Several Timberwolves players and staffers this summer went on a retreat in the Bahamas, the centerpiece of an offseason working not just on togetherness off the court but cohesiveness on the court.
It paid off early on, with the Wolves jumping out to a surprising 10-8 start and garnering playoff talk. Since then? They are 5-27, and this week they made a series of trades that dramatically overhauled their roster — much as Gersson Rosas had pledged to do when taking over as president of basketball operations nine months ago.
Seven new players took the stage at various points Friday for an introduction and comments to local media and fans. The biggest immediate questions: Without the benefit of training camp, what's fair to expect over the final 32 games of the season, and what will this look like on the court?
"This is one practice, and then we play," Rosas said Friday, acknowledging players will be learning on the fly before facing the Clippers at Target Center on Saturday.
As far as expectations go, it starts with effort level. Coach Ryan Saunders mentioned playing with an "underdog" mentality given the Wolves' record, 13-game losing streak and fresh starts for several newcomers who should see an increased role with their new team.
"This is going to be a hard-playing group that plays tough every night," Saunders said.
More important, though, is the answer to what this will look like on the court. The short answer: Probably a lot like the first 50 games, systemwise — but hopefully a lot better resultswise.
Even throughout two long losing streaks this year, Rosas and Saunders have remained steadfast in the approach the Wolves are taking by implementing an up-tempo offensive system that rewards efficiency.