Timberwolves 2009-10: Is The Worst Over?

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In case you've ignored the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, or only happened upon them while channel surfing, you'll be pleased to hear that they won't be around to embarass basketball fans in the Upper Midwest--at least until the next NBA season.

The 2009-10 campaign mercifully ended Wednesday night with the Wolves losing to the Detroit Pistons 103-98 before the usual sparse gathering at Target Center in Minneapolis, even though attendance was announced as 15,790.  And it wasn't even on local TV.

The Wolves finished dead last in the Western Conference with a 15-67 record, second only to the New Jersey Nets for the worst record in the league (they were 12-70).  For first-year coach Kurt Rambis, this must be light years away from his days as a Los Angeles Laker.

The situation was so desperate, General Manager David Kahn started appearing in TV commercials acknowledging how bad the team was, and then promising improvements.  The team also announced temporary price cuts for tickets next season.

Another major overhaul is due this off-season, with every player from Al Jefferson and Kevin Love on down as potential trade bait.  The upcoming NBA draft is significant for the Wolves because they have three first round picks, but where they draft is another story.  You see, the lottery hasn't been kind to them, especially in years when there hasn't exactly been a bumper crop of talent.  Such as this year.

Fifty years ago this month, the Minneapolis Lakers announced that they were moving to Los Angeles.  In a recent Star Tribune column, Patrick Reusse speculated on what would have happened if the franchise had stayed in town.  He thought Lakers stars such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant would never have played here because the area was too cold and culturally limiting.

Which is our way of saying that, in a potentially big year for free agents, the Wolves are going to have a difficult time attracting quality talent and settle for taking anyone they can get for the right price.  Unless they do something to make things interesting around here, the Wolves may well be on their way to becoming an endangered species.
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Since you asked about LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who's been rumored to be heading elsewhere ever since the season began, it's possible that he's outgrown the team and the city.  The Cavs aren't what you'd call a destination franchise such as the Lakers or the Boston Celtics, any more than the Wolves are.

Still, we think James will be leading the Cavs into the NBA Finals this June against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.  It'll be the matchup everyone wants--the league, the fans, ABC, Nike.  What could possibly go wrong?