated, deflated, and looking to next year. On the other hand, Seattle has a lot of young talent who will be looking to make a statement for playing time to the coaches going into the offseason. If, and it's a big if, Seattle can pull out one of these three games for the reasons I have stated, and if the Timberwolves do the prudent thing and lose out, the Timberwolves will have a chance at a coin flip to see who gets the second slot and a 19.9% chance at grabbing Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose with the number one pick on May 20th. Here's hoping that the Supersonics will finish their run in Seattle on a strong note - maybe even win a couple more games..
Rose or Beasley, who do you want when it all unfolds?
OR
Mar/082
The State of the Franchise: Timberwolves
Here is an incredibly accurate and poignant editorial on exactly what is going wrong with our favorite pro basketball team. It's written by a college student in Boston, of all sources. Thanks for the insight, Ross!
http://media.www.tuftsdaily.com/ - Keep Your Mouth Shut Article
Mar/084
He wanted to be a dunking Kirby Puckett
Potentially one of the best articles written on Kevin Garnett and why Glen Taylor continues to fail him.
From Yahoo sports writer Johnny Ludden-
HOUSTON – Kevin Garnett leaned over the scorer’s table, clapped his hands together and out burst that familiar cloud of chalk. As the dust settled into the air, Garnett turned to walk onto the court. The fierceness in his eyes told everyone all they needed to know.
The streak was done.
Garnett makes the same entrance every night, and Tuesday was no different. He pounded his heart three times with his right fist then pounded the Houston Rockets. His Boston Celtics would leave with a 94-74 victory, again solidifying their standing as this season’s most dominant team, and when Garnett was asked whether it felt special to hand the Rockets their first loss after 22 games and 49 days, he had this to say:
“No.”
Garnett doesn’t need to use the NBA’s second-longest win streak as fuel. He carries the same slow-burning fire to the court nearly every game. Nor does he need the words of his former employer as motivation.
Garnett “tanked?”
Garnett’s problem is that he doesn’t have an off button, and Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor should know that better than most. For years, the Timberwolves tried to cut back Garnett’s playing time only to watch him punch in for another 39-minute night. During a six-season stretch he missed only three games.
Yet on Tuesday Taylor told reporters in Minnesota that Garnett “tanked it” when he sat out last season’s final five games to go to California to get his sore right knee checked. Team officials publicly supported Garnett’s decision at the time it was announced.
After Tuesday’s game, Garnett called Taylor’s comments “nonsense” in an on-court interview with TNT. Speaking to reporters 40 minutes later in the locker room, he again declined to criticize Taylor, instead thanking him for the opportunity to “fulfill my dream.”
“Glen Taylor was good to me while I was a Timberwolf and I’m a Boston Celtic now,” Garnett said. “I’m not going to be going back and forth saying tasteless things. That’s not my character. I’ll let him speak if he wants to.
“I have nothing to do with the Minnesota Timberwolves. That’s in my past. I’m in a new chapter in my life.”
Garnett hopes to author a happier ending to this one. Since Minnesota traded him to Boston, Garnett has teamed with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to lead the Celtics to a league-best 54-13 record. With Allen sidelined by a heel injury, Boston rallied from 22 points down to beat the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. One night later, Allen again watched as the Celtics held the Rockets to 34 points on 33.3 percent shooting in the second half.
“I’ve never seen defense like that,” Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said after being limited to eight points. “I mean if they play defense like that, night in and night out, the NBA is in trouble.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich dispensed similar praise. Assistant coach Tom Thibodeau has substantially upgraded the Celtics’ defense, but Garnett makes the system works. On Tuesday, he was everywhere, as usual, trading elbows inside with Rockets forward Luis Scola then jumping out to the perimeter to hound Houston’s guards.
“He led the charge,” Pierce said.
Rajon Rondo, Boston’s second-year point guard, initially set the tone. When Rafer Alston tried to clear him out with an elbow on the opening tip, Rondo pushed back then clenched his fists.
“When Rondo spread off I could see it in their faces,” Garnett said. “From that point on, right then and there, I knew they didn’t really want pressure.”
With the first-place teams from each conference squaring off in front of a national TV audience, as well as the largest Toyota Center crowd ever, the tension was thick. On the final play of the first half, Scola elbowed Garnett in the head while trying to heave the ball down court. Scola later received a flagrant foul for cracking Celtics guard Tony Allen to the floor.
“I didn’t think we handled that too well, honestly,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought that’s what sped us up. I thought Rondo wanted to attack Rafer and I told them at halftime, ‘It’s the scoreboard guys. It’s not individual. We just have to let all that other stuff go.’ ”
Garnett has always had trouble letting anything go. His competitiveness can work against him, something the Spurs realized when he sometimes burned out in his heated battles with Tim Duncan. Rivers still talks to Garnett about realizing when to reign in his emotions.
But Garnett simply isn’t built that way. During All-Star Weekend he attended the Rookie-Sophomore Game to support Rondo, but looked more irritated than entertained while sitting in his courtside chair. In what was little more than a free-flowing dunk contest, Garnett chewed on Rondo for not getting back quick enough on defense.
When the Celtics reported to Boston 30 days before the start of training camp for informal workouts, the team needed all of one hour, Rivers said, to realize the depth of Garnett’s intensity.
“After the workouts, he stayed on the court for another hour and a half working, then he went and lifted, then he came back that night,” Rivers said. “You see that before the season and if you’re anybody else then you almost have to (do the same). How can you not?”
That’s what made Taylor’s comments so ridiculous. Garnett was so frustratingly loyal to the Timberwolves that even when the team failed time and again to put an adequate supporting cast around him, he refused to demand a trade. His only goal was to bring an NBA championship to Minnesota, to become a dunking Kirby Puckett.
“Ask anyone in this organization if Kevin tanks anything,” said Celtics guard Sam Cassell, who played with Garnett in Minnesota. “Games? Practices? I wish he did tank a couple of practices.”
Cassell called Taylor’s comments a “personal” shot at Garnett, and he’s right. For if there’s anyone who submarined the Timberwolves, it was Taylor himself. He cost Minnesota three first-round draft picks for signing Joe Smith to an illegal contract. Taylor also has continued to employ GM Kevin McHale even though only once did he put together a team Garnett was capable of lifting out of the first round.
Does Garnett deserve some of the blame for Minnesota’s struggles during his 12 seasons there? Absolutely. But he didn’t quit on the Timberwolves as much as they quit on him. Garnett even balked at a previous trade to Boston last summer. Not until the Celtics acquired Ray Allen did he think they afforded him the best opportunity to win a championship.
So far, it looks like he was right. The Celtics have handled nearly every challenge thrown their way this season. As for concerns that Boston’s two blockbuster trades robbed the roster of depth: On Tuesday, Rivers plucked Leon Powe off his bench and watched him score 21 points.
“It’s satisfying to know that I have a team that’s committed toward winning, not just talking about it,” Garnett said. “That doesn’t mean we agree upon everything that’s said. We have big debates and they are heated, at times. …But when we play other teams we usually take it out on them.”
That was the case Tuesday. The Celtics fed Garnett often in the second half and he tormented the Rockets with his size and quickness, totaling 22 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals and a pair of blocks for the game.
With two minutes left and the outcome no longer in doubt, the lane opened for Garnett. He bounced off the court, hung in the air for what seemed like three full seconds then punched in a vicious dunk, also flushing the Rockets’ winning streak.
The crowd gasped. Garnett clenched his fists and growled. His eyes blazed just as bright as they had some 2½ hours earlier.
“KG,” Pierce said, “was hungry for this win.”
No more than usual.
Mar/0835
How To Properly Build An NBA Team
After watching a thorough beat down at the hands of the Utah Jazz, it made me wonder, how does a successful NBA front office compare to the Wolves GM? The Utah Jazz have made the playoffs 21 times in the last 28 years, this includes a Western Conference Finals appearance last year. They make a great example of how good a small market team can be, when properly run.
Here's how the Jazz break down. Seven of their players were acquired through the draft. Two of their three perennial All-Stars were signed in Free Agency. For the most part the Jazz continually build better and better teams through the draft with an occasional free agent signing.
Based on playing time and points, 4 of the top 6 players this season are Jazz draft picks. The other two - Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur were both giving 6 yr deals back in 2004.
Andrei Kirilenko - 1999 1st rounder.
Jarron Collins - 2001 2nd rounder.
Deron Williams - 2005 1st rounder.
CJ Miles - 2005 2nd rounder.
Ronnie Brewer - 2006 1st rounder.
Paul Millsap - 2006 2nd rounder.
This group with Boozer and Okur are wining at a consistant .600 - .650 pace.
Now compare the Jazz success through the draft with the hopeless Timberwolves going back to 1999 when the Jazz selected Kirilenko.
Wally Szczerbiak - 1999 1st rounder (traded multiple times).
William Avery - 1999 1st rounder (not in league).
Louis Bullock - 1999 2nd rounder (not in league).
Igor Rakocevic - 2000 2nd rounder (not in league).
Loren Woods - 2001 2nd rounder (not in league).
Marcus Taylor - 2002 2nd rounder (not in league).
Ndubi Ebi - 2003 1st rounder (not in league).
Rick Rickert - 2003 2nd rounder (not in league).
Blake Stepp - 2004 2nd rounder (not in league).
McCants & Wright - 2005 picks on team.
Loukas Mavrokefalidis - 2006 2nd rounder (not in league).
Bobby Jones - 2006 2nd rounder (6 teams in 2 years).
Craig Smith - 2006 2nd rounder on team.
Brandon Roy 2006 1st rounder Traded to Portland (NBA All-Star).
From 1999 to 2005 not a single Timberwolves pick is still in the NBA other than the oft traded Wally (on 4th team in last 3 years). And what about Free Agent signings in that span? Nothing other than Sam, Spree and Smith years ago.
I guess the point I'm making is you can't expect to build a successful NBA team when 8 of your 9 draft picks in a 6 year span aren't even playing in the league anymore.
Successful NBA teams are built through the draft year after year after year supplemented by the occasional free agent signing (ie. Jazz, Spurs, Pistons). If the Timberwolves hope to build something better in the next decade they should do by hiring a GM who understands talent and who understands the draft. Trading for a bunch on young kids on the worst East team and planting them in the West won't get it done.
It will however give you a shot at the worst record and potentially the #1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Let's only hope you finally learn how to use that pick.
Christian Laettner (1992 3rd overall), Isaiah Rider (1993 5th overall), Donyell Marshall (1994 4th overall) and Ray Allen (1996 5th overall Traded) might be available to help guide you on how best to use it.
Nov/071
Al Jefferson – See what HE can do!
The Timberwolves start the post-KG era tonight at 7 p.m. at Target Center against the best team in the NorthWest division - the Denver Nuggets. Although tonight is just one game in a season that almost definitively will result in another Timberwolf absence from the playoffs, it does serve as an early litmus test for the new centerpiece in our extremely young lineup - Al Jefferson. Tonight will be a test for our new "star" as he bangs around with the likes of Nene, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin for 48 minutes. Jefferson is likely to supply what we have been missing during the KG era - Low post scoring. In other words, easy buckets. We have been a jump-shooting team for 15 years, but now with Jefferson, Craig Smith and Chris Richard, we are a smashmounth team that will score in the paint and get a lot of easy baskets off offensive rebounds and breakdowns in defensive rotation; which is probably just what a young team needs.
Despite the new look, I think the greatest source of optimism is the attitude of our new Big Ticket. Jefferson seems to be every bit the team player that KG was, at almost half the price.
Late Wednesday, Jefferson accepted that $65 million deal against the advice of his agent. On Thursday, he made an astounding statement for a professional athlete, saying he didn't deserve a maximum deal approaching $80 million because he hasn't proven himself yet.
He will earn $11 million next season and will receive a $1 million raise every year for four years after that.
"I wanted to get in my head, get in my heart that I'm going to be here," he said. "They traded for me. They traded one of the best players in the NBA for me. I felt this is where I needed to be. This is where I want to be."
Here is great article from the fish rap factory-west side of the river-that tells more of the story.
Aug/0711
The New Timberpups: Part IV (Ryan Gomes)
By now even the deafest timberwolf fan should have heard the news that Kevin Garnett has been traded to Boston. It is a trade that I agree with in principle, but am sad about from a nostalgia standpoint. It’s the end of an era in Minnesota sports history that began with so much promise and ended with too many regrets. To avoid shedding a tear over the recent developments, I will focus on which players the Wolves got in return for sending KG to finally play with Ray Allen. Before I get started, here is a refresher on what the trade entailed: Kevin Garnett for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, the first round pick that we gave Boston in the Davis/Szczerbiak trade (likely a 2009 pick), and Boston’s 2009 pick.
Ryan Gomes scored 12.1 ppg and grabbed 5.6 rpg in 73 games for Boston last year, and is generally acknowledged to be one of the classiest players in the league. Overlooked in the 2005 NBA Draft (50th overall) much like Craig Smith in the 2006 Draft, Gomes will be a pleasant surprise to Minnesota fans who have yet to become familiar with his talents. What Gomes will give the Timberwolf faithful is well above average rebounding and jump shooting. When you watch Gomes play, what you come away with are two things. The first is that he has a really good feel for rebounding; he is constantly getting into position and getting his hand on balls (giggety..). The second thing you will notice about Ryan when he steps foot on the Target Center floor is that he is virtually automatic from 15 to 19 feet. Ala Sam Mitchell and Malik Sealy (God bless the dead), Gomes will knock down that 19th footer consistently, which will force defenders to stay honest and leave the lane open for the likes of Foye, Ricky, Shaddy and Brewer.
Despite a highly successful career as an All-America power forward at Providence College where he also played with prospect Herbert Hill in the Big East Conference, the 6'7.75" Gomes fell in the 2005 NBA Draft to the late second round. His size and abilities did not fit scouts' prototypical image of either a power forward or a small forward. Celtics' director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, however, felt that Gomes' track record and work ethic were enough to take a chance on the local product with the 50th pick overall
2005-06 season
Wearing number 4, Gomes was expected to play off the bench in his rookie season spelling Celtics star Paul Pierce. His playing time and statistical impact were limited early in the season. However, on January 26, 2006, the Celtics executed a multiplayer trade with us that freed up roster space for Gomes to play. Soon after that, fellow Celtic Kendrick Perkins was injured and Gomes was inserted in the starting line-up.
After becoming a starter, Gomes excelled, and kept his job even after Perkins returned. On February 24, 2006 he collected 17 rebounds and scored 13 points. Gomes scored at least 10 points in 21 of the 29 games he started in 2006, and in 7 of those games he also had at least 10 rebounds. The second half of his rookie season was a definite success.
Gomes hustles relentlessly, and Celtics television color commentary man Tommy Heinsohn described Gomes as the best offensive rebounder on the Celtics' roster. Despite his relatively small size, Gomes positions himself well on the court to rebound, and uses his hands well for easy put-back buckets and lay-ups. Gomes was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team for the 2005-2006 season, and chose to play in the Celtic's 2006 NBA summer-league team. Gomes was named to the summer league all-first team for the second consecutive year--Joining Foye and Craig Smith with that honor.
2006-07 seasonGomes continued to make a significant impact starting 60 games for the Celtics in the 2006-07 season. Gomes averaged more than 30 minutes played, scoring 12.1 points per game, along with 1.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds. On November 8, 2006 Gomes recorded his first career triple-double collecting 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Charlotte Bobcats in the Celtics' first win of the 2006-07 season after an 0-3 start. On January 20, Gomes scored a career high 31 points in an overtime loss to the Washington Wizards. Coming off the bench on March 4, 2007, Gomes tied his career high of 17 rebounds and scored 21 points while playing a total of 51 minutes in a double overtime victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On March 7, Gomes sprained his left foot and did not play in the second half of the game against the Houston Rockets. He sat out the following 7 games, and returned to the Celtics' roster playing limited minutes beginning on March 21. Near the end of the season, Gomes began regularly shooting three point shots, making 14 of 34 in April, after shooting only 5 for 17 in his career to that point.
Gomes attracted the attention of the national media for comments he made following a Celtics' loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on April 13. Neither Gomes nor starting point guard Rajon Rondo played in the game's final, decisive minutes. After, Gomes said, "I probably (would have played), but since we were in the hunt for a high draft pick, of course things are different." This was the first public comment by a Celtic in 2007 implying that the team was losing games purposely, to enhance their status for the 2007 NBA Draft. NBA Commissioner David Stern reportedly sought to speak with Gomes regarding his comments.
On a related note, watch for my next post which will be entitled: "Why the hell didn't we get Rajon Rondo????????????? Are you freaking kidding me, McHale!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Here are some career highlights from Ryan Gomes:
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Aug/0711
The New Timberpups: Part III (Sebastian Telfair)
By now even the deafest timberwolf fan should have heard the news that Kevin Garnett has been traded to Boston. It is a trade that I agree with in principle, but am sad about from a nostalgia standpoint. It’s the end of an era in Minnesota sports history that began with so much promise and ended with too many regrets. To avoid shedding a tear over the recent developments, I will focus on which players the Wolves got in return for sending KG to finally play with Ray Allen. Before I get started, here is a refresher on what the trade entailed: Kevin Garnett for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, the first round pick that we gave Boston in the Davis/Szczerbiak trade (likely a 2009 pick), and Boston’s 2009 pick.
Certainly the most enigmatic piece of the trade is Sebastian Telfair. Telfair began as a high school hoops legend, becomming the shortest high school to NBA player in league history. After bursting on the scene as a high school freshman at the Adidas ABCD camp in 2000, Telfair became one of the most well known high school basketball players in the country. There was even talk that he might become the best point guard to ever come out of Brooklyn; a borough that produced Marbury, former North Carolina star Ed Cota, and Indiana Pacers' guard Jamaal Tinsley. The cousin of New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury, and the half-brother of former NBA player Jamel Thomas, Telfair led Lincoln High to three New York City PSAL titles and one state championship. He was the first player in history to win three PSAL titles. He finished his high school career as New York State’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Kenny Anderson. Telfair was the 13th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He had committed to the University of Louisville and coach Rick Pitino during his senior year, but decided to turn professional instead.
Unfortunately, the success Telfair experienced as an amateur has not translated to the professional level. Sebastian's pro career has been highlighted by controversy and underachievement. Many believe Telfair is one of the strongest cases for the new minimum age requirement of the NBA.
On February 15, 2006, a loaded handgun was found in Telfair's pillowcase on the Blazers' private jet at Boston's Logan International Airport. Telfair told authorities the gun belonged to his girlfriend and that he inadvertently grabbed the wrong bag when leaving for the team's road trip. The gun was registered to Samantha Q. Rodriguez, Telfair's girlfriend of five years. On February 21, the Massachusetts State Police announced that no charges would be filed against Telfair in the incident (Massachusetts has very strict gun laws, the violation of which can lead to a prison sentence). On February 23, the NBA front office announced that Telfair would receive a 2-game suspension for breaking the league's collective bargaining agreement, which prohibits NBA players from carrying firearms while on league business.
Then, on October 16, 2006, Telfair had a chain reported to be worth $50,000 snatched from him while he was outside P Diddy's restaurant, Justin's. The following night, Telfair left a preseason basketball game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden to attend a police lineup, where he did not make any identification. A rumor began to circulate that he was seen making a phone call roughly an hour before rapper Fabolous was shot outside of the same club. Telfair voluntarily surrendered his cell phone records to police, and is not under investigation for any involvement, despite rumors to the contrary. It was later found that the chain belonged to Geonne Telfair, Telfair's younger sibling, and Telfair was reimbursed for the stolen property.
Apparently still not done playing with guns, Telfair and a friend, Al Eden Fuentes, were arrested early on April 20, 2007 and charged with felony possession of a weapon, after a traffic stop. The traffic stop was prompted when Telfair was spotted driving his 2006 Range Rover 77 mph on the Bronx River Parkway, a 45 mph zone. Telfair was driving under a suspended Florida license. When the police searched Telfair's vehicle, a loaded .45 caliber handgun was found under the passenger's seat. Both Telfair and Eden claimed to not have any knowledge of the handgun. Police have yet to determine the registration status of the handgun.
2005-2006
On January 1, 2005 Telfair had something of a breakout game by scoring 14 points on 5-11 shooting, making 4 of 5 free throws to go with 5 rebounds and 5 assists with only 1 turnover.
In February 2005, interim coach Kevin Pritchard promoted Telfair to the starting lineup. Although Telfair put up decent numbers, the Trail Blazers lost 23 of their final 28 games and finished with the team's worst record since 1975.
2005-2006
Under new head coach Nate McMillan, Telfair began the 2005-06 season as the starting point guard. He was occasionally paired in the backcourt with another high-school draftee taken in 2005, Martell Webster. Telfair's production was an improvement over his 2004-05 numbers, but it was still considered below par for an NBA starting point guard. As a result, he experienced increasing pressure from the Portland media. In December 2005, Telfair suffered a thumb injury and was replaced in the starting lineup by Steve Blake. Blake was less flashy but had fewer turnovers and more assists. Telfair returned to the court on January 9, after missing 12 games. Blake continued to start with Telfair coming off the bench. Although the Trail Blazers were eliminated from playoff contention, Telfair scored the winning basket against the Houston Rockets on April 5, 2006.
2006-2007
On June 28, the Trail Blazers traded Telfair along with center Theo Ratliff and a 2008 second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for guard Dan Dickau, center-forward Raef LaFrentz, and the 7th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Randy Foye, who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 6th overall pick, Brandon Roy. On April 24, 2007 Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck announced that Telfair's nameplate on his Celtics locker had been removed and did not expect him back for the 2007-08 season.
2007-2008
On June 8, Danny Ainge stated that it is still possible Telfair will remain a Celtic. However on July 31, 2007 the Associated Press reported that Telfair had been traded (along with Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, and two first-round draft picks) to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett. Telfair will wear Wolves jersey number 3, which was used before by cousin Stephon Marbury--Great... that worked out well for us last time!
I guess our hope for the future is that Telfair can finally achieve his full potential under the bright lights of Target Center. At least our hope should be that he doesn't pull Foye, McCants or Al Jefferson into gun violence and gang wars...
Street Ball Highlights:
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Through the Fire Mix:
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Aug/070
The New Timberpups: Part II (Gerald Green)
By now even the deafest timberwolf fan should have heard the news that Kevin Garnett has been traded to Boston. It is a trade that I agree with in principle, but am sad about from a nostalgia standpoint. It’s the end of an era in Minnesota sports history that began with so much promise and ended with too many regrets. To avoid shedding a tear over the recent developments, I will focus on which players the Wolves got in return for sending KG to finally play with Ray Allen. Before I get started, here is a refresher on what the trade entailed: Kevin Garnett for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, the first round pick that we gave Boston in the Davis/Szczerbiak trade (likely a 2009 pick), and Boston’s 2009 pick.
Potentially one of the most important pieces of the deal for us is Gerald Green. I say "potentially" because that is all that Green is: Potential! Gerald is a freak of nature from an athletic standpoint, but hasn't as of yet transferred that talent to the NBA beyond dunk contests and highlight reels.
High School
In his senior year at Gulf Shores high school, Green averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocked shots per game. For this effort he was named an All-American and played in the annual McDonald's All-American game, which features two teams composed of the best high school basketball players in the United States. Green also won the McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest that year, defeating former Duke player Josh McRoberts.
Draft
Green originally committed to attending Oklahoma State University, but after his success in the All-American game and festivities he decided to enter the NBA Draft upon graduation. He hired an agent, thereby making himself ineligible to participate in NCAA athletics. Green was expected by many analysts to be one of the top few players chosen but he fell to the Celtics, who selected him with the 18th pick in the draft. His fall is attributed to his decision to give individual work outs only for the teams with the top six picks prior to the draft
Green drew comparisons to Houston Rockets superstar Tracy McGrady in the period leading up to the 2005 NBA Draft.
Green was one of the last players to enter the NBA directly from high school, as the collective bargaining agreement between NBA owners and the NBA Players' Association now mandates that American players who enter the NBA Draft must be at least one year removed from the graduation of their high school class and reach age 19 no later than December 31 of the calendar year of the draft.
2005-2006
During the pre-season, Green averaged 8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game for the Celtics in the 2005 Las Vegas Summer League.
After seeing limited playing time during the first part of the season, Green was placed on the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA D-League by the Celtics in January of 2006. He was recalled and activated to an NBA roster position on February 3. He was reassigned to the NBDL, to the Florida Flame, on February 16. He was recalled and activated again on February 21, and saw his first significant NBA game action on the following night, scoring 13 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in 23 minutes.
He appeared in 32 games and averaged 11.8 minutes, 5.2 points, and 1.2 rebounds during these contests. Gerald Green left marks on the league with his highlight plays including a shot clock beating half court three against Indiana and two Sports Center top play dunks in the closing seconds in two games against Toronto.
2006-2007
Over the off-season, Green aimed at improving all aspects of his game in order to gain playing time. He had shown flashes of his capability during the end of the 2005-2006 season, but started off the 2006-2007 season slowly, earning a somewhat limited role and playing time behind captain Paul Pierce, and swingman Wally Szczerbiak. With injuries to Szczerbiak and Pierce, his playing time increased, but he has been unable to nail down a starting role. Green started his first ever game early December against the Philadelphia 76ers, but then lost his job to a returning Szczerbiak. Green finished the 2006-07 season averaging 10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
On February 17, 2007, Green won the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, beating out Nate Robinson, Tyrus Thomas, and Dwight Howard.
The objective of the Kevin Garnett trade was to get young potential in return, which we would then add to our current crop of young potential, with the hopes of winning a championship when that potential blossoms in 3 to 5 years. Whether Gerald Green will ever turn into an All-Star or even an NBA starter we don't know, but we will all enjoy the highlight reel dunks en route to whatever his destiny turns out to be...
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- Green had most of his right ring finger amputated at age eight after an accident
- Has a 48-inch vertical leap
- At the Celtics practice facility, caught and dunked a basketball bounced off of the 1986 championship banner, which is approximately 30 feet in the air
- Owns three dogs, one named Joker
- Prior to the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Reebok began a promotional campaign called "The Gerald Green Show" in which posters and tshirts were distributed promoting Green. Green wore special Reebok Pump sneakers at the contest
- Was born at halftime of Super Bowl XX