Tskitish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jugs]

Tskitishvili Agrees To Deal With Wolves
St Paul Pioneer Press - 07/22 - 7:12 AM EST
The Timberwolves on Thursday agreed to a contract with free-agent forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili and have made offers to free-agent forwards Eddie Griffin and Mark Madsen.

Tskitishvili had 25 points and 10 rebounds last Friday in his summer league debut with the Wolves. He broke a bone in his right hand in his second game and will be out about four weeks. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"However they want to use me, they can use me," Tskitishvili said of his role with the Wolves during a phone interview. "I can do everything. I can be a rebounder. I can be a low post player if I work on my post moves more this summer. I can be a shooter. I'm ready for everything."

The Denver Nuggets picked Tskitishvili fifth overall in the 2002 NBA draft. He averaged three points and 11.9 minutes in his first three seasons. In February, Denver traded him to Golden State in a package that involved Eduardo Najera.

Tskitishvili, 7 feet, 225 pounds, is most well known for his shooting ability. He is only 22 years old, and the Wolves believe he has talent and potential. Rex Kalamian, who helped coach the Wolves' summer league team, spoke highly of Tskitishvili last week but said being consistent has been his biggest challenge.

"I really like all the coaches," Tskitishvili said. "It seemed like they really cared about me. I loved the way the fans were excited about me when I was playing there."

Found this on http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap/
didn't want to register...


Tskitish is my favourite ..... bust

[iG®]

Taking Tskitishvili over Jaric is just wrong .

[J@3]

I like Tskitishvilli and I think this was a pretty bad move for him. He should go somewhere where he's actually going to play. They said "and have made offers to free-agent forwards Eddie Griffin and Mark Madsen." ... they both play his position, sort of. Should've gone to Atlanta or something... when you're in the position he is, winning comes after proving yourself.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

The question is, how much money did they give him?

[SkipToMy_Lou]

I doubt the contract would have been big...

Also Madsen recieved a 1.7M offer from the Wizards, so he may yet leave.

[Jugs]

Tskitishvili is an OK player IMO but Minnesota isn't a good place for him unless Madsen or Griffin leaves..

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Tskitishvili is an OK player IMO but Minnesota isn't a good place for him unless Madsen or Griffin leaves..

he can play SF... probably.

[Mentally Hilarious]

Nikoloz... Well...

he's shown he can light it up in SL, but what he has shown so far in the real league leaves me wondering why he didn't go to europe for a year or two. He'll never take Griffins position off the bench as a PF, and he wont make Madsen take a step down either. In MIN he's stuck between positions and has better players ahead of him at both, so silly move for him. he should have tried to impress the people in, say, Now Orleans instead. Where he could have gotten some nice minutes to help him develop.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

he should have tried to impress the people in, say, Now Orleans instead. Where he could have gotten some nice minutes to help him develop.

Thre's still the NBDL, for him to get some PT... and that's probably where he'll end up playing for the most part of the upcoming season...

[Riot]

To go to the NBDL you have to have less than 3 years in the league.

I think this is an ok move. I saw Skita at the summer league and he was dominating before he broke his wrist.

If the Wolves choice to re-sign Madsen and Griffin (and they actually accept) then Skita might get some playing time. Wolves signed Dwyane Jones but he will be sent to the NBDL this year.

So the front court would look like this:

C-Olowokandi/Madsen
PF-Garnett/Griffin/Skita

Seems like a solid move. Hell, maybe Griffin and Garnett will start at the 4 and 5 together.

[Kobe101]

L
O
L

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

C-Olowokandi/Madsen
PF-Garnett/Griffin/Skita

Take away KG and you have by far the worst frontcourt in a Western contender. Add KG and you get a pretty good, but one-dimensional frontcourt. The Wolves are in trouble up front. KG and his wiry frame cannot take much more punishment, especially given the level of intensity he brings with himn every second on te court. McHale better work out some wonder trades involving Spree, Sam or wally if this team is going to be a contender once more.

[Riot]

You'd be surprised.

As much as I hate Olowokandi and I make fun of him he has improved a lot lately. Kandi and Griffin stay after practice and work on post moves with McHale and Garnett and it's shown on the court.

Kandi isn't a very good center, but I'd rather have him than say Adonal Foyle or Danny Fortson. Kandi has skills and sometimes he shows them. I think it's a matter of him knowing his role and staying healthy. I think he's more suited coming off the bench so he doesn't have to worry about taking shots away from KG, Wally, Cassell, ect.

Eddie Griffin has some range on his shot and him and Garnett are a great team. Griffin stands out behind three point range at the top and KG gets a double and he kicks it out to Griffin. There were about 30 of those this season before Griffin got hurt. It was money. Not to mention Griffin is a great rebounder and a great shot blocker. He's fearless when it comes to shot blocking, which helps Garnett and the other guys defense knowing Griffin can go up and contest the shot.

I loved having Griffin on the team because he could do so many things that none of the Wolves previous big men could do besides Garnett. And Olowokandi has improved since McHale took over as head coach even though he still is a dumbass. Madsen is going to hustle and get a few offensive rebounds (along with a few offensive fouls) and Skita can shoot the three just as Griffin can.

One of the things I don't like about Griffin though is he is learning post moves but he never shows them in the game. His one post move is get the ball, go away from the basket and throw up a fade-away J. He needs to learn how to muscle his way in offensively, but I think he can. Last year was his first year of playing basketball in 18 months and he played pretty damn well. Wolves better re-sign him.

PG-Cassell/Hudson/Carter?
SG-Hassell/McCants
SF-Wally/???/Ebi (Ebi better not be Wally's backup)
PF-Garnett/Griffin/Skita
C-Olowokandi/Madsen

I think that team can be a playoff team. If you look at past Timberwolves playoff teams (2003 playoffs, 4th seed in West).

C-Rasho
PF-Garnett
SF-Wally (He was out for 30+ games in the regular season though)
SG-Peeler
PG-Hudson

Wolves have had success overachieving (hell, this was their first time ever underachieving). Flip always had success putting hard-working players next to Garnett and making it click. I think Casey can do the same thing when he preaches defense.

Remember Troy Hudson? Way back in his Orlando days he was a defensive stopper. That's how he got his minutes. I think if Casey can put that kind of mentality back into Hudson's head and Hudson can return healthy (he wasn't healthy all last season) I think we could see the 2003 playoffs Hudson back. Sure, maybe I'm being stupid and un-rational but what the hell.

Bottom line: that frontline would be a solid frontcourt. When you have Garnett all you really need is some solid guys around him. If you look at the Spurs frontcourt on paper before they got Nazr what would you think? Duncan, Rasho, Malik Rose? But Duncan makes them better because all the attention is surrounded around him. Same thing applies to Garnett.

[beau_boy04]

Gosh the Wolves roster isn't impresive at all. Maybe if they all stay healthy they could reach the playoff. KG needs to go somewhere else! The Wolves are not going anywhere with their current roster. I would hate to see KG retired without a ring.