The “Aussie Shaq” Lands In Minnesota
When Kevin Love went down with a hand injury this preseason, Minnesota’s frontcourt of Love and Al Jefferson was cut in half. That’s why it made complete sense for them to find a good, young and cheap replacement in the meantime. Enter Nathan Jawai.
While GM David Kahn says that the trade was discussed well before Love went down with an injury, he emphasized that Jawai is not a short-term fix, but rather a gamble for the future.
“I don’t want him thinking he’s here to replace Kevin because he’s not,” Kahn said. “That’d be a terrible burden on him. With Kevin out for however long he’s out, it makes it more salient. But it was not because of that.”
“We’re trying to shore up our lack of size,” said Kurt Rambis, whose two 7-footers (Ryan Hollins and Oleksiy Pecherov) are mighty thin. “He is a big body. He has some athleticism. But he needs a lot of work. We’re going to look at him and see if we can improve his skills.”
In August, I wrote about how after arriving in the deal that brought Shawn Marion to Dallas, Mark Cuban hadn’t said a thing to 6-10, 275-pound forward/center Jawai – leading me to believe that his days with the Mavericks were numbered. While Cuban wouldn’t let Dirk Nowitzki or Jose Juan Barea play with their national teams this summer, Jawai was getting busy in his native Australia.
With only potential to improve – Jawai tallied 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers in 19 minutes over 6 games with the Raptors last year – it seems like a smart bet for the T-Wolves. And having to only give up a future second-round pick (in 2012 only if it is one of the draft’s final five picks), it’s well worth the risk.
What do you think?
Source: Star Tribune
Follow Aron on Twitter at @the_real_aron.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DIMEMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
October 21st, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Kobeef says:
I think you are dumb for not mentioning that in addition to Kevin Love’s broken hand, Al Jefferson is also out indefinately with achilles issues. Jawai will get PT even if he isn’t ready.
October 21st, 2009 at 2:32 pm
knock knock says:
2 pts, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers in 16 minutes over 6 games. Amazing, just amazing.
October 21st, 2009 at 2:50 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
you sure this isnt the aussie Eddy Curry?
October 21st, 2009 at 3:00 pm
hoopsguru says:
actually when you break it down, 2pts 2boards and 2TO’s isnt that bad when you consider it is an average less than 3 mins a game.
October 21st, 2009 at 3:04 pm
chris says:
this is news? jawai did nada in a year with the raptors, got dumped to the mavs in the shawn marion deal, pre-season’s over, mavs have like 20 players in camp. if al jefferson is going to miss significant PT due to his achilles, t-wolves will need a lot more than jawai
October 21st, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Aron Phillips says:
@Kobeef
I agree! It will be baptism by fire.
October 21st, 2009 at 3:49 pm
sh!tfaced says:
Aussie Shaq, Baby Shaq, Greek Shaq… All those Shaq wannabes and they still don’t measure up even with today’s old has-been Shaq…
October 21st, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Reddi Red says:
lol @ sh!tfaced !!
your’re right!!
October 21st, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Lucas says:
Good move, it never hurts young teams to get young talent and turn it into cornerstones of their franchise. It is not a big risk at all so it could be a low risk-high reward situation.
He could be what Al Jeff needs next to him…
October 21st, 2009 at 4:35 pm
dreams says:
The Timberwolves are gonna sucks balls. Opening night starting 5; Flynn, Ellington, Brewer, Cardinal, Jawai with Sessions off the bench. LAME.
October 21st, 2009 at 7:56 pm
AB_40 says:
hahaha the ausy eddy curry
October 21st, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Josh Tha roc says:
im loving it!! Mills getting signed and now Big Nathan looks like he’ll get some tick. HIs team will be horrible but hey he is getting his chance. and he has got game too.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Pet Society Help says:
Blazers shoulda picked him up to form the first aborigine pick and roll tandem with him and patty mills.
October 21st, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Da_Griff says:
That pick and roll tandem works pretty good for the aussie team.
Jawai loves to rebound. He didn’t play much last year because at the start of the season the raps found some “irregularities” with his heart and would not let him play or practice.
Eventually they figured out he just has a really big heart and has had it all his life. But by that point, he was so far behind in picking up the playbook that they couldn’t really use him. They stashed him in the D league where he averaged some decent numbers.
I’d love to see him get some tick. He’s raw. Think of him as a bigger Reggie Evans who is confused on D.
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:53 am
Robb says:
I think you will find that he doesn’t like being called “Aussie Shaq”… its just a name the media have given him. If he is given time he will improve, he is just a kid from a very small town in australia (1500 people?) so we be very nervous in the “big time” especially because he has had big expectations (from australia) and being labelled “Aussie Shaq” and all… plus he has only been play bball since he was a teenager.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:04 am
DVS says:
TWolves are gonna suck, but i hope my boy Jawai get his chance. good luck