5 Minnesota Timberwolves

Power forward Joe Smith is in no hurry. Fifteen minutes after the Timberwolves' afternoon scrimmage at the Target Center has wrapped, he calmly swishes five-foot turnaround jumpers in the paint before ambling to the sideline and sliding into a folding chair. "Last year in training camp I'd run from the court to the phone as soon as practice was over, trying to find out what was going on and wondering whether I'd have to start packing my bags," says Smith. "Now I'm just happy to be back, to have a home."

Smith's anxious sprints from the hardwood to the handset came as the NBA was investigating an under-the-table, seven-year, $86 million contract engineered by Smith's former agent, Eric Fleisher, and team owner Glen Taylor. The penalty for Taylor's attempt to circumvent the salary cap was harsh: Commissioner David Stern fined the club $3.5 million, voided Smith's contract and declared him a free agent, suspended Taylor for the season and stripped the team of five first-round picks. (One has since been reinstated.) Vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale also was forced to take an eight-month leave of absence.

At least Minnesota's passion, though self-destructive, was sincere. Given another shot at Smith in July, the Timberwolves used their mid-level exception to sign him to a (legit) six-year, $34 million deal. Was it worth throwing their last pile of cash at a 26-year-old who shot 40.3% for the woeful Pistons in 2000-01 and seems, at best, a slight upgrade over last season's starter, LaPhonso Ellis? "Joe is one of the best in the league at defending off the ball, at taking charges, at helping from the weak side, and he's our best offensive rebounder," says coach Flip Saunders. "Joe's a great blend with our players, and he can be extremely productive if he can find his niche."

Unfortunately for the Timberwolves, who have lost in the first round of the playoffs for five straight seasons, tinkering with role players won't be enough. Though Wally Szczerbiak, 24, was offered in several packages, including a three-way deal that would have brought Gary Payton, his standout performance for Saunders at the Goodwill Games (13.0 points per game, 69.7% from the field, 61.5% from three-point range) has sold the T-Wolves on his long-term potential.

The team's most glaring weakness remains at center, where last year Saunders employed a four-headed monster dubbed LaRasho D. Slaterellis by the Minneapolis Star Tribune: Ellis, inconsistent 7-footer Rasho Nesterovic, journeyman Dean Garrett and undersized Reggie Slater. This season the job is up for grabs among Garrett, Nesterovic and Loren Woods, the 7'1" rookie from Arizona. Against smaller frontcourts Smith, an effective low-post scorer, will also be pressed into duty in the pivot, as he was in his two previous seasons in Minnesota. Ideally, though, Saunders will keep the 6'10", 225-pound Smith at the four and use the super-sized pairing of Szczerbiak at off-guard and Kevin Garnett at small forward. "Moving KG out on the floor helps us tremendously," Saunders says. "With his versatility, his wingspan, his ability to defend and to deflect balls, he causes a lot of havoc." Adds Smith, his eyes widening at the prospect, "That lineup would create some serious matchup problems."

In the off-season Smith married his longtime girlfriend, Yolanda Moorer (with whom he has two children, Alanna, 8, and Cameron, 3), and moved into a three-story town house in Minnetonka—the same suburb Smith lived in during his previous stint with the Timberwolves. "In the last year I've heard so much doubt," Smith says. "People want to know why the Timber-wolves would risk anything on a player like me, a player who hasn't really done much during his career. I want to quiet those critics. That's my main motivation."

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