Minnesota Timberwolves: Top 30 greatest players of all-time

• Four seasons with Timberwolves (1998-2000, 2001-03)
• Averaged 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds with Timberwolves

If we factor in the salary cap scandal that occurred around the turn of the century, it would be hard to put Joe Smith on this list. After all, he did cost the team three first-round picks — although it’s not like Kevin McHale and Glen Taylor weren’t to blame, either.

But, strictly based on on-court play, Smith definitely deserves his No. 19 ranking.

Smith was the first-overall draft pick in 1995 out of the University of Maryland, which was the same draft that saw Kevin Garnett go fifth to the Timberwolves. Smith played two-and-a-half solid seasons with Golden State before being traded to Philadelphia, where he struggled in 30 games at the end of the 1997-98 season.

Then, Smith signed with Minnesota in free agency, and for far below market value. He turned out to be a good complement to Garnett and averaged 13.7 points and 8.2 rebounds over 42 starts in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 campaign. The next year, with the additions of Wally Szczerbiak and Malik Sealy, Smith came off the bench and saw his per-game numbers dip.

After the season, the scandal (the Wolves agreed to pay Smith less money up front in exchange for a higher-dollar, longer-term deal later in order to save cap space) was discovered and the Wolves released Smith, who signed with Detroit. After one year the Pistons, Smith came back to the Timberwolves for two more seasons before embarking on a journey around the NBA that lasted all the way until 2011.

Overall, Smith was a solid defender and good all-around player for the Timberwolves. Ideally, the Wolves would have had more scoring punch behind/next to Garnett, but Smith’s defense and ability to guard three positions with some effectiveness was key to the Wolves’ relative success over Smith’s four seasons in Minnesota.