10 questions facing the Wolves

Other than six new faces, it's this organizational promise from owner Glen Taylor on down to coach Randy Wittman: The time for evaluating young players has passed. Now it's time to produce individually and win collectively. If playing time indeed is guaranteed to no one, there will be some intriguing competition for minutes between Foye and Telfair at point guard; Miller and Rashad McCants at shooting guard; and Gomes and Corey Brewer at small forward.

Wittman admits he doesn't know that yet. Jefferson is the best player and vows he will step forth more supportive this season. Miller, in his ninth NBA season at age 28, gives the Wolves something they didn't have last season: a veteran star player. His work ethic pushed his younger teammates to work overtime in summer training sessions. But the bet here: Foye emerges as the team's pulse, both because of his point-guard position and his personality. Love just might assert himself sooner than you'd think, too.

You bet, provided the knee injury expected to sideline him for the opening week or two of camp doesn't linger. He played like an All-Star last season, but the Wolves' embarrassing record through mid-January kept him from serious consideration. That shouldn't be an issue this season. His stats (21.1 ppg, 11.1 rpg) might slide slightly this season because he won't be needed to do everything for his team, but his influence won't. Make no mistake: This is Big Al's team. Trading away the rights of O.J. Mayo for complements Love and Miller showed so. Two predictions here: Foye, if he remains healthy, will play his way into consideration for the league's Most Improved Player award and Love's multiskilled game will win him consideration for Rookie of the Year, even with Greg Oden, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo in the mix.

Jefferson, Love, Miller, Foye and either Brewer or Gomes at small forward. Brewer might emerge as a starter despite his offensive limitations because the Wolves need his defensive versatility and ability to defend the opposing team's best offensive player with the aforementioned four (not a defensive stopper among that bunch) already on the floor.

Brewer, so promising defensively and so rushed offensively, would seem the obvious candidate. But it's only his second season and he was the draft's seventh overall pick a year ago, so not so soon. Rashad McCants, now is entering his fourth season with restricted free agency around the corner next summer, is the man most at the crossroads. Miller's arrival probably will keep McCants in a sixth-man role he reluctantly accepted last season. His commitment to defense this season, rather than his already proven instant-offense abilities, might determine his future with the franchise.

Veteran Mark Madsen, who didn't even last an opening workout with Love. Madsen tried to block Love's dunk and ended up at both the doctor and the dentist because of a 12-stitch cut in his chin and a loosened tooth. Madsen blogged these initial impressions on his website (markmadsen.com): "Despite being very close to giving me a new gold tooth in my smile, I saw some impressive things from K. Love in just our first day. He shoots, he's very athletic, and he rebounds. ... and he's unselfish. That's a very nice combo for a big man in today's game. He's going to make a serious run at Rookie of the Year in my opinion."

The game-operations person who picks the music. Last year's big decision was simple: The 1970s sitcom theme accompanied newcomer Jefferson's achievements. Love's presence presents bewildering options; an Internet database search shows more than 3,400 songs with "Love" in the title. The obvious: The Beatles' "All You Need is Love." The obscure: Pablo Cruise's 1970s hit "Love Will Find a Way." The subtle: Dean Martin's version of "That's Amore." The favorite here: U2's 1980s Bono-B.B. King duet "When Love Comes to Town."

Newcomer Rodney Carney, the third-year forward acquired in that July deal that gave Philadelphia salary-cap space to sign Elton Brand and brings the Wolves a future first-round pick. He missed Las Vegas Summer League games because of a hamstring injury that extended into September. McHale and Wittman both call him freakishly athletic, and conceivably he could thrive by running and catching Kevin Love's outlet passes, but his small-forward position is crowded with Gomes, Brewer and Miller ahead of him.

Star Tribune hockey writer Michael Russo thinks the Wild might be only a year away from playoff victory, whether it re-signs star Marian Gaborik or not. Still, this question isn't as far-fetched as it might have seemed last spring. Each franchise has won two playoff series in its history, both in the same season (Wild in 2003, Wolves in 2004). Of course, it has taken the Wolves 19 seasons to do so, the Wild eight. The Wolves probably are at least a season away from contending for the playoffs -- and a couple of seasons beyond that to become a playoff factor -- in the Western Conference, which remains formidable but is about to age. Teams such as Phoenix, Dallas and San Antonio will grow old quickly, New Orleans and the Lakers should remain mighty and Portland will rise.

Remember that the Wolves won five of their first 39 games last season, 17 of their last 43. Foye is healthy to start training camp. Love and Miller are two significant additions. Gomes, Telfair and Smith are back with reasonable contracts, having played with Jefferson last season. The range: 33 to 38 victories. Let's split the difference and say a 36-46 record.