Wolves notes: Hoiberg hangs on as team resource
Steve Aschburner, Star Tribune
October 4, 2005

Three months into his recovery from heart surgery, Fred Hoiberg will
have a new role in training camp with the Timberwolves. He will
coach, he will advise and he will probably be more physically active
than you might expect.

Hoiberg, though no longer on the active roster, said Monday that he
plans to take part in some shooting drills with the players. He
already is working out, with restrictions, and intends to get back
on the court with them sooner rather than later.

"I'm going to be practicing with these guys a lot," Hoiberg said at
the team's media day at Target Center, "as I get cleared to do more."

The 10-year NBA veteran's role still is fuzzy -- mentor? nonroster
coach? -- but he will be around as a resource. "The big thing is
going to be, if they want me to help them, I'll be happy to do
that," Hoiberg said. "Especially with shooting, because that's
something I think I can help guys a lot with."

No Sam, no Spree

Neither Sam Cassell nor Latrell Sprewell showed up for Wolves media
day. But this time it didn't matter.

Each veteran player was a no-show -- Sprewell in 2003, Cassell last
year -- for this event. But Cassell is with the L.A. Clippers now,
and Sprewell is an unsigned free agent. Both were blamed when the
Wolves missed the playoffs last season. Still, forward Kevin Garnett
said he would miss them. "It's hard," he said. "I've always had vets
around me. This will be the first year that I don't have that."

Not quite ready

First-round pick Rashad McCants said he was healthy for about "85
percent" of the practices and drills in camp. "They're going to move
me in slowly, because they don't want any recurring injuries," the
shooting guard from North Carolina said.

A groin injury kept him out of summer league play, and a sprained
ankle shut him down at the team's informal workout in Las Vegas in
August.

Guard Marko Jaric, meanwhile, admitted that he was mentally fatigued
after a summer spent playing for the Serbia and Montenegro national
team in EuroBasket 2005 and a trans-Atlantic flight Sunday.

Free agents signed

The Wolves pushed their training camp roster to 19 by signing
forward Ryan Humphrey and guards John Lucas and Marlon Parmer.
Humphrey made 85 appearances over three seasons with Orlando and
Memphis. Lucas and Parmer earned invitations with their play for the
Minnesota entry in the summer league.

Also camping out

Former NBA guard Rex Chapman, a draft consultant for the Wolves in
June, will be with the team in the preseason, then serve as a scout
working out of Phoenix.