Dunking With Wolves
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2017-18 Season Outlook: The optimist, pessimist, and realist

By Josh Bungum

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 09: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts after drawing a foul on a basket against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 9, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 09: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts after drawing a foul on a basket against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 9, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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BLOOMINGTON, MN – JUNE 29: Tom Thibobeau introduces Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the public during a press conference at the Mall of America on June 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, MN – JUNE 29: Tom Thibobeau introduces Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the public during a press conference at the Mall of America on June 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Optimist

We’ll start with the rainbows and butterflies mindset that most (well, probably all) Wolves fans have fantasized about at least once over the last few months.

In this dream world, the new additions of Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Jeff Teague, and Jamal Crawford all fit in seamlessly into Tom Thibodeau’s schemes and allow the Wolves the ability to give opponents fits on both ends of the court. Butler will continue his evolution into an elite player and further expand his game. Gibson and Crawford won’t show any aging and maintain their reputations as valuable veterans. Jeff Teague will regain his All-Star form now that he is playing with a good supporting cast, similar to his days in Atlanta playing for the Hawks.

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Andrew Wiggins will transform from a polarizing, yet explosive, scorer into a well-rounded two-way player capable of impacting the game in several facets. His rebounding will drastically improve. He will become an effective defender under the tutelage of Jimmy Butler. His three-point shot will go from league-average to borderline elite due to him getting uncontested spot-up opportunities. Instead of being one of the most scrutinized players in the entire league, he will evolve into one of the most heralded support pieces.

Karl-Anthony Towns will satisfy his prodigal expectations of being an MVP candidate earlier than any realistic person could have expected. He will take his offensive game to another level, hitting from behind the arc even more consistently and improving his already-impressive efficiency due to an enhanced surrounding cast. Veteran additions and familiarity with the system will amplify his awareness and desire on defense and turn him into a defensive anchor who is able to re-fortify Coach Thibodeau’s next level wisdom on that end of the floor.

Fans will buy into the hype and pack the newly renovated Target Center on a nightly basis. Each game night will be an event in the Twin Cities. The new jerseys will grow on the fan base and go from a clean, but kind of boring, look to “wow, those things look fantastic”. The new culture of winning basketball will make the dreary Minnesota winters seem not so cold and miserable.

The team will come together and win over 50 games and compete for a top-3 seed in the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs finally take a small step back from their dominance. The Houston Rockets fail to mesh their two ball-dominant guards quickly and take a small step backward in the win column. The Oklahoma City Thunder is a good, but not great, team that stalls when trying to compete with the league’s elite. Oh yeah, and there is this semi-warm take from our very own site expert:


The Wolves are able to obtain a 3 seed in the stacked Western Conference. Fans feel the need to slap themselves to ensure they aren’t dreaming.