Timberwolves – Page 91 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wolves Lottery Plans Change Already

Posted on May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 by David Shama

Turns out Becky Taylor won’t be representing the Timberwolves at tomorrow night’s NBA Draft Lottery in New York.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners the NBA informed him family members no longer will be able to represent teams at the nationally televised lottery. Taylor said the league has received complaints about family members participating in the past and decided to change the policy as to who can represent teams. He didn’t offer specific details describing the complaints other than to say the league has told him someone “prominent” has to represent franchises.

Awhile ago Taylor’s wife Becky had accepted an invitation from Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders to represent the club. Everything was set early last week when Taylor told Sports Headliners (see May 13 column) that Becky would be the franchise’s lottery person on the ESPN telecast. “I will represent the team now,” Taylor said.

Typically NBA teams are represented at the lottery by front office members or others directly affiliated with franchises but in the past some children of owners have participated.

The Wolves are one of 14 teams who are in the lottery that determines the order of selections for those franchises in the June 25 NBA Draft. Because the Wolves had the league’s worst record in 2014-2015, they have 250 chances at winning the lottery, while the clubs closest to them are the Knicks, 199 chances; Sixers, 156; and Lakers, 119. The Wolves have a 25 percent likelihood of winning the lottery and securing the No. 1 draft choice.

Lottery policy guarantees Minnesota will draft no lower than fourth in the first round because the Timberwolves had the worst record in the league. The Wolves also have two second round selections in the June 25 draft.

Will Taylor bring a lucky charm to the lottery tomorrow night? “I will just show up and have a smile on my face, and however it goes, it goes,” he said with a laugh.

Minneapolis-St. Paul basketball fans will follow the draft not only because of the Wolves but also to learn the fate of Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn, two Minnesota natives who were high school players only a year ago. Jones, the former Apple Valley point guard, has known Saunders for years. The Wolves, though, are stocked with young point guards in Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine, and it’s unlikely Jones will land here.

Jeff Goodman, the ESPN analyst, spoke about Jones last Thursday during the NBA Draft Combine. He expressed doubt Jones could start for a playoff team but might be a “backup point guard for 10 to 12 years.”

Vaughn, who played at Robbinsdale Cooper before finishing his prep career in Las Vegas, is more likely to be drafted by the Wolves. The team needs shooters and has two second round draft choices. Vaughn, a shooting guard, was the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, and he is projected as a second rounder in next month’s draft. He averaged 17.8 points per game to lead UNLV in scoring last season.

As for the Wolves first round draft choice, it’s likely to be a center if the lottery leaves the club with either the No. 1 or No. 2 selection. Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, both centers, are generally considered the draft’s top prospects. The Wolves have a need at the center position because veteran Nikola Pekovic struggles with injuries while Gorgui Dieng, a third year player next season, isn’t a consistent low block scoring threat.

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Spielman Expects ‘Big Year’ from AP

Posted on May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 by David Shama

The Vikings begin OTAs later this month. Whether Adrian Peterson will show up for the organized team activities isn’t known. Neither general manager Rick Spielman nor coach Mike Zimmer will say specifically when Peterson will join the team.

“We expect Adrian to be back,” Spielman said. “We expect Adrian to have a big year for us.”

The OTAs aren’t mandatory for Vikings players but the club’s June 16-18 mini-camp is. Peterson’s $250,000 contractual workout bonus is tied to participation in both, according to an April 20 story on Espn.com by Ben Goessling.

Although Peterson missed all but one game last season and is 30 years old, Spielman expects a high level of performance from the future Hall of Famer. “I think everybody saw what he was able to do coming off his ACL and how he performed the next year. Adrian is just different than most players I’ve been around from a physical nature.”

Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards in 2012 after the ACL injury and surgery that prematurely ended his 2011 season. Because of an NFL suspension last season Peterson only rushed for 21 yards on 75 carries. The absence of playing time and loss of a potential 1,500 yard season could one day prevent him from becoming the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.

Zimmer doesn’t expect Peterson to negatively impact team harmony whenever he does show up. “I don’t think there will be any issues, no,” Zimmer said.

Although Peterson has become a controversial figure because of using a switch to beat his son, he has many supporters in the Vikings organization who are looking forward to his return. A comment heard from insiders is Peterson has a “good heart” and has been proactive in helping others in the community.

Worth Noting

Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil was a Pro Bowler after his rookie year in 2012 but struggled last season, drawing lots of criticism. But he had knee problems and that was a factor in his play. Kalil had offseason surgery on both knees. “He understands he needs to play better,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer admires how a less than 100 percent Kalil was a gamer last season. “There was one week I didn’t know if he would make it. He’s never missed anything. He always shows up. He tries to fight as hard as he can for the guys.”

Another disappointment last season was wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson who as a second-year pro was inconsistent in his route running. Zimmer has watched Patterson this spring and is encouraged. “I’ve been impressed with the things that he has done.”

Former Gophers wide receiver Isaac Fruechte, who was added to the Vikings roster this week, said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle program last Sunday that during workouts earlier this year he ran about a 4.4 40-yard dash.

TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, who the Gophers face at TCF Bank Stadium in their nonconference season opener on September 3, is the favorite for the 2015 Heisman Trophy, according to a Tuesday story by Si.com. The Sports Illustrated article points out the senior quarterback is one of 10 starters returning for an offense that was second nationally in scoring at 46.4 points per game.

The Big Ten will have more than the usual number of great players next fall, probably none better than Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa who could be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. The Gophers play at Ohio State on November 7.

It will be an offense versus defense format tomorrow when coach Glenn Caruso and his Tommies have their spring football game at Palmer Field in O’Shaughnessy Stadium. The game begins at 1 p.m. and is part of the Tommies’ practice preparations for their summer trip to Italy that includes a football game and cultural experiences. Admission to tomorrow’s game is free.

The Wolves are investing $49 million in the $129 million Target Center renovation project but team owner Glen Taylor doesn’t expect work to start this year as hoped. He talked to Sports Headliners about a fix up in 2016 and 2017. The city will invest $74.5 million and AEG, the company that manages the building, will contribute $5.5 million. Target Center, which opened in 1990, originally cost about $104 million.

Taylor is joining Dr. Bill McGuire and others as an investor in the hoped-for Minneapolis MLS soccer franchise. Plans include an outdoor stadium to be built near the Farmers Market downtown. The facility would be open air. A long soccer season could begin in late winter and run into late October. Taylor was asked if the Minneapolis weather causes a concern about playing outdoors.

“I think we should try to work to have the Vikings facility available for some of those extreme cases where the weather would be too bad or something like that,” Taylor said. “In the long run we’d want to do that. We don’t have anything yet. Nor has the Wilf family (Vikings owners) indicated that they have any interest, but I just think that when you get everything going and stuff like that you should have cooperation. …”

The Vikings ownership has an exclusive option to operate a new Minneapolis MLS franchise inside the new domed stadium set to open in 2016. That option is for five years after the facility opens but the MLS is working with the McGuire group. Taylor believes that because the city and state, in addition to the Vikings, are paying for the stadium, the facility should be open to hosting some soccer there if the weather dictated.

At today’s Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority board meeting, the Vikings and the Wilf family will commit an additional $14 million toward the new stadium, bringing the team’s increased private contributions since stadium legislation passed to $89 million and the overall team/private commitment to $566 million. Nearly $13 million of the $14 million will be for the stadium’s television system, including over 2,000 HDTV monitors.

The Twins are 2-7 against the Tigers this season after yesterday’s loss in Detroit. Minnesota is 7-11 on the road but 12-5 in Minneapolis where the Twins open a weekend series starting tonight against the Rays. The Twins are 18-10 overall since April 15.

With a longer season and record purses projected, Canterbury Park begins its live racing season tonight with post time at 6:30 p.m. Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at 12:45 p.m. The 70-day racing meet, the longest at the Shakopee racetrack since 1992, runs through September 12. Jockeys, trainers, and owners will be competing for record purses of approximately $14 million.

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Lottery Luck May Change for Wolves

Posted on May 13, 2015May 13, 2015 by David Shama

News and notes from Glen Taylor and other newsmakers including new high school coaching hires.

The NBA Draft Lottery has not been kind to the Timberwolves. Despite a long list of losing seasons over more than two decades, the franchise has never had the No. 1 pick in the draft. This year the Wolves are sending a woman to see if their luck changes.

And not just any woman.

Glen Taylor, the Wolves owner, broke the news to Sports Headliners his wife Becky will represent the franchise on national TV May 19 when the NBA’s 14 draft lottery teams assemble in New York City. The Wolves, of course, are hoping the lottery rewards them with the first selection in the June 25 NBA Draft.

Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders let Taylor know he wanted Becky to represent the club at the draft lottery and she accepted the invitation. NBA teams send various representatives to the lottery, often front office executives. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has dispatched his teenage son Nick multiple times and won the lottery in both 2013 and 2014.

Saunders has represented the Wolves in the past at the lottery announcement but this will be Becky’s first turn. Will she wear something lucky like a special piece of jewelry? No, but she will be wearing a new dress. “That will be her lucky outfit,” Taylor said with a laugh.

The lottery chances of the 14 teams favor franchises with the worst regular season records. Because the Wolves had the league’s worst record in 2014-2015, they have 250 chances at winning the No. 1 selection in the lottery, while the clubs closest to them are the Knicks, 199 chances; Sixers, 156; and Lakers, 119. The Wolves have a 25 percent likelihood of winning the lottery and securing the No. 1 draft choice. Lottery policy guarantees Minnesota will draft no lower than fourth in the first round.

Taylor will accompany Becky to New York. Although he is chairman of the NBA Board of Directors, he has never personally observed the draft lottery. He made it clear, though, his wife will be the one on TV. “Becky is going to be the front person,” he said.

Taylor said the Wolves must improve defensively next season. He wouldn’t be surprised to see Saunders make defense a priority on June 25 when the club uses its three draft choices—one first round pick and two selections during the second round.

Although Taylor doesn’t have final figures, he expects the Wolves to lose about $1 million to $2 million this past season. The franchise has frequently sustained major annual financial losses. “I would guess in our worst year we probably lost $10 million, but I don’t have that in front of me,” Taylor said.

The NBA has a revenue sharing policy where the more financially successful teams assist others. Taylor didn’t reveal figures but said this past season the amount of revenue received by franchises like his was “much larger” than in the past.

Next season the Wolves could break even or even be profitable if the on-court performance improves. A dramatic improvement landing the Wolves in the playoffs means making money “for sure,” Taylor said.

Greg Boone, who played basketball at Minneapolis Central High School and Augsburg College, is the new Minneapolis Southwest High School boys head coach. Boone is an accountant and won’t have a classroom teaching position at Southwest.

James Ware, the new basketball coach at Park Center, is an assistant principal in the Hopkins school system. Ware’s basketball resume includes assisting Hopkins High School head coach Ken Novak Jr. and working for Dan Monson when he was the Gophers head coach.

Trent Klatt, the former North Star, Gopher and 1989 Minnesota Mr. Hockey, is the new head hockey coach at Grand Rapids High School.

For $2,000 each a maximum of 25 individuals can participate in the Gophers second annual Boys of Fall Elite Camp in August. The three-day experience (August 7-9) will coincide with Minnesota’s preseason football training camp. Attendees become acquainted with the team and staff, and will have an in-depth look at coach Jerry Kill’s offensive, defensive and special team’s philosophies. Participants will attend all team, position and special teams meetings with players and coaches, plus on the field practices. More at Coachkillfbcamps.com.

After a disappointing performance in the playoffs against the Blackhawks, Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has lost some bargaining power on his next contract. The second round playoffs were the biggest stage this year for the Wild and Dubnyk. He didn’t play his best and teams now have to decide how much importance to give the Blackhawks series versus Dubnyk’s superb play last winter and in the first round of the playoffs. Best guess is he re-signs with the Wild and perhaps triples his reported $800,000 annual salary.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer meets with the media this week for a special session where he will share thoughts on how he coaches and his expectations of players.

Vikings first round draft choice cornerback Trae Waynes after being asked if he sets goals: “No. My whole mindset is play as hard as I can as fast as I can. Just try to make an impact. I’m competing against myself and…against other players but I have got to push myself at this level (NFL), and my big thing is just go out and compete.”

The Twins moved up from No. 21 to No.12 in Espn.com’s latest MLB power rankings of teams. The Cardinals are No. 1 while Twins’ Central Division rivals the Royals and Tigers are 2 and 4.

Twins shortstop Danny Santana has nine errors in 30 games this season. The club record for fewest errors by a shortstop is Leo Cardenas’ 11 in 1971.

While the Saints don’t open the season in their new ballpark until May 18, Hamline’s baseball team has already played nine games there. Among early descriptions of the new facility is it’s “definitely a pitcher’s ballpark” with long distances to the fences.

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