"I was out scouting a lot last year, and when I’d come back, I
could see a major difference in our team,"McHale said."… If we did
nothing else, just let those guys grow together this summer, we’d have
been better."
could see a major difference in our team,"McHale said."… If we did
nothing else, just let those guys grow together this summer, we’d have
been better."
Of course McHale did do something else this offseason, most
notably taking O.J. Mayo with the third overall pick in the NBA draft
and shipping him to the Memphis Grizzlies for KevinLove and South
Dakota native Mike Miller.
notably taking O.J. Mayo with the third overall pick in the NBA draft
and shipping him to the Memphis Grizzlies for KevinLove and South
Dakota native Mike Miller.
"We couldn’t say yes fast enough,"McHale said of the trade. "Not
that I don’t like O.J. Ilike O.J. I think having a guy like Kevin Love
and Mike Miller adds so much more to your team."
that I don’t like O.J. Ilike O.J. I think having a guy like Kevin Love
and Mike Miller adds so much more to your team."
McHale said he expects the Timberwolves to improve greatly this season and play a more exciting brand of basketball.
NBA scouts were wildly divided on Love. Some think he’s so strong,
skilled and technically proficient that he’ll be an instant impact
player. Others believe he’s too undersized and earthbound to ever be
more than a fringe starter. He and Jefferson as the starting inside
tandem will leave Minnesota vulnerable to any teams with inside scoring
punch. Still, the talent is improved enough over last season that the
Timberwolves could flirt with the 30-win mark.
skilled and technically proficient that he’ll be an instant impact
player. Others believe he’s too undersized and earthbound to ever be
more than a fringe starter. He and Jefferson as the starting inside
tandem will leave Minnesota vulnerable to any teams with inside scoring
punch. Still, the talent is improved enough over last season that the
Timberwolves could flirt with the 30-win mark.
But McHale – now the vice president of basketball operations for
the Minnesota Timberwolves – knows how important it is to reach out to
fans in outlying areas.
the Minnesota Timberwolves – knows how important it is to reach out to
fans in outlying areas.
That’s why McHale said he was pleased to be in Bismarck on
Thursday to announce his Timberwolves will be playing a preseason game
at the Civic Center. The Timberwolves will take on the Denver Nuggets
on Oct. 19. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on
Saturday.
"We’re really excited to bring our team up here and let the people in Bismarck see a good young team,"McHale said.
From Basketball 24/7:
Great Britain’s Pops Mensah-Bonsu has officially signed a one-year deal for Badalona. The announcement follows an impressive debut for Britain at a four-team tournament in Cagliari.
"There was interest from Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies, but the type of player I am I’m not a major part of the puzzle, I’m just a piece, so it was difficult for me to get a deal.