National Basketball Association

Minnesota in search of lead wolf

Published Apr. 15, 2010 11:55 p.m. ET

foxsports

Coming off one of the worst seasons in a franchise history full of stinkers, the Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty of holes to fill as they enter the second year of yet another rebuilding project.

The biggest hole is right at the top. Minnesota badly needs a lead Wolf.

``There's no doubt,'' coach Kurt Rambis said. ``Look at all the upper-echelon teams. They all have them. I don't think you can get around it. We've got to find ways to get an elite player or elite players. That's what separates those elite teams from everybody else is they have them.''

The Timberwolves spent this season evaluating the current roster and essentially waiting to cash in on one of the most highly anticipated free agent markets in league history this summer. From the moment he took over last May, new president David Kahn made it clear that he didn't think anyone on the current roster was capable of emerging as the go-to star on a championship contender.

He reshaped the roster before the season began, with the bulk of the moves aimed at putting the team in a financial position to compete in the free agent market this summer, not on the basketball court in the winter and spring.

After a season of examination, his theory still holds. Al Jefferson and Kevin Love are quality pieces of the foundation, as is Corey Brewer, who showed considerable improvement this year. But that's not enough.

``We don't have THE block,'' Kahn said. ``That one block where you can build everything else around.''

They went 15-67, tying the 1991-92 Timberwolves for the worst record in franchise history. They lost 29 of their final 31 games of the season and played in front of sparse crowds that became more disillusioned as the year passed.

Now it's time to find out if taking those lumps all season long was worth it.

``Now, it's very hard to say we're going to get that guy this summer, and I hope we can. ... But somehow, some way over the next certain amount of time we've got to find our great player,'' Kahn said.

The question is, can the Timberwolves convince some of the best talent to come to the chilly Twin Cities and play for a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2004?

``No,'' Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said flatly. ``I think Minnesota is a team that's going to have to struggle to find a free agent and the one they find is going to have to be one that fits in with what they do.''

The Timberwolves know they're not going to get a premiere name such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh. Their challenge is to identify one of the players on the second tier that they think would flourish in their new system, or acquire a potential star player in a trade.

``Elite free agents want to go somewhere where they feel like they can win,'' Rambis said. ``The top echelon guys we probably won't be able to get. We have cap space, we can trade for players. We don't have to sign a (prime) free agent.''

The odds are, however, that if the Timberwolves do find that star player, they will do it in the draft.

``Historically most teams have done it through the draft,'' Kahn said. ``And I don't think we're smart enough to figure out better ways than what history has shown.''

Minnesota will have three picks in the first round of the June draft and the second-best chance at landing the top pick. Kentucky point guard John Wall and Ohio State guard Evan Turner are the two players most believe are the class of the 2010 draft.

All the cap space and all the draft picks mean big changes should be expected this offseason, and Kahn and Rambis have told their players as much.

``I think everything should be on the table and that we should explore everything, and that's hard for the players, and I understand that,'' Kahn said. ``It will be a hard year especially as the draft approaches, and free agency, and I understand that. But I think it is imperative that we demonstrate to the public that this isn't good enough. It just isn't. We are going to get better.

To a man, the players said they have no idea what to expect this summer. Anyone could go. After a long season of learning on the job, though, perhaps the biggest lesson is that losing this much is no fun at all.

``It was definitely a learning experience for a lot of us,'' Love said. ``We learned we don't want another season like this, that's for sure. We have to do everything we can to try to have a lot better season.''