1989-90 Minnesota Timberwolves Press Conference
Posted: Fri May 22, 2026 10:36 am
We're in a new city this time, as The JNR finally decided to schedule a press conference for the first time in several years. He emerges in a blue and green suit with the logo of his new team emblazoned upon it. He walks over to the podium and grips it, then smiles.
The JNR: Welcome to our first press conference in Minneapolis. I know that our team page still says we're in San Diego, but I promise you that will be rectified soon enough. This team has completed the move to Minnesota, and in light of that we've made many changes to the team. First off, we were lucky enough to win the lottery and the rights to draft David Robinson, who we think will make an immediate impact on our team. And we could've let it sit there, pick up a future star and continue to build for the future.
But that wouldn't fit the energy of this move, of this change. No, we needed to make sure that we started off our time in the North with a bang. And so only a few hours later in the draft we decided to trade Rod Strickland and other assets to acquire Tim Hardaway, who we had scouted in our due diligence at the #1 position. We believe that Hardaway and Robinson will be a core that will grow together in this franchise.
And again we could have just rested on our laurels, had two young guys and see where it went. But then the opportunity arrived to acquire a great post player to put next to Robinson. We've struggled to find a reliable power forward ever since this league started, and Ron Harper was terminally unhappy in San Diego, so we traded for Barkley and decided to not worry about draft picks for the first time in a while. It may backfire, it may not, but the point is we're here in Minnesota and we're here to compete.
The JNR sighs, looking around the room at the media members.
The JNR: We had a good free agency, a less good training camp, and we now find ourselves in an interesting position. We do not have control of our next three drafts. We have a four man core of youth in Robinson, Hardaway, Barkley and Reggie Lewis. We signed impact players Kelly Tripucka and Michael Cooper. The option to rest on our laurels and take it slowly has been dashed by my impatience and perhaps my foolhardiness. There is no other option than to win.
We sit in a tough Western Conference. The Spurs, the Trailblazers, and many other teams are determined to make our lives harder. But I had grown so bored of my team in San Diego. I barely paid attention. Right now I'm here and present, and that feels worth a few years of draft uncertainty.
The team should win a lot more games than 14. I expect David Robinson and Tim Hardaway to contend for Rookie of the Year. I expect our defense to be vastly improved under the watchful eye of Robinson and the long arms of Cooper. I expect effort on the glass. For my starting lineup, I will be employing
C: David Robinson
PF: Charles Barkley
SF: Michael Cooper
SG: Reggie Lewis
PG: Tim Hardaway
With Kelly Tripucka, Chris Dudley, and Winston Garland playing valuable roles off the bench. I plan on making life hard for my Pacific division brethren, and I plan on actually paying attention this time.
I now open up the floor to questions.
The JNR: Welcome to our first press conference in Minneapolis. I know that our team page still says we're in San Diego, but I promise you that will be rectified soon enough. This team has completed the move to Minnesota, and in light of that we've made many changes to the team. First off, we were lucky enough to win the lottery and the rights to draft David Robinson, who we think will make an immediate impact on our team. And we could've let it sit there, pick up a future star and continue to build for the future.
But that wouldn't fit the energy of this move, of this change. No, we needed to make sure that we started off our time in the North with a bang. And so only a few hours later in the draft we decided to trade Rod Strickland and other assets to acquire Tim Hardaway, who we had scouted in our due diligence at the #1 position. We believe that Hardaway and Robinson will be a core that will grow together in this franchise.
And again we could have just rested on our laurels, had two young guys and see where it went. But then the opportunity arrived to acquire a great post player to put next to Robinson. We've struggled to find a reliable power forward ever since this league started, and Ron Harper was terminally unhappy in San Diego, so we traded for Barkley and decided to not worry about draft picks for the first time in a while. It may backfire, it may not, but the point is we're here in Minnesota and we're here to compete.
The JNR sighs, looking around the room at the media members.
The JNR: We had a good free agency, a less good training camp, and we now find ourselves in an interesting position. We do not have control of our next three drafts. We have a four man core of youth in Robinson, Hardaway, Barkley and Reggie Lewis. We signed impact players Kelly Tripucka and Michael Cooper. The option to rest on our laurels and take it slowly has been dashed by my impatience and perhaps my foolhardiness. There is no other option than to win.
We sit in a tough Western Conference. The Spurs, the Trailblazers, and many other teams are determined to make our lives harder. But I had grown so bored of my team in San Diego. I barely paid attention. Right now I'm here and present, and that feels worth a few years of draft uncertainty.
The team should win a lot more games than 14. I expect David Robinson and Tim Hardaway to contend for Rookie of the Year. I expect our defense to be vastly improved under the watchful eye of Robinson and the long arms of Cooper. I expect effort on the glass. For my starting lineup, I will be employing
C: David Robinson
PF: Charles Barkley
SF: Michael Cooper
SG: Reggie Lewis
PG: Tim Hardaway
With Kelly Tripucka, Chris Dudley, and Winston Garland playing valuable roles off the bench. I plan on making life hard for my Pacific division brethren, and I plan on actually paying attention this time.
I now open up the floor to questions.
