Al Jefferson grimaces at the thought of his training being limited at camp. With his surgically repaired knee and his lighter frame (31 pounds), the center is ready to go.
Al Jefferson entered the NBA in 2004, which incidentally is the only season he has ever reached the playoffs.
"Thanks for reminding me of that," he said dryly Monday afternoon at the start of his sixth pro season.
Jefferson this time reported to the Timberwolves 31 pounds lighter than a year ago, when his season ended two months prematurely after he came up clutching a torn knee ligament on a February night in New Orleans.
He did so Monday to a team -- his team -- he barely recognizes after new boss David Kahn jackhammered predecessor Kevin McHale's rebuilding project with another makeover that has made the Wolves younger, faster, more athletic and quite possibly less dependent on Jefferson's low-post scoring.
It also, by Kahn's estimation, has left the Wolves at least another two or three years away from contending for a playoff invitation.
"You can say two or three years," Jefferson said. "People say all that to keep the fans and everybody off their backs. I don't believe it."
Jefferson declared himself healthy and spry enough to thrive in a system new head coach Kurt Rambis promises will run first and utilize Jefferson second, much like the Los Angeles Lakers did with big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the 1980s teams on which Rambis played.
Jefferson also suggested he just might be light enough to lead one or more of those fast breaks.
"I led one last year at 293 pounds," he said. "I know I can lead one now."
The more important question might be how he will adapt to a new regime that intends to make his life easier by not featuring him quite as much as McHale's philosophy did and to the franchise's second rebuilding plan in his mere three seasons in Minnesota.
So he lost 31 pounds from his normal weight and was 265.
So Now he's 280
