VI: Z-Rod
By the time that the Minnesota Timberwolves had signed veteran point guard/shooting guard Rod Stickland, he was entering his 15th NBA season. But beyond that, he was 36 years old, and the years were beginning to show. That was not just bad news for him, but bad news for the Timberwolves.
The Wolves were a team that still had hopes of winning it all with veteran All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett, but the choice of building the right type of roster around him was a bit lacking. Strickland was only able to play 47 games for the Timberwolves that season.
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 175 pounds, the combination point guard and shooting guard should be a versatile and valuable addition to the Timberwolves roster. The season prior to joining the Timberwolves, Strickland was an ideal starting point guard for the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, he was not nearly as productive for the Timberwolves.
Had he delivered in a similar fashion, he would have lasted longer the one-and-done chapter of his NBA career with the Timberwolves. He would go on to play two more seasons, but he had already hit the wall and his numbers were in steep decline.