Minnesota Timberwolves 2017 Season Preview: Draft Utopia

Minnesota Timberwolves 2017 Season Preview

Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the top centers in the NBA. Minnesota fans expect this to be a Playoff team in 2017.

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Posted on 3/6/2016.

Minnesota began their rebuilding plan in 2014 with Andrew Wiggins as a vocal point. When it came to scoring the Timberwolves were much better than people realize.

Point guard Ricky Rubio, shooting guard Kevin Martin, shooting guard Zach LaVine, small forward Andrew Wiggins, and center Nikola Pekovic all averaged more than 10 points per game. The only one of these players to start in all 82 games was Andrew Wiggins.

Everybody thought Corey Brewer would start, but Wiggins was named the starting small forward at the last minute and the team banned soda in the locker room back in 2014-2015 before the start of last season and it's pretty evident that banning soda made the Timberwolves more disciplined.

Heading into 2015, you got Ricky Rubio back at point guard as he averaged 10.3 points per game, 8.8 assists per game, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Rubio's numbers were pretty impressive. The biggest issue with Rubio is that he only played 22 games due to injury after posting only 9 points per game back in 2013-2014. That's why the Timberwolves used their second first round pick on Duke point guard Tyus Jones who reminds me a little of Derrick Rose with his shooting. The issue with Jones is his size as Tyus Jones is only 6-1 190 lbs compared to Rubio who is 6-4 192 lbs.

Shooting guard is the strongest position the Timberwolves have depth at. Kevin Martin averaged 20 points per game in 39 starts. Zach LaVine averaged 10.1 points per game as a rookie coming out of Michigan and even won the 2015 Slam Dunk Contest by dunking just like Michael Jordan from Space Jam.

Andrew Wiggins averaged 16.9 points per game and played in all 82 games as a rookie. Shabazz Muhammaed has matured a lot since his rookie year when he got suspended from the Timberwolves and looks like a solid backup to Wiggins at small forward.

I love the depth the Timberwolves have at point guard, shooting guard, and small forward. That alone makes them a dark horse to contend. My issue with the Timberwolves is that Head Coach Flip Saunders is still head coach of this team as well as the President of Basketball Operations. Kevin Garnett should not still be starting at power forward because he's not been the same player since leaving the Celtics to go to the Brooklyn Nets a few years ago before rejoining the Timberwolves.

Nikola Pekovic is a solid starter at center. My issue with Pekovic is that he's overpaid plus the Timberwolves drafted Karl-Anthony Towns with the top pick. Towns has the versatility to play center or power forward. Towns should be starting at power forward by aiding Pekovic at center. Flip Saunders wants to start Towns inside at center before moving him outside to power forward which I think is foolish.