Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 bounce-back candidates in 2019-20

Andrew Wiggins

Throughout his tenure in Minnesota, no Timberwolf has been as divisive as the 2014 No. 1 overall pick, Andrew Wiggins.

Loved by some for his high-flying posters and unparalleled athleticism, criticized by many for his analytical deficiencies and apathetic demeanor, Wiggins has been a lightning rod for criticism from Wolves fans throughout his career.

Much of the unhappiness with Wiggins has arisen from the five-year, $147 million max extension he was awarded before the 2017-2018 season. Agreed to with the expectation of Wiggins developing into a star that could be paired with Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves have seen Wiggins’ development stagnate.

Initially, Wiggins’ halted progress was blamed on the arrival of Jimmy Butler. Following Butler’s arrival, Wiggins was essentially demoted to a third scoring option, spot-up shooting role that saw his usage percentage decrease from 29 percent in the 2016-17 season to 23.4 percent in the 2017-18 season.

The abrasive personalities of Butler and Tom Thibodeau seemed to negatively affect Wiggins, as repeated comments on Wiggins’ lack of effort on defense and unwillingness to work hard enough for success failed to effectively motivate him.

Following the departure of Butler, Wolves’ fans were hopeful Wiggins would thrive in a new opportunity to assume a greater amount of the scoring load and continue his rise to stardom.

But, for the 2018-19 campaign, Wiggins averaged merely 18.1 points, 2.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game, 33.9 percent on 3-point attempts, and a usage rate of 24.4 percent. Besides a slight uptick in assists and rebounds, each of these statistics were significant decreases from his averages for the 2016-17 campaign.

Despite the failure to take a significant leap this past season, Wiggins will still be given an opportunity to finally unlock his potential.

Head coach Ryan Saunders and Wiggins are said to have a close relationship, with Saunders having been an assistant coach with the Wolves since Wiggins’ rookie season. In Saunders’ debut as interim head coach, it appeared as though Wiggins was ready to take his big leap after scoring 40 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists.

This memorable game demonstrated that Wiggins’ potential to be a star still exists, but Saunders must find a way for Wiggins to deliver such performances on a more consistent basis.

The time is now for Wiggins to become the co-star the Wolves desperately need. If he cannot make a substantial leap towards stardom, both the Wolves 2019-20 season and their future hopes of playoff success are doomed.