The Timberwolves will be without 23-year old starting small forward indefinitely due to a mid foot sprain. Beasley has played in 7 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves this year and he is averaging 31.7 minutes, 12.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by 20-year old rookie Derrick Williams. Williams has played in 10 games (0 starts) for the Timberwolves so far this year and he is averaging 21.3 minutes, 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. He should do a solid job until Beasley is ready to return to action.

53-year old head coach Kurt Rambis is likely running out of time as the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rambis led the Timberwolves to a 17-65 (20.7%) record last year. He is now 32-132 (19.5%) in his first two years as the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rambis now has a 56-145 (27.9%) record during the regular season in his career as a NBA head coach and he’s also 3-5 (37.5%) during the playoffs. Even though he is often outmanned, the Timberwolves can put up with losing on the level that they are right now much longer.

UPDATE: (7/12/2011) - The Timberwolves have finally fired Kurt Rambis and he deserved it.

23-year old shooting guard Wesley Johnson has been replaced in the starting lineup by Corey Brewer and it might be hard to get his starting job back unless he starts picking up the pace, especially on defense. Johnson has played in 42 games (35 starts) for the T-Wolves so far this year and he is averaging 27.0 minutes, 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. 25-year old center Nikola Pekovic is also seeing his playing time starting to dwindle. Pekovic has played in 28 games (0 starts) for the T-Wolves so far this year and he is averaging 12.9 minutes, 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. 24-year old Lazar Hayward has not got much P.T. to show what he can and can’t do so far this year. Hayward has played in 18 games (0 starts) for the Timberwolves so far this year and he is averaging 7.1 minutes, 1.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. The Timberwolves need their rookies to start stepping up because they could use the help.

24-year old shooting guard Corey Brewer looked like he got his career back on the right track last season.  He played in 82 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves last season and he averaged 30.3 minutes, 13.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game.  He also shot the ball better than ever before last season as he hit 43.1% from the floor and 34.6% from the three point line.  This season though has seen Brewer’s game regress.  He has played in 24 games (3 starts) for the T-Wolves so far this year and he is averaging 24.8 minutes, 9.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game.  His shooting is also way off as he is only hitting 36.4% from the floor and 28.3% from three point range.  The Timberwolves would be a better team if they can convince Brewer to quit taking so many bad shots.

I know that it’s early but that doesn’t change the fact that 25-year old center Darko Milicic sucks. Milicic has played in 9 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves so far this year and he is averaging 23.3 minutes, 4.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.4 blocked shots per game. He is only shooting 29% from the floor and 53.3% from the free throw line so far this year. If Milicic doesn’t start playing better soon the T-Wolves are going to have no choice but to bench him and play someone else at center.