52-year old head coach Kurt Rambis led the Timberwolves to a 15-67 (18.3%) last season. To me he looks totally overmatched as a NBA head coach. I can’t believe that he couldn’t find a way to get his two best players (Al Jefferson & Kevin Love) on the court at the same time. That is what putrid coaches do. The roster doesn’t look any better for this year so expectations have to be low in Minnesota. Rambis now has a 39-80 (32.8%) record during the regular season as a NBA head coach and he is 3-5 (37.5%) during the post season.

25-year old Darko Milicic was re-signed to start at center for the Timberwolves in 2010-11. Milicic played in 32 games (18 starts) for the Knicks & T-Wolves last season and he averaged 21.4 minutes, 6.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 369 games (116 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 17.5 minutes, 5.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. The T-Wolves hope that this is the year that Milicic steps up his game.

6′11″, 265 pound center Nikola Pekovic was drafted by the T-Wolves in 2008. He signed with the Timberwolves over the summer. He was one of the better centers in all of Europe last season as he played in 23 games in which he averaged 14.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Pekovic is known as a banger in the paint so it will be interesting to see how well he does in the NBA.

21-year old Kosta Koufos came to the T-Wolves as part of the Al Jefferson deal. Koufos played in 36 games (0 starts) for the Jazz last season and he averaged 4.8 minutes, 1.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. He has now played in 84 games (7 starts) in his two years in the NBA and he has averaged 8.8 minutes, 3.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE TIMBERWOLVES CENTERS IN 2010-11: D

22-year old Kevin Love has been biding his time until he got a chance to start and really show what he can do. With Al Jefferson’s trade to Utah, Love now is the starting power forward. Love played in 60 games (22 starts) for the Timberwolves last season and he averaged 28.6 minutes, 14.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He has now played in 141 games (59 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he has averaged 26.7 minutes, 12.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Don’t be surprised if Love leads the NBA in rebounding this year.

25-year old Anthony Tolliver will back up Love this year. Tolliver played in 46 games (29 starts) with the Blazers & Warriors last season and he averaged 31.0 minutes, 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He has now played in 65 games (29 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he has averaged 25.2 minutes, 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Tolliver is a very solid basketball player and he will have a good year for the T-Wolves.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE TIMBERWOLVES POWER FORWARDS IN 2010-11: A

21-year old Michael Beasley was acquired from the Heat before they went on there epic spending spree. Beasley played in 78 games (all starts) for the Heat last season and he averaged 29.8 minutes, 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game. He has now played in 159 games (97 starts) in his two years in the NBA and he has averaged 27.3 minutes, 14.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Beasley has the potential to be much better than he has shown so far in his NBA career but he has to get motivated and focused. It will be up to Kurt Rambis and his coaching staff to bring out the best in Beasley.

23-year old rookie first round pick Wesley Johnson will also likely get a lot of P.T. as a rookie for the T-Wolves. Johnson played in 35 games for the Syracuse Orange last season and he averaged 35.0 minutes, 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.8 blocked shots per game. Johnson played in 93 games in his three years in college (2 with Iowa State & 1 with Syracuse) in which he averaged 31.6 minutes, 13.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocked shots per game.

23-year old Lazar Hayward was also a first round pick last June. He played in 34 games at Marquette last season and he averaged 32.3 minutes, 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Hayward played in 104 games in his three years at Marquette and he averaged 29.8 minutes, 15.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE TIMBERWOLVES SMALL FORWARDS IN 2010-11: C

The T-Wolves traded for 23-year old Martell Webster on draft night and they are going to start him at shooting guard.  Webster played in 82 games (49 starts) for the Blazers last season and he averaged 24.5 minutes, 9.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  He has now played in 301 games (164 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 23.2 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  The Timberwolves are banking on a increase in minutes and shots to bring out the best in Webster.

24-year old Corey Brewer had his best year in the NBA in 2009-10 and it earned him a new spot on the bench.  Brewer started all 82 games for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 30.3 minutes, 13.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game.  He has now played in 176 games (125 starts) in his three years with the T-Wolves and he has averaged 26.1 minutes, 9.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  It will be interesting to see how Brewer handles his demotion this year.

22-year old Wayne Ellington also drops further down the depth chart in 2010-11.  Ellington played in 76 games (1 start) as a rookie for the Timberwolves last season and he averaged 18.2 minutes, 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  Ellington is a good long range shooter as he nailed 39.5% of his shots from 3-point range last year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE T-WOLVES SHOOTING GUARDS IN 2010-11:  C