EIGHT-MAN ROTATION
Pos	Player	Key Stat	Skinny
PG	Terrell Brandon	8.6 APG	He's no Marbury, but scores and passes
SG	Anthony Peeler	.379 FG %	Wally's World coming to Peeler's town
SF	Kevin Garnett	20.8 PPG	Next step for him is playoff success
PF	Joe Smith	8.2 RPG	What? Someone actually re-signed here?
C	Rad. Nesterovic	2 games	Unknown might be project this season
SG	Wally Szczerbiak	rookie	Questions: Can he create? Defend?
PG	William Avery	rookie	Looks like a player, might see time at 2
SG	Sam Mitchell	11.2 PPG	Good team guy consistently produces

		Flip Saunders has done an outstanding job with the T'Wolves. They are athletic and have recovered well from the loss of Stephon Marbury because Terrell Brandon has stepped in and done a nice job. He's an All-Star, a playmaking point guard who can shoot and avoid turnovers. He works well with Kevin Garnett, everybody's all-star. Rookie Wally Szczerbiak will give them what they need, perimeter shooting. That is so important because it will allow them to spread the floor. Joe Smith does a good job as a weakside defender, shot blocker and rebounder. My concern is at the two-guard spot. If they can stablize themselves there, then Minnesota will be a team to be reckoned with, fighting with Phoenix and Houston possibly for the No. 4 playoff spot out West.

It took one offseason.

The 1999-2000 Wolves will boast a re-signed former All-Star, Terrell Brandon, who came to the Twin Cities in the Marbury deal; No. 6 overall draft pick Wally Szczerbiak, whom they also got as a result of the Marbury deal; another first-round pick, William Avery; and Slovenian center Radoslav Nesterovic, a first-rounder in 1998 who didn't sign with the team until two games before last season's playoffs.

In addition, three-time All-Star Kevin Garnett returns for the third year of his league-richest six-year, $126 million contract; power forward Joe Smith signed another one-year deal this offseason; and shooting guard Anthony Peeler, who struggled with injuries and bulk last season, reported to camp healthy and in shape.

In all, 13 players were signed before the Wolves started training camp, 11 of whom played with the team last season. Instead of trading for high-priced free agents, Saunders and front-office partner Kevin McHale opted to build through continuity. Now, six of the signed Wolves are age 24 or younger. And expectations are high that the Wolves will win the first playoff series in the team's history, at least.

"We're by far the deepest we've ever been," Saunders says.

But one problem the Wolves face entering their season is injuries, specifically to their frontcourt. Smith, last year's starting power forward, broke a bone in his left foot before camp began and may not be ready for the season opener. Smith's backup, 10-year veteran Tom Hammonds, suffered stress reactions in his heels two weeks into training camp and was ordered to stay off his feet and out of practice. Sam Mitchell, who played at both forward spots as last year's sixth man, had offseason knee surgery and was aiming to play by the Wolves' final exhibition game. And Dean Garrett, last year's starting center, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Oct. 15 and was scheduled to be sidelined for about a month.

The pressure will be on Minnesota's reloaded talent base to fill in for a while. But the caveat, says Saunders, is this: "It sure will make us a better team when everyone returns."

Player to watch

Smith On a team with a good point guard and emerging outside shooters and one of the top two or three players in the game, Joe Smith's job is to make sure that this team rebounds and defends the post. At 6-10, and rail-thin, Smith isn't a true center, but he may be asked to play a lot of it depending on what Radoslav Nesterovic and Dean Garrett can contribute. Smith will never be a 20 and 10 guy, but this team needs more defense anyway.

Point guard
Brandon, 29, isn't as flamboyant as Marbury, who forced the trade to New Jersey because he wanted to be closer to home (and was reportedly jealous of Garnett's contract and endorsement deals). But the former Cavalier and Buck gives the Wolves something they've never had in a point guard: an All-Star. Brandon, who led the league is assist-to-turnover ratio last season (4.18-to-1), also provides a veteran presence, something else Marbury couldn't give. One of his jobs is to help lead the team, but the other is to help lead-and train-his backups, Avery and third-year pro Bobby Jackson.

Jackson struggled last year without practice time and by the end of the season was relegated to the bench. But at presstime a poised, confident Jackson looked to be winning the backup position over Avery, a 19-year-old sharpshooter who undoubtedly is a big part of the team's future.

Shooting guard
Working out in the heat of Palm Springs, Calif., did wonders for Peeler. Not only was his weight re-adjusted, but his attitude was too. "It wakes you up real fast when you hear things like you're about to be traded," the 29-year-old said before training camp. Peeler, who set a Wolves record for three-point accuracy (.453) in 1997, seems to have returned to full-time starting form. The drafting of Szczerbiak surely helped fuel his fire.

Although the 6-7 Szczerbiak is naturally a small forward, Saunders says he might play the rookie at the 2-spot because the team needs shooters and it would give the Wolves extra size. Szczerbiak's role at shooting guard was limited in the preseason because Peeler looked so good and because so many forwards were injured, but should Saunders want to go big, expect to see Szczerbiak in the backcourt. Malik Sealy, who averaged 8.1 points last year, also returns.

Small forward
Garnett, who's listed at 6-11 but is closer to 7-1, has reinvented this position over his four years in the league. Expect nothing different from the 23-year-old this season. The only thing he seemingly hasn't done yet is win a playoff series. He's a three-time All-Star, he averaged a double-double last season, he's one of the best defensive players in the league, and he's patiently extended his shot year after year. Plus he's the most versatile player on the team: His starting position is small forward, but he played power forward in exhibition games most of the preseason and can bring the ball up the floor.

Szczerbiak started most of the exhibition season at small forward as Garnett filled in on the post; expect him to move to backup as the frontcourt heals. Team leader Mitchell does his best work at this spot.

Power forward
The uncertain status of Smith and Hammonds gives Andrae Patterson opportunity. Patterson, the Wolves' second-round pick in 1998, saw limited time as a rookie and did little to impress. He showed lots of offensive ability in the preseason, however, and his defense clearly was coming around as well. Smith, a top talent, will be the starter once his foot heals. Until then, expect Garnett to shift to power forward. And expect Patterson's minutes to creep up as the season progresses.

Center
As long as Garrett's out, the Wolves become thinner at center-in more ways than one. Saunders didn't want to have to play seven-footer Nesterovic 30-plus minutes a game; after all, he has only 30 minutes of NBA experience and isn't as bulky as Garrett. But he has shown a good aptitude to score. He's a finesse center, more apt to shoot than bang. But he's a good rebounder, too, and the Wolves need him to progress-not only to play for Garrett while he's injured, but with him when he returns.

Trevor Winter, who played in one game for five minutes with the Wolves last year, and 18-year vet Danny Schayes will back up Nesterovic until Garrett returns.

Coaching
Saunders deserved an NBA Coach of the Year vote or two last season just for his perseverance. Forward Tom Gugliotta left unexpectedly before the season. Marbury left midway through the season. Late-season injuries waylaid the Wolves to the point they almost didn't make the playoffs. Once there, though, the healing Wolves gave the eventual title-winning San Antonio Spurs a run, winning one game before limping back out of the playoffs. Saunders has led the Wolves to three straight playoff appearances. The question is, can he lead them to the next step?