sports
Jerry Zgoda missed the entire Kevin Garnett era, but he's back covering the Timberwolves after working the beat for their first four seasons two decades ago. In between, he covered a bit of everything: Gopher men's and women's basketball and NCAA athletics, golf, outdoor recreation, sports media and a little Vikings and Twins.
Posts about The draft
Hummel to play in Europe
Posted by: Kent Youngblood Updated: August 9, 2012 - 1:35 PM
Robbie Hummel, the Timberwolves' only pick in the NBA draft in June, said he will play in Europe next year.
Hummel told the Lafayette (Ind.) Journal and Courier he will play in Spain for El Obradoiro.
He was taken 58th overall in the draft after a storied career at Purdue that was marred by ACL surgeries in his right knee two times in one year. Hummel said he didn't feel 100 percent last season, his senior year with the Boilermakers.
Hummel told the newspaper that he has the Timberwolves' blessing to play abroad.
He is already listed on El Obradoiro's roster.
According to Mark Bartelstein, Hummel's agent, the decision was made "in conjunction" with the Wolves and was made with playing time in mind. Hummel was going to have a difficult time getting minutes this season, and extended playing time is crucial for the 6-8 forward right now. While Hummel wasn't 100 percent as a senior at Purdue, he is back to 100 percent now, Bartelstein said. But he needs minutes to get his complete game back.
"It's always the second year after a torn ACL that you get your game back at a high level," Bartelstein said. "Now he's entering that phase, getting back to being an elite-level player again."
Budinger meets the press
Posted by: Kent Youngblood Updated: June 27, 2012 - 3:23 PMLots of newsy nuggets came out of todays press conference over at Target Center, which began with Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn, coach Rick Adelman and newly acquired player Chase Budinger talking about the trade that brought Budinger here.
But it also included updates on Derrick Williams, Ricky Rubio, Kevin Love and Kahn talking about further moves being made, either in the short-term or down the road.
Hello. Kent Youngblood here. I'll get you a quick update while Jerry Zgoda tweets and works on his stories for tomorrow.
--Let's start with Derrick Williams.
Everybody's been wondering how he would look to improve his game and his body in his first professional off-season. Well, here's the update from Kahn.
Williams was not able to really start working out until after Memorial Day because he had surgery to repair the septum in his nose. Indeed, Kahn said that once the surgery was performed, it was discovered Williams had three fractures in his nose he didn't even know about. The Wolves are convinced that his improved breathing ability will be a big plus.
Since he started working out, Williams has been working with trainer Gunnar Peterson -- Kevin Love's guy. Kahn said he went to see Williams last week and was pleased with what he saw. "I think his weight was down to 233 (Williams was listed at 241 as a rookie)."
Unfortunately, a bout with pink eye put Williams down for a few days. But Kahn said Williams was hoping to lose more weight. "He's intent on pushing as low as 225," Kahn said. "That's not a mandate from us. That's what he wants. Here we are, June 27, he's been at it four weeks. We're pleased with what he's been doing."
As for Williams status, as in, is he on the trading block? Kahn wouldn't go there. He reiterated his belief that only Love and Ricky Rubio are untouchable, everybody else falls into other categories. But he did stress that Williams is only 21. "This is a very important summer for him to demonstrate he's serious about his craft, his occupation," Kahn said, "about taking care of himself, and do what one must do in an off-season. ... I'm eager to see the results of his summer."
-Now, on to Ricky Rubio.
Rubio, who had surgery on his knee in March, left for Spain yesterday. But he didn't cross the pond alone. The Wolves sent a staff physical therapist with Love to make sure Love continues on the rehab schedule he's been keeping thus far.
Kahn said a checkup last week on Rubio showed very good progress. Rubio is due back in Colorado for a checkup about six weeks from now. Kahn wouldn't put a time table on his return to the court, however.
--And now, here is more on the Budinger trade.
Interesting as to how it came about. Kahn said he made it clear to Houston GM Daryl Morey at the pre-draft combine in Chicago that the Wolves would be interested in acquiring Budinger, who played two of his first three seasons for Adelman. No proposals were made.
A few days ago Adelman came to Kahn and said he'd gotten a call indicating there was a chance of swinging a deal before the draft, and that's exactly what happened.
In Budinger the Wolves get a player who is still young, but has three years of NBA experience, two of them in Adelman's system. He can shoot from the outside, he's good at making the extra pass -- key to Adelman's offense -- and he has flexibility, able to play big guard or small forward.
Adelman talked all last season about the need for more wing players who could both knock down an open shot and be a play maker. Today Adelman said Budinger helps in both areas.
Adelman likes Budinger's ability to shoot off a screen -- something he wasn't allowed to do much in Houston last season under coach Kevin McHale -- his ability to cut to the basket and make a pass.
"He does a lot of things we need wing people to do," Adelman said. "He can come off screens, and he can shoot the ball very well. And his cutting, he has an instinct for that. That's really going to help us."
Adelman said Budinger will enter training camp as a player high in the Wolves' rotation, though he wouldn't talk specifically about the minutes Budinger should play.
But it's clear his acquisition means the Wolves have some redundancy among wing players, one reason why Kahn said we should all assume that other changes will be made. Among those Budinger's arrival could impact the team's plans for Michael Beasley, Wes Johnson and Martell Webster.
(An aside: When asked about roster decisions to be made, including those on Beasley, Anthony Randolph and Webster, Kahn said those decisions would be made by Saturday).
Kahn said the roster was better for having made the move, but said other moves were likely. "You should assume there will be other changes made," he said.
Budinger, who grew up in Los Angeles, said he played on a club team with Love and Brandon Jennings. His biggest memory: Love's outlet passing ability. "It was a fast-break drill," he said.
Budinger said he felt a bit underutilized in McHale's offense last year, when he was used mainly as a spot-up jumper and wasn't allowed to do more things. He said he's thrilled to be allowed to use his abilities off screens, something he'll get here.
"I think I can still grow a lot," he said. "I really haven't used my pick-and-roll very much in my NBA career so far. That's a part of my game I think I could really excel at."
Here are some other notes:
--Kahn confirmed reports that the Wolves were interested in former Portland shooting guard Brandon Roy, who is looking to get back into the NBA after missing last season with knee issues.
--Kahn said there is a chance the Wolves could make a move to jump back into the draft before their second round pick comes up (58th overall). It would only happen, he said, for a specific player or two the team values were to be available.
--Kahn said he has not yet contacted the agent for Lior Eliyahu, the other player acquired in the Budinger draft. Eliyahu is currently with a team in Tel Aviv, Israel. Kahn said the next few days should bring some clarity about Eliyahu contract status and future plans.
That's about it for now. Have a good day.
Wolves trade 18th pick to Houston for Chase Budinger, prospect
Posted by: Jerry Zgoda Updated: June 26, 2012 - 12:06 PMThe Timberwolves today traded the No. 18 pick in Thursday's draft to Houston for swingman Chase Budinger and prospect Lior Eliyahu, a source has confirmed.
The deal reunites Budinger, a former second-round pick who can play both small forward and shooting guard, with Wolves coach Rick Adelman, who coached him at Houston.
"I'm very excited," Budinger said from his home in San Diego this morning. "Rick Adelman was a great, great coach for me. I have much respect for him. I love his system. I feel like it fit me very well. I'm excited to get up there and see all the coaches."
It also would appear to take the Wolves out of most of the fun for draft night, unless, of course, this deal is a precursor to another.
Budinger, you might remember, scored a career-high 35 points against the Wolves in the 2010-11 season finale at Target Center.
Might there be more 35-point nights there for him now?
"Let's hope so," he said. "I do always play well in that gym. That's another good thing: I love playing in that gym."
When asked for his memories of that game, he said, "Just how it felt everything I shot, every time I went to the basket, I couldn't do any wrong."
The Wolves have until Saturday to pick up a team option on Budinger's contract that will pay him $942,000 this coming season.
He'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
"I hope so," Budinger said when asked if he can see a California kid staying long term in Minnesota. "I've just got to go buy more warm coats."
When asked if he fared as well playing for Kevin McHale last season in Houston as he did his first two NBA seasons with Adelman, he said, "I don't think so. I definitely don't think so. Last year was a bit of a struggle for me, definitely with my playing time there, very inconsistent. I felt like I did a lot of standing around last year, which in Adelman's system you don't do at all. There's a lot of movement and sharing the ball. I definitely did a lot better in Adelman's system than McHale's."
The trade now gives the Rockets -- and a guy named Kevin McHale -- the 14th, 16th and 18th picks Thursday and allows them to package those picks for a higher pick in the draft, which presumably they could use to then deal to Orlando in a package for superstar Dwight Howard.
The Houston Chronicle and Draft Express first reported the trade.
Pre-draft workouts resume Friday with more 2nd-round picks in
Posted by: Jerry Zgoda Updated: June 21, 2012 - 10:23 PMSix days out from Thursday's draft, the Wolves will bring six players -- all of them second-round prospects -- to Target Center on Friday.
They're bringing back Baylor forward Quincy Acy and Long Beach State point guard Casper Ware from those group workouts attending by all NBA teams at Target Center three weeks ago.
They're also bringing in Pitt guard Ashton Gibbs, Campbell University forward Eric Griffin, Alabama Birmingham forward Cameron Moore and Long Beach State forward T.J. Robinson.
So far, Royce White is the only guy brought to Target Center whom the Wolves will consider with that 18th overall pick, IF they don't trade the pick.
They'll probably bring a couple guys in early next week, but it's very likely the player they draft -- if they draft anybody -- will not have set foot inside Target Center.
Unless, of course, it's White.
Otherwise, they'll likely take somebody who falls in the draft, who thought they were going well before No. 18 so they didn't waste their time coming to Minneapolis.
That list includes guys like Duke's Austin Rivers, Washington's Terrence Ross or maybe guys like Kentucky's Terrence Jones or Baylor's Perry Jones.
Btw, White cancelled all his workouts not long after visiting Target Center last week.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford tweeted tonight that he's hearing White has got a promise from Boston with the 21st pick.
Will he still be there then?
Remember, the Wolves have the inside pipeline on White from ISU coach Fred Hoiberg...
Coming back from Chicago, homegrown Royce White and Jordan Taylor expected for draft workouts Tuesday
Posted by: Jerry Zgoda Updated: June 8, 2012 - 1:20 PMI spent Thursday in Chicago for the first day of the NBA's annual draft combine, collecting information for our draft coverage later this month.
Some of this and that from there:
* Minnesota's own Royce White and Jordan Taylor said they will work out for the Wolves at Target Center on Tuesday, when the team will continue pre-draft workouts before it sends representatives to Italy for the upcoming Eurocamp.
White is something of the draft's mystery man. Not his talent, because he proven at Iowa State that he has NBA game, but because of questions about his past and an anxiety disorder that includes a fear of flying.
Take away those questions and the former Gopher probably is a Top 10 talent.
Add those doubts among NBA executives and he still might fall no farther than Denver at No. 20 because of guard's skills in a power forward's 6-8 body.
He downplayed those issues, saying they're overblown and said he'll fly, even though it's not his favorite thing in the world.
The Wolves own the 18th pick and don't need another power forward, but they do need wing players who can handle the ball and make plays and White does both exceptionally for a big man.
And he himself says he can't decide if he's a small forward or a power forward because he thinks he's a point guard more than anything.
"I like to bring it up," he said, and he did so a lot for former Wolves player and executive Fred Hoiberg at Iowa State.
He also said he'd like to play for the Timberwolves.
Actually, he said more than that.
He said he sent a message from Hoiberg to David Kahn that he'd give his "pinky toe" to play for his hometown team.
Which one?
"Doesn't matter," he said. "Either, both."
He elaborates in some video that should be embedded here in the post shortly.
Taylor was a late addition to the combine, one of the players added after European prospect Evan Fournier pulled out.
"I'm just happy I got the opportunity," said Taylor, who was Mr. Basketball at Benilde-St. Margaret 's in 2008 one year before White won the award at Hopkins High in 2009. "I'm excited. I'm always self motivated. Ever since I was a kid, they told me I was too small, too slow, can't shoot, whatever it is. I can I can play this game pretty well."
An informal sampling of players present in Chicago suggests the Wolves indeed are focusing on wing players -- shooting guards and small forwards -- and shot-blocking bigs in their draft preparations.
Washington shooting guard Terrence Ross, St. John's small forward Moe Harkless and Syracuse center Fab Melo all said Thursday they either have interviewed or will interview with the Wolves before they leave Chicago.
Ross very well could be gone by No. 18, but when asked where he'd like to go in the draft, the Wolves were the first team out of his mouth because he said he knows they need a shooting guard.
Duke's Austin Rivers is working out for lottery teams, but should he somehow drop to No. 18 -- as some early mock drafts predict -- I asked the son of Boston coach Doc Rivers how he'd play with a guy like Ricky Rubio after Rivers had the ball in his hands all the time during his one college season.
"That's fine," he said. "At the end of the day you have to learn to play with people and Rubio’s a great point guard, a rising point guard in the league. You just have to pick your spots and maintain your aggressiveness.It's not about having the ball or starting, it's about finishing the game and making the right play and doing everything you can to make an immediate impact. That’s my main goal right now.
"He's a guy who dribbles the ball a lot. I would just come in and I think we can both have the ball. In my opinion, I can get the rebound and push it up and if he’s ahead of me, I throw it up to him. Or if I’m ahead of him, he can throw it up to me and we can just make plays. It's not about who get more dribbles. It's about doing everything you can to win."
A couple other tidbits from Chicago:
* If you're a draft geek hoping Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters falls to No. 18...he cancelled on Thursday all his interviews and workouts with teams, creating rampant speculation that he has received a guarantee he'll be picked by a team in the top 11.
* European prospect Tomas Satoransky says he pulled out of the two-day camp the Wolves held at Target Center last week because he just completed a long season & his agent didn't think his body was ready to play.
Kahn spent 11 days scouting in Europe recently, but Satoransky said he didn't know of any special interest the Wolves have in him and said he didn't think he's scheduled to work out for the Wolves.
* Harkless -- a 6-8 freshman scorer -- said he interviewed with Wolves, including coach Rick Adelman, last night but said he'll have to huddle up with his agent before he knows if he'll work out for them.
Having said all this, I still expect the Wolves to mightily try to trade that No. 18 pick to get an experienced shooting guard or small forward -- a Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin -- who can make an immediate impact.
ADVERTISEMENT
recent posts
- Postgame: Say what? Wolves rally, win without Love
- What will it be tonight for Wolves?
- Homecoming: Kirilenko returns to Utah
- Rubio not expected to make two-game trip West
- Wolves bring back Lazar Hayward
- Wolves sign Lazar Hayward
- Postgame: Wolves heating up in December
- Roy to explore "additional treatment options'' on knee; Rubio out tonight
- Roy contemplating retirement?
- Roy misses practice for personal reasons
- B-Roy eyes Saturday return, Pek back at practice
- Postgame: Wolves lose another lead in Houston loss
- Love will play vs. Rockets, more Ricky likely, too
- Without Love, Wolves go small today in New York
- Eye injury will keep Love out of the lineup Sunday
- Postgame: Wolves stop that streak at 12, beat OKC
- Wolves waive injured Howard, Lee could be lost for season as well
- Postgame: Wolves double up Heat on boards, still lose by 11
- Pekovic, Love will play tonight at Miami, Rubio won't
Post By Category
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2013 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters