NBA Preview 2012: 8 Questions for the Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have had a turbulent existence to say the least. Over their 22 years in the National Basketball Association, the Timberwoves have had many eras come and go. Obviously, the most successful was the Kevin Garnet era, which came and went without a championship.

Since that era ended on July 31, 2007 when Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics, the Timberwolves have been struggling to recover ever since. After a couple of disappointing seasons with Kevin McHale at the helm, the Wolves fired McHale to bring in David Kahn.

Kahn has been a punchline for his wheeling and dealing that has seemed to run the franchise into the ground, but after last offseason there finally is hope that something could develop in Minnesota.

As the Timberwolves start another chapter in their history, here are 10 things to look for when the Timberwolves open their season December 26th against Oklahoma City.

Will the Presence of Rick Adelman Make Any Difference for the Wolves?

In the Wolves' most successful season in 2003-04, Rick Adelman was one of the obstacles in the path of the greatest team in the franchises' history. In a seven game series, Adelman's Sacramento Kings gave the Wolves all they could handle until they succumbed in that final game.

Flash forward nine years later and Adelman will play a different role with the franchise. Adelman will become the 10th coach in the team's history when the Wolves take the floor on December 26.

With the exception of Flip Saunders (and maybe Dwayne Casey when you look at his track record), the Wolves have always gone for the bargain basement coach. Sure, Kurt Rambis was a big name, but without Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum running the triangle offense he was just as effective as Sidney Lowe.

In a rare occurrence, the Wolves decided to go with a coach with head coaching experience in the NBA. Adelman fits that bill as he ranks 13th in NBA history with 800 coaching wins. Simply put, he should know what he's doing.

The question is will the big name translate to success on the court. Adelman did a great job with young talent in Sacremento, but couldn't capture the same success for the Houston Rockets.

If Adelman can provide some proper guidance, the Wolves could be a much improved team.

Can Kevin Love Play Center After Losing Weight During Lockout?

The guy in the photo you see to the left is still Kevin Love. No, really...it is. Love has lost between 20 and 25 pounds since the end of last season when he weighed about 265 pounds. He's also down from 275 since his freshman season at UCLA.

The 6'9" Love losing weight is a great thing for the Wolves, but it also could hurt them in the long run. If the Wolves still plan on using Love at center, will a slimmer Love hurt him defensively because of his size, or grant him more quickness against bigger centers?

While Love didn't play center last year with Darko Milicic clogging up that spot, the Wolves may decide to try and use him there while trying to find minutes for Derrick Williams and Michael Beasley.

The Wolves acquired Anthony Randolph in the Carmelo Anthony trade last February to help ease the load in the frontcourt, but if Love has to play extended minutes at the 5 for any reason it will be interesting to see how he holds up.

Do the Timberwolves Have Depth or Just a Bunch of Warm Bodies?

The Timberwolves have claimed to be stockpiling assets for years now. It seems like their final product is almost here after several seasons rebuilding under David Kahn, who claims that there is plenty of depth on the reconstructed roster. The real question is do the Wolves have depth or just a bunch of warm bodies?

There is a difference between the two. If the Wolves have quality depth they may be able to withstand a short-term injury without going right down the gutter. If the Wolves have a bunch of warm bodies they may look a lot like they did last year.

This year's additions should help. Along with Anthony Randolph, the Wolves took Derrick Williams with the 2nd pick in the NBA Draft last June. That essentially creates a log jam at forward with several talented players vying for playing time.

The same situation could be said at point guard where the Wolves finally got Ricky Rubio to come over from Spain. They also picked up J.J. Barrea from the Dallas Mavericks to provide depth at shooting guard and point guard. Luke Ridinour also remains on the roster, and while he can't be an impact starter, he could be a good backup option if somebody goes down.

The way this new found depth plays out for the Wolves will be key for them this season.

How Will the Minutes Be Distributed in the Frontcourt?

Assuming the Wolves do have some depth, it will be interesting to see how Rick Adelman gets all of these guys onto the court. This will be especially key between Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Derrick Williams, and Anthony Randolph.

You can never have enough talent at one position, but the reality is that none of these guys can slide down to the guard spot. There are four players for three spots.

What the Wolves may wind up doing is playing Love at center, Beasley at power forward, and Williams at small forward. It's not the most ideal lineup as it leaves the Wolves undersized in the paint, but it would likely be the most effective if Rubio can get the ball to everyone.

The most interesting dilemma will be between Beasley and Williams. When looking at the two, the argument could be made that Williams is a right-handed version of Beasley. While both men are capable of playing in the paint, both guys want to play at the 3 and try and face up to the basket rather than back a man down.

The Wolves frontcourt will be "long and athletic" but can it co-exist with so many similar players?

Will Wes Johnson Breakout in His Second Season?

Coming out of Syracuse, Wes Johnson was never considered a sure-fire superstar. In most evaluators eyes, Johnson could become a valuable role player on a contending team. The Wolves may not be anywhere near contending, but now that Kurt Rambis is gone, we'll see what kind of player Johnson can become.

On the defensive end, Johnson was asked to guard some of the top players in the NBA last season. On a team that struggles defensively, Johnson did his best. However, he was also playing out of position at the 2 rather than the 3.

In his second year, the Wolves will be looking for improvement from Johnson. He probably won't get any minutes at small forward with Beasley and Williams entrenched there, but if he's going to play shooting guard he needs to improve his 35.6 three-point shooting percentage from last year.

It may not be fair, but if Johnson wants to be a starter in this league, it's a make-or-break season for the youngster.

Can Anthony Randolph Finally Put It All Together?

Anthony Randolph was considered a freak of nature when he came out of LSU at age 19. Scouts drooled over Randolph's athleticism and wingspan and thought that he could be a superstar in the making. So, it was no wonder that when the Wolves were deemed part of the Carmelo Anthony trade, David Kahn demanded that Randolph be sent to the Wolves.

Randolph has been a bit of an enigma since he joined the league as he has already played for the Golden State Warriors (who drafted him 14th overall in 2008) and New York Knicks. It's been said that poor attitude has been the problem for Randolph in his previous stops, but his small sample size at the end of the season was pretty impressive.

Randolph played in 23 games last season, averaging 11.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in roughly 20 minutes per game. When Randolph's stats were put to a pace of 36 minutes, Randolph's numbers were a whopping 21 points per game with 9 rebounds per contest.

Numbers can lie sometimes, but if the Wolves can find Randolph some playing time, he could find his potential that made him a lottery pick.

How Bad Will the Marko Jaric Trade Hurt?

Another reason why the Timberwolves need to show improvement is that the worst trade in franchise history will finally be completed this season. The Wolves will finally send their first round pick owed in the Sam Cassell trade to the New Orleans Hornets (who acquired the pick earlier this week in the Chris Paul trade).

In the original deal, the Wolves got Marko Jaric. Jaric did nothing but underwhelm in his three seasons in Minnesota and the price of Cassel and a first round pick could come back to haunt.

If the Wolves have a bad season, the Hornets will get a really good player in what is known as a deep 2012 draft. It's going to be important for this to be the year for the Wolves to show improvement.

What Do the Timberwolves Have in Ricky Rubio?

Speaking of events that are finally here, a day that would some thought would never happen is coming. Ricky Rubio is going to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves after two seasons playing in Spain. The question is now what they have in the 21-year-old point guard.

We all know Rubio's story. He played very well in the 2008 Olympics and that lead to his status of being "the next big thing." After the Wolves took Rubio in the 2009 draft, he decided to stay in Spain for a couple of seasons until he could afford his buyout (although some say it was a move to try and get a trade to a bigger market).

There are so many questions surrounding Rubio right now and that's what will make the Timberwolves interesting. The statistics in Rubio's last two seasons playing for Barcelona showed major regression, but he has played it off like it was a minor bump in the road.

There are questions as to whether Rubio can make a jump shot, but I believe he has one role on the team: Get the ball to the playmakers. If Rubio can get the ball to Love, Beasley, and Williams he will be successful.

It's also a wonder whether Rubio can handle the weight of being the face of the franchise. The Wolves do have Kevin Love and it's a possibility that Derrick Williams could develop into a NBA superstar as well. But all eyes will be on Rubio when he takes the court. There's going to be a lot of pressure on the kid.

Again, if Rubio can play a solid point guard for the Wolves it will be a success for a franchise that has struggled to find one since Sam Cassell left.