It’s been tough being a Wolves fan for the past 21 years. We’ve had exactly one memorable season. As a matter of fact, it’s been brutal being a MN sports fan over my lifetime. I’ve got two World Series wins in my youth. Since then:
The Timberwolves – Exactly one good season (and followed that up by not making the playoffs the following year)
The Twinkies - have been consistently good for the last 10 years, but can’t win in the playoffs
The Vikings - well, everyone knows about the Vikings
The Wild – Like the Wolves, one good season. The sad thing is MN is the hockey capital of the world. This is kind of the NHL equivalent of the Knicks sucking for the past 10 years
MN Gophers b-ball – They had one great season (1997) that was erased from the records
MN Gophers football – Laughing stock of the state?

For the first time since the Wolves lost to the Lake Show, I’m genuinely excited about the prospects of THIS Timberwolves team. Not a Wolves team potentially with Kevin Durant (2007), Derrick Rose (2008), or John Wall (2009) only to be disappointed by the lottery. This team.

Alright, let’s take a look at the potential 2011-12 Timberwolves Roster. I know we’ll have a lockout and probably won’t play that season, but here’s to wishful thinking

Point - Ricky Rubio/Jonny Flynn
Wing –Wes Johnson/Michael Beasley/Corey Brewer/Martell Webster/Wayne Ellington
Bigs – Kevin Love/Nikola Pekovic/ Beasley /Darko Milicic
Plus whatever we can get when we trade Al Jefferson (should be decent) and/or Ramon Sessions (pick?) and a 2011 first round pick.

My first thoughts… a starting lineup of Rubio/Johnson/Beasley/Love/Pekovic is brutal. I absolutely love the lineup. Our frontcourt is a little defensively challenged, but our backcourt is enormous (6’4”, 6’8”, 6’9” with 6’8” and 6’9” coming off the bench). As much as the Darko signing has been ripped, he compliments Love and Pekovic really well with his length and his defense. Plus, he’s a good passer out of the triangle. I think the most important thing that I can see: our potential second team (Flynn/Brewer/Webster/Darko plus another big) has the potential to be really good. All three of our guards/wings coming off the bench could provide fantastic energy. Jonny Flynn has the capability to be a Jason Terry or Jamal Crawford-like scoring PG off the bench. Brewer, especially if he continues to improve the shooting, can run and play defense. Webster is long, can shoot, and provide instant offense.

The Beasley pickup was enormous. I like that he can play the three or the four (or more likely… both). He’s obviously got his issues. But if we are looking at players in the NBA who also have had issues in the past, let’s mention that Kobe Bryant has been charged with rape. Carmelo Anthony has been cited for marijuana possession, arrested for DUI, and appeared in a gang-related “Stop Snitching Video.” Derrick Rose cheated on his SAT test. Joakim Noah was arrested for marijuana possession. Jason Kidd was arrested and plead guilty to dometic abuse charges. Birdman was kicked out of league for two years for what we believe to be cocaine. Ron Artest was suspended for a full season for the Pistons-Pacers brawl and been arrested for domestic abuse. Allen Iverson missed a year of high school while he was in the clink and has been arrested on gun and drug charges while in the NBA. Gilbert Arenas was suspended for a gun incident in the locker room. Tyreke Evans was the driver in a drive-by shooting. You know what these guys all have in common? They’re enormously talented, they’ve played at an All-Star level, and they’ve had some skeletons in the closet. I’d imagine if you did you’re math, you’d find anywhere between 25-50% of pro athletes have a somewhat scary past. All of that being said, I’m willing to take a flyer on a guy who’s tremendously talented, young, and looking for a chance.

The label on Michael Beasley is “bust” through two years. To put things into perspective, though, here’s how Beasley’s second season stack up with other elite forwards in the league:
Player (age during second season) – Points per 36– Rebounds per 36 (sorted by points per 36)
Carmelo (20) – 21.5/5.9
Amare (21) – 20.1/8.8
Pierce (22) – 19.9/5.5
Beasley (21) – 17.9/7.7
Rasheed Wallace (22) – 17.8/8.0
Dirk (21) – 17.6/6.5
Lamar Odom (21) – 16.6/7.5
Bosh (20) – 16.2/8.6
Carlos Boozer (22) – 16.1/11.9>
Dwight Howard (20) – 15.4/12.2
Rashard Lewis (20) – 15.4/7.7
KG (20) – 15.7/7.4
Bogut (22) – 12.9/9.3
David West (24) – 12.1/8.4

Now, I’m not saying Beasley is going to be better than every player he’s above on the list. I tend to think this year might be the year he bust out, though. I can easily see Beasley developing into a 22/8 player for years in the league. What’s best of all, we got him for nothing.