26-year old Darko Milicic is going to be the starting center for the Timberwolves once again in 2011-12. Milicic played in 69 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves last year and he averaged 24.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 438 games (185 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 18.6 minutes, 6.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game. 25-year old Nikola Pekovic was a banger as a rookie for the T-Wolves last year. He played in 65 games (11 starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 13.6 minutes, 5.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. 35-year old Brad Miller could give the T-Wolves some offense off the bench if he’s healthy. Miller played in 60 games (5 starts) for the Rockets last year and he averaged 16.9 minutes, 6.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He has now played in 853 games (597 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 28.6 minutes, 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

23-year old power forward Kevin Love transformed into one of the very best players in the entire NBA last year for the Timberwolves. He played in 73 games (all starts) for the T-Wolves last year and he averaged 35.8 minutes, 20.2 points, 15.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Love shot 41.7% from three-point range while also leading the NBA in rebounding, which says a hell of a lot about his all around ability on the basketball court. Love has now played in 214 games (132 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 29.8 minutes, 15.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. I look for him to have another monster year in 2011-12 for the Timberwolves. 22-year old Anthony Randolph came to the T-Wolves in a deal in-season with the Knicks last year. He played in 40 games (3 starts) for the Knicks & T-Wolves last year and he averaged 14.8 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Randolph has now played in 136 games (33 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 18.1 minutes, 8.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game. He is still just scratching the surface of his potential. 26-year old Anthony Tolliver is also a solid player. He played in 65 games (4 starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 16.9 minutes, 6.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Tolliver has now played in 130 games (33 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 23.1 minutes, 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

22-year old Michael Beasley really stepped up in his first year with the T-Wolves. He played in 73 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 32.3 minutes, 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Beasley has now played in 232 games (170 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 28.9 minutes, 15.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He will likely remain the starter this year, but 20-year old Derrick Williams is going to be breathing down his neck. Williams was the #2 overall pick in the NBA Draft last June. He will likely get around 30 minutes per night playing both small and power forward for the T-Wolves in 2011-12. 25-year old Lazar Hayward is now #3 in line for minutes at small forward. Hayward played in 42 games (0 starts) for the Timberwolves last year as a rookie and he averaged 10.0 minutes, 3.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Hayward only shot 35.7% from the floor as a rookie last year. He won’t get much P.T. for the T-Wolves in 2011-12 unless they suffer some injuries.

The oldest shooting guard currently on the Timberwolves’ roster is 24 years old (they have three of them). 24-year old Wesley Johnson looked out of place at shooting guard after playing his whole college career at small forward. Johnson played in 79 games (63 starts) as a rookie for the T-Wolves last year and he averaged 26.2 minutes, 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. The T-Wolves hope that Johnson’s shooting improves in his sophomore season. He only shot 39.7% from the floor, 35.6% from three point range and 69.6% from the free throw line last year. 24-year old Martell Webster is going to battle Johnson for the starting job at shooting guard this year. Webster played in 46 games (1 start) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 23.8 minutes, 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He has now played in 347 games (165 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 23.2 minutes, 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. 24-year old Wayne Ellington will be coming off the bench for the T-Wolves in 2011-12. He played in 62 games (8 starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 19.0 minutes, 6.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. 21-year old Malcolm Lee was a second round pick out of UCLA and he will likey start his career either at the end of the bench with the T-Wolves or in the D-League.

30-year old Luke Ridnour and 21-year old rookie Ricky Rubio are going to share the 48 minutes at point guard this year. I have a feeling that Ridnour is going to get a around 30 of those minutes per game. He played in 71 games (66 starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 30.4 minutes, 11.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Ridnour has now played in 587 games (344 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 26.5 minutes, 9.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Ridnour shot 44% from three point range last year and the T-Wolves need him on the floor because of that. Ricky Rubio has been pathetic overseas, so it will be interesting to see if he’s going to be any better in the NBA. I think not.