The Vicious Cycle that is Killing the Minnesota Timberwolves

Digging yourself out of a rut is hard under any circumstances. It’s even harder when you’re using a smaller shovel than others. The Minnesota Timberwolves are using a smaller shovel.

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Free agency is paramount in all professional sports. But in none is it more crucial than the NBA. Usually only about 10 players see the floor for each team during a given game, so talent is at a premium. That’s why it’s rare to see players outside of the 1st round of the draft have successful careers. High draft picks are great, but they don’t guarantee a star. Building a championship contending team is almost always done through free agency or trade.

To put it mildly, the free agent market is not very hot for Minnesota right now.

Yes, Minneapolis is a nice city. But if you were an NBA player, would you rather go to a frozen tundra for the entirety of the NBA season or somewhere warm? Like it or not, it’s something the Timberwolves have to deal with.

Next: Target Center. By NBA standards it is one of the worst arenas in the league. Much needed upgrades are on the way, but it has been a dump for years unless you really love concrete. On top of that, crowds have been understandably dismal for some time now.

There’s that whole winning thing, too. The Timberwolves have been abysmal for 10 years. We’re talking dreadfully, abhorrently, bottom-of-the-barrel abysmal. Usually the standard record is .500, but for the Timberwolves let’s lower it a bit. They’ve only finished with a .400 or better record twice in the last ten years. The worst was 2009-2010 (.183), but the current team is on an even worse track (.152).

Coming to play for the Wolves is just not a good career move right now, unless you’re an above average veteran like Kevin Martin looking to cash the biggest check possible for the lowest effort.

The whole Kevin Love saga didn’t help. It was one of the biggest talkers of the NBA offseason and only enhanced the perception of Minnesota being a place you can’t win. The writing was on the wall, Love did not think success was possible in a Wolves jersey. And why would he?

As far as NBA teams go, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

The only way to break the cycle is to find another Kevin Garnett, a superstar that other top players want to join. The organization is starting to build something that might finally draw appeal in a couple of years. This will be a crucial draft year for the Wolves. They will have a very high pick and a chance to find the front court help they desperately need. Something good might be brewing with Andrew Wiggins, Shabazz Muhammad, Ricky Rubio and a nice draft pick to come. But will they continue to find the first ticket out of town or stay and build something we can be proud of for once?

(Oh yeah, David Kahn didn’t help either)

Next: I've Got Two Words for Depressed Timberwolves Fans

Jan 1, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard

Andrew Wiggins

(22) gets fouled in the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Target Center. Sacramento Kings win 110-107. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

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