Minnesota Timberwolves: Ranking 5 former Wolves in NBA bubble
By Josh Tyler
Let’s look at eight notable former Minnesota Timberwolves players who played in the NBA bubble.
While the Minnesota Timberwolves were not included in the NBA’s restart in Orlando, there were several former Wolves players who made appearances with their current teams.
Some may be more than a year or two removed from their time in Minnesota, but we’re going to rank them all based on their impact in a Wolves uniform.
Honorable Mentions
Robert Covington
Stats with Wolves
- Two seasons, 70 games
- 13.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.3 assists, and 1 block per game
Robert Covington came to the Wolves in the trade that sent Jimmy Buttler to Philadelphia. and was shipped out prior to this February’s trade deadline.
Although Covington only played 70 games with the Timberwolves he impacted to the game on both sides of the court drastically. His defense made a big difference for the Wolves, and RoCo did an admirable job helping his younger teammates learn the ropes as NBA defenders.
Covington was sent to Houston in a three-team deadline deal and he’s spent most of his time playing the 4 and even the 5 with the Rockets.
Anthony Tolliver
Stats with Wolves
- Three seasons, 181 games
- 5.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game
Anthony Tolliver has certainly had an interesting career; he’s now played for 10 different teams, including two separate stints with the Wolves.
Although his numbers for the Timberwolves aren’t anything special, Tolliver has always been seen as an impactful veteran and a good leader. After being picked up by Memphis on a 10-day contract, he was eventually signed for the rest of the season.
Tolliver is the perfect player for a young Grizzlies team where he can guide players like Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson, and Brandon Clarke.
JJ Barea
Stats with Wolves
- Three seasons, 194 games
- 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists per game
JJ Barea is in his 14th NBA season. After winning the 2010 NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks, he came over to the Timberwolves for three seasons.
Back then, Barea played alongside the likes of Luke Ridnour, Ricky Rubio, and Alexey Shved, primarily serving as a backup. Although it never really clicked in Minnesota for Barea, he managed to produce a strong career with the Mavericks both before and after his time in Minnesota and deserves a mention.