Minnesota Timberwolves 2017-2018 Press Conference

[JNR]

You know the deal by now. The lights in the conference room go out. Projector whirs to life. But instead of the usual film highlights from last year, we simply get a voiceover.

"Thanks for coming to our presser today. We have an exciting announcement. After several years of keeping the same image, we have decided to unveil a new logo for the Minnesota Timberwolves. We believe this logo will encapsulate everything Minnesota basketball is all about. So please turn your attention to the screen to witness the brand new Minnesota Timberwolves logo!"

The lights come on and The JNR is standing at the podium, laughing.

The JNR: They say the best thing you can do in tragedy is laugh.

He sighs.

The JNR: They're wrong. Anyway, here we are again. Last year, we assembled what I believed to be the most cohesive team in Timberwolves history. Bosh came back to play with our young promising players, Wiggins and Porter. We traded Kemba Walker to the Sixers for Ish Smith, who did a great job of setting up the players for easy buckets. And we trotted out to a record that led us to the 2nd seed all season long before finally slipping to 3rd in the final few weeks. Andrew Wiggins won MIP, and we were ready for our match against the Pelicans. Then, the logo happened.

The Pelicans picked apart a team that couldn't compete without Chris Bosh. We fought our best, and pushing the Pelicans to 7 games was admirable. But at the end of the day, it's another first round exit after a promising 50-win season.

So what did we do this year? Well, we had a small amount of space that we decided to use on OJ Mayo, who we believe can bring a scoring punch. We made the hard financial decision not to bring back Bosh, who should have a great season in Houston like another former Wolf did. We scooped up Cory Joseph for point guard depth. But for the most part, we relied on internal growth, which I think benefited us greatly.

Training camp was very successful for us. Only two players saw declines, and those were slight. Word around town is Otto Porter had more improvements than anyone in the league, and Andrew Wiggins took his training to another level. We didn't go into this year with very high expectations, but the continued improvement of our young stars leave us confident that we can compete for the division again.

Ish Smith will be our starting point guard, and Brook Lopez our starting center. From there, it is not as concrete. We have flexibility in our starting roster, allowing us to play lineups with Patterson at the 4, Otto at the 3, and Wiggins at the 2 with Mayo coming off the bench as a wing scorer. Alternately, we can start Otto at the 4, Wiggins at the 3, and Mayo at the 2, allowing Patterson to wreak havoc as a sharpshooting bench big. We plan on playing tough defense and letting the 3 pointers fly. And we anticipate another exciting season in Minnesota.

We will now open the floor to any questions.

[false9]

We don't have the tape to prove it, but one anonymous GM labeled you as a title contender. However, in looking over the roster, there are some concerns in depth and size. Do you foresee making a move to push ahead of the top 2 conference competitors or do you prefer a more patient approach?

[JNR]

The JNR: I'm thinking about the future. Seeing Wiggins' growth in training camp makes me more inclined to stay under the tax rather than try and make a move this year.

[Eazy P]

Speaking of Wiggins Training Camp, how do you feel about this upcoming season with his improvements? Do you see him as the leader of your team? A legit MVP candidate?

[JNR]

The JNR: Wiggins looks primed to be a great player, but as of right now he can't even rent a car. He's young, so we rely on Ish and Brook to lead the team from a vocal standpoint. But we are very happy with Wiggins' progression and think he will be the leading scorer on this team for years to come.

[garbageman]

With Wiggins due a huge payday at the end of next season and many contracts in their last year, is there pressure to compete while you've still got guys like Ish Smith, Patrick Patterson, and OJ Mayo under contract? And will next year be a step back to acquire younger talent to match up with Otto and Wiggins? If so, do we see any of that process starting this year?

[JNR]

With Wiggins due a huge payday at the end of next season and many contracts in their last year, is there pressure to compete while you've still got guys like Ish Smith, Patrick Patterson, and OJ Mayo under contract? And will next year be a step back to acquire younger talent to match up with Otto and Wiggins? If so, do we see any of that process starting this year?

The JNR: The plan is to step back this year so we can take a huge step forward without tax implications.

[ballsohard]

You've been a very fortunate GM in terms of the Draft. You've had Chris Webber, Grant Hill, Chris Bosh, and now have Andrew Wiggins. What will you differently this time to make sure you can fully capitalize on Wiggins' talent and bring a ring home to Minnesota?

[JNR]

You've been a very fortunate GM in terms of the Draft. You've had Chris Webber, Grant Hill, Chris Bosh, and now have Andrew Wiggins. What will you differently this time to make sure you can fully capitalize on Wiggins' talent and bring a ring home to Minnesota?

The JNR: I'll be honest. I have no idea. I tried offensive teams. I tried defensive teams. But I think continuing this group around these two players may give me my best chance yet. And you're right, I have been very lucky and I recognize that.

[Conroy]

Wiggins and Porter obviously had great TCs, but how reassuring was their performance in the playoffs last year? Wiggins nearly doubled his scoring average from his first year in the playoffs to last year.

[JNR]

Wiggins and Porter obviously had great TCs, but how reassuring was their performance in the playoffs last year? Wiggins nearly doubled his scoring average from his first year in the playoffs to last year.

The JNR: That's something that convinced me that we didn't need to bring back Chris Bosh. Wiggins was an absolute beast in the playoffs, and I think that sort of thing makes you very confident. In addition, Otto averaged 18 and 11 last playoffs, and I think he can build upon that in the regular season.

[IamQuailman]

Do you see Wiggins and Porter as your 3/4 starters or your 2/3 starters or a little of both?

[JNR]

Do you see Wiggins and Porter as your 3/4 starters or your 2/3 starters or a little of both?

Little of both. It depends on matchups, and honestly where they thrive. In my experience, Wiggins has been much better at the 2, and Otto is 50/50 at either position. Wiggins being a 2 works because of his size, but his speed is valuable at the 3 as well. It's a good problem to have.

[WigNosy]

With only nine players on your roster, how confident are you in your training staff's ability to keep everyone upright and on the court this season?

[JNR]

With only nine players on your roster, how confident are you in your training staff's ability to keep everyone upright and on the court this season?

Knowing my history, not very confident. But I will keep it this way unless I need to sign some emergency players. I'll have a better idea of my future moves once the tax information is released.

[NOLa.]

After this season, only Porter and Lopez will be under contract and we know Wiggins isn’t going anywhere during RFA. What’s the plan to build a supporting cast around these players for the long-term?


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