Dunking With Wolves
Fansided

Minnesota Timberwolves: New championship timeline

By Jaime Tyler

Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; The NBA championship trophy and rings are seen during the ring ceremony and banner raising ceremony before a game against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; The NBA championship trophy and rings are seen during the ring ceremony and banner raising ceremony before a game against the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
January 19, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and forward Andrew Wiggins (22) celebrate the 104-101 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers following the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 19, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and forward Andrew Wiggins (22) celebrate the 104-101 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers following the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Championship Timeline

Naysayers may argue, “the Wolves won’t be winning a championship over the next two years with Golden State lurking in the West!”

Guess what, naysayers, you’re absolutely right.

However, this team will get to the playoffs over the next two years, gaining valuable experience against teams, like the Warriors, Spurs, and Rockets, that they will eventually overtake when the time comes.

In fact, the LaVine, Wiggins, Towns-led Wolves may have missed the playoffs again next year in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. After a new logo, Target Center renovations, two years of Thibs, and multiple years of experience from their core; such a blow may drive fans, players, and even renown coaches away from downtown Minneapolis.

The Butler move nearly assures a playoff berth.

“Yeah, but,” the curmudgeon continues, “then Butler will be too old and we would be better off with the younger LaVine. Plus, the ages of Butler and KAT and Wiggins don’t match up very well at all.”

Maybe, maybe not. Let’s examine the ages of the “Big Threes” (or four) over the past number of championships.

Big Threes and Big Rings

Apr 23, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) dribbles the ball against the Boston Celtics during the second half in game four of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) dribbles the ball against the Boston Celtics during the second half in game four of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
  • 2017 (Golden State Warriors — two-year gap): Kevin Durant (28), Steph Curry (29), Klay Thompson (27), Draymond Green (27).
  • 2016 (Cleveland Cavaliers — seven-year gap): LeBron James (31), Kevin Love (27), Kyrie Irving (24)
  • 2015 (Golden State Warriors — two-year gap): Steph Curry (27), Klay Thompson (25), Draymond Green (25)
  • 2014 (San Antonio Spurs — 16-year gap): Tim Duncan (38), Kawhi Leonard (22), Tony Parker (32)
  • 2013 (Miami Heat — three-year gap): LeBron James (28), Dwyane Wade (31), Chris Bosh (29)
  • 2012 (Miami Heat — three-year gap): LeBron James (27), Dwyane Wade (30), Chris Bosh (28)
  • 2011 (Dallas Mavericks, an exception amongst the bunch. A one-man-show in this title run, but here are three players anyway): Dirk Nowitzki (32), Jason Kidd (38), Tyson Chandler (28)
  • 2010 (Los Angeles Lakers — six-year gap): Kobe Bryant (31), Pau Gasol (29), Derek Fisher (35)
  • 2009 (Los Angeles Lakers — six-year gap): Kobe Bryant (30), Pau Gasol (28), Derek Fisher (34)
  • 2008 (Boston Celtics — two-year gap): Kevin Garnett (31), Paul Pierce (29), Ray Allen (31)

All in all, most championship Big Threes have at least a couple of years in between them, and sometimes several years that separate the champion’s main players.

One can find more examples further back in the NBA annals: The Shaq-Kobe Lakers and the Robinson-Duncan Spurs come to mind as instances where a couple of the best players were not of the same NBA generation.

Based on those last ten championship, however, these are the average age windows:

  • Average age of Big Three: 29.4 years old at the time of the championship
  • Average gap between oldest and youngest members of Big Three: 5.7 years difference

Here’s how the current Timberwolves’ Big Three — Jimmy Butler (27), Andrew Wiggins (22), Karl-Anthony Towns (21) — compare:

  • Average age: 23.3 years old
  • Age gap: Six years 

A couple of numbers jump out during this age-analysis of championship timelines.

One, the Timberwolves’ age gap is on par with the other championship winners over the past decade. In most cases, teams have a variety of ages come together to form a title contender. Rare is the case, such as in Golden State, where all of their core players are within two years of each other.

Golden State is the exception here. They should not be the model.

In truth, a far more reliable route to a title consists of talent, youth, veteran leadership, and a variety of role players. That’s exactly the model that Thibodeau has been preaching and now practicing with the Butler heist.

Two, the young Wolves are still a few years away from even sniffing a championship.

Even the uber-young Warriors of 2015 had an average Big Three age of 25.6 years old. That’s two and a half years older than the average age of the current Wolves triumvirate.

In other words, in three years, the Wolves will be where the Warriors were when they won the title in 2015.

So, let’s put the Wolves there. Let’s say in two and a half to three years, they’re ready to contend for a championship: that’s the 2019-2020 season.

Home/Timberwolves News