Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 takeaways from the trade deadline

1. Thibodeau knows championship caliber teams aren’t built in one season.

One of the hardest parts of being a fan is being patient. I know, I know, I’m preaching to the choir in a Timberwolves’ fan base who has been patient for 13 damn years, but now might be the hardest part.

Minnesota has taken that huge step forward and could very well end up with 50 plus wins this season. Naturally, fans want their team to take the next step in the progression and become a championship contender.

However, when you look across the NBA landscape at the four, maybe five championship contenders (Rockets, Warriors, Celtics, Cavs, Raptors) you’ll notice all of those teams came together over time. Nobody was built in one offseason.

That’s where it’s important to stay patient, as Thibodeau needs another season or two to refine the already good product he’s put on the floor.

Sure, he’s working with some time constraints considering the contracts of Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, Gibson and Butler, but he deserves at least another year to see if he can take this team to the next level.

Minnesota will have their mid-level exception this offseason which will allow them to bring in another good bench player. If Thibodeau would have sacrificed their short or long-term future at the deadline for immediate gains, it might’ve looked nice right now, but in the long run, Minnesota wouldn’t have been better off.

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I’m happy to know the man who calls the shots demonstrates at least a little bit of patience in building this team.