FanShot

New Year's Resolutions For Four Struggling NBA Franchises

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Minnesota Timberwolves, 8-25, 14th in Western Conference Resolution: Add a bona fide shooting guard For better or worse, Minnesota's invested almost $34 million in Darko Milicic and Nikola Pekovic over the next four seasons, according to ShamSports.com, so it's set at center. Kevin Love deserves All-Star consideration for his eye-popping productivity across the board at power forward. The offensive freedom coach Kurt Rambis afforded Michael Beasley at small forward has revitalized the third-year player's flagging career. Veteran Luke Ridnour and sophomore Jonny Flynn are simply filling in for Ricky Rubio until the Spanish sensation can join the team. Indeed, shooting guard is the only long-term hole in this team. But it's a hole in the present as well. Wayne Ellington is the only natural two-guard on the roster at present, and he stands at just 6-foot-4, making him more of a specialist. The Timberwolves are fairly well stocked for the future, but need to add a wing presence who can at least defend opposing shooting guards without hurting the team on offense. Corey Brewer satisfies the former condition, but certainly not the latter. Now in his fourth season, Brewer is averaging career-worst 36.3 percent shooting, which makes him a tremendous liability on offense, one whom opposing defenses can ignore in order to apply pressure elsewhere.