Minnesota Timberwolves roundtable: Grading the new jerseys

Three Dunking With Wolves staff grade the new Minnesota Timberwolves’ jerseys and weigh in on rumored interest in bringing back Shabazz Muhammad.

1. What grade do you give the Wolves’ new jersey’s?

Christian Anton (@C_AntonNBA)- I like the new Timberwolves jerseys.  I’m not in love with them. however.  When comparing the two that have been released, I think that the Icon blue jerseys are the best ones by far.  The Association white jerseys are solid but they’re almost too boring for me.

I think the vibe of the new jerseys as a whole is perfect because it signals a new era of Minnesota Timberwolves’ basketball.  The new Nike jerseys have a college feel to them but all in al, I find it refreshing.

These new Timberwolves jerseys are a complete overhaul of the team’s previous identity.  Which is a good thing.  The front office pulled the trigger and made a great choice providing fans with a few of the new jersey designs.

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My hope is that with the two unreleased jerseys that they are a bit bolder.  I would welcome a mainly black jersey with the new batch.  I know many fans wouldn’t want to see the rumored all green jersey but personally, I wouldn’t mind it either.

Overall, I would give the Timberwolves a B+ for their new jersey design.  This grade is contingent on the direction they are moving with the graphic design of the Timberwolves identity.  I am a fan of this front office aggressively re-writing what it means to be the Minnesota Timberwolves and this is yet another great step in the right direction.

Andrew Neururer (ANeururer)- When the jerseys were released on the morning of August 10 – there was a roar of mixed emotions from the fans across the nation. There was a lot of hype surrounding the newly added neon green to the color pallet. When the jerseys came out, however, there was no sign of the green anywhere but a small corner of the shorts. It was odd I will admit that, but, I think it’s a sign of more green to come on the two other alternates coming out in mid-September.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they added an all green jersey like we have seen from many leaks. In my previous article, I explained how I felt about the jerseys. I sadly gave them a C at the time. In that short time, I will admit they have grown a lot on me. The colors are so smooth, with the different shades of blue and white. The nice bar on the front of the jersey really comes together. I think they are clean, crisp and unique in a way that not many teams have adapted. I have changed my mind since then and I can happily say that I am a fan of the jerseys.

Grade: B+

Max Neuhaus (Max_nEuHaUs)- I would give the new unis a B. I have not been a fan of our uniforms since Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell, and Sam Cassell rocked them on their way to the Western Conference finals. I feel like a lot of fans agree with me in saying that the best jerseys Minnesota has had were the alternate black uniforms in that era.

The point being is that people tend to view things that are older as “better”. When any new uniforms come out, rarely are all fans on board at once. It takes a while to get used to a new look. These jerseys will look much better on actual players than they do on mannequins.

The lines are crisp and I love how the Nike and Fitbit logos fit perfectly inside the 2 lines at the top of the jersey. I am also a big fan of the block lettering. It looks more bold and assertive than the old lettering that looked like it came out of a Halloween party invitation.

It was not all excitement when we were first shown the uniforms, however. I was surprised about the lack of the bright green color that seemed to be a big part of the logo. With the 2 jerseys yet to be revealed, you should expect to see a fair amount of green.     

All in all, I am very excited about the uniforms. They are a bold new look for an exciting new team. Seeing possibly the most exciting team in Timberwolves history rocking these uni’s on ESPN against San Antonio their first game will surely turn some fashion naysayers around.

2. Should the Wolves bring Shabazz Muhammad back on a minimum deal?

Christian-  I like Shabazz Muhammad as a player, but I question his motor and consistency.  If he can be convinced to sign a veteran minimum deal then I would highly suggest bringing him back. The value to be had in Muhammad through a veteran minimum would be too good to pass up.

It’s no secret that the Timberwolves had an awful bench last year, and putting him next to Jamal Crawford could help remedy that quickly.  He averaged close to ten points a game last year off of the bench, and with offensive help, he could play much freer.

As excited as I would be for him to return on a veteran minimum, I don’t personally think he will go for it.  Ultimately, Muhammad will go somewhere else for a bigger paycheck on a one or two year deal.

If he does decide to sign with the Timberwolves I think it could actually help his value next year. He will have a familiarity with the coaching staff and team which will allow him to progress naturally.

He could also learn a thing or two from Crawford who has made a career out of being a scoring sixth man.

I hope I’m wrong about Muhammad and his intentions but if he does come back it will greatly improve our bench and could be the best value outside of Tony Allen.

Andrew-Absolutely. I am a huge fan of Muhammad, so, I would full hardheartedly love to see him wearing those new jerseys this upcoming season. I recently explained in an article some aspects of his game that needs some work, but also explained what he does well.

If you can get a player who can score the ball with ease on a minimum deal, you do it in a heartbeat. I know he struggles with passing and playing defense, but on a weak bench – you almost need his scoring. The Wolves’ bench has certainly improved this offseason, but there is still much work to do.

To a sense, he’s a key player to beating the Golden State Warriors. I know, it sounds crazy but just keep listening. The Warriors love to play small ball with their lineup. When Minnesota adds Muhammad against Golden State – good things happen. For example, he was a huge reason the Wolves were able to beat the Warriors two seasons ago when they went 73-9. He added 35 points, which helped the Wolves’ propel themselves over the warriors – 124 to 117 in OT.

He allows the Wolves to play small ball, which matches well with against the Warriors. To beat the Warriors, you have to put up at least more than 110 points. Offense beats the Warriors, not defense. That’s what he brings to this team.

Max–Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. If I could write yes 250 times, I would.

Normally when you think of players who get veteran minimum contracts, you think of fringe players. Guys who might see the court for 50-60 games and only play a couple of minutes. A good example for Wolves fans would be Brandon Rush. Last season, he played in 47 games and averaged 4.7 points per game. While he did make $3.5 million dollars last season, that is what you would expect from a vet minimum player.

Muhammad was, for all intents and purposes, the Wolves bench last season. He averaged 4 more points than the next closest bench player (Nemanja Bjelica) while playing 13 more games

He is also a beast on the offensive board when he puts his mind to it. Plus, in today’s small ball NBA, he works out as a really good 4 with his big body and bruising style when he gets into the low post.

He was far from a perfect player, however. His defense was on par with Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine and not in a good way. Also, he tends to get tunnel vision and look to score no matter the situation.

With all that being said, he would make a great addition to the Timberwolves bench next to Jamal Crawford. With Muhammad being in the NBA for 4 seasons, he would make just over $1.5 million in a veteran minimum contract. With everything he could do for a team who sorely needs bench help, especially at the wing position, Bazz would be an absolute steal.

3. What would Muhammad’s role be on this new-look team?

Christian-  If Muhammad comes back this next year then I could see him be a co-sixth man with Crawford.  I’m excited just thinking about a scoring duo off of the bench such as those two.

There is no doubt in my mind that he would still play a big role with the team because of his upside.  Thibodeau already likes him as an option off of the bench despite his questionable defense and I see no reason that his role would dramatically change.

It’ll be interesting to see if they move Gorgui Dieng or Taj Gibson to the bench as well.  If Gibson comes off of the bench with Crawford and Muhammad there is a strong possibility that Muhammad could still be the focus of the offense off of the bench.

If Dieng comes off the bench with the second unit I could see Muhammad’s stats go down a bit because of Dieng’s offensive ability.  Either way, it would be fun to watch this year’s new bench with Shabazz coming back.

As much as he would help us on the offensive side of the ball, his defense still continues to be suspect.  Despite the poor defense I still think he would continue to be an asset for this team.

The bottom line is that if Muhammad comes back he will be an integral part of this team with the chance to raise his own NBA stock.  If the Timberwolves are already projected to win 50 games without him, then imagine what he could help us do.

I for one really hope that he can be had on a veteran minimum deal.

Andrew– If Muhammad were to come back to Minnesota for the minimum, he would be coming off the bench. There is no way he would be starting over Andrew Wiggins or Jimmy Butler. However, I think he takes over the sixth man role instead. I know Minnesota added Crawford and we still don’t really know whether Dieng or Gibson will be coming off the bench as well. But, Muhammad really seemed to succeed in his sixth man role last season.

At times, he did struggle to score the ball – which is sort of his only ability in the NBA. Crawford is 37, Muhammad is 24 – I think age will play a huge factor. Still young and athletic – Muhammad will certainly be a lot more durable throughout the season. There will come a time where Crawford’s age will really hit him, and thus making it harder for him to score as well. Minnesota can certainly use the depth behind Butler and Wiggins.

Look to see Muhammad flow back into the sixth man role again if he returns.

Max–If you couldn’t tell from my response to question number 2, then I will let you know I really want Muhammad on this team. Being on the veteran minimum just sweetens the deal.

The Timberwolves are starving for wing players, only having 2 on the roster in Andrew Wiggins and Jamal Crawford. Adding a big bodied player who can score only adds to your team.

Another interesting piece is the mentor that Crawford could have. We are not talking about a player who sits at the end of the bench and gives others insight into what they could do better. We are talking about a three time Sixth Man of the Year award winner who can still play at a high level. While they don’t have the same play style, they essentially do the same job and having a guy who has excelled at it teaching you can do nothing but help.

What he would bring to the team is scoring. The former UCLA Bruin averaged 10 points a game last season while receiving most of the attention from defenders as the most capable player in the second unit. He is able to score in multiple ways as well. He was up and down as a three-point shooter last year as well as driving and post play. If he can hone in his scoring, a la Zach Lavine last season, he would be a steal with his contract.

The weak spot in his game is defense. His defensive win share is at .019. Players like Ty Lawson and Cameron Payne hover around that mark. His defense would have to improve, especially under a coach like Thibs.

Luckily, he would have players like Butler and Gibson on the court with him to help cover up some mistakes. Also, if Towns and Wiggins make the leaps defensively they are expected to, his defense might not be as prevalent as it was last season.

Next: Making the Wolves a true contender: Part 2

Make no mistake, Bazz is a scorer. Having wing scorers coming off your bench is very important in the NBA. With what is left in free agency, you could do a lot worse than the former Wolf.