2008-2009 Finish: 53-29

What went well

If we had a rehab for trade crazy GMs here in the NLL, Javijoe would head the meetings. This season, he promised he would be good. The old Joe, the balls-out gambling Texan would be gone, he promised. It would be the same team, the entire way through. We all highly doubted it. In fact, he seemed more concerned about NOT trading that topping a sad first round exit in 2008.

Not much changed this time around for the Wolves. Mike Miller decided to test free agency rather than be traded and Antawn Jamison re-upped for another tour of duty. Since the Wolves are traditionally cash-strapped and Javijoe never has any GM points, the team made no free agent acquisitions. Instead, they signed the rookie trio of Brook Lopez, Anthony Randolph and Chris Doulgas-Roberts. Two of those three would go on to great seasons.

As expected, the Wolves dominated all season long but like an addict smelling booze again, Javijoe couldn't help but pull off a big trade. The floundering Spurs franchise offered him a deal he could not refuse. For the price of franchise hero Josh Howard, Samuel Dalembert and Anderson Varejao, Javijoe got the legendary Tim Duncan, Reggie Evans and Chuck Hayes. Just like that the entire franchise changed. Again.


What went bad

The Wolves finished with the third best record in the league, and ripped through the Kings 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs. The Mavericks didn't stand much of a chance in the second round, sticking Hakim Warrick on Duncan. Wrong choice. Wolves devour the Mavs 4-1. Then comes the true test. In a Conference Finals series knotted 3-3, the Wolves go down by one point in Game 7. Time for Joe to go home and lick his wounds.

Stars

- Antawn Jamison - F

In his two seasons in Minnesota, Jamison put quietly put together some of the best stats of his career. Though his numbers dipped a little this season, his 22 points and 8.5 rebounds stacked among the league's best. It seems the older he gets, the better he gets.


- Tim Duncan, FC–

Duncan only played 25 regular season games for the Wolves but proved to be unstoppable on the court. He averaged 25 points and pulled in 10 rebounds. This guy is still one of the best players in the league still. I'm curious to see how he does next season in Minnesota. If he's still there.


Looking to the future

The gloves came off for the newer, cuddly Javijoe and his former trade crazy self returned when the season ended. Nick Young, Evans and Hayes got sent away for Corey Maggette. Mega-star Jamison was thanked for a great season and then shown the door for the motley crew of Darko Milicic, Travis Outlaw, Reyshawn Terry and Omri Casspi. Then the Wolves flipped Maggette to the Pacers for Jeff Teague, Jose Barea and salary anchor Dan Gadzuric. There is a reason his GM rating sits at 49.

In Teague, the Wolves have a nice point guard prospect. Though Teague should have stayed in Wake Forest another season, he will do well coming in off the bench and learning from Jason Terry (assuming he isn't traded). Casspi is also not ready for prime time NLL but he is loaded with potential. The Israeli player is similar to Randolph and could challenge him for minutes. It is unlikely Jack McClinton will make the team.

So the Timberwolves are still a kind of mess. Their bloated roster sits at $6 million over the luxury with the rookies unsigned. There are only 10 players under contract. That GM rating is going to be battered like a virgin ship in a hurricane. It also doesn't help that more than $6 million is going to waived players. There are rumors Javijoe is talking about acquiring Hedo Turkoglu, but at what price? Milicic, Hughes and Gadzuric are going to be impossible to move and make almost $30 million combined. Javijoe may have to toss in vaunted youngsters like Lopez or Randolph to right the ship. Of course, there is a chance he was only renting Duncan for the season and could send him packing before training camp begins. Good luck sorting out that mess, Joe.