Aldrich an example of Timberwolves’ new toughness

Cole Aldrich removed his fake front tooth while being introduced as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ latest addition Thursday. The gesture was by way of explanation:
How will the former Bloomington Jefferson center will be able to play for tough-minded coach Tom Thibodeau?
“As you can tell, I’ve got a few scars and I’ve got a missing tooth,” Aldrich said, removing the retainer and tooth from his mouth. “It kind of fits the groove. Just exciting to play for him and the organization; it’s going to be a really good few years.”
Aldrich agreed to a three-year, $22-million contract with the Wolves on July 3. The deal became official Wednesday, and he will factor into the front-court rotation with Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng this season.
In 2010, Aldrich was selected 11th overall by the New Orleans Hornets but played only 44 games in the first two years. He had three stints in the NBA Development League.
“Most lottery picks, you go to a team that’s struggling, and you usually get your opportunity right away,” Aldrich said. “For me, the opportunity really didn’t come until probably four years into the league.”
Aldrich was traded to Oklahoma City, and then to the Houston Rockets, before signing an non-guaranteed contract with the New York Knicks in 2013.
“The deadline (to guarantee contracts) to get through the year was
Jan. 4 or 7, so right around New Year’s, I’m just like, ‘Oh man,’ ” Aldrich recalled.
Now he has three-year deal in the Twin Cities area he calls home with his wife, Britt.
“It’s great to have a little bit of security in a sense where I have a three-year deal,” Aldrich said. “For me, I’ve gone through pretty much my career on one-year deals. That’s kind of the way I’m approaching this: Every year you’ve got to continue to improve yourself.”
At last year’s Minnesota State Fair, Aldrich was confused for someone else - former Monticello and NBA center Joel Przybilla.
“Somebody was like, ‘Hey, are you Joel Przybilla?’ I said, ‘Well it depends. If you want me to be …” Aldrich said, drawing laughter from the media.
“To look at him, and I was in Houston with coach Mac, Kevin McHale, to see those guys that had the careers that they did and the longevity is unbelievable. I finished six years in and sometimes I wonder how the hell I even made it this long because the average career is three and a half. It’s just a blessing.”
Last year with the Los Angeles Clippers, Aldrich had his best season. Despite playing only 13.3 minutes a game, he totaled the third-highest blocks per 48 minutes (4.08) in the NBA. Hassan Whiteside of Miami (6.08) and John Henson (5.45) were the only two with higher rates.
Aldrich had the league’s eighth-best true-shooting percentage at 62.6 last season. That figure accounts for field-goal, free-throw and 3-point percentages. He also had the 17th-best defensive rebounding rate (27.1) last season. That factors in the percentage of missed shots the player corrals.
“For me, it was defensively. I had the opportunity to score on pick and rolls sometimes, but defensively I wanted to make that mark,” Aldrich said of his time with the Clippers. “For me, these next few seasons - that’s where I want to do it.”