Team president Chris Wright has been with the Timberwolves franchise since one season after its inception and he’s impressed with the attitudes on this year’s young team. Although the Wolves have the second worst record in the NBA, 11-42, Wright is encouraged by the demeanor and talent of a team he thinks can be in the playoffs in a couple of years.
“Right now we have the best chemistry and the best locker room that we have had in our franchise history,” Wright told Sports Headliners. “Have the results on the court been what we want them to be? No, but these guys are 21, 22, 23 year old guys.
“Kevin McHale (vice president of basketball operations) reminds us every day that experience wins games. In the end, these guys have got to grow. They’ve got to mature. They’ve got to gain the experience that’s necessary to win games. …”
The way Wright sees it, Wolves management will use good judgment in further shaping its talent and roster. “The next move has got to be a very careful move because you don’t want to necessarily upset the chemistry and the progress that we’re making with this younger team that we have,” he said. “We have some really, really nice pieces here. Now the trick is going to be how do you complement the pieces that we already have in place. …”
Wright thinks the Wolves will be a “much better team” next season. What that translates into regarding wins and losses is anyone’s guess, although he speculates a season that produces 40 or some wins could be two years away.
Eventually Wright sees the nucleus on this team, led by 23-year-old star center Al Jefferson, having the potential to be “something special.” He said Glen Taylor, owner since 1995, is committed to having a winning team and will spend the necessary money.
“As long as Glen has been here he has not been afraid to sort of maximize opportunities with players and spend what he has considered to be the right amount of money on players,” Wright said. “I think that going forward, I don’t see that Glen would change that. I think, like all owners, Glen does really, really want to win. …”
Taylor made Kevin Garnett the highest paid player in the league. A few years ago he stretched the payroll, too, to acquire veterans Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell, two stars who along with Garnett almost took the Wolves to the NBA finals. Taylor told Sports Headliners in December he expects to lose $10 to $15 million on the franchise this season and forecasts more losses next season.
Wright said the Wolves have sold less than 6,000 full season tickets. He said that’s not the lowest total in franchise history but the most minimal since the mid-1990s when the total was “just over 5,000.”
Through last weekend’s NBA All-Star break and weekend, the Wolves ranked 25th among 30 franchises in league attendance, averaging 14,380. On Sunday the Wolves will play to their fourth home sellout crowd of the season against Dallas.
Wright said league representatives were in Minneapolis this week and expressed a “wow” with the attendance success the franchise has had, given the team’s record and recent past that includes no playoff appearances since 2003-2004.