Former NBA Coach sounds off re: Wolves “I don’t really see them taking that next step”

The Minnesota Timberwolves are really a polarizing team in the NBA. Whether or not they seek out the spotlight, that spotlight certainly seems to seek them out. After an impressive undefeated run in the 2023 NBA preseason, the optimism is starting to build and the critics have begun to slink back to the dark places from which they came.

But there are still plenty of critics remaining, and they are more than delighted to spew unwarranted vitriol at the Minnesota Timberwolves. One such unexpected critic is former NBA coach Avery Johnson.

For the record, Avery Johnson is no longer coaching in the NBA and has not coached in the NBA for 10 years. He did coach from 2004-2013, and he was able to amass a career record of 254 wins and 186 losses with the Dallas Mavericks (4 seasons), New Jersey Nets (2 seasons), and Brooklyn Nets (1 season).

Why does Avery Johnson have a beef with the Minnesota Timberwolves?

The Timberwolves have no beef with Coach Johnson, at least didn’t have a beef with him until his unprompted tirade about a team that he had never coached surfaced in a recent interview:

Is he still fuming over the fact that the Minnesota Timberwolves swept his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, in a two-game NBA preseason Abu Dhabi Tournament? In the aftermath, some websites referred to the Minnesota Timberwolves trio of stars: Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert, as the Timberwolves ‘Big Three.’

And yet, the truth is, the Timberwolves did dominate the Mavericks, and the top three players on the Timberwolves roster appeared every bit to be in mid-season form. Is that cause to appear butt-hurt in a nationally available interview? Or was he merely trying to amplify his own past career accomplishments by diminishing the accomplishments of the Timberwolves trio?

Nobody has touted the Minnesota Timberwolves in any form of spotlight or accolades other than this team appears to be on the crest of a high summit in the NBA this season. If that threatens the pride of a former NBA coach? So be it. Let’s allow the 2023-24 NBA season to play out before we start to entertain opinions of how these Timberwolves do or do not compare with some of the best teams in NBA history.

Coach Avery Johnson has a good run in the NBA. But that time is over. At least sit and watch what this Timberwolves team can do before tossing shade at them.

Here are more Minnesota Timberwolves articles to catch you up today:

• 3 positive Timberwolves trends are surfacing in the 2023 preseason
• Shake Milton cements Wolves role as he knocks Knicks around
• Wolves must retain this rising stud on the 15-man roster after an impressive preseason
• Minnesota Timberwolves powered by Luka Garza’s 30 to 4th win
• Time to give Timberwolves Tall Ball a fresh look
• Naz Reid: Timberwolves investment that is already paying huge dividends