With that, the 28-year-old defenseman will join the Leafs at training camp and pre-season, as long as the club is willing to keep him around for that long.
However, Blankenburg would only officially be a member of the Maple Leafs if they signed him to a standard professional contract. And as it stands, Toronto doesn't have the space to do so.
The Leafs have the maximum number of standard contracts signed within the organization (50), according to PuckPedia.
Therefore, if Leafs management is impressed and pleased with how Blankenburg performs in training camp, to the point where they would want to add him to the main roster for the 2026-27 regular season, GM John Chayka would need to make some roster moves.
In addition to the Maple Leafs needing to make changes if they'd prefer to keep Blankenburg on the roster beyond training camp, there's already a backlog of depth defensemen in the system.
There are already several candidates to fill the role of the seventh D-man, including Troy Stecher, who signed a two-year extension with Toronto in late June, and Emil Andrae, the main acquisition in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Not to mention, Marshall Rifai, William Villeneuve, Dakota Mermis and Philippe Myers are all capable of NHL minutes, albeit some better than others.
If Toronto were willing to dump a defenseman for Blankenburg, one of those mentioned blueliners would likely be sacrificed. And if room was made for the 5-foot-9 D-man by moving off a player from another position instead, that would only add to the logjam on the back end.
In fairness, having substantial depth on any roster at any position is a strength and can lead to success in the NHL. But the Maple Leafs would also need to keep an eye on the salary cap and remain compliant, especially if they want to leave room for any moves during the coming season.
Currently, with Max Domi's $3.75-million cap hit not on long-term injured reserve, the Leafs are over the salary cap by $2.75 million.
One theory regarding Blankenburg's PTO revolves around the health and status of defenseman Chris Tanev. The 36-year-old Tanev said he's feeling good going into this season, but confirmation from his doctors is still required.
He underwent a significant core muscle injury in March and has gone through the off-season recovering from that. That's on top of the concussion and a spinal injury he dealt with, leading to just 11 appearances for Toronto last year. So, Blankenburg could be seen as an insurance policy.
If the news for Tanev isn't positive and the Leafs are forced to be without him for some time to begin 2026-27, Blankenburg could be activated as an insurance policy.
Blankenburg has played parts of five seasons and featured in a total of 176 games in the NHL. Last year, he made a career-high 61 appearances split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, scoring a personal-best six goals and 24 points.
He didn't get much action with the Presidents' Trophy-winning Avs, averaging 12:02 of ice time in 12 regular-season games and 9:25 of ice time in nine post-season contests. But before he was traded from Nashville, he averaged 17:58 of ice time with the Preds in 2025-26.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 14: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles is honored during his return to Citi Field prior to the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets on Monday, September 14, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This week’s series at Citi Field not only offers the Orioles their last undoubtedly winnable series of the season, but also a chance to look into their potential future.
The Mets and O’s are easily two of 2026’s most disappointing teams. New York came into this season with the second-highest payroll in all of baseball and were the odds-on favorites to win the NL East. The Orioles’ preseason expectations were not quite as lofty. However, a summer spending spree that saw them bring in former Mets star Pete Alonso had many in Birdland dreaming of a return to the postseason.
Instead, with the Orioles’ win in Queens last night, the Mets have officially been eliminated from postseason contention—their fourth time missing the postseason in the six seasons since super billionaire Steve Cohen bought the team. The win represents only a brief stay of execution for the Orioles, who had only a 1.3% chance to make the playoffs heading into last night’s game.
Once it becomes official that the Orioles won’t be returning to the postseason this year, the front office will face some tough questions about how best to position Baltimore for 2027 and beyond. The first will be whether Mike Elias is still the best man to lead this front office. However, all the other questions (assuming baseball is played at some point in 2027) will be about how to reshape their roster to cover up the glaring deficiencies that ultimately sunk this talented but flawed team.
This year’s Mets offer a great example of how not to approach the offseason immediately following a disappointing season. This past offseason, as they are in seemingly every offseason since Cohen arrived, the Mets were busy. New York started their attempt at reshaping by trading outfielder Brandon Nimmo to Texas for infielder Marcus Semien.
After Alonso signed with Baltimore, the Mets went on a spending spree with all the money they weren’t paying their franchise leader in home runs. They gave $20M/yr to Jorge Polanco to replace Alonso at 1B and committed a combined $28M/yr to Devin Williams and Luke Weaver as bullpen reinforcements. They then made their big move to really try to fill the hole left by Alonso, giving Bo Bichette a $42M/yr deal to lure him away from Toronto.
New York stayed active in the trade market as well, sending away their top two prospects to the Brewers for two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta. The Mets also struck a deal with the White Sox, sending infielder Luisangel Acuña and another prospect to Chicago for now-Orioles outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
Assuming the coming work stoppage is resolved sometime in the next 365 days, the Orioles will have all the chances to repeat or learn from New York’s mistakes. Letting Alonso walk (or not doing enough to make him want to stay) meant the Mets started trying to improve with a giant new hole in their roster.
The Orioles can’t make that same mistake with pending free agent Trevor Rogers. Unlike Alonso in New York, Rogers has repeatedly stated his desire to stay in Baltimore. With Rogers heading a rotation with Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz and Brandong Young, the O’s finally have a pitching staff worthy of a contender. Letting Rogers walk would be taking a step backwards before Baltimore could even think about taking a step forward. And like it did with Alonso in New York, it could force the Orioles to spend money on lesser players attempting to replace the reigning MVO.
The Mets’ spending habits in general should be a warning sign for the Orioles front office and how they look to improve this roster. Unlike last offseason, the list of pending 2027 free agents doesn’t have a lot of star power. Randy Arozarena, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Seiya Suzuki are the best bats set to be available this offseason.
All three of those players seem like square pegs for the round holes the Orioles have in their lineup. Chisholm will be coming off a down year with the Yankees and would be another infielder on a team already full of infield talent. Arozarena and Suzuki could both be the type of right-handed, power-hitting outfielder the Orioles thought they were getting with Taylor Ward.
However, both would likely command north of $25M/year as they head into their age-32 seasons. That level of investment paid off with Alonso, but Arozarena and Suzuki are both an echelon below the Polar Bear when it comes to the game’s best hitters. The lack of success Bichette and Polanco have had with the Mets (combined -0.6 bWAR this season) show that throwing money at players who don’t obviously fit the team’s needs can quickly sink a lineup.
Elias (or whoever replaces him) must continue to treat prospects like they have more value than just bargaining chips for improving the 2027 roster. Even if they re-sign Rogers, the front office may look to trade from the Orioles’ newfound minor league pitching depth to acquire a pitcher like Joe Ryan from the Twins or Logan Gilbert from the Mariners. However, trading someone like Anthony Eyanson, Joseph Dzierwa or Caden Hunter for a pitcher with only one year of team control could prove short-sighted. If they entertain such a move, the Orioles may find themselves in the same position as the Mets with Peralta: forced to move him for pennies on the dollar if the team doesn’t meet expectations.
It’s clear that this roster needs to be rebalanced to address the staggeringly inconsistent offense and continue to build the strength of this rotation. However, as the Orioles’ current opponents can attest, change just for the sake of change can leave the team worse off and with even more disappointment next year.
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell chats with starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) after Imanaga finished the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Chicago. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Not that I expected anyone to read it, but I did some fun research for yesterday’s game preview. Basically, the Cubs are currently first by a mile in position player fWAR, but dead last in pitching fWAR. This has never happened over a full season; the closest I found was bottom five-ish (and not even that close to the bottom) for a top-ranked hitting/defense team, or, on the flip side, the 2000 Angels, who were dead last in pitching but second in position player fWAR.
So, the Cubs have a chance to do something kind of amazing depending on how the last couple of weeks play out. But, there’s a catch: right now, the Cubs are just barely behind the Nationals in pitching fWAR. Another day of the Nationals getting blasted while the Cubs do okay could flip things. The Cubs probably won’t catch the 28th-ranked team, but first and 29th has happened before, while first and 30th hasn’t.
So, do you think they’ll “pass” the Nationals over the last few games of the season? Or, are we going to see something truly incredible from a pretty good team?
Just when you think Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has gone into a slump — and he was 0-for-8 with three strikeouts Saturday and Sunday — he breaks out of it in a big way.
PCA was 4-for-5 Monday against the Braves at Wrigley Field, including his 37th stolen base and 42nd home run of the season. That home run tied him with Hall of Famer Billy Williams for the most by any left-handed hitter in Cubs franchise history.
So congrats to Pete for that, good company to be in, and that offensive display helped lead the Cubs to a 7-3 win over the Braves in the series opener.
David Peterson struggled a bit in the first inning, but got out of it scoreless. There was more traffic on the bases for Atlanta in the second, but Peterson induced this double play to end the inning [VIDEO].
Then the Cubs brought out the bats in the bottom of the second. Ian Happ led off with a double and went to third on a single by Nico Hoerner. After Michael Conforto struck out, Pedro Ramirez walked to load the bases.
You see the smile on Kelly’s face as he scores, and BCB’s Sara Sanchez summed that up (Bluesky link):
The Cubs reached a couple of milestones in that inning. Details from BCB’s JohnW53:
The run scored by Ian Happ on Carson Kelly’s second-inning forceout was the Cubs’ 800th of the season, making 2026 just the 13th season since 1901 in which they have reached 800.
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s next-batter two-run double raised his RBI total to 100, making him only the second Cub to drive home triple-digit runs in the past eight seasons.
Seiya Suzuki knocked in 103 runners last year, the most since 2018, when Javier Baez led the National League with 111. Anthony Rizzo had 101 that year, his fourth consecutive seasons with at least 100. Kris Bryant had 102 in 2016.
Others in the past 20 years: Aramis Ramirez, 2007-08; Derrek Lee, 2009; and Alfonso Soriano, 2012.
With that, the Cubs led 3-0 going to the third, and that’s when Peterson settled down and retired six of the seven batters he faced in the third and fourth.
Meanwhile, the Cubs extended their lead in the bottom of the third. Michael Busch led off with a walk and … stole second? [VIDEO]
That was certainly unexpected. Busch now has 10 career steals in 12 attempts. He took third on a ground out by Happ and scored on this single by Hoerner [VIDEO].
That put PCA in scoring position, but he was stranded.
Peterson had more traffic on the bases in the fifth and sixth but got out of both innings scoreless and then the Cubs further extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth after their first two hitters were routine outs. Kelly singled and PCA launched home run No. 42 [VIDEO].
As noted above, that homer matched Billy Williams’ total in 1970, the Hall of Famer’s career high and up to this year, the only 40-homer season by a Cubs left-handed hitter.
This was David Peterson’s fourth quality start in his 13 since joining the Cubs. He is tied with Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon for fourth most on the team, behind Shota Imanaga, 12; Matthew Boyd, eight; and Colin Rea, six. Six others have between one and three, for a team total of 51. They began Monday tied with the Angels, Cardinals and Rangers for 15th most. The Dodgers had 78; the Phillies, 69; and the Mariners and Red Sox, 68.
It was clear that Craig Counsell was going to allow Peterson to face the lefty-hitting Michael Harris II leading off the seventh, then remove him. Harris singled, and Peterson departed to warm applause, with Javier Assad coming into the game. It was not a great outing for Assad, who allowed an infield hit on which Alex Bregman made a throwing error, putting runners on first and third. A force play scored the first Atlanta run, charged to Peterson, and then Mike Yastrzemski homered to make it 7-3.
Fortunately, that was it for Braves scoring in this game, though there was a bit of nervous time in the eighth and ninth. Ryan Rolison put the first two Atlanta hitters on base in the eighth via hit and walk, then induced a double play and fly to center.
Ryan Zeferjahn was entrusted with the four-run lead in the ninth and, well, he did end the game but not until he loaded the bases on two hits and a walk with one out. After the walk, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy went to the mound.
This was a good win for a number of reasons. First, the Braves are a very good team, in first place in the NL East by 4.5 games over the Phillies, and the Cubs handled them quite well. Also, this put the Cubs half a game ahead of the Phillies for the top wild-card spot, as the Phillies were idle on Monday. Philadelphia opens a series against the Nationals at Washington Tuesday evening. The win also reduced the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a postseason spot to seven.
The Cubs will look for the series win over the Braves Tuesday evening at Wrigley Field (weather permitting!). Kevin Gausman will start for the Cubs and Martin Perez goes for Atlanta. Game time is again 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
Sep 12, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger (21) reacts after stealing secondbase against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning.
Evan Grant writes that we’re nearing the thrilling conclusion to everyone’s least favorite gameshow, ‘Who Wants to be an American League Playoff Team?’.
Kennedi Landry writes about the return of veteran reliever Robert Garcia and his impact on what has been a scuffling bullpen.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle evokes the god of utility players Ben Zobrist when listing Duran’s year as something that has gone right for Texas this year.
The Mets continue a three-game series against Pete Alonso and the Orioles at Citi Field on Tuesday night at 7:10 on SNY.
Mets Notes
Francisco Lindor and Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso both enter play on Tuesday with 299 career home runs
A.J. Ewing is hitting .370/.434/.630 with three homers and three doubles in 53 plate appearances over his last 13 games
Sean Manaea allowed four runs on five hits while walking none and striking out four in 5.0 innings against the Marlins in Miami in his last start on Sept. 8
Today's Lineups
ORIOLES
METS
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What channel is SNY?
Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.
How can I stream the game?
The way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv.
Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.
For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.
DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 03: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks hangs off the rim after a dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half at American Airlines Center on April 03, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Using the latest release in the NBA2K franchise to simulate Mavericks Year Two scenarios for Cooper Flagg? It can get weird. And I’m talking Nathan Fielder movie trailer — compelling weird.
We all know how Flagg’s rookie year went — incredible for the individual, slow-moving car crash for the team.
With NBA 2K27 finally out, it seemed like a good time to do some projections on what comes next. Originally, I was going to do a five-year projection — until Cooper’s Year 2 fully pulled me in, heart first.
First off: I didn’t alter any settings or change anything that would make the Mavericks any better than what NBA 2K created them to be. No trades. No roster moves. Nothing. I let the computer cook.
I hit “Sim Regular Season” and waited for the first stop.
The NBA Cup was over — and guess who won?
That’s right, Mavs fans. Dallas hangs its first Cup banner in this simulation.
And who might be the Cup MVP, you ask?
Ooof. Those 3-point numbers.
But I can’t deny the results.
As I continued the sim, I had to deny somewhere between 25 and 30 trade offers for Kyrie Irving, but especially with the early success, I felt like we had to let the team ride it out. No meddling. No panic. We were staying the course.
Next stop: the All-Star Game.
I located Cooper in the Rising Stars Game, where he dropped 25 points, but he didn’t make the actual All-Star Game. Which, honestly, reminded me of everything I find dumb about the All-Star Game in the first place.
So I kept simming.
I noticed the wins were beginning to pile up, but I wanted to let the season play out before checking the standings.
And then, at the end of the regular season, there the little Mavericks sat:
The No. 2 seed in the West.
No end-of-season awards for Flagg, but Naji Marshall was named Sixth Man of the Year. Flagg, meanwhile, averaged a solid 22 points per game and pushed his 3-point percentage up to 35% — respectable considering he was launching eight attempts from deep per game.
Then came the playoffs.
First matchup: the Denver Nuggets.
And somehow — amazingly — the Mavericks pulled it out in seven games.
A successful season. I would have taken that result 10 out of 10 times.
But Round 2 was against our dear friends, the San Antonio Cowboy Accessories.
I braced myself for the inevitable disappointment.
Instead, the Mavs beat them in six.
At this point, I started to really believe.
I started imagining what I would do if this were happening in real life. Would I survive the glee? Would my body be physically capable of processing this much unexpected joy?
And then came the question I probably shouldn’t have allowed myself to ask:
Could my digital Mavericks make it to the Fake NBA Finals?
The Western Conference Finals wasn’t even against the Thunder. They had already been bounced in Round 2.
Instead, it was the Minnesota Timberwolves.
And suddenly, this wasn’t just a fun little NBA 2K experiment anymore.
So let me ask: Would you consider this a successful season?
A No. 2 seed in the West. A first-ever NBA Cup. Cooper averaging 22 points a game and shooting 35% from three. A playoff series win over Denver. Beating the Spurs in six. Naji Marshall winning Sixth Man of the Year.
At what point does this go beyond “successful” and into “wildest dreams” territory? The playoff berth? The first-round win?
But for now, the Mavericks were staring down the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, with the Thunder already gone. Ultimately, the Mavs bowed out in five games after Digital Flagg picked up an injury in Game 2 of the Fake WCF.
If this happened in real life — if Cooper’s second season actually played out this way — what would you do?
Would you be thrilled and call the season a massive success regardless of what happens next? Would you start believing this team is actually ready to contend? Or would you be sitting there, like me, thinking, wait a minute… are we really two wins away from the NBA Finals?
Because at this point, I wasn’t simulating the rest of the season to see what happened.
I was simulating because I needed to know. And because this offseason will not end.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 16 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #16.
Let's take a look.
Mike Sillinger - 2002-2003 - Drafted by Detroit in 1989.
Sillinger is best known for playing for 12 different NHL teams and being traded nine times. He played 155 games for the CBJ and had 86 points. He retired in 2008 after playing 1089 games for 12 different teams.
Of course, nowadays, he's best known for being the father of Jackets forwards Cole and Owen Sillinger.
Alexander Svitov - 2004-2007 - Drafted by Tampa Bay in 2001.
Svitov played 105 games for the Jackets and scored 26 points after being traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning. After playing in Columbus, the former #3 overall pick never played another NHL game.
He returned to Russia, where he would play until 2022. Svitov is now an assistant coach for Avangard Omsk in the KHL.
Derick Brassard - 2008-2013 - Drafted by Columbus in 2006.
Brassard was drafted 6th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft. He totaled 169 points in 309 games while playing for Columbus.
After playing over 1000 games for 10 different teams, Brassard retired in 2024. Brassard is a minority owner of the
Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
Max Domi - 2021-2022 - Drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2012.
Domi played 107 games for the Jackets after coming over from the Montreal Canadiens in the Josh Anderson trade. He had 56 points for Columbus and was then traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Since leaving Columbus, he's played for Carolina, Chicago, Dallas, and Toronto. He's played for 7 teams in 10 seasons, although he's played the last three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In three seasons, he has 116 points.
Brendan Gaunce - 2023-2026 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2012.
Gaunce played 59 games for the Jackets and had 12 points. He served as the Cleveland Monsters Captain in 23-24 and totaled 85 points for the Monsters over three seasons.
He signed with the AHL's Iowa Wild for the 2024-25 season and recorded 29 points. However, this summer, Gaunce was traded back to the Columbus organization in exchange for Cameron Butler. After playing 25 games for the CBJ and 44 games for Cleveland last season, he left in free agency to sign with the AHL's Providence Bruins.
There are 16 days left until opening night at NWA. Who's your favorite #16?
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Let us know what you think below.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. Share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
All the latest updates from around the grounds Email Tanya with any thoughts or comment BTL
Notts have made a last-minute addition to their side, seam bowler Mukesh Kumar who has taken 233 first-class wickets during a career played entirely in India.
He arrives on the back of helping East Zone win the Duleep Trophy.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 14: Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at Wrigley Field on September 14, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves lost to the Cubs 7-3 on Monday in Chicago. While the Braves did have a chance to make things interesting late, the game never really seemed that close. One bright spot was a solid outing in relief from A.J. Smith Shawver.
However, the story of the game were the continued struggles of Reynaldo Lopez. He was not effective at all in his two starts since returning from the IL. Following the game, he also let the team know that he had experience should issues at different points of the season. As a result, he will be headed back to the IL. And with shoulder issues being the reason he only made one start in all of 2025, it is a less than ideal end of Lopez’s 2026 season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers made Edwin Diaz the highest paid closer over the offseason. Now, he might not even make the postseason roster.
Diaz had a rehab outing Sunday in which he faced eight batters, retiring only two while walking three and hitting a batter. He threw 30 pitches to get those two outs, with only 13 strikes. Manager Dave Roberts talked about his recent woes on Monday before the Dodgers game against the Cincinnati Reds.
“He needs to pitch better. It hasn’t been good,” Roberts said on Monday. “He’s going to pitch on Wednesday, and I guess we’ll evaluate then. I think the world of him. The baseball card looks great. But where we’re at, there’s got to be something for us to be able to hang our hat on. And he knows that. He knows that. He wants to pitch well. So for me, Wednesday, we’ll be watching closely.”
He also acknowledged that Diaz might not make the postseason roster.
“Yeah … we have to go with our best pitchers, as far as performance, talent, all that stuff. So my bet is that he will be (one of them). But again, there’s got to be some kind of evidence or something for us, again, to sort of bet on. My bet is yes, but we still have to see something.”
Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic has more on the terrible season overall that Diaz has had as a Dodger here.
The Dodgers are already down another reliever, at least for the rest of the regular season. Edgardo Henriquez went on the IL on Monday with lower back discomfort. Bobby Miller was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Right-hander Paul Gervase and left-hander Kris Bubic also joined the team in Cincinnati. Gervase was added to the active roster, and Bubic could be added in the coming days.
Roki Sasaki has been sidelines with a blister and is tentatively scheduled to pitch on Thursday in Cincinnati. However, the weather is supposed to be hot and humid, and the team is worried about how that will affect Sasaki’s blister.
“We just can’t put him in a position to go backward. And so obviously people can look at Thursday. But again, if he can’t do it without accomplishing it, finishing a start, and not regress, then it’s not worth it. So I think for us, we’re just keeping it open-ended right now.”
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register has more info on the Dodgers pitching merry-go-round here.
The Cubs lost another chance for a sweep this weekend, but emerged with a series win over the Pirates.
The two games Saturday and Sunday both had the final scores of 4-3, but with different winners. There wasn’t a lot of opportunity for an offensive display by any Cub hitters, nor were there examples of great starting pitching.
On the hitting side, the Cubs had a lot of chances to push a run across, but of the nine walks by Pittsburgh in the two games, only one Cub crossed the plate.
The Cubs offense was led by Pedro Ramirez, who went 2-6 with a HR, RBI, 2B and a run scored, and Michael Busch, who went 3-for-7 with a HR and a run scored. They both were the offensive stars in Saturday’s game, with both hitting their solo home runs, and Ramirez adding a double in the 4-3 Cubs’ win.
Miguel Amaya, catching Sunday, was the star of that game, going 2-for-3 with a two-RBI home run, but it wasn’t enough as the Cubs lost, 4-3. For the rest of the weekend, Alex Bregman was 2-for-6 with a walk, a double and a run scored. And while Nico Hoerner was only 1-for-7, he did drive in an RBI in each game.
Clay Holmes was the victim of the One Bad Pitch Saturday. Holmes was not consistent in his 5.2 IP, having allowed five hits and four walks, but also struck out six. One pitch scored three runs on Ryan O’Hearn’s three-run homer. Two of those runs were earned.
Sunday, Matthew Boyd was victim of the bullpen allowing inherited runners. Boyd left the game with one out in the sixth with two on and the score tied at two, and Aaron Civale allowed the two runs score and, in the end, cost the team the game and the sweep. In his 5.1 IP, Boyd didn’t allow a home run, but four runs scored on seven hits and two walks. He did strike out three.
(Crossing fingers) Minus the inherited runners problem — Once again, the bullpen was almost perfect over the two days. Six pitchers accounted for seven scoreless innings pitched for both games, scattering three hits and four walks while striking out six. These were higher-leverage games than what we have had recently. Civale’s relief of Boyd does mar that a bit.
Due to high expectations, Pete Crow-Armstrong isn’t having a horrible month – the period just isn’t exactly what we have been witnessing from PCA. So far in September, PCA is hitting .227 (10-for-44) with a double, three HRs, seven RBI, six walks, 16 strikeouts and four stolen bases.
The totals in the last three categories are pretty much on pace with last month, but he’s not in the other four. In August, PCA hit .280 (practically his BA for the season) with six doubles, one triple, 14 HR and 28 RBI — the last four categories for September are behind this pace.
And one thing PCA can have credit for is that Saturday and Sunday were only two of three hitless games this month. However, of the other games, in which he did have a nine-game hit streak, only one was a multi-hit game. We aren’t seeing the power, the above-the-norm performance that we have been used to all year. Time for that full game off, as the Cubs have been getting by with only RC level performance the last 13 days? I don’t know, but only the ones closest to him can help him make that decision, not me.
Complimentary Starting Pitcher Solo Home Run*
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Brian Sandalow (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs use picky lineup and struggling bullpen to beat Pirates 4-3. “The same bullpen that’s been maligned and pointed to as potentially a fatal flaw threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, before the Cubs scored twice in the eighth despite getting only one hit during the rally.”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Alex Bregman Trending Toward Top-3 Career Season. “I’ll never forget a debate I had with a buddy roughly 25 years ago over his claim that Reggie Miller wasn’t very good because he scored most of his points in the fourth quarter.”
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Bregman is quietly playing Gold Glove-level defense. “He has quietly pieced together one of the best defensive showings of his career. It has been the type of defense that could very well net him a second career Gold Glove Award.”
Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 1952 – 6 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career, he played in various groups and performed a range of music, including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz fusion.
Influenced by Peter Green and Eric Clapton, Moore began his career in the late 1960s when he joined Skid Row, with whom he released two albums. After Moore left the group, he joined Thin Lizzy, featuring his former Skid Row bandmate and frequent collaborator Phil Lynott. Moore began his solo career in the 1970s and achieved major success with 1979’s “Parisienne Walkways”, which is considered his signature song. During the 1980s, he transitioned to playing hard rock and heavy metal, achieving varying degrees of international success. In 1990, he returned to his roots with Still Got the Blues, which became his most successful album. Moore continued to release new music throughout his later career, collaborating with other artists from time to time. He died on 6 February 2011 from a heart attack while on holiday in Spain.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
INGLEWOOD, CA - January 14: Kyshawn George #18 of the Washington Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards, Alexandre Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards, and Tre Johnson #12 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on January 14, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the Washington Wizards started their rebuild in 2023, rotation debates centered around Deni Avdija versus Corey Kispert for a starting spot and whether Mike Muscala or Danilo Gallinari would back up Daniel Gafford.
Three years later, Bilal Coulibaly is the lone holdover from a roster that’s undergone a complete overhaul. Washington’s new-look squad of talented veterans and ascending young players presents head coach Brian Keefe with several questions surrounding his starting lineup and rotation.
But considering the team’s 50-196 record since the start of the 2023-24 season, Keefe’s dilemma is one Washington appreciates the ability to solve.
While Keefe hasn’t formally spoken on his 2026-27 rotation, an educated guess would tab Trae Young, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr as likely starters when Washington opens against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 21.
AJ Dybantsa, the team’s No. 1 selection in June’s draft who general manager Will Dawkins hinted could play both shooting guard and small forward, likely slots into one of the openings. That leaves three players — Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson — vying for one starting spot.
Each player boasts a compelling case. The decision comes down to what Keefe values most: elite defense, knockdown shooting, or the best combination of both.
Bilal Coulibaly
Over the last two seasons, Coulibaly has started all 115 games he’s played in.
The French wing is the team’s best perimeter defender. His 86.5-inch wingspan, which ranks in the 99th percentile among NBA guards, allows him to disrupt passing lanes and deny shots. His 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 3.1 deflections per game all ranked in the 90th percentile or better at his position last season.
Coulibaly’s ability to defend the opponent’s top offensive threat could best complement Young, whose elite offensive production often overshadows his lackluster defense.
As the primary defender, Coulibaly held Giannis Antetokounmpo to just seven points on 2-for-7 shooting in Washington’s 129-126 win over the Milwaukee Bucks last December. For reference, Antetokounmpo scored 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting against all other defenders.
(Video via Youtube.com/Byvarunshankar)
Coulibaly’s 41.4% 3-point clip in five games alongside Young provides some additional promise.
But the sample size next to Young — just 29 3-point attempts — is small compared to a relatively poor body of work. Coulibaly is a career 31% 3-point shooter whose inconsistent jumper presents potential spacing issues when paired with other non-shooters like Davis (27% 3PT), Sarr (33.3% 3PT) and Dybantsa (33.1% 3PT).
If Coulibaly outduels George and Johnson, Washington’s starters wouldn’t include a single player who shot over 34% 3PT last season.
Does Coulibaly’s defense outweigh his offensive limitations and the spacing issues those might bring? That’s a question for Keefe to assess and eventually answer.
Tre Johnson
Johnson is a lethal outside jumpshooter who struggles on defense. He’s essentially the opposite of Coulibaly.
The 6-foot-5 guard shot nearly 40% from three before a hip injury sidelined him in November. His percentage dipped after that setback and further dropped following a January ankle injury. He finished his rookie season at 35.8% 3PT.
Johnson’s jumper would solve Washington’s spacing issues. But his 125.7 defensive rating, which would’ve ranked dead last in the NBA if he played enough games to qualify, suggests a vulnerable defensive backcourt between him and Young.
Alex Sarr defended the most rim attempts per game last season in part because Washington’s poor perimeter defense funneled many drives into their 7-foot center. A starting backcourt of Young and Johnson wouldn’t necessarily solve that problem — if anything, it could worsen it.
While starting Johnson remains possible, it wouldn’t align with the franchise’s goal of overhauling one of the league’s worst defensive units. Starting Coulibaly or George better supports that objective.
Kyshawn George
George is the perfect middle ground.
The third-year wing offers the best combination of size (6-foot-8), shooting (38.1% 3PT), offensive creation (4.5 assists per game), and defensive ability (1.9 stocks per game) among this trio. And unlike the other candidates, George’s game doesn’t include a major deficiency.
After an offseason of growth — in both strength and skills — George’s physical defense holds up against guards, forwards and possibly some smaller centers. He offers the defensive versatility that Wizards general manager Will Dawkins preaches.
His 42.8% clip on catch-and-shoot threes last season showed he can space the floor. In a lineup with Young, one of the league’s prolific passers, that percentage could solve potential spacing issues.
The argument against starting George centers around a few things, none of which are indictments of his game. One of those arguments: George’s on-ball play was so promising last season that bringing him off the bench to run the second unit makes more sense.
According to databallr.com, George created 25.4 points per game last season. While impressive, his 2.6 turnovers per contest showcased room for growth in both court vision and decision-making.
Washington’s lack of a true backup point guard has opened the door for George to assume similar offensive creation responsibilities, which might overlap with Young if deployed in the same lineups.
But after acquiring Tre Mann to presumably compete with Bub Carrington for the backup point guard role, George’s on-ball duties no longer appear as vital to the second unit’s success as some previously imagined.
The decision
Keefe’s philosophy will show through this choice.
Are Washington’s spacing or defense concerns so great that it warrants leaving the team vulnerable on one of those ends? Or are those holes so vast that a partial fix to both is better than completely solving one?
The former favors Coulibaly and Johnson. The latter sides with George.
Keefe’s decision looms as training camp approaches.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Bogoljub Markovic #23 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on July 15, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After being drafted and stashed, then going on to win MVP and, for the second year in a row, the Top Prospect Award in Serbia’s Adriatic League, the Milwaukee Bucks committed to Bogoljub Markovic early this offseason, signing him to a four-year, $9.3m rookie contract.
The timing was both right and wrong. Markovic does have talent (more on that in a moment), plays a position of need, and, at just 21 years old, fits the Bucks’ current timeline. So, if he’s ever going to become an NBA player, now, while the Bucks have no pressure to win, is the time to find out. On the other hand, signing Markovic so early in the offseason undoubtedly contributed to the Bucks’ roster logjam, leaving them in the position they are now, needing to trim two players without many appealing pathways to do so. In hindsight, waiting until after his Summer League evaluation would’ve retained at least some roster flexibility. But I digress; Markovic is here—at least for now.
In Summer League, Markovic put up decent counting stats: 8.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.2 SPG, 1.0 BPG, and 1.2 TPG, to go along with .381/.364/.667 shooting splits. He had some moments too, including a 16-point, eight-rebound showing against the Phoenix Suns. But he also went MIA for stretches—or even entire games, like the 1/9 stinker against the Philadelphia 76ers to wrap up SL play. In the end, his play earned him a C- on our official Summer League report card.
Offensively, Markovic has some chops. He’s a gifted passer who can create from the high and low post and, under the right circumstances, even off the dribble. He’s more explosive than you’d think too—no, I’m not going to call his athleticism “sneaky”—able to quickly flush home dunks. He’s also a capable shooter, though he needs to improve his consistency to become a legitimate floor-spacing big in the NBA. This, it seems, is his most likely avenue to a real NBA role.
On the defensive end, it’s a different story. If Markovic was a cricket bat, he’d be applauded for his defensive stroke play—how vertical he is. Unfortunately, he’s a basketballer and he’s just far too upright as a defender to make much of an impact. Like a cricket bat, he’s also still far too thin and narrow, meaning he’s too easily pushed around. He’ll get some boards and blocks by nature of his length, but he’s no deterrent at the rim and gives up far too many second chance opportunities. Put it this way, Markovic is strictly a four and should only ever see minutes at the five in blowouts.
Looking ahead, a successful season for Markovic would be one in which he hits the gym, hard, and polishes the stroke enough to earn semi-consistent court time; 40 games at about 10 minutes per would mean he’s made significant strides. Anything more would be a bonus.
With Markovic snicking one to slips and on his way back to the changerooms, which Buck will be next to join him?
Editor’s Note: Today is a perfect day to announce the debut of another one of Canis’ very own, JetAllen! Jet Helmbrecht is introducing a series of articles called the “What If” Wolves, beginning all the way back with the beginning. You are in for a treat!
You can also say hello to Jet on BlueSky @coachjet!
Volume One: Let’s Begin
$32.5 million dollars.
That was the purchase price of an NBA expansion team in 1987.
Harvey Ratner and Marv Wolfenson put some dough together to bring a pro basketball team back to Minnesota. We all know the story of the Minneapolis Lakers leaving town for greener pastures in Los Angeles way back in 1960. Some people even know about the Muskies and Pipers that played in the ABA. But finally, thanks to “Harv and Marv”, the NBA would be coming back to Minnesota.
For those of you who don’t know, the Minnesota Timberwolves, or the Wolves, or the T-Wolves (please don’t use this one) have not always been the cream of the NBA crop. They’ve been teams that were not that talented, with poor decision-making, and flat-out illegal transactions by the front office that have kept the Wolves near the bottom of the standings for most of the team’s history.
I am going to break some of these issues down and offer an alternative history. Basically, this is what I would have done instead. Obviously, almost every instance of me changing history would have led to a championship… Who are you to doubt me?
This series is purely for entertainment purposes. Try not to take things too seriously, and we should have some fun. With that being said, let’s get started with the creation of the team and the first season.
Franchise Creation
Like I stated before, Harv and Marv, the original owners of the Timberwolves, put up $32.5 million dollars to purchase an expansion team. Considering what the NBA expansion fee is today ($7-10 billion), this was a bargain.
Harv and Marv would still need to find a permanent place to play, hire front office staff, and field a team. But there were more pressing items that needed to be dealt with, namely, finding a team name.
The “Minnesota NBA Team” decided that they would leave the naming up to the great people of Minnesota. I’m sure you can guess how that went. A “Name the Team” contest was sent out to the masses. 6,076 entries came back with 1,284 different names. There was a group of current NBA team names submitted. The Cavaliers (Cleveland), Kings (Sacramento), Hawks (Atlanta), Mavericks (Dallas), Pacers (Indiana), Warriors (Golden State), Nets (New Jersey at the time), Bucks (Milwaukee), and of course the Lakers (Los Angeles).
None of these names would be selected or approved by the NBA, even though the Lakers should be in Minnesota. I’ve never even heard of a lake in Los Angeles, outside of an Andrew Garfield movie.
Anyways, a slew of cold-weather nicknames were submitted, like the Frost, the Chill, Tornadoes, the Blizzard, the Snowdrift, and the Abominable Snowmen. I’ve never been a fan of the non-plural nicknames or team names that, to me, are nonsense. Team names like the Miami HEAT, Orlando Magic, and especially (I know I will get hate for this) the Minnesota Wild.
What the hell is a “a Wild”?
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – JULY 23: A detail of a Minnesota Wild logo is seen on a hat during the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at TRIA Rink on July 23, 2021 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Brandon McCauley/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
There were Minnesota state-specific mascot names like the Loons (which would become the name of the Minnesota Major League Soccer team), Mallards, Mosquitoes (of course), Gnats, Bullheads, Walleyes, Minnows, Oofdahs (or Uffdas depending on your Scandinavian heritage), and my favorite, the Mississippi Mud Monsters (now a minor league baseball team).
All the entries were cut down to the two most popular, the Timberwolves and Polars. These names were then sent to the 842 city councils throughout Minnesota for their votes. The Timberwolves were the runaway winner (again, what is “a Polar”?).
With the name selected, a logo and uniforms would be next. Mark Thompson designed the first logo: a majestic wolf looking off into the distance, which we now refer to as “Old Shep”. What is he looking at? Maybe prey of some kind. Maybe he is looking at a Wild or a Polar. It’s really not important; this logo is classic and still my preferred logo out of all that the team has had.
The Timberwolves made a deal to play their inaugural season at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. 10-year-old me thought this was the most magical place in the entire world (I didn’t get out much back then). This was a smart choice for many reasons.
First, the dome was awesome. I remember the first time I went to the dome to see a Minnesota Vikings game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The atmosphere was electric; the Vikings won, Boomer Esiason got booed, and when we left, I got expelled from the building by a huge gust of wind that always happened when exiting the Metrodome (Factor in that I was maybe 50 pounds at the time… I flew).
No matter if you were prepared for the wind or not, it always took you by surprise.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – 1991: An overall shot of Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome during the Chicago Bulls game against the Minnesota Timberwolves circa 1991 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. BernsteinNBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The dome was huge as well. Somehow, the Timberwolves set an NBA record for single-season attendance in their first year. 1,072,572 people attended Wolves games that year. The only negative of holding games at the dome was the men’s bathroom trough. If you don’t know what that is, basically a giant urinal that a bunch of guys use at the same time.
Think of what a horse drinks water from. Now, instead of horses, imagine dudes expelling all the beer that they drank while cheering on their favorite team. Even worse, now picture me standing maybe at 3 feet tall, and where my eye line would have been while trying to go to the bathroom. Get rid of those troughs, and we are good to go.
I read once that those troughs were auctioned off. One of the troughs was sold for $375! What are you going to do with that thing?
Bill Musselman on a normal Timberwolves night. 51-113 Timberwolves record (.311 winning percentage). | Getty Images
Former University of Minnesota Coach Bill Musselman was named the first Head Coach for the Timberwolves. Musselman may have seemed to some as a hometown discount type of pick, but he had some recent success that made him a decent candidate. He left the University of Minnesota with a .683 winning percentage, including a Big Ten Championship in 1972.
The 1972 team included future NBA players Jim Brewer and Ron Behagen, and, most bafflingly, Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who averaged 7.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Before being named Head Coach of the Timberwolves, Musselman won four straight titles in the Continental Basketball Association (Tampa Bay Thrillers twice, Rapid City Thrillers, and the Albany Patroons).
The Wolves’ new coach shared personnel decisions with Director of Player Personnel Bill McKinney and CEO Bob Stein.
So, it is no coincidence that several of the Albany Patroons players, including Tony Campbell, Sidney Lowe, Tod Murphy, and Scott Brooks, played for the early Timberwolves teams. We’ll keep them in place, why not?
The First Drafts and Free Agency
Because the Timberwolves were/are an expansion team, they have zero players at this point in time. The Wolves and the Orlando Magic, being the other expansion team in 1989, would take turns selecting up to 12 players from an existing pool of NBA players.
Only one player could be selected from an existing team, and each team had several players that were “protected” and could not be selected.
So, no Michael Jordan on the Wolves.
There was a coin toss to see which team would select first in the expansion draft or have the higher pick in the regular NBA Draft. The Magic won the coin toss and elected to have the first pick in the Expansion Draft, allowing the Timberwolves to have the higher draft pick in the NBA Draft (#10 overall).
Orlando chose power forward Sidney Green from the New York Knicks. The Timberwolves, with their first selection, made their first front office blunder.
The Wolves drafted power forward Rick Mahorn from the Detroit Pistons. Great pick, right? Mahorn was a quality role player with trade value and on-court strengths. Wrong! Mahorn refused to go to the Timberwolves.
May 1989; Chicago,IL, USA: FILE PHOTO; Chicago Bulls forward Horace Grant (54) battles for position against Detroit Pistons forward Rick Mahorn (44) during the 1988-89 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Chicago Stadium. The Pistons defeated the Bulls 4 games to 2. Mandatory Credit: MPS-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There are no take-backs in the draft, so the Wolves end up trading Mahorn to the Philadelphia 76ers for a first-round draft pick (Don’t get excited. The pick was used on Gerald Glass.) and two second-round picks. A whole lot of nothing. The rest of the draft wasn’t much better. Here are the Timberwolves selections:
Rick Mahorn PF Detroit Pistons
Tyrone Corbin SF Phoenix Suns
Steve Johnson C Portland Trailblazers
Brad Lohaus PF/C Sacramento Kings
David Rivers PG LA Lakers
Mark Davis SF Milwaukee Bucks
Scott Roth SF San Antonio Spurs
Shelton Jones PF Philadelphia 76ers
Eric White SF LA Clippers
Maurice Martin SG Denver Nuggets
Gunther Behnke C Cleveland Cavaliers
Any names ring a bell? Maybe three? Yeah, it’s not good. Mahorn refused to play for an expansion team. Mark Davis was selected only because the Bucks gave the Wolves a second-round pick to take him off their books. Only four of the players selected played for the Wolves that first year, and only Ty Corbin played for more than one season for the team. Hell, Gunther Behnke never even played for one second in the NBA!
There were a bunch of players who were left unprotected who could have been drafted. Now I know that contract/salary concerns may have kept these players from being selected, but these are the picks I would have made for the “What If” Wolves:
Tyrone Corbin SF Phoenix Suns
Terry Catledge PF Washington Bullets
Scott Skiles PG Indiana Pacers
Tony Campbell SG/SF LA Lakers
Jerome Lane PF Denver Nuggets
Brad Lohaus PF/C Sacramento Kings
Larry Krystkowiak PF/C Milwaukee Bucks
Dennis Johnson PG Boston Celtics
Vinnie Johnson SG/PG Detroit Pistons
David Wingate SF/SG Philadelphia 76ers
Caldwell Jones C/PF Portland Trailblazers
No pick. This guy wasn’t going to play anyways.
So here is my thinking: try to at least draft players that may want to play for the team (thanks for nothing, Mahorn), milk as much talent out of the older players as possible, and draft players that can maybe play a bit.
SACRAMENTO, CA – 1991: Tyrone Corbin #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves stands on the court during a game against the Sacramento Kings circa 1991 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The toughest decision was drafting Tyrone Corbin instead of Spud Webb. Spud Webb was my favorite player growing up because I was always the shortest kid in my class. I thought that if Spud could dunk at his height (5’7”), I should be able to as well when I grew up (5’8”).
I did manage to dunk (Twice!), but I had to catch the ball off the bounce and kind of smoosh it into the hoop. It wasn’t pretty, but I say it counts. Expansion draft complete! We have 80% of our roster set.
For the NBA Draft, the Timberwolves started a long tradition of messing up royally with their first pick at 10th overall.
Minnesota also had two picks in the second round, the 34th and 38th overall picks. When this draft took place, I was 12 years old. Not really the basketball nerd that I would become. But even in my early fandom, I knew who I wanted the Timberwolves to draft: Tim Hardaway.
The only reason why I wanted them to draft Hardaway was due to a short clip that discussed his signature move, the “UTEP Two-Step”. The UTEPTS (acronyms were long back then) was a simple but very effective crossover move that allowed Hardaway easy access to the bucket. That was the only reason I wanted the Wolves to draft him.
Seriously, the only reason.
When Minnesota instead selected Pooh Richardson out of UCLA, this 12-year-old GM was ticked. How could the Timberwolves betray me already? At the time, it really wasn’t that big of a deal, but I do remember a local paper headline that read “Who is Pooh?” or something along those lines.
Tim Hardaway even thought that he would go to the Wolves at 10. Hardaway started to fall a bit and was eventually selected by the Golden State Warriors. But why the slip in the draft? Well, Golden State Head Coach Don Nelson was telling the other teams ahead of the Warriors that Hardaway had bum knees and would most likely be out of the league in four years.
Sneaky coach.
Tim Hardaway would go on to be a multiple-time NBA All-Star, Olympic medalist, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. I should have been named the GM at 12.
After Pooh Richardson at 10, the Wolves drafted center Gary Leonard from Missouri at pick 34 and wing Doug West from Villanova at pick 38. Leonard would only play a total of 31 games in the NBA. However, Doug West was one of the fan-favorite players on the early Timberwolves teams. He played 12 seasons in the NBA, nine of them with the Wolves.
West was a hard worker, a decent dunker, and didn’t have much of a jump shot. Fun guy to watch. I hope this won’t sound like slander.
So, who did the Timberwolves miss out on? Well, All-Stars like Shawn Kemp, Mookie Blaylock, Dana Barros, Cliff Robinson (RIP), B.J. Armstrong, and Vlade Divac were all selected later on.
The “What if” Wolves should have drafted Tim Hardaway at #10. Easy choice for me. The second round is where we get a bit tricky. I would try to package picks 34 and 38 to try to move up for pick 26 from the Lakers. I think that would have been good enough value for the Los Angeles to accept that trade.
Besides, they stole our team back in 1960; they owe us.
With the 26th pick, I would take Vlade Divac, same as what the Lakers did. The real reason to draft Divac is to trade him down the line to the Charlotte Hornets for the first-round draft pick that became Kobe Bryant, but he’ll be a decent center in the meantime.
The rest of the roster was filled out by adding some key players through free agency. The Wolves were able to agree to contracts with forwards Sam Mitchell, Tony Campbell, Tod Murphy, and Donald Royal, with point guard Sidney Lowe.
Here was the first roster for the Minnesota T-IF-berwolves:
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
Pooh Richardson
Tony Campbell
Tyrone Corbin
Sam Mitchell
Tod Murphy
Sidney Lowe
Doug West
Scott Roth
Brad Lohaus
Randy Breuer
Donald Royal
Brad Sellers
Gary Leonard
Adrian Branch
Steve Johnson
Basketball: Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Bill Musselman and player Tony Campbell on court during workout practice before game New York Knicks at Target Center. Minneapolis, MN 12/13/1990 CREDIT: Damian Strohmeyer (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X40750 TK3 R4 F12 )
Tony Campbell led the team by scoring 23.2 points per game. Forward Tyrone Corbin led in rebounds at 7.4 per game, and the rookie Pooh Richardson led the team with 6.8 assists per game.
Overall, the team finished dead last in points per game with 95.2, second worst defense in the league, giving up 99.4 points per game. Not exactly world beaters. A decent start? Maybe, but most likely not.
Based on my alternate timeline, the Timberwolves would have drafted a future Hall of Fame player and a solid piece we can trade later. Plus, the fans would have been able to watch Vinnie Johnson cook off the bench, watch the last games of Dennis Johnson’s great career, and witness the team miss a lot of threes (The real Wolves shot 73 for 294 on 3-point shots, 24.8%!).
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
Tim Hardaway
Tony Campbell
Tyrone Corbin
Terry Catledge
Vlade Divac
Scott Skiles
Vinnie Johnson
David Wingate
Jerome Lane
Brad Lohaus
Dennis Johnson
Larry Krystkowiak
Caldwell Jones
The actual Timberwolves finished with a record of 22-60. My “What If” Wolves could have been 40-42, at least I think so.
Maybe it’s ridiculous to use my one pass to go back in time to fix the least consequential era in Wolves history, but that’s not important. Everyone has something they want to change in this franchise’s history, from the Steph Curry draft in 2009, to the idiotic abandonment of Chauncey Billups in 2002.
Me? I just think this whole expansion business was a missed opportunity.
Emil Andrae Shares Reaction To Maple Leafs Trade, Pumped For A 'Fresh Start'Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Emil Andrae said he suspected that he would get traded from the Philadelphia Flyers. "But when I found out it was Toronto, I couldn't be happier."
Report: Maple Leafs’ Max Domi Will Miss Start of Training Camp, Remains Out Indefinitely GM John Chayka SaysChayka also added that Domi wants to address the injury himself at some point.
Report: Chris Tanev Waiting To Be Cleared By Doctors, Plans To Be On Ice First Day Of Maple Leafs CampWhile Tanev aims to be ready for the opening day of camp, Tanev described his rehab from surgery in March as "slow". The veteran defender has to show that the injury issues of last year are fully in the rearview mirror.
