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Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 biggest reasons to get excited about the 2020-21 season

By Phil Ford

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves huddles with teammates against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on February 26, 2020 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves huddles with teammates against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on February 26, 2020 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Timberwolves, D'Angelo Russell
D’Angelo Russell of the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

For the first time in a long time, Minnesota Timberwolves fans have plenty to be excited about as the NBA season draws near.

In three short weeks, the 2020-21 NBA season will begin, giving Minnesota Timberwolves fans something to cheer about for the first time in more than nine months.

Timberwolves fans will be coming out of hibernation to see a vastly different team than the one that lost to the Houston Rockets back on March 10, the last game the team played before COVID-19 abruptly shut the season down.

Along with several new faces that fans will have to get acquainted with, there is a new feeling that most Wolves fans haven’t felt in a long time, excitement.

Yes, you read that right, Wolves fans are actually excited for the upcoming season.

Not since 2017, when then-head coach Tom Thibodeau swung a draft-night trade for Jimmy Butler and immediately catapulted Minnesota into contention has there been this much excitement for basketball in the Twin Cities (and we all know how that ended up).

Since Butler and company ended Minnesota’s playoff drought in 2018, things have gone back to normal for the franchise, which is to say things have been gloomy.

Butler forced his way out of town just 13 games into the 2018-19 season with his antics and infamous third-stringer practice run against Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and the rest of the starters.

The Wolves left behind in the wake of the Jimmy Butler experience floundered the rest of the season, securing a 36-46 record, 11th place in the West.

Things got even worse in the middle of last season as KAT fought injuries, Minnesota had losing streaks of 11 and 13 games, Wiggins was shipped to Golden State, and the Wolves began a midseason rebuild.

From there, things began to turn around. The trade that sent Wiggins to Golden State brought budding star and one-third of the NBA’s best friends gang, D’Angelo Russell, to Minnesota to team up with his pal KAT.

Unfortunately, Timberwolves fans are still waiting to see if their friendship turns into on-court chemistry as injuries to both stars allowed them to share the court just one time last season, in a road loss to Toronto.

All of the turmoil that has begotten the entire franchise for the last two-and-a-half years and the better part of 15 years finally turned into a positive this offseason. Minnesota’s 19-45 record was good (bad?) enough to give them a share of the best odds to land the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Maybe — just maybe — Minnesota’s luck is turning as the Wolves were awarded the top pick and used it to select Georgia guard Anthony Edwards.

Now the Wolves have two young stars, a top draft pick, mixed in with an interesting roster of young, talented but raw wings, and a few veteran leaders. There’s a lot to get excited about this season, and Timberwolves fans should be very optimistic heading into the upcoming season.

Above all else, there are three main reasons that Timberwolves fans can’t wait until their team takes the court again. The first is a band of new faces (and one familiar one) that will don Timberwolves jerseys this season.

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