The prodigal son has returned.
Brandon Roy will return to the National Basketball Association in 2012, as Jason Quick of the Oregonian first reported (and multiple media outlets have confirmed) that Roy has come to terms with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-year deal. The deal is reportedly worth just a bit over $10 million. The Timberwolves are taking a five-million-per-year gamble on Roy being able to return after retiring due to a knee condition that limited him for much of the past three seasons.
The Wolves have needed help at the two-guard spot for years and this helps them in that regard, if Roy is able to give them anything. Roy has been working out for months planning this return. The key for him will be to manage his minutes and not try and force things. He’s a competitor but that also means he sometimes loses track of just what he’s capable of.
You’d hate to see this one end in sadness and disappointment again, as hard as the first time was for Roy and his fans. But Roy feels like he honestly has a chance to contribute and be a part of a winning formula for a team, and maybe with Minnesota’s versatility and relative depth, along with Ricky Rubio managing the majority of the ball-handling duties, Roy can get minutes without putting too much of a strain on his body. Defensively, there are going to be issues, but the right system can alleviate that. And who knows? Maybe Roy will surprise everyone, even himself.
One of the game’s great scorers over the past five years is back in the league, and one of the league’s great competitors gets to give it another shot. I’d say that’s good news for everyone.
