Minnesota Timberwolves: Reviewing the state of the franchise

What’s gone right for the 2020-21 Minnesota Timberwolves

Not mentioned in the previous paragraph about disappointing players were Malik Beasley and Anthony Edwards.

Beasley is playing out of his mind this season, setting career highs in points per game (20.5), rebounds (4.6), assists (2.5), and 3-point percentage (40.6). When most of the other Wolves generally do a Jekyll and Hyde with their play, Beasley has been a steadying presence night-in and night-out with his instant offense ability and strong defensive hustle.

If not for being on the worst team in the league, Beasley would be getting more national attention as a Most Improved Player candidate and even some All-Star buzz.

It’s been more of a roller coaster for rookie sensation Anthony Edwards, but the highs have been extremely high. While the Ant-Man has had his fair share of rookie struggles, it is undeniable that this kid is special. With his crafty ability to get to the rim and earth-shattering dunks, the rookie out of Georgia will be a physical freak that will dominate opposing teams for years to come.

Edwards is currently second in points per game among rookies at 14.8, showing off his three-level scoring ability each night and is a contender for Rookie of the Year honors along with Charoltte’s LaMelo Ball and Sacramento’s Tyrese Haliburton.

Once Edwards starts to improve his decision-making and hone his shooting skills, the rest of the league will be put on notice.

Final thoughts on this year’s Timberwolves team

It has been a hard and trying season for Timberwolves fans everywhere. On the verge of another lost season, it is time to look ahead and figure out where the franchise can go from here.

First off, becoming sellers at the trade deadline to stock up on future assets is a smart move the Timberwolves should make since their season is all but over. This means getting rid of players such as Hernangomez, Culver, and Okogie, to name a few of the most likely Wolves to get traded.

As a former lottery pick, it would be a tough pill to swallow to cut ties with Culver after a season and a half, but he is still young and his pedigree may entice a team to give the Wolves a decent return if they believe they can develop Culver.

As for the rest of the season, it should be spent getting new head coach Chris Finch better familiarized with the rotations he wants to run, and also developing young players such as Edwards, McDaniels, Nowell, Vanderbilt, and Naz Reid, who are all under the age of 22.

If the Timberwolves stay on their current pace, they will end with the worst record in the NBA, giving them a 40% chance at keeping their pick in next year’s draft. If falls out of the top three, the Warriors will claim the pick as part of the D’Angelo Russell trade.

If the Wolves keep the pick, they could have the chance at drafting a high-ceiling player in a loaded draft class such as Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham or USC’s Evan Mobley to pair with the Wolves still-young core. However, if the Timberwolves lose their pick, they will have to rely on player development within the roster as it is unlikely to free agents will be attracted to Minnesota’s dumpster fire of a situation right now.

It has been one of the worst seasons in Timberwolves history with the franchise recently becoming the most losing team in the history of not just the NBA, but the big four American sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB) with a winning percentage of .39307.

A healthy lineup containing Russell, Towns, Beasley, and Edwards has the potential to wreak havoc on the NBA for years to come just as it has the potential to implode once again if the stars miss significant time once again.

Author J.K Rowling said that “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”

Are the Timberwolves building the foundation for a successful franchise? Or is rock-bottom their permanent residence?