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Timberwolves Roundup: Training camp, more season previews

By Ben Beecken

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 22: Andrew Wiggins #22, Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves pose for portraits during the 2017 Media Day on September 22, 2017 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 22: Andrew Wiggins #22, Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves pose for portraits during the 2017 Media Day on September 22, 2017 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Timberwolves are already a few days into training camp in San Diego, and there is yet another Wolves season preview by a respected media outlet for us to dissect.

The Timberwolves.com crew does a great job covering the team, and Kyle Ratke is on the road putting together daily reports from San Diego, plus a diary-style, casual account of his trip.

Most recently, Ratke recapped his third day in southern California by taking some Twitter questions. You may recognize the fellow who asked the second question listed, regarding the battle for the backup point guard spot…that’s right, it’s our own Brian Sampson. If he wasn’t famous already, he is now.

Ratke’s response is about what you might expect; it will be decided on the court, etc. What else could we expect Tom Thibodeau, and in turn, the Wolves own reporter, to say about such a contest? (Remember, my skeptical self believes that it will be Aaron Brooks that wins the job, despite Tyus Jones showing more in limited minutes last season than Brooks did with extensive minutes with the Indiana Pacers.)

Other hard-hitting questions include snacks and how Karl-Anthony Towns is meshing with his new teammates. (In all seriousness, Ratke is doing a great job at keeping the content coming, and we appreciate the consistent training camp coverage.)

Another Ratke piece highlights comments from Jamal Crawford on Tom Thibodeau, primarily focusing on his legendary preparedness. Crawford even says that there is “no doubt” in his mind that Thibodeau is the most prepared coach in the league.

Elsewhere, Haley O’Shaughnessy of The Ringer published a “Best Case, Worst Case” piece on the Timberwolves season. She cites the Las Vegas over/under of 48.5 — once again a potentially massive increase in wins from the prior campaign.

The article does not predict a final win total for the Wolves, but rather creates a summary of the offseason — basically, Thibodeau acquired a superstar in Butler and then continued to acquire veterans to assist with the fourth quarter woes that plagued his painfully young team last season — and suggests that natural improvement (and a second year under Coach Thibs) with both Towns and Andrew Wiggins could largely be responsible for any major improvement in the team’s final record.

O’Shaughnessy also cites the same potential issues that some Wolves fans have been wringing their hands over for the past few weeks: floor spacing and a willingness to share the ball. After all, there are plenty of average-y 3-point shooters on the roster but there isn’t a sharpshooter in the bunch.

Color me frustrated by any article that throws out a best case and a worst case and doesn’t take a stab at any win totals, but alas, The Ringer brings us exactly that.

Next: The value of leadership to the Timberwolves

However: stay tuned for predictions from the Dunking With Wolves staff. We won’t shy away from projecting out what this season will ultimately look like…

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