2019-20 Season Timeline Review and Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves.

Ryan Saunders’ first full season (technically) as head coach was yet another disappointing season for the T-Wolves, who could’ve predicted that? It seemed like nothing was going good for them at the beginning as their best player Karl Anthony Towns missed 29 games and their last two lottery picks Jarrett Culver and Josh Okogie couldn’t do much on the offensive side of the ball. KAT was showing much frustration with the front office and it looked like he was on his way out if things didn’t change.

But the basketball gods are merciful ones (at times) so in hearing this they swung things seeming in the Wolves favor, possibly setting them up favorably for the future. The front office decided to trade around for basically an entirely new roster, not to mention getting KAT one of his best friends to play within D’Angelo Russell (more on that later). And in the NBA Lottery that took place on the 20^th of August, the Wolves ended up with the 1^st overall pick.

What started as just another discouraging season, has ended with hope for the future. It might not be much, considering their luck with the previous number one picks in the past (*cough* Andrew Wiggins *cough*), but hey this franchise will take whatever they can get.  So, let’s get into this very eventful season.

 

June 20^th NBA Draft:

 

The Wolves originally had the 11^th pick where they took Cameron Johnson, but hours before the start of the draft, they traded that pick and Dario Saric for the 6^th pick, who became Jarrett Culver (SG). They also had the 43^rd pick where they selected another SG in Jaylen Nowell.  They also signed three undrafted rookies in Naz Reid (C), Kelan Martin (SF), and Jordan McLaughlin (PG).

PS – I think McLaughlin can be a good role player for them in the future. His per 36 numbers look great and he’s shown good shooting ability and playmaking in his limited minutes.

 

Pre-season

 

Signings – They didn’t sign anybody. I guess nobody was dying to play with Wiggins and KAT and miss the playoffs or they had no cap space, either or.

 

Trades

 

July 6^th – The Timberwolves trade Dario Saric and the draft rights to the 11^th pick Cameron Johnson to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the draft rights to the 6^th pick Jarrett Culver.

 

July 8^th – The Timberwolves trade the draft rights to Bojan Budljevic (I don’t know who he is) to the Trail Blazers for Jake Layman (sign and trade).

 

July 8^th – The Timberwolves traded the draft rights to Lior Eliyahu to the Warriors for Treveon Graham, Shabazz Napier, and cash considerations (remember this trade from the warrior’s post).

 

October 22^nd – The 2019-20 season begins.

Fun Fact: This season the Wolves had both an eleven game and a thirteen-game losing streak. Yikes.

 

Mid-season

 

Signings – Nothing to report here.

 

Trades:

 

January 16^th – Minnesota trade both Jeff Teague and Treveon Graham to the Hawks for Allen Crabbe.

 

February 5^th – A Four-Team. How long do you think it took all 4 of these gms to finalize this?

 

 

Timberwolves got	Hawks got	Nuggets got	Rockets got
Malik Beasley (Nuggets)	Clint Capela (Rockets)	Keita Bates-Diop (Wolves)	Robert Covington (Wolves)
Juan Hernangomez (Nuggets)	Nene (Rockets)	Shabazz Napier (Wolves)	Jordan Bell (Wolves)
Jarred Vanderbilt (Nuggets)		Noah Vonleh (Wolves)	2024 Warriors 2nd round pick (Hawks)
2020 Nets top 14 protected 1st round pick (Hawks)		Gerald Green (Rockets)
Evan Turner (Hawks)		2020 Rockets 1st round pick

In the 14 games, Malik Beasley played for Minnesota he was balling. He averaged 20.7 points a game on crazy good efficiency (47% from the field and 42% from 3.) But with him being a free agent this offseason, this begs the question, do the Wolves want to bring him back and if they do, how much are they willing to pay.

 

February 6^th – Minnesota trade Andrew Wiggins, their 2021 1^st round pick (top 3 protected) and their unprotected 2021 2^nd round pick for Dangelo Russell, Omari Spellman, and Jacob Evans.

This trade was necessary. Minnesota gets off the horrible contract they gave the mediocre Wiggins and bring in a great friend of KAT in Russell. This should keep KAT happy and prevent him from leaving a bit longer.

 

February 6^th – a three-team trade involving the T-Wolves, the Heat, and the Grizzlies.

 

 

Timberwolves get	Heat get	Grizzlies get
James Johnson (Heat)	Andre Igoudala (Grizzlies)	Justice Winslow (Heat)
	Jae Crowder (Grizzlies)	Dion Waiters (Heat)
	Solomon Hill (Grizzlies)	Gorgui Dieng (Wolves)

 

2020-21 Season Preview

 

As stated earlier Minnesota won this year's lottery and will have the 1^st overall pick in the draft. The consensus number one pick seems to be Anthony Edwards a shooting guard out of Georgia. I don’t seem then drafting a PG or C as they already have Russell and KAT, but I do think they have a decision to make. If they take Edwards does that mean they don’t resign Beasley, I mean he was phenomenal for them in his 14 games played. Or maybe they can move down, collect future assets, and draft somebody who can help them more on the defensive end like Isaac Okoro or Devin Vassell. But as I said before I don’t know much about college basketball or the prospects. I think its more than likely that they stay with drafting at 1 but I do think that they should consider moving down if they can.

In the free agency, I think they need to go and get some forwards. Typical 3&D guys, because D’Lo, Kat, and Edwards/Beasley aren’t great defenders, so to avoid always having to get into a shootout every night, they need to bring in some solid defenders to help keep them respectable. Guys like Maurice Harkless, Andre Roberson, and Kent Bazemore sound like good options. They would have some cap space to sign players this free agency or they could try to save it for the big free agency class of 2021.

 

Final Remarks

 

I think the Wolves can have a bounce-back year next season, I’m not sure if they make the playoffs because the Western Conference is SUPER tough, but I think they can get around 30-35 games. However, if they end up being horrible again then I don’t know what to tell you honestly, it’ll be typical Timberwolves basketball.