Minnesota Timberwolves’ roundtable: Ranking’s time

This weeks version of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ roundtable ranks the Wolves’ big three and their division. Oh, and we check in on the best nicknames.

1. Where does the Timberwolves’ big three of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler rank in the NBA?

Dan Favale via Bleacher Report (@DanFavale):

Damn, how many real Big Threes are even left in this world? Like, are Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka a Big Three? How about John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter? Do we try and force James Harden, Chris Paul and [insert whoever] for the Houston Rockets? A lot of interesting one-two punches are peppered throughout the NBA these days, but the concept of the Big Three has become a tad watered down.

And in a way, this helps the Timberwolves’ troika, because they’re no longer contending with the Los Angeles Clippers’ trio, and anything bearing a remote resemblance to a Big Three from the San Antonio Spurs.

Still, at the same time, we need to see them take the floor before we give them the benefit of the doubt—particularly when Jimmy Butler is their only two-way player. If Karl-Anthony Towns makes the leap on defense and Wiggins shoots threes with league-average efficiency while playing even slightly below-average ball at the other end, they’ll be in business.

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For now, the Golden State Warriors (Stephen Curry/Kevin Draymond Green), Cleveland Cavaliers (LeBron James/Kevin Love/Isaiah Thomas) and Boston Celtics (Gordon Hayward/Al Horford/Kyrie Irving) are very clearly in front of them. And after that, they’re probably also behind the Raptors (DeRozan/Ibaka/Lowry) and Wizards (Beal/Porter/Wall). I’m not yet ready to put them ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans (DeMarcus Cousins/Anthony Davis/Jrue Holiday) either, while both the Denver Nuggets (Gary Harris/Nikola Jokic/Paul Millsap) and Philadelphia 76ers (Joel Embiid/Markelle Fultz/Ben Simmons) are arguably on even ground. We might even be able to say the same thing about the Milwaukee Bucks (Giannis Antetokounmpo/Malcolm Brogdon or Thon Maker/Khris Middleton) before the end of 2017-18. Shoot, go ahead and throw the Oklahoma City Thunder (Steven Adams/Paul George/Russell Westbrook) into this conversation as well.

Using this rough guide as the baseline, the Timberwolves’ interpretation of the Big Three model ranks about seventh or eighth in the league—which is still a pretty darn good place to be.

Derek James via 1500 ESPN (@DerekJamesNBA): I don’t think they’re on the level of Golden State’s or Cleveland’s but is it far-fetched to say they’re on the same level as the Clippers’ Griffin-Jordan-Williams? No. If this doesn’t seem flattering, I’d say it’s because Andrew Wiggins is the wild card here. All the potential is there for this to be one of the best Big Threes in the league.

Brian Sampson via Dunking With Wolves (@BrianSampsonNBA): The Timberwolves’ Big Three has the greatest potential of any in the league save the Warriors, Cavaliers and Celtics. If all three players, especially Towns and Wiggins, hit the right buttons this season, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

On the other end of that, though, sits the potential for things to go downhill. Wiggins might falter as the second wing and lose confidence in his abilities. Towns might not take that next step on both ends of the floor like we all expect them to. And Butler might become frustrated with the lack of experience his co-stars possess. I doubt that will happen, however, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities (however slight).

For now, I will put them in the same tier as the Raptors and Wizards.

2. Which Wolves’ player has the best nickname on the team?

Dan: Anyone who doesn’t pick Cole “Coleplay” Aldrich as the answer to this question is a terrible human being.

Derek: Gorgui Dieng’s “The Senegalese Sensation” would be fantastic in any sport.

Related Story: Minnesota Timberwolves: Ranking the players' nicknames

Brian: For some reason, I like Jeff Teague’s nickname “Nacho.” I’m not sure I fully understand the story behind it, but it makes me chuckle. And I don’t care how terrible of a human being Dan thinks I am.

3. Where does the Northwest division rank among the toughest divisions in basketball?

Dan: At the tippy top of the rather futile division pecking.

No other five-team sector comes close. The Southwest is still pretty friggin’ tough, but the Dallas Mavericks are rebuilding, and the Memphis Grizzlies are in a for a rude awakening. And while it’s possible to imagine the Pelicans winning 50-plus games, it also feels like they could end up with fewer than 35.
The Northwest, by comparison, is made up of five teams that could all feasibly finish the season above .500. The Portland Trail Blazers. The Utah Jazz. The Nuggets. The Thunder. The Wolves.

Tell me: Which one of these squads will end 2017-18 with a losing record? The Blazers are the safest bet, but they’re hardly a sure thing. This division is a collective terror, and at least one deserving team will be bounced from the playoff picture because of it.

Derek: Overall, it’s the toughest. It doesn’t have the top heaviness of the Pacific or Southwest but every team but the Timberwolves won 40 games or more last season. While none of those teams got worse, the Wolves added Butler and Taj Gibson. It’s safe to say that no one got worse and the worst team improved. That makes it the toughest division in the league, to me.

Brian: I agree with Dan and Derek. Top to bottom this is the strongest division in the NBA. No matter which division teams are playing against each other, they must be on notice every night. There will be no cakewalks and no gimmes. Every victory will be earned by their opponent.

Next: Minnesota Timberwolves Mount Rushmore

This will make it more difficult for Minnesota in the short-term, but if they are able to survive the gauntlet they will be the better because of it. There are certain to be multiple games with a playoff like atmosphere, giving the young and inexperienced Wolves some playoff-like-atmosphere games.