MINNEAPOLIS -- In many ways, the first day of training camp for the Minnesota Timberwolves was like so many that came before it.
Coaches hollered instruction. Players gasped for air during conditioning drills. Optimism abounded at the start of a new season.
But someone was certainly missing.
For the first time in 13 seasons, Kevin Garnett isn't here. The Timberwolves traded him to Boston at the end of July, but it wasn't until Saturday's training camp opener that the news truly set in.
"When it happened, I was in shock," Timberwolves guard Randy Foye said. "I always thought that I would at least get two or three years to play with him. You hear the rumors, but I was just like, 'It won't happen.'
"Then it happened, and I was still like, 'Nah. That can't be right."'
It is right, Randy. The Timberwolves traded the face of the franchise to the Celtics for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two draft picks in the most lopsided trade -- numbers-wise -- in league history.
With nine players on the roster aged 25 or younger, the Timberwolves started the next phase in franchise history in earnest on Saturday.
"It's different. There's no question," said coach Randy Wittman, who was on the Timberwolves staff for nine of Garnett's 12 years here. "I think I'll find out even more as we get practicing and playing. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of things I took for granted that he was able to do on the floor because of his talents.
"But that's kind of sunk in. I've reached the point where this is real now and this is good. I'm looking forward to it. I really am."
Garnett won an MVP award, helped the Timberwolves reach the Western Conference finals and almost immediately started turning the franchise's fortunes around when he was picked out of Farragut Academy High School in Chicago in 1995.
The Wolves went from one of the most inept teams in professional sports to a perennial playoff contender, though they made it out of the first round only once with Garnett leading the pack.
After missing the playoffs for the third straight season, vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale decided to start over. He pulled the trigger on the blockbuster deal to ship the cornerstone out east for a bunch of new building blocks.
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