RealGM

Leave it to one of the NBA's most frenetic offensive teams to field a groundbreaking study that uncovers how much energy its players expend.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who finished the 2009-10 regular season third in Pace Factor (an estimate of team possessions per 48 minutes), teamed with New Orleans-based trainer Mackie Shilstone last season to discover how they could help four of their players manage key weight issues.

In becoming the first NBA team to participate in this type of study, they learned their players' true caloric output during practice, shootarounds and games and the number of miles they ran during those activities.

The study's roots sprouted in December 2009 when the Timberwolves visited New Orleans to play the Hornets. Timberwolves president David Kahn approached Shilstone, whom Kahn knew from his Indiana Pacers days when Shilstone worked with Jonathan Bender, and cited his interest in helping several players alter their weight management -- specifically for forwards Kevin Love and Nathan Jawai to shed pounds and forward Corey Brewer and center Ryan Hollins to maintain, and possibly gain, weight.

"We had some people on our ball club who need that body mass work," Kahn said. "Corey is very slight. It's a chore for him to keep on weight."