#SLOE: People's Basketball Sim League

*Lights down. The projector, always a Timberwolves staple, whirs to life. First we see a wolf, snarling and growling.


Voiceover: The wolf is a dangerous, formidable foe. He is aggressive, hungry, and experienced. But it was not always this way.

Before he was a defender of the wild, a scourge of the forest, the wolf was simply a puppy.


Voiceover: Small, weak, new to the world. Not an opponent you fear. But plenty of potential inside that small frame.

With time and a fostering environment, this cute little pup becomes the fearsome wolf we saw before. The cycle completes over and over again. So you may see a wolf pup before you, but know that it is only temporary. Because the wolf...is coming.

*The lights come up and The JNR is in front of the podium.*

The JNR: Here we are, ready to start another process. In 2004, we had a Timberpups Press Conference, and it was the last one we had until now. Because Bosh continued to improve, and we won. 9 straight playoff appearances. Only one playoff win. The team was great, and it was fun to win two division titles. But this offseason before the draft, I knew that my time limit on this generation of Timberwolves had expired, and it was time to move on.

So during the draft, I sent Chris Bosh and Kyle Lowry, two all-time Timberwolves greats, to Toronto for Draymond Green and 3 picks in the 2013 draft, as well as Al-Farouq Aminu. Chris was like a son to me, and I genuinely loved having him on this team. Kyle was always a professional and his friendship with Bosh created the atmosphere that led us to two straight division titles. It tore me apart to have to move them. But unfortunately, it had to be done.

So this is the new generation of the Minnesota Timberpups. We drafted Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, and Jeff Withey. We also acquired Mike Muscala, Hollis Thompson, Emeka Okafor, Andrei Kirilenko, and a first round pick for Luol Deng and Hamed Haddadi, effectively removing every player who was a part of the old regime. This is a new era, and a new look. Toney Douglas, Trey Burke, Mike Conley, Yi Jianlian, Julian Wright, and Jason Thompson are also here and ready to work.

There won't be any talking around the issue -- this team is a far cry from those that came before it. We have a new defensive identity, but scoring will likely be an issue. We are young and inexperienced, so the wins will be hard to come by. But this is part of the plan we've decided on. In the past we have successfully executed rebuilds to the point where we only have 8 losing seasons in our history, and only two under 20 wins. So we do not fear the future. It will be a rocky road, but we know we can come back because we did it before. The mighty wolf will once again return to the Midwest division, stronger than ever.

We'll now open up the floor for questions.

The Chris Bosh tenure was filled with first round exits in the playoffs. How do you envision building a team with your current young core to get over that hump more consistently?

Rumor has it that your young players should see more time in the regular season than the preseason. With a better-than-expected 3-3 record in the preseason, what can fans expect from the first set of T-Wolves games of the season?

Random Reporter: You mentioned earlier that offense could be a problem for the T-Wolves. Are you looking towards any particular player to lead the charge offensively, or will scoring be a team effort for the time being?

Inner_GI wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2017 1:24 pm The Chris Bosh tenure was filled with first round exits in the playoffs. How do you envision building a team with your current young core to get over that hump more consistently?

The JNR: I focused mostly on offense during Bosh's tenure -- actually, during most of my tenure here. Acquiring Green and Gobert for Bosh and Lowry actually gave me the defensive centerpieces I think can make this team a success. I've had some of the best offenses in league history get mowed down against dominant defenses in the playoffs. So I think that's where I'm going to focus this build.

garbageman wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2017 1:44 pm Rumor has it that your young players should see more time in the regular season than the preseason. With a better-than-expected 3-3 record in the preseason, what can fans expect from the first set of T-Wolves games of the season?

The JNR: We plan on showcasing our older, more experienced talent for teams that may be interested. And we really just want to see how our young guys play together. I think you'll find young guys who have a passion for the game and it will be an interesting spectacle to watch.

Xist2Inspire wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2017 4:17 pm Random Reporter: You mentioned earlier that offense could be a problem for the T-Wolves. Are you looking towards any particular player to lead the charge offensively, or will scoring be a team effort for the time being?

The JNR: He may not be exactly ready, but Victor Oladipo may be our best scorer already, so we're probably going to have to lean on him in some games. But we're coming off of a season where our leading scorer averaged 37 a night, and that's clearly not going to happen on this team. I'm happy with having three or four players average double figures but none above 20 if that means we're also playing tough defense.

Rudy Gobert was a great pickup for your team, speaking as the team who had the pick before yours. However, was there anyone in particular you hoped fall besides Giannis? Since there was only two, were you hoping Porter or CJ fell, or do you think Gobert fit your new direction of defense and fell perfectly to you?


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The JNR: I'll admit this: CJ is the type of player that makes you salivate as a GM. He is a great scorer. And Otto was someone we had our eyes on in trade talks for Bosh. But Rudy is perfect for our new identity. When we drafted him we told him "We see you as our defensive centerpiece" and he used that confidence to fuel a fantastic training camp. We're very excited about him.

Nick Melon; The Advocate: A lot is made out of getting Draymond and the picks as the center pieces for dealing away Chris Bosh and Lowry to Toronto but can you speak of the role you envision for Al Farooq Aminu and how he can help your team going forward? Do you see him as a starter or 6th man material?

NickMalone77 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2017 10:54 pm Nick Melon; The Advocate: A lot is made out of getting Draymond and the picks as the center pieces for dealing away Chris Bosh and Lowry to Toronto but can you speak of the role you envision for Al Farooq Aminu and how he can help your team going forward? Do you see him as a starter or 6th man material?

His flexibility makes him a huge asset to this team. I see him as a 6th man who can play the 3 and the 4. Actually my favorite thing about this team so is that I have a few players who can play multiple positions, which gives me options in gameplanning. I think Aminu will thrive on this team.

Random Dallas Reporter:

Oladipo is looking like a strong pick. Do you think he has the potential to be as good as Lowry or even better? Lowry is very good, but given his potential it seems like he underperformed as a Timberwolf.

The JNR: I want to clarify something -- I think Lowry was incredibly successful as a Timberwolf. Maybe his stats weren't up to his potential and abilities, but he was absolutely a steady influence in the locker room and his friendship with Bosh paved the way for great regular season success. That being said, we love what Victor can bring to the team. He has the size and the ability to keep defenses honest at either guard position, and he's come in working right away. We're very excited to have him on the team.

You tend to have a lot of guys that can play the 3 and 4 but no one that really is just a 3 or a 4. What;'s the plan going into the season and eventually into the future?

ballsohard wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2017 9:18 am You tend to have a lot of guys that can play the 3 and 4 but no one that really is just a 3 or a 4. What;'s the plan going into the season and eventually into the future?

The JNR: I don't view versatility as a problem. We can plug and play as matchups require, and eventually we'll find out what works best and roll with it. Green will start at SF and play some PF; Aminu will play SF and PF off the bench; and Yi can play 3, 4, or 5. I think it's a good problem to have.