One More Basketball Blog (Sorry Christopher)

I want it to be known that I’m a blogger dedicated to the readers and I will do my best to cater to the needs and requests of the loyal Zizzle-Zot-ians. So while it was my intention to set basketball aside for some time, I’m more than happy to resurrect the Timberwolves conversation as suggested by P Corcs.

You raise some interesting questions: How will Brewer fit in? What will happen with Garnett now that draft day has come and gone, and no significant moves were made? Will McHale need the Jaws of Life to remove his head from his own ass, where it became firmly lodged sometime after the Garnett draft and before the Joe Smith debacle? Okay, so you didn’t ask that last one, but I imagine you were thinking it (just as all T-wolves fans undoubtedly are).

I stand firm as a Brewer backer. He is a defensive stopper on a team that is alarmingly lackadaisical when it comes to guarding the basket (thank you very much, Ricky Davis). He is the kind of player that is capable of guarding the opponent’s top scorer night after night. He has incredible reach and is a top notch athlete, possessing the quickness and leaping ability to harass both shooters and slashers. His offensive game has shown vast improvement as well. He’s a good shooter and can attack the rim with the best of them. His ability to use screens has drawn comparisons to Rip Hamilton.

What I’ve really been impressed with about this guy is his character. Insiders say that he works hard every day, and scouts have been impressed by his dedication to putting on some much needed muscle. As much as I don’t like Joakim Noah, the two of them train together and are arguably the hardest workers in the draft (Oden should probably be added to this list as well). Brewer’s a proven winner, a team player (and we all know the T-Wolves need that) and a clutch performer.

The question remains, however, about where exactly he will fit. The Wolves have a surplus of players at the shooting guard/small forward position, most of them making more money than they’re worth. Of them, Rashad McCants and maybe Bracey Wright (as a bench option) are the only ones I care to keep around. Marko Jaric looks and plays like he’s hung over for most games. Ricky Davis plays like he’s still drunk. Trenton Hassel was touted as the defensive stopper that Brewer is, but now we see the reality that he only plays D in contract seasons. Turns out he is actually a lazy offensive-threat wannabe in disguise. Hudson, though he is labeled as a point guard, is an aspiring shooting guard in a point guard’s body. And he’s worthless.

What the Wolves need to do is trade, trade, trade. Take whatever we can still get for these bums. Trade them all for a Happy Meal if necessary. They’re consuming precious salary cap space and eating up the entire taco buffet on the team airplane. Get rid of them all and start Foye (who still needs to learn the point guard position, but he’s coming along), McCants, and Brewer.

Now for the Garnett issue. The way I see it, we have a major problem. By openly shopping him the front office has shown their cards; Garnett does have a price tag. The bond of loyalty has been irreparably severed. By not getting the draft-day deal done they have put themselves in an awkward position; kind of like breaking up with a girl only to find out she’s your new assistant. Now that the T-wolves brass have shown their true colors, why in his right mind would Garnett continue to be loyal to them? Next year he can opt out of his contract and go to A) a team that has a shot at a championship or B) a team that will pay him a hell of a lot of money. Either way, why stay in a cold state with a dwindling fan base to play with a bunch of proven losers?

The Wolves need to get a deal done before Garnett’s contract is up. If not, they will lose him to free agency and have nothing to show for it. The problem is that, in my humble opinion, McHale is incapable of getting a blockbuster deal done. He is the doormat of NBA GM’s, and any Garnett trade he does manage to put together will inevitably leave us holding the short end of the stick (Garnett for Ron Artest? Deal.)

Thanks for reading.


No post tomorrow in honor of Independence Day. Look for the unveiling of the next Zizzle-Zot Reader of the Month on Thursday.