RealGM

Media Day 2010 LIVE
Get to know the 2010 Wolves with an inside look at media day LIVE from the Life Time Fitness Training Center. All the players will appear live on timberwolves.com with your chance to ask questions from 12-2 PM on Friday, September 24. Simply visit timberwolves.com on Friday and submit your questions via Cover It Live, Twitter, or Facebook and watch all the players answer your questions directly for the ultimate interactive experience.

Schedule of Players (all times are approximate)
12:00 Luke Ridnour
12:10 Darko Milicic
12:20 Kevin Love
12:30 Martell Webster
12:40 Wes Johnson
12:50 Michael Beasley
1:00 Sebastian Telfair
1:10 Kosta Koufos
1:20 Anthony Tolliver
1:30 Corey Brewer
1:40 Lazar Hayward
1:50 Jonny Flynn
2:00 Wayne Ellington

Q What's your starting five?

A You betcha.

Q So you're a real Minnesotan now, eh?

A You know what? I don't know. That's one of the things I like about this team. There's competition at every position. Guys are going to have to come in and earn it this year. I like the idea of guys having to come to practice and battle for that time. That was one of the things we wanted to correct in our roster.

Q Both you and David Kahn said last season proved the team doesn't have that game-changing player like a Kobe or Dwyane Wade. Do you think you have that guy now?

A I can't answer that question. I don't know. Hopefully somebody will emerge, but right now I can't answer that question.

Q Could Michael Beasley be that guy?

A He's a very, very talented offensive player. It's hard to imagine there are a lot of teams or individuals who can stop him from getting a shot off in the areas where he'll get the ball in our offense. But he still has to play with everybody else. And I don't know what his mentality is in taking over a game or hitting big shots. Those are all things I will learn about him.

Q What will it take from you to get him to play to his potential?

A I think I have to allow him a certain amount of freedom, but I also want to be able to channel him. We have a certain amount of structure in our offense. I'm sure that will be a little bit frustrating for him in the beginning. The few weeks I spent with him in Minnesota showing him little nuances in our offense, you see that he gets it, he knows that he likes it, he feels very comfortable in those positions. But we still have to get together as a team and see how those puzzle pieces fit.

Q How much can you -- or will you have to -- play him and Kevin Love together?

A I don't know how much I have to play them together. Right now, I can envision Kevin playing some minutes at the '5' spot [center]. I can see Beasley playing significant minutes at the '3' [small forward] as well as the '4' [power forward]. Our team is so much more versatile, but I won't know what fits until we start working and put them out there in preseason games.

Q You used Love as a sixth man last year, a role he didn't happily accept. Will you use him that way again and will he play significantly more minutes per game?

A Well, he played close to 30 minutes a game, so will he play significantly more than that? I don't imagine that. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, that's entirely up to him, if he goes out and earns it.

Q Why was trading Al Jefferson away the right move?

A (Pause) We'll find out if it was the right move or not.

Q Why did you think it was at the time?

A Um, it gave us an opportunity to get Michael Beasley, to put the type of team we want on the floor. We're certainly going to miss his enthusiasm. Everybody loved Al. There probably will be times we'll miss his post-up capabilities. I think he'll have a terrific year in Utah.

Q What are your post options now?

A Michael Beasley can be there. Kevin, Pekovic and Darko can be there. We even have small guys -- Wes Johnson with his length inside, Martell -- if you want to call them small. There are a lot of options on our ballclub right now.

Q The national media universally ridiculed Darko's re-signing. Do you feel a need to defend or justify it?

A I thought he did a really good job for us. He showed what he could do if he got himself in shape and how he could impact our ballclub. Everybody's judging him on what's happened in the past, but for what we need him to do -- rebounding, defense, passing -- he really understands the game. I expect him to do a great job anchoring our defense.

Q Why was Wes Johnson the right draft choice rather than DeMarcus Cousins?

A We had two centers -- we knew where we were going with Darko and Pekovic -- at the time. We wanted a wing who can get out, fill the lane, attack the basket and shoot it, too, and Wes just fits that role. He's long. He's tall. He's very athletic. Those characteristics fit very well in this league. He fit what our needs were.

Q How much better suited is this team to run your system and if the triangle offense ran through Jordan and Kobe, who do you see it running through here?

A When I was asked originally if I would run the triangle, I said I'd run aspects of it. The only word anybody heard was "triangle." I run parts of Gregg Popovich's offense from San Antonio, parts of what [Rick] Adelman used in Sacramento and now Houston, parts of what Phoenix runs. It's not just dedicated to the triangle. We certainly now have the capability to get out and run more. That was our vision in the very beginning. That's the type of team we want to have out there.

Q: How much will your approach change on offense with Al (Jefferson) no longer here?

A: We now have a lot of options of where we can throw the ball to, down low or on the wing. We have a lot of guys with that kind of success. Al was our go-to guy. He was the guy our players trusted the most, but he never regained his level of play. He never regained his pop on a consistent basis after the (knee) surgery. I saw him working out this summer. He's going to have a terrific year.

Q: Is Kevin (Love) your starting power forward?

A: Everything is up for grabs. I like it that way. Nobody will be given time. They will have to earn it. That's the environment and culture I came from. Everybody will have to conform to that.

Q: Did you understand Love's concerns last year with coming off the bench?

A: Coming off the bench had nothing to do with Kevin. It had more to do with what was best for the team. We needed more of a defensive unit on the floor. I didn't think Al could come off the bench with his knee situation.

Q: What are your impressions of (Michael) Beasley, a talented player who has had off-court troubles and concerns about his work ethic?

A: I like him. I've always judged players by what they do with me. I don't worry about past reputations. So far, he's been great. He's been working out, and he's an eager student. He understands the game, but he wants to learn. He's a player you can talk to.

Q: Beasley is a natural power forward. Have you thought about his role?

A: I can see him playing a lot of positions on the floor. He likes to make passes. He could be very difficult to guard.

Q: What's the latest on Jonny (Flynn) after his hip surgery in July?

A: He won't be ready Saturday. I'm not sure about any part of camp for him. His rehab is coming along nicely, but I don't know what he'll be cleared to do. I don't anticipate him doing too much team-wise. I've seen him. He's in great spirits and walking with a bounce. No limp, but he's not basketball ready.

Q: With the apparent roster upgrade, how much higher will your expectations be?

A: I've never looked at a certain number of wins, but I expect us to be better. With the pieces we've added and their capabilities, we should be better. I just don't know how the chemistry will mesh together. Those things will start to show in training camp. That part of it will be an ongoing process.

jonahballow There is a rumor that @RealMIkeBeasley will be a special reporter for #Twolves today at Media Day... about 2 hours ago from Twitter · FLAG

B Calrissian wrote:I could have sworn I saw pinstripes on his jersey.

B Calrissian wrote:Realgm wiretap title tomorrow: Beasley says he will play pg

Klomp wrote:

B Calrissian wrote:I could have sworn I saw pinstripes on his jersey.

Thats just the new material of the jerseys

funkatron101 wrote:

Klomp wrote:

B Calrissian wrote:I could have sworn I saw pinstripes on his jersey.

Thats just the new material of the jerseys

Did you see the Revolution 30 press conference video? Ugh it was hard to watch.