Pollard: Adelman needs experienced players

Scot Pollard raves about Rick Adelman. The 6-foot-11 former NBA center credits Adelman for the longevity of his 11-year playing career and calls Adelman his favorite professional coach. He also has a reality check for Minnesota Timberwolves fans who think Adelmans presence alone will unlock the potential in Minnesotas youth-laden lineup: Adelmans system works best with veterans players who can be trusted. Last years Wolves squad led the league in turnovers and was the youngest in the NBA. With the additions of rookie forward Derrick Williams and point guard Ricky Rubio, its only getting younger. The Timberwolves are hardly a let-them-play bunch. Rick has to have the players who know how to make decisions on the court, Pollard said this week after Adelman, 65, was hired Monday to coach the Timberwolves. If you have a young team that needs to learn the fundamentals, his style may not be what you need from your coach. Pollard played five seasons for the Sacramento Kings a rendezvous in Californias capitol that coincided with the arrival of Adelman, along with Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic and Jason Williams. The Kings had just one playoff appearance in their previous 12 years and were coming off a 27-55 season. At first blush, the situation mirrors what Adelman inherits in Minnesota a struggling franchise in desperate need of on-court guidance. Sacramentos 10-man rotation in the 1998-99 shortened season (due to the leagues previous lockout) featured five players in their first or second seasons, somewhat paralleling the young bunch Adelman will lead when the current labor impasse passes. But there were two key differences namely, Webber and Divac. Rick was a great manager of talent, more than a manger of egos, Pollard said. Egos on that team didnt exist because Chris and Vlade didnt let people come in and think they were better than the team. Rick certainly fostered that environment, but he needed help. The guys on that team were the perfect mix. Adelman played seven seasons in the NBA, so he has an advanced understanding of what teams need to succeed. Pollard claimed Adelman struck the perfect balance between keeping players ready without overworking them, knowing when to call a play or let them play, when to provide a pat on the back or kick in the pants. He was able to execute this approach because of the veteran leadership Sacramento had in place. Webber was in his sixth season when Adelman took over the Kings, and Divac was in his 10th. Webber and Divac were the squads top scorers and rebounders, first and third in blocked shots and third and second in assists, respectively. So while the average starter and regular rotation member in Sacramento had less than four years of NBA experience, the ship was steadied by All-Star caliber vets. Minnesota doesnt have that luxury. As Adelmans eight-year tenure with the Kings went on, the average amount of NBA experience among his starters climbed steadily from 3.6 years in his first season to eight years in his fifth. The Wolves, conversely, trotted out a starting lineup with 3.6 years of NBA experience a season ago but are going backward as Adelman takes over. Assuming a small lineup with Kevin Love at center, Williams mixed in with Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson at the wing positions and Luke Ridnour keeping Rubios seat warm, Minnesotas starters will average 2.9 years of NBA experience. Thrust Rubio into the starting five and its Love and Beasley, each entering their fourth seasons, representing the veteran presence. Dont look to the bench for experience, either. Darko Milicic is hardly an example to follow despite entering his ninth season, and Martell Webster has yet to break out entering his seventh. That leaves only Anthonys Tolliver and Randolph, both entering their fourth seasons, as potential rotation members with experience. In other words, this isnt Sacramento East. A lower maturity level requires more coaching, more discipline on and off the court, Pollard said. We didnt have a lot of rules off the court. Be smart, be ready to play basketball. Some of the young guys dont understand that. Oh its the NBA, Im here to party, have a good time. Then in January they wonder why they have no energy. Assuming the Wolves approach the season as professionals never a slam dunk with a group of rich men in their early 20s they still have to develop chemistry, learn the system, and most important, earn the trust of their coach. It might be more straining at first than then the Sacramento style where he had faith in us to make decisions and change on the fly, Pollard said. They may need a more rigid offense, to learn NBA basketball before they can roll. Youll see a wide-open offense if the players can handle the freedom. Its a lot of fun to watch. Its the way its supposed to be played. Youre giving the athletes ability to make basketball plays and be artists. The Wolves long and athletic corps would make Adelmans offense which borrows from many Princeton philosophies that require cutting, backdoor screens and constant movement feel like basketball bliss. Yes, theres still the issue of defense, but Pollard saw first-hand how Adelman crafted defensive schemes that worked even when his high-octane offense was on the floor. The Kings ranked in the top 10 in fewest points allowed per possession for four straight seasons starting in 1999-2000, peaking at No. 2 in 2002-03. Our mentality was to put pressure on them and get them to shoot in first 10 to 15 seconds of shot clock, Pollard said. We know well shoot more, take better shots and shoot a higher percentage. You take a team not used to shooting the ball in 10 seconds, that makes them hurry up and gets them out of their comfort zone. A lot of teams couldnt handle it. Question is: Can Minnesota handle it? Pollard posed plenty of rhetorical questions the Wolves will need to answer as Adelman takes over: Does he have the type of young players who will handle the freedom of being able to create? That have the basketball IQ to make the decisions in the framework of his plays? Or will they make boneheaded plays and abuse the freedoms of his offense for their own glory? Its a fine line between a basketball play and trying to be selfish and get a basket when the coaches give you freedom. If they have players who mature and make intelligent decisions, youll see a much improved Minnesota team this year. If they end up too young to handle the freedom, not intelligent enough to make basketball plays, they will struggle and Ricks system may not fit. Consider this your warning.