Minnesota Timberwolves: Top 30 greatest players of all-time
By Ben Beecken
Sam Cassell. 6. player. 86. . Point Guard. Minnesota Timberwolves
- Two seasons with Timberwolves (2003-05)
- Averaged 17.2 points and 6.4 assists with Timberwolves
- 1x All-Star with Timberwolves
Sam Cassell was the second-best player on the best Timberwolves team in franchise history, and on the back of that campaign alone managed to land the No. 6 spot on this list.
Cassell was acquired from Milwaukee during the summer of 2003 after the Bucks acquired Gary Payton to play point guard. The cost to acquire Cassell, along with Ervin Johnson, who became the Timberwolves’ starting center as they advanced all the way to the conference finals? Only Joe Smith (No. 17 on this list) and Anthony Peeler (No. 19).
As a 34-year-old, Cassell stepped up and made his first and only All-Star appearance, averaging 19.8 points and 7.3 assists. He shot a career-best 39.8 percent on 3-point attempts and drained 87.3 percent of his free throw attempts.
Cassell was magnificent throughout the season, but injured himself during the playoffs (and allegedly doing his ‘big balls’ dance after a big shot in Game 7 of the second-round win over Sacramento), which many think cost the Wolves a shot at the Finals, which would have featured a favorable matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
Cassell struggled through injuries again the following season, only appearing in 59 games in a season that saw the Timberwolves only win 44 games and miss the playoffs, with Flip Saunders getting his walking papers after a 25-26 start to the season.
Sam I Am was then traded to the Los Angeles Clippers along with a future first-round draft pick in an infamously lopsided trade that only netted the Wolves Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers, the latter of whom never suited up for the Wolves.