Minnesota Timberwolves New Year’s resolutions: Player development

1. Player development

Player development should be the number one resolution for the 2018 Timberwolves. Enough said.

They have Wiggins locked up for five more years after this season and will hopefully do the same with Towns. When that happens, that will be a lot of years and money invested in two young players who still have a lot of growth to make.

Thibodeau and this coaching staff shouldn’t be satisfied with the players these young men are today, instead, should be looking toward the future. Their will come a time when Butler is no longer capable of scoring on or assisting every point in an overtime victory and it will come sooner than we realize. What that moment does happen, the two franchise cornerstones need to be ready to take over.

Timberwolves’ owner Glen Taylor feels the same way, having said this during contract negotiations with Wiggins in August:

"So when you’re talking about negotiations on his part, I’m already extending to him that I’m willing to meet the max. But there are some things that I need out of him, and that is the commitment to be a better player than you are today."

If only it was that easy, Glen.

Next: Holiday hero: The month of Karl-Anthony Towns

Watch out, however, if that growth and development does happen like we all hope, wish and pray, it will be huge for a franchise that isn’t satisfied with one winning blip on the radar. It could lead to something more special than we’ve ever witnessed in franchise history.