Timberwolves – Page 95 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Smith Shadow Still Relevant to Wolves

Posted on August 11, 2014August 11, 2014 by David Shama

Remember forward Joe Smith? You can be sure the Timberwolves do, and his shadow could be hanging over the rumored trade with Cleveland—for both the Cavs and Minnesota.

The Timberwolves were punished years ago by the NBA for signing Smith to a contract in violation of the league’s salary cap. Glen Taylor was the Timberwolves owner and had to live through a difficult period when his franchise wasn’t allowed annual first round draft choices because of a league reprimand.

Today Taylor still owns the Timberwolves and media reports indicate his club has agreed to trade All-Star forward Kevin Love to Cleveland on or shortly after August 23. Andrew Wiggins, the overall No. 1 pick in last June’s NBA Draft, will be eligible to be traded by the Cavs on that date—30 days after he signed his rookie contract. The Wolves will also reportedly receive another Cavs forward, Anthony Bennett, and a future No. 1 draft choice.

Basketball fans are convinced this trade will happen. But the deal would later be vetoed by the NBA if there were any violation of league trade rules prior to August 23—involving teams or players including Love. In addition to the Smith fiasco, the league has some history of taking assertive action with trades.

It doesn’t take any assumption to believe Taylor and the Wolves don’t want a problem. During an interview with Sports Headliners last week Taylor insisted no trade involving Love has been agreed to and multiple trade partners are in the mix.

Taylor described August 23 as a “trigger point day” with the Cavs or another club. “I think it (the trade) could come together in one or two days,” Taylor said. “We could give ourselves until October 1 (early days of training camp) but I don’t really see it falling that way.”

Taylor said Cleveland, Chicago, Golden State and Philadelphia have been involved with trade talks. Love has made it known he wants to be traded rather than re-sign with the Wolves when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Taylor gave the impression that on August 23 or 24 the Wolves might allow teams one final and best offer for the coveted 25-year-old power forward. A Love trade could also involve a third team—one that would send a power forward to the Wolves.

Worth Noting

The Wolves are on the spot to sign point guard Ricky Rubio—their No. 2 box office attraction after Love—to a contract extension. Rubio isn’t half the player Love is but he has plenty of upside and few NBA players have his flair in the open court.

With former Washburn four-star running back Jeff Jones now admitted to Minnesota it is certain he will not attend Iowa Western Community College even if the NCAA doesn’t grant him eligibility to play for the Gophers this year. Jones and the Gophers are awaiting word on an appeal made to the NCAA about whether Jones can be academically eligible in 2014. Even if Jones isn’t eligible this year he can work on his grades as a freshman at the University and become eligible for 2015, whereas if he attends Iowa Western he will need to earn a two-year degree before gaining eligibility to play for a FBS school.

Former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher arranged a lunch last week that included ex-Gophers Randy Breuer, Flip Saunders and Jim Petersen. Also attending was Dutcher’s son, Brian Dutcher, a University of Minnesota alum and now associate head coach at San Diego State.

Jim Dutcher coached 11 seasons at Minnesota and was also head coach for six years at Eastern Michigan. In each of those 17 seasons he always had a center that went on to play in the NBA including Breuer and Petersen.

A look at Sports Illustrated’s fantasy rankings of NFL players from the magazine’s August 4 issue could put a scare in Vikings fans. The Vikings gave up 480 points last season, the most in the NFL, and improvement will be needed to slow down all the offensive weapons in the NFC North.

In the fantasy rankings of quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers from the Packers is ranked No. 1 while the Lions’ Matthew Stafford is No. 4 and the Bears’ Jay Cutler is No. 11. Vikings’ rookie Teddy Bridgewater is ranked No. 28 among 32 quarterbacks listed.

Calvin Johnson of the Lions is No. 1 among wide receivers with the Bears’ Brandon Marshall No. 2. The Packers’ Jordy Nelson is No. 6 and fellow wideout Randall Cobb No. 10. The top Viking is Cordarrelle Patterson at No. 25. Minnesota’s Kyle Rudolph is the highest ranked NFC North tight end at No. 10.

Four players from the division are in the top 15 among running backs with Matt Forte from the Bears No. 2, the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson No. 3, the Packers’ Eddie Lacy No. 5 and Reggie Bush of the Lions No. 15.

Anthony Barr, the former UCLA linebacker who was the Vikings’ top first round pick with the No. 9 selection this spring, was rated the best athlete in the country coming out of high school in Los Angeles by prep recruiting authority Tom Lemming. Barr started in the 10-6 win over the Raiders in the Vikings’ first preseason game last Friday night.

Adam Thielen, who signed with the Vikings as a free agent last year and played on the practice squad, made an impression Friday as a receiver, punt returner and special teams tackler. The former Minnesota State player attended Detroit Lakes High School where he not only played football but was on the Lakers’ state championship golf team as a senior.

Trevor May’s name is on the Twins’ blueprint for a winning future so the right-hander’s pitching debut Saturday against the Athletics was disappointing. He lasted only two innings and walked seven batters in an apparently nervous debut. At Triple-A Rochester the 25-year-old made 17 starts for the Red Wings, going 8-6 with a 2.93 ERA (95.1 innings pitched, 31 earned runs) and 91 strikeouts and only 37 walks.

Minneapolis area resident and former pro tennis star David Wheaton has a book coming out called, My Boy, Ben. It’s the story of Wheaton’s close companionship with a yellow lab by that name.

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Taylor Not Pressured to Trade Love

Posted on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014 by David Shama

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners he isn’t feeling pressured to trade Kevin Love and isn’t discounting the possibility of starting the season with the star power forward on his roster. He also said late last week that a trade might have been made by now if the Wolves and one other club were involved, indicating a multi-team exchange is preferred by him and team president Flip Saunders.

Love and Jeff Schwartz, his agent, have done nothing to discourage media reports about the six-year veteran wanting to leave the Wolves with one year remaining on his contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, possibly joining a winning team like the Cavs who have added LeBron James to their roster this summer. The Wolves haven’t made the playoffs since 2004.

Love’s desire to leave Minneapolis sets up an uncomfortable situation for him if Taylor and Saunders still have him on the roster when training camp starts in September. Love will be facing hostile fans in Minnesota, and it would be much easier for him to become acclimated to a new team in training camp rather than during the season.

“We would probably prefer to get it (a trade) done before camp,” Taylor said. “Not so much the pressure on us, but I think maybe on Kevin. It would be better for him to know where he stood before that.”

Taylor said neither Love nor his agent have pressured the Timberwolves about a trade. Taylor hasn’t pressured them either and said it’s possible Love could remain on the Wolves roster until a deal is made next year prior to the winter trade deadline. “There’s a possibility (of next year) in the sense that we don’t feel that we are under any type of time frame ourselves. We haven’t put that on ourselves that we have to get it done by a certain time. My preference is that Kevin would stay here.”

Like a veteran poker player, Taylor appears to be sitting at the trade table wanting adversaries to believe he holds a lot of winning cards—even the possibility that Love will remain with the team for years to come. Taylor called it “realistic” that Love could stay with his team, yet acknowledged the impression given by his player and agent certainly makes that appear unlikely.

“Do I think it’s possible? I certainly do think it’s possible,” Taylor said. “But at this time we’re looking at all the scenarios.”

Taylor believes Love could enjoy playing for Saunders who this spring added coaching to his front office responsibilities. Saunders relates well to players and Taylor wants to believe if the Wolves play well early next season Love might be convinced to re-sign with Minnesota in the summer of 2015. If not, a trade could still be managed next winter.

Taylor hasn’t spoken with Love since the trade saga surfaced after the 2014 season but if he thought the opportunity was right for a meeting the billionaire businessman would be available. “I would be glad to do it but I think at this point what we’re doing is looking at all the alternatives,” Taylor said. “A number of teams have come to us with different options and Flip is kind of looking at them all, and that’s where we’re at. It hasn’t been the right time to talk to Kevin because we’re looking at a lot of different things. But if I felt that was the last or most important issue, of course I would sit down with Kevin and talk to him…”

Love is a former NBA all-star and Olympic gold medal winner. He has established himself as one of the world’s best rebounders and is an extraordinary scorer, particularly away from the basket with his three-point shooting. The Wolves know his talent gives them leverage and they will want to maximize the return in a trade, whether it’s with one club or more.

“We think we can best be served by getting more than one team involved.” Taylor said. “We have time to work on these things, and we’ll probably take some time to get it done.”

If the Wolves can receive the best players from a team in their conference, they won’t hesitate to trade with that club or clubs even though it will mean playing more against Love. What about trade preferences for receiving draft choices versus veteran players?

“I know those are the considerations we’re considering right now,” Taylor said. “I don’t think it’s going to be quite as simple as just one or the other. I think we just got to look at everything.”

Worth Noting

Kevin Garnett had made $315.4 million in career earnings last spring, according to an April 29 Businessinsider.com story by Cork Gaines. That put Garnett at No. 1 for the most ever earned by an NBA player and he plans to play a 20th season with the Nets in 2014-2015, reportedly for $12 million. Maybe Garnett, who played 12 seasons for Taylor and the Wolves, might one day have interest in buying a minority share of the Timberwolves.

“I would always explore that,” Taylor said. “At one time Kevin and I had a wonderful relationship. We haven’t been in touch for awhile and I don’t know what the relationship would be. I have…a certain respect and relationship with Kevin that I hold highly.”

Losing money on the Timberwolves operation, including last season, is the annual norm for Taylor but he said depending on payroll the franchise could make a profit next season.

Taylor’s other team, the Lynx, has the second best WNBA record, 20-6, and is trying to win another league championship. Fourth-year forward Maya Moore, the WNBA MVP last year, may end up having her best season. She scored a franchise record 48 points earlier this month and has been leading the league in scoring at 24.3 points per game.

“Her potential (upside) is hard to tell,” Taylor said. “She has so many wonderful characteristics. Not only the physical, but the mental characteristics and leadership characteristics to just be superb in so many areas. Yet she plays team ball with the other players.

“I don’t know what her limits would be. One might just say the sky’s the limit with her…”

The Vikings didn’t practice yesterday but resume workouts today leading up to Saturday night’s annual passing scrimmage at training camp in Mankato. The team also doesn’t practice on August 3, 7 and 9 in Mankato.

Hollis Cavner, executive director of the 3M Championship, told sports radio 105 FM on Monday that he will take Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus to Saturday night’s Paul McCartney concert at Target Field. Palmer, Nicklaus and Gary Player will be among those playing in the Greats of Golf Challenge on Saturday as part of the 3M promotion at TCP Twin Cities in Blaine.

The Gophers home nonconference hockey game against Notre Dame, originally scheduled for November 8, has been moved to November 9. The team’s Big Ten schedule has also been finalized with more information at Gophersports.com. The 2014-15 season will be the 93rd for the program.

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Mauer’s Grandpa Not Blaming Booing Fans

Posted on July 8, 2014July 8, 2014 by David Shama

Jake Mauer predicts his grandson Joe Mauer will hit over .300 before the season ends but told Sports Headliners he understands the frustration Twins fans have with their $23 million per season first baseman.

“He’s getting a big salary, he should produce,” Jake said. “That’s what the fans think and that’s what the fans want. He’s trying but it just don’t happen (yet). But I don’t blame the people.”

Jake said Joe has mentioned the possibility of being benched, and grandpa has thought too the former American League batting champion should come out of the lineup. “But they can’t bench him because he’s making so much money. They gotta have him in the lineup,” the older Mauer said.

Mauer is on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique strain suffered several days ago. The injury to his side and its timing have added to the frustration for Mauer who was hitting a career low .260 on June 24 but raised his average to .271 on July 1. In the last 10 games before being sidelined he was hitting .359 and had 10 RBI (only 28 for the season). Jake predicts his grandson will not play again until July 18.

“He couldn’t understand the (poor hitting) stretch that he went through,” Jake said. “He’s never had it in his life. He starts coming out of it and then he gets hurt.

“He says, ‘What the heavens are going to happen next? Here I suffer for two months and then I start a string of going good and then I get hurt. It’s just terrible.’ ”

Jake said Joe’s struggles have at times caused his grandson’s spirits to be low. “He feels he’s letting the team down. He just can’t get the hits that bring in the runs.”

Jake, a former baseball player himself, mentored Joe as a child growing up in Saint Paul. What’s the problem with his grandson’s hitting this year?

Jake believes the concussion Mauer suffered last August and caused him to miss the remainder of the season is a factor. “I think it has hampered him. I really do.”

Mauer learned last summer and during the fall months the ongoing aftereffects of a concussion. He also could look at the history of close friend Justin Morneau who suffered a concussion in 2010. It has only been this season that Morneau, now with the Rockies, returned to being one of baseball’s more productive hitters.

A winner of three batting titles and .330 lifetime hitter going into this season, Mauer has not only produced minimal offensive numbers including only two home runs but has been striking out more than normal. Jake said Joe has told him his timing isn’t right.

Joe also critiqued himself by saying, according to Jake, that “sometimes I have a lazy swing. Sometimes I have a good swing but I am never consistent.”

Not only do fans wonder about the concussion but there is speculation Mauer is an old 31 after 10 seasons of absorbing the physical toll of catching. This season he was moved to first base but no one would argue the change has helped Mauer who hit .324 and .319 the last two seasons as a catcher.

Still, Jake said his grandson “definitely” will hit over .300 before the season ends. “He’s on his way and then he got hurt.”

Mauer’s contract runs through the 2018 season. Although the Twins have lost close to 100 games each of the last three seasons and appear destined for the same results in 2014, Jake said Joe doesn’t want to play for another team now or ever. “Oh, no. The Twins are his home and there is no other team that he would play for. …If the Twins won’t have him back (after the contract expires), he won’t come back with any other team except the Twins.”

At next week’s MLB All-Star Game in Minneapolis Jake and Joe could do something neither would have predicted. The two will probably watch the game together in the Target Field suite Mauer owns. A six-time All-Star, including last year, Mauer will have to watch from some place other than the field or the dugout.

“He doesn’t believe he belongs,” Jake said.

It’s been that kind of season so far.

Worth Noting

Mid-July is typically a time of minimal rain in Minneapolis and long range forecasts indicate dry weather for next Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game here.

Jim Kaat, 75 and among the former Twins who will be in town for All-Star activities, is an ambidextrous golfer who has shot his age both right and left handed. Kaat won 25 games in 1966, the most in Twins franchise history for a single season.

The Twins, who play on the road at Seattle and Colorado before the All-Star break in scheduling starts next Monday, have lost four consecutive series. Last night’s loss against the Mariners left the Twins with a 3-11 record since June 23.

The Eastern Illinois team the Gophers open their season with at home on August 28 is ranked No. 24 nationally among FCS teams by Athlon magazine’s college football issue. The Panthers were 12-2 last season but lost their star quarterback to the NFL and coach to Bowling Green.

North Dakota State, a program using Minnesota high school players for a foundation, will be chasing a record fourth consecutive FCS national title. The Bison are ranked No. 2 in the country by Athlon.

The magazine selected former Eagan High School player Zach Zenner, now at South Dakota State, as one of two running backs on its All-America first team.

New WCHA commissioner Bill Robertson recently was at Bemidji State and plans to visit all 10 of his schools before Christmas. Robertson, a Saint Paul native, became WCHA commissioner this spring succeeding Bruce McLeod.

Players from the Timberwolves NBA Summer League roster will scrimmage tomorrow night at Target Center starting at 7 p.m. The scrimmage is open to the public and admission is free. Timberwolves fan memberships are required to obtain autographs after the scrimmage. More details are available by contacting a Timberwolves membership sales rep at 612- 673-1234. The Timberwolves begin their NBA Summer League schedule on Saturday night in Las Vegas against the Mavericks.

The most recognizable names on the summer league roster are Gorgui Dieng, Zach LaVine, Shabazz Muhammad, Glenn Robinson III and Alexey Shved.

Registration for the 2015 Grandma’s Marathon opened last week. The annual Two Harbors-to-Duluth race is the 16th largest in the country and in 2014 had 7,964 participants.

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