The Minnesota Timberwolves future is bright at the power forward and point guard position in the hands of Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio.  The decisions that management will have to make is what to do at the shooting guard, small forward, and center positions.  Let's look at the current roster and determine who is in long term and who is out.

Point Guards

In : Ricky Rubio, Luke Ridnour

At the PG position, Ricky Rubio is the player of the future.  His wonderful pick and roll offensive ability matched with his uncanny ability to create turnovers on defense will make Rubio a star for many years.  Ridnour is a solid backup and someone who can be trusted to take shots and handle the ball.  He is a solid pro that makes his free-throws and can stretch the defense.  He isn't a starter, but he's a good bench player.

Out : Jose Juan Barea

J.J. is the odd man out here.  He is very undersized at 6'0" and is most effective as an offensive sparkplug.  The problem here is that the Timberwolves need guards who can provide solid defense, as both Rubio and Ridnour are offense-first players.  J.J. would be a good role player somewhere, but not in Minnesota.

Shooting Guards

In : Wayne Ellington

Wayne is flourishing under the tutelage of Rick Adelman and the offense being run by Rubio.  Wayne is an excellent spot-up shooter who needs a pass-first guard to draw the defense so he can set his feet and shoot.  Ellington is still young but is showing that he has some explosiveness and the ability to score in bunches, which is just what the Wolves need.

Out : Malcolm Lee, Wesley Johnson

Malcolm wasn't much of a player at UCLA, averaging 13 points in his senior season on 44/29/78 shooting.  Lee hasn't had much of chance since tearing his meniscus in training camp and did have a few decent games in the preseason, but he isn't the long term answer.  At Syracuse, Wes Johnson showed excellent shooting touch (50/42/77), and was very active on the defensive end with 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals per game.  Unfortunately, that game didn't come with him to the pros.  Johnson has looked lost on defense, has shot very poorly, and has turned the ball over too much. He has excellent size for a guard at 6'7" but just isn't good enough against the top-tier competition of the NBA.

Small Forwards

In : Derrick Williams

Derrick has had limited time in his rookie season but has shown why he was drafted No. 2 overall in this past year's draft.  He has the size to muscle other small forwards around, and the bulk to bang with power forwards.  When given time, Derrick has rebounded well and with more experience, his shooting and instincts will improve.  He may be best suited as a sixth man if the Wolves can find another starter.

Out : Michael Beasley, Martell Webster

At 6'10", Beasley towers over the competition at small forward.  Unfortunately that doesn't translate into good rebounding numbers, as he averages just 5.8 for his career.  He did have a resurgence of sorts last year with Minnesota, averaging 19.2 points a game, but he seems better suited to being the best player on a bad team.  He will catch on somewhere and hopefully mature to the point he can be okay with a complimentary role on a good team, but with the Timberwolves on the way up, he should move on.  Webster has never been a starting quality player, and doesn't have a really strong attribute to keep him on the floor, either.  He is supposedly a three point shooter but only averages 38 percent for his career.  His major back problems are a big scare, and I can't see the Timberwolves giving him any more money. 

Power Forwards

In : Kevin Love, Anthony Randolph

Love is going to be a perennial All-Star for many years to come.  His shooting is excellent for a big man and his rebounding will contend for the title every single season.  He is a superstar that doesn't need to hog the spotlight and a perfect fit for the Timberwolves system.  Anthony Randolph has had trouble staying on the court recently, but his skill-set makes him very valuable.  He is a long 6'11" and even though his blocks per game are only .5, his presence alters many shots.  Randolph seems better-suited to dunks instead of jump shots, which an uptempo offense can give him.

Out : Anthony Tolliver 

Tolliver can provide solid stretches from time to time, but hasn't been consistent enough to find meaningful minutes in the NBA.  He isn't tall enough to guard power forwards and isn't fast enough to guard small forwards.

Centers 

In : Nikola Pekovic

Nikola is a bruiser who provides some much needed toughness inside.  I would love for the Wolves to give him some real minutes and see what he does.  In limited minutes, he has put up a PER of 17.09 (compared to a league-average 15.0).  He got his first start recently and made the most of it, putting up 14 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes.  At 6'11", 290lbs, he can be a load in the middle and the Timberwolves would love to see that on a regular basis.

Out : Darko Milicic, Brad Miller

At one point in the year, Darko went three games without scoring.  He is a 7'0" center who has gone four games without going to the free throw line.  He has a total of 31 attempts in 339 minutes.  For someone that big, those numbers are unacceptable in the NBA.  Brad Miller was a solid pro in his day, but at 35 years old, his career is down to mop-up minutes.

Conclusion

The Timberwolves have a potential All-Star combination at point guard and power forward, but have some decisions to make at the other positions.  They are a very young team that can gel and improve under the guidance of Rick Adelman. If Ellington, Williams, and Pekovic can provide solid minutes, they will be a playoff team for many years.

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