Future Looks Bright for the Timberwolves
Feb 23, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward
Andrew Wiggins(22) dribbles against Houston Rockets guard
James Harden(13) in the second half at Toyota Center. Rockets won 113 to 102. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Timberwolves have long been a struggling franchise. Sadly, they are synonymous with many of Minnesota’s sports teams in terms of success (or lack thereof) recently. However, the times are changing for the Timberwolves. While they are still at the bottom of the league and figure to have a lottery pick next year, there are many signs of hope for this team going into next year and beyond.
More from Minnesota Timberwolves
- Minnesota Timberwolves: how Robert Covington has become the T’Wolves’ glue
- Minnesota Timberwolves: did Jimmy Butler send a veiled diss to his former team?
- Minnesota Timberwolves: time to cease celebrating the Jimmy Butler trade
- Minnesota Timberwolves: enough is enough — Jimmy Butler has to go
- Minnesota Timberwolves’ Prince-inspired jersey leaked — should you buy one?
First of all, they have a strong young nucleus of players starting with Andrew Wiggins. A guy of Wiggins’ talent does not come around often, and though he struggled with the initial transition to the NBA, he has shown of late that he more than belongs. Not only does Wiggins belong, but he has the chance to be a superstar in this league. At this point, we are only seeing a glimpse of what Wiggins really can be. While he may not be the next LeBron James, which some people labeled him, he compares very well to Paul George in the sense that he can score and play very good defense. It’s not far off to envision Wiggins someday averaging 25 points per game and playing top-tier great defense much like Paul George does. Furthermore, as we see Wiggins develop, it shows us that his potential might be reached a lot quicker than some would expect.
While Wiggins is seen as the premier talent on the Timberwolves’ roster, he is not the only guy who can turn this franchise around. The Timberwolves, after years of missing out on premier talents in the draft (aside from Kevin Love), have seem to strike gold on some of their recent draft picks. As I look over their roster, it’s easy to see that this team has the talent to turn around the franchise quickly, even if most of their top-tier talent is in their teens or early twenties. When the Timberwolves drafted Zach LaVine, I wasn’t a big fan of it. LaVine had shown at UCLA that he was a phenomenal athlete, but not exactly a phenomenal basketball player. Thus far, I have been impressed with LaVine’s transition to the NBA. While I expected LaVine to be overmatched and out of sync, he has shown that he can use his athleticism and motor to his advantage. While there are still many weaknesses to LaVine’s game, such as facilitating, defense, and control, he has been able to exhibit a glimpse of NBA talent, not just physical talent. If LaVine can develop as a facilitator, he may end up being the team’s future point guard, especially with Ricky Rubio’s injury issues and failure to develop a consistent shot.
With LaVine and Wiggins as your possible future backcourt, it’s hard not to dream about what the most athletic backcourt in the league could do. However, it’s not just their future backcourt that is worth getting excited about, as there is a lot of talent in their frontcourt too. I don’t think I stand alone when I say that Shabazz Muhammad was a major disappointment in his rookie year last year, but Muhammad has rebounded well in his second year, exhibiting playmaking ability and flashy athleticism. While Muhammad may not be a star in this league, he doesn’t have to be. Muhammad’s ability to drive and make plays for himself is truly impressive. He fits the mold of what you want in a small forward – a guy who can do a little bit of everything by scoring, rebounding, passing, and defending. On top of this, I believe Muhammad fits the type of player the Timberwolves are looking for – athletic and long, similar to that of many other teams in today’s NBA. In terms of ability, he compares very well to Lamar Odom. Muhammad is out until next year to a finger injury, but it will be exciting to see what he has in store.
Lastly, there is the other part of the frontcourt – the post game. When I look at the post game for the Timberwolves, I see a guy who can become Serge Ibaka all over again. His name is Gorgui Dieng. Dieng, much like Ibaka, has the defensive presence to be able to be a strong shot blocker in this league. Not only that, but Dieng has a decent offensive game that shows more than just potential, it shows results. Dieng, at this point in his second year, is averaging about double figures in both points and rebounds. As time goes on, Dieng looks to build off this and be able to score 15 points and pull down 10 or more rebounds. Dieng may not be a superstar either, but he’s just another piece that Timberwolves fans can look forward to watching in the future.
More from Sporting Sota
- Minnesota Twins bullpen will be their downfall
- Top 5 Minnesota Twins Pitching Prospects
- Kyle Rudolph signing gives stability to Minnesota Vikings offense
- Jake Odorizzi’s emergence fueling Twins starting staff
- Former Minnesota Twins player David Ortiz shot
Another name that could be a force in the post game for the future is Anthony Bennett. Though Bennett has struggled thus far in his NBA career and doesn’t look to become a consistent starter, he may find himself as a good role player as time goes on. Like any team, the Timberwolves will need solid role players who can come off the bench and give them energy and strength, both of which Bennett possesses. Even if Bennett doesn’t turn out to be what we all expected him to be when he was drafted number 1 overall, he can carve out a decent role on a team that might not even need considerable production from him in the future.
While I have highlighted the Timberwolves’ supreme young talent, we must not forget that the Timberwolves still have valuable players such as Kevin Martin, Ricky Rubio, and Nikola Pekovic on their roster. The Timberwolves are in a unique situation in that they have a lot of young talent that are just emerging on to the scene, yet they have a lot of strong veterans who, even if they are plagued by injuries, are very valuable trade pieces. They did well to trade away guys like Young and Williams in order to get some cap relief and bring back old friend Kevin Garnett. If it were me, I would trade away guys like Rubio and Pekovic and try to stock up on first round picks, and continue to build for the future. A team can never have enough young talent, but there’s no doubt that the Timberwolves have built a young core that they can add to. Also, with the acquisition of Kevin Garnett, the young wolves will have a mentor who they can learn from. Time will tell, but this team has the makings of a real contender once they develop and learn how to play together.