Shabazz Muhammad did not hit the beach this summer.
The past two offseasons Muhammad, the Wolves' 6-6, 223-pound guard/forward, had spent a good chunk of time on Santa Monica Beach in California under the tutelage of Frank Matrisciano, the intense and unconventional trainer to the stars who likes to have his guys drag medicine balls up and down the stairs of the pier and run the beaches with weight-laden vests.
That beach training, at the time, was a good thing. Muhammad reported to camp the last two years ripped and explosive, lean and mean.
It's just that, this year — his fourth in the NBA — Muhammad thought he needed to work on something else.
"I've been in L.A. doing a lot of basketball stuff," he said. "More basketball stuff than running on the sand."
This is a crucial season for Muhammad, who has shown that he can be a dynamic and prolific scorer in the right situation. With a work ethic that never has been questioned, Muhammad has shown the ability to be an explosive offensive rebounder who can hold his own against bigger players when attacking the rim.
He's also proven to be an uneven performer. Especially on defense. And, with coach Tom Thibodeau taking over as president of basketball operations and head coach, that wasn't going to fly.
And Muhammad knew it.