Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having su

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This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Minnesota TimberwolvesOverall: 79 Title track: 89 Ownership: 74 Coaching: 41 Players: 64 Fan relations: 74 Affordability: 46 Stadium experience: 114 Bang for the buck: 97 Change from last year: +18Its hard to imagine a worse 27-year start for a franchise. Eight playoff appearances with seven first-round exits; 14 seasons with 30 or fewer wins; 11 coaches; 20 lottery picks, with 10 top-five picks; Kevin McHale and David Kahn; signing decent players to unwarranted, illegal, long-term deals on napkins ... and signing inept players to legal, long-term deals on regular paper. For the better part of the past three decades, to cheer for the Wolves has been to chuckle at -- or disregard -- top-to-bottom, franchise-wide dysfunction. Until now! For the first time in franchise history, theres a new, non-provincial country club in town -- and more young talent on this roster than at any time in the teams history.Whats goodWeirdly, so much. The Wolves improved in five of our eight categories and jumped 18 slots overall, in no small part because of a 30-spot jump in players. Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns has quickly become the most beloved athlete in the Twin Cities -- and perhaps had the greatest Minnesota sports moment of the past year. And oh, he averaged 18 points, 10.5 rebounds, two assists and 1.5 assists per game; only Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Ralph Sampson recorded better rookie-year stat lines. Andrew Wiggins averaged 21.3 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting his last 20 games, Zach LaVine improved after he was mercifully moved to shooting guard after a disastrous run as backup point, and Ricky Rubio, despite his poor shooting, ranked as the fifth-best point guard in Real Plus-Minus. With those players (not even mentioning rookie Kris Dunn!), the Wolves have a deeply promising foursome that has an average age of 22. Plus, the Wolves price of admission ($37.27) is still well below NBA average.Whats badWeirdly, not that much! At least relative to past years (or decades, really). Before Flip Saunders passing last year, he had put in place a franchise-wide overhaul: loads of young talent, adequate cap space, wily veterans and (some) open-mindedness toward analytics, all of which still exist. But lord almighty, do the Wolves need the Target Centers $130 million renovation, which is scheduled to be completed next summer. After a 111th-place ranking in stadium experience last year, the team ranks 114th this year -- by far the franchises lowest ranking among the eight categories. But if the Wolves new $25 million practice facility is any indication, fans have plenty to look forward to.Whats newPositivity. Hope. A future? It all starts with new coach Tom Thibodeau, who signed a five-year, $40 million deal to lead the organization (his hiring bumped the Wolves an impressive 57 spots in our rankings). He will improve the teams dreadful defense, which ranked 28th last season, and modernize the antiquated offense run under last years interim coach, Sam Mitchell, who never saw a long 2 he didnt like. (Seriously, last season, the Wolves led the NBA in the percentage of field goal attempts that were long 2s.) The Wolves won 16 games two seasons ago and 29 last season, with the two seasons serving as a microcosm of qualities that define the franchises history: irrelevance and mediocrity. Sure, the Wolves might still be mediocre this season, but if an 8-7 record in last years final 15 games is any indication, thanks to Flips vision and Thibodeaus emphasis on development, this team will be relevant -- and perhaps even contending -- for much longer.Next: Houston Rockets?| Full rankings Herre/Dame Puma by Rihanna Suede Creepers Sko Sort Hvid . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Herre/Dame Rihanna Fenty Puma Fur Slippers Sort . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. http://www.pumafentydanmark.com/puma-velvet-sneakers.html .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Puma Suede Creepers Rihanna .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Puma Suede Heart Satin Grå . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight?made an unexpected return after missing the previous two games with injury, but left in the fourth quarter of the Aggies 54-39 loss to LSU on Thursday with what looked to be a knee injury and did not return.Knight suffered a sprain in the AC joint of his throwing shoulder in a Nov. 5 loss to Mississippi State. On Nov. 8, coach Kevin Sumlin?initially ruled Knight?out for the rest of the regular season.Instead, Knight returned to throw for 211 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game late in the fourth quarter with what Sumlin termed a lower-body injury after an offensivee lineman was apparently blocked into his leg.dddddddddddd Sumlin said Knights shoulder was also sore, but specified thats not why Knight left the game.?On Monday, Knight told reporters that he wanted to play, but the decision was up to doctors. Before the game Thursday, Knight went through warm-ups and took all the snaps with the first team.Knight is fourth among SEC quarterbacks in rushing yards (583) and third in rushing touchdowns (10) and has thrown for 1,911 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '