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Year-Round News & Updates on the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have played through four preseason games and one of the storylines as we head into the regular season, is who (if anyone) will be the 15th man on the roster? The Timberwolves have fourteen fully-guaranteed contracts and four non-guaranteed training camp invitees who are battling for the fifteenth and final roster spot. Those battling for #15: point guard A.J. Price, guard Lorenzo Brown, swingman Othyus Jeffers and forward Robbie Hummel. Price is a former Wizard who has ties with new Timberwolves general manager Milt Newton. Lorenzo Brown was a second-round selection for the Wolves this summer, in the 2013 NBA Draft. Othyus Jeffers also has ties to the Wizards organization, with both Newton and Flip Saunders--who was his coach. And lastly, Robbie Hummel, Hummel was a second-round selection for the Wolves in the 2012 NBA Draft, by former President of Basketball Operations David Kahn. All four of these players have seen some action in the preseason, below are their preseason stats through the first four games... A.J. Pricevs. CSKA: 14pts, 1reb, 2ast, 1fl, 5-7 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4-5 FT in 19 bench min. @Toronto: DNP-Coach's Decision vs. Milwaukee: 10pts, 1reb, 3ast, 2stls, 3tos, 1fl, 4-10 FG, 1-3 3PT, 1-1 FT in 21 bench min. vs. Toronto: 5pts, 1ast, 1to, 1fl, 1-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, 2-2 FT in 6 bench min. AVERAGES: 9.7ppg, 0.7rpg, 2apg, 0.7spg, 1topg, 1pfpg, 53% FG, 40% 3PT, 88% FT in 15.3mpg Lorenzo Brownvs. CSKA: DNP-Coach's Decision @Toronto: 2ast, 2fls, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT in 17 bench min. vs. Milwaukee: 6pts, 1reb, 1ast, 2-8 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-3 FT in 13 bench min. vs. Toronto: DNP-Coach's Decision AVERAGES: 3ppg, 0.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1pfpg, 20% FG, 0% 3PT, 67% FT in 15mpg Othyus Jeffersvs. CSKA: 6pts, 5reb, 3fls, 3-7 FG in 20 bench min. @Toronto: 1reb, 1fl in 4 bench min. vs. Milwaukee: 13pts, 6reb, 1stl, 3tos, 2fls, 5-9 FG, 3-5 FT in 25 bench min. vs. Toronto: 1pt, 1reb, 2stls, 1to, 1fl, 0-3 FG, 1-2 FT in 20 bench min. AVERAGES: 5ppg, 3.3rpg, 0.8spg, 1topg, 1.8pfpg, 42% FG, 57% FT in 17.3mpg Robbie Hummelvs. CSKA: 5pts, 1fl, 2-3 FG, 1-2 3PT in 6 bench min. @Toronto: DNP-Coach's Decision vs. Milwaukee: 10pts, 4reb, 1to, 3fls, 3-10 FG, 1-2 3PT, 3-3 FT in 22 bench min. vs. Toronto: DNP-Coach's Decision AVERAGES: 7.5ppg, 2rpg, 0.5topg, 2pfpg, 38% FG, 50% 3PT, 100% FT in 14mpg As of right now, I think it's coming down to A.J. Price and Othyus Jeffers for that final roster spot. Although, it is hard to gauge because Rick Adelman himself has had nice/good things to say about each and every one of these guys.
If I had to definitively eliminate at least one of these guys from contention, I would go with Lorenzo Brown. Brown hasn't played too much and although he's a decent perimeter defender, his offensive game is pretty terrible. I don't know where he'll go (overseas or D-League), but he Wolves will retain his rights and hope that he finds his shot. Robbie Hummel has played well in the short time we've seen him on the court. He provides another very viable three-point option, however Minnesota's biggest need is another backup guard. With Budinger out the Wolves could use Hummel as a reserve at the small forward spot, but Jeffers provides the Wolves with a backup guard/forward who can do a little bit of everything, specializing in perimeter defense, energy, hustle and the ability to leave it all on the court. One very likely option is that the Wolves waive center Chris Johnson and (potentially) sign two of these four guys. With that as a very likely scenario, the storyline becomes the Battle for 14th & 15th. Chris Johnson signed a rest-of-the-season deal in 2013 and unbeknownst to most, David Kahn also threw in a fully-guaranteed 2013-14 salary of just under $1million. It's clear that he's not in the future plans as Rick Adelman has yet to put him out on the court, through these first four games. All the while, these four un-guaranteed players and the two new rookies (Muhammad & Dieng) have seen decent playing time. Just because Johnson will likely be waived, doesn't mean the Wolves will sign two more players. It's a very difficult situation to read, however Rick Adelman said today that by the end of this week, he should have a pretty firm grasp on who will be on the roster opening day and also who will be major parts of the rotation. The Wolves have a full week of practice before they face the Boston Celtics on Sunday (Oct. 20) evening in Montreal. That's all for now, stay tuned for more, thanks for reading HOWL and GO WOLVES!
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Cody AndersonA TWolves fan, bringing you the daily updates. News Archives
August 2017
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