The Timberwolves Are Back In The Playoff Picture
The Timberwolves have been abysmal for the better part of the last 16 years, missing the playoffs 15 out of those 16 times. But now the Timberwolves are building a playoff team. They had the #1 overall pick and they made some moves and now they have a competent roster around KAT. Here’s how the Timberwolves put themselves back in the playoffs.
2020 NBA Draft
The Timberwolves had 3 first round picks in this draft, acquiring one via trade. They had the #1 overall pick and two late first rounders. And they got some decent value for those 3 picks.
Anthony Edwards – #1 Overall
While many were critical of this pick, I love it. Edwards is a very talented scorer, who can score from anywhere on the court. He is a big strong guard who can guard 1-3 on the court. Edwards can also be a good defender as he has all the tools to be a good two-way guard. He doesn’t have to play on the ball, and he fits nicely alongside KAT and D-Lo. This was an excellent selection by the T-Wolves here at #1.
Leandro Bolmaro – #23 Overall
Bolmaro is very unpolished right now, but he is spending another season with Barcelona. This should give him time to develop. Not much is known about his game, but he will be getting better over his year overseas. So entering the 2021-22 season, the T-Wolves will be getting a solid player.
Jaden McDaniels – #28 Overall
McDaniels was a prized prospect coming out of college. He had it all, size, skill, and athleticism. He seemed destined for big things. But during his one season with the Washington Huskies, he flunked. He didn’t carry over well. And he isn’t very polished. The Timberwolves might have wanted to take somebody more established instead of two project players. McDaniels will likely be decent, but after a disappointing college career, this pick could be a reach by the T-Wolves.
Draft Night Trades
The T-Wolves had a trade of draft night, that netted them Ricky Rubio from OKC. They gave OKC the 17th overall pick and got Rubio and the 28th pick (McDaniels) in return.
Rubio is a great backup PG, and he’s coming back to where his career took off. The team loves him and he is a good fit for this T-Wolves bench. This was a solid pickup for the T-Wolves bench.
2020 NBA Free Agency
The T-Wolves didn’t sign anybody new, they just resigned the talent that they acquired late last season. They also made a minor trade that helps strengthen their paint presence.
Resign Malik Beasley – 4yr/$60 Million Dollar Deal
Beasley was traded from Denver to Minnesota mid-season. Beasley was a decent role-player for Denver, and not much was thought about this move. But Beasley exploded with Minnesota. In the 14 games he played with the T-Wolves, he averaged 20.7 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 47% from the field and 43% from 3. Beasley was excellent, and will be a great bench piece for Minnesota going forward.
Don’t expect these type of numbers from Beasley with KAT, D-LO and now Anthony Edwards on the team, but if he can be a solid shooter and provide solid shooting off the bench, this will be a good move. $15 million per year is a much if Beasley comes off the bench (which is likely to happen), so he’d better live up to it. A risky move by Minnesota, but one that has a big reward if it works out.
Resign Juancho Hernangomez – 3yr/$21 Million Dollar Deal
Juancho was also traded from Denver to Minnesota, and he played much better. In 14 games with the team, he averaged 12.9 points and 7.3 rebounds. He shot 45% from the field and 42% from 3. Juancho will be a solid bench piece for the T-Wolves. He is a good shooter and can stretch the floor, a valuable asset in the modern NBA. He isn’t a great defender, but he isn’t completely bad. This is a great value for Juancho, at around $7 million per year. This is something closer to what Malik Beasley should have signed, but that’s fine. A great resigning by the T-Wolves.
Trading For Ed Davis
Davis moved a lot during the offseason, and the T-Wolves got him from New York for Jacob Evans, Omari Spellman, and a 2026 2nd round pick. Davis is a solid backup big guy behind KAT, and he is an excellent offensive rebounder. Davis brings some more veteran leadership for this very young T-Wolves team, and he will play 10 minutes or so off the bench.
The Timberwolves were very active during the offseason. They got 3 first round picks in the draft, including drafting (future star) Anthony Edwards with the #1 overall pick. They got back Ricky Rubio, reuniting him with his original home. They resigned mid-season pickups Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez to sure up the bench, and trading for Ed Davis was their final piece to the puzzle. The T-Wolves improved a lot this offseason, and they could be in the hunt for a lower playoff seed in the tough Western Conference. The T-Wolves are a team that might surprise some teams this season.
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