No matter how unlucky you think your team has been with injuries this year, unless you're a Minnesota Timberwolves fan, you don't have it the worst. The Wolves are missing All-Star Kevin Love for their second long stretch of the year, Ricky Rubio is just getting healthy, Chase Budinger hasn't played since November and Andrei Kirilenko, the one player who's been holding everything together, is out until at least the All-Star Break. No wonder Rick Adelman wants GM David Kahn to do something. From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
NBA trade rumors: Rick Adelman wants Timberwolves to improve roster
The Timberwolves’ injury-ravaged roster needs more improving, their head coach said.
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Adelman made clear that signing [Chris Johnson and Mickael Gelabale until the end of the season] shouldn't preclude the team from trying to improve the roster more. "We'd better be hoping to do something," he said. "We have to improve this team."
It's not quite clear what Adelman hopes his team improves. Right now, the Timberwolves sit at 18-29, 7.5 games behind the Houston Rockets for the last spot in the Western Conference playoffs. At this stage of the season, barring a crazy run, they're simply no longer playoff contenders.
Maybe Adelman is referring to dealing some short term contracts to contenders for young assets and draft picks, but when coaches are talking about improving their team, it's rarely to lose more games in the short term. According to the Star-Trib'unes Kent Youngblood, Budinger won't be back until mid- to late-March. Love is expected to return around the same time. Unless the Timberwolves swing a deal for Paul Pierce somehow, Adelman is likely to be disappointed.
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