The Timberwolves have guaranteed 27-year old center Chris Johnson’s contract for the 2013-14 season at the league minimum.  Johnson played in 30 games (0 starts) for the T-Wolves last year and he averaged 9.5 minutes, 3.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  Johnson shot an impressive 64% from the floor, but only 61.8% from the free throw line last year.  Johnson has now played in 71 games (1 start) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 8.4 minutes. 2.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.

Point guard Pooh Richardson was the Timberwolves’ first round pick (#10 overall) in the first draft in franchise history (1989).  His best year for the T-Wolves came back in 1990-91.  He played in 82 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves in 1990-91 and he averaged 38.5 minutes, 17.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game.  Richardson played in 246 games (all starts) in his three years with the T-Wolves and he averaged 35.2 minutes, 15.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game.  Despite only playing three years with the T-Wolves, Richardson is still #6 in steals (383) and #2 in assists (1,973) in franchise history.

22-year old power forward Derrick Williams is likely going to be shopped before the 2013 NBA Draft as the T-Wolves will try to move up.  Williams played in 78 games (56 starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 24.6 minutes, 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  Williams has now played in 144 games (71 starts) in his first two years with the Timberwolves and he is averaging 23.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  Despite being a big guy, Williams has had issues shooting the ball, as he has only hit 42.3% from the floor, 30.5% from three point range and 70.2% from the free throw line so far in his career.  The Timberwolves have been a little bit disappointed in Williams in his first two years with them and that is the reason they will try to move him on or before the NBA Draft on June 27th.

The Timberwolves have released 28-year old shooting guard Brandon Roy.  Roy only played in 5 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 24.4 minutes, 5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.  Roy has played in 326 games (300 starts) in his first six years in the NBA and he is averaging 35.5 minutes, 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  It was smart of the T-Wolves to cut ties with Roy as his knees are likely going to prevent him from ever being the player he was in Portland, and that is a shame.

66-year old head coach Rick Adelman had a rough season due to injuries to the team and his wife being sick.  I give him a mulligan for 2012-13.  The T-Wolves finished up the 2012-13 season with a 31-51 record (37.8%).  Adelman is only 57-91 (38.5%) in his first two years in charge of the Timberwolves.   Adelman is now 1,002-707 (58.6%) in his first 22 years as an NBA head coach during the regular season.  He is also 79-78 (50.3%) during the playoffs in his career.   I still think Adelman is a good NBA head coach, but some changes need to be made to bring in more good players for the 2013-14 season.

24-year old SG/PG Alexey Shved had a solid rookie year for the Timberwolves.  Shved played in 77 games (16 starts) for the T-Wolves last year and he averaged 23.9 minutes, 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.  He only shot 37.2% from the floor, 29.5% from three point range and 72% from the free throw line this year.  Shved had 2 double-doubles last year for the T-Wolves.  He also had 30 games in which he scored at least 10 points and he also had 27 games with 5 or more assists in a game, which was solid for a rookie.  Shved could play more in 2013-14 if the T-Wolves move some guards over the summer in deals.

The Timberwolves played most of the 2012-13 season without their best player (Kevin Love) and the result was a 31-51 record, which had them in last place in the Northwest Division, 29 games behind the Thunder.  Here is a look at the players who made the biggest impacts for the Timberwolves in 2012-13, in my opinion:

TEAM MVP:  Nikola Pekovic - 27-year old center Nikola Pekovic was a beast around the basket without Kevin Love in his way for most of the year.  He played in 62 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 31.6 minutes, 16.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  He also had 26 double-doubles as he had a great year.

BIGGEST SURPRISE:  Derrick Williams - 21-year old forward Derrick Williams stepped up and played pretty well in place of Kevin Love in 2012-13.  Williams played in 78 games (56 starts) for the T-Wolves last year and he averaged 24.6 minutes, 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  Williams had 8 double-doubles for the T-Wolves last year.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT:  Kevin Love - 24-year old power forward Kevin Love missed most of the season due to a hand that he broke two times last year.  Love played in 18 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves last year and he averaged 34.3 minutes, 18.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.  He also had 14 double-doubles for the T-Wolves this year.  But, he only shot 35.2% from the floor, 21.7% from three point range and 70.4% from the free throw line in 2012-13 and that is pretty horrible.

32-year old small forward Andrei Kirilenko made a triumphant return to the NBA in 2012-13 for the T-Wolves.  He has played in 63 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves so far this year and he is averaging 32.0 minutes, 12.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  He also has 7 double-doubles so far this year and he has hit 50.9% of his shots from the floor so far this year, which is impressive.  AK-47 in also finishing the year strongly, as he has played in 9 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves so far in April and he is averaging 30.4 minutes, 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game.

27-year old center Greg Stiemsma is playing solid basketball for the T-Wolves so far in April.  He has played in 7 games (1 start) for the T-Wolves so far in April and he is averaging 21.0 minutes, 4.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.4 steals and 1.7 blocked shots per game.  He has now played in 74 games (17 starts) overall this year for the Timberwolves and he is averaging 15.6 minutes, 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game.  It will be interesting to see if the T-Wolves decide to re-sign Stiemsma for 2013-14 or if they let him walk.

22-year old point guard Ricky Rubio should pass the ball even more than he already does, because he flat out can’t shoot the rock.  He has played in 5 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves so far in April and he is averaging 32.0 minutes, 11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 3.4 steals per game…..which aren’t bad numbers……but he is only shooting 23.2% from the floor (13 of 56) so far this month and that is utterly pathetic.  Rubio has now played in 52 games (42 starts) overall this year for the T-Wolves and he is averaging 29.8 minutes, 10.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.4 steals per game.  Rubio is only shooting 35.7% from the floor and 26.9% from the three point line so far this year and that’s just not acceptable.