Five Fresh Faces Preparing To Spur Wolves' Frech Start

The gang of five, the newest Timberwolves, from left, Theo Ratliff, Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, and Sebastian Telfair held up their new jerseys at the close of a news conference where they were introduced Tuesday afternoon.

Familiar with each other but foreign to their new fans in their new town, the five newest players on a completely remade Timberwolves team were introduced Tuesday at Target Center.

Four of those five Boston Celtics acquired along with two draft picks last week for Kevin Garnett -- the NBA's biggest trade ever for one player -- are 24 years or younger, which means the Timberwolves will head to training camp in Turkey come October with nine such players and possibly eight new faces.

"When people say young, they mean we're supposed to lose," said Al Jefferson, the fourth-year power forward who was the centerpiece of the trade. "I don't agree with that at all."

A report out of Boston when the trade was finalized suggested Jefferson was devastated that day.

"It wasn't that I took it hard," he said. "I just had never been traded before. The trade was more of a shock, but now I think it's a great opportunity for all of us. ... It's a compliment for all of us to be traded for KG, one of the best players in the league. I don't feel any pressure."

Unable to retain a collection of players around Garnett who could contend for a championship, the Wolves have reversed course, opting for the promise of youth and the possibility they can build a sustaining winner from a group that includes Jefferson and former Boston teammates Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair as well as Randy Foye, Craig Smith, Rashad McCants and first-round draft pick Corey Brewer.

A decade ago, Garnett, Stephon Marbury and Tom Gugliotta were the franchise's future, a promise that lasted less than two years before Gugliotta left via free agency and Marbury forced a trade to New Jersey. Many others -- Terrell Brandon, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell, among them -- followed.

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source : startribune.com