Timberwolves

FAKLIS: The Minnesota Timberwolves and Managing Expectations

Tom Thibodeau and the Minnesota Timberwolves are going forward with a new plan.

For a franchise riddled with a history of rebrands, rebuilds, redos and recitals of “we’re a couple years away from something special,” this summer’s moves have led to a series of changes unfamiliar to the transaction history of this organization. 

They’re still cast with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, two young, budding stars acquired by Flip Saunders, to make the prospect of the future fun. 

But this summer’s trade for Jimmy Butler made it clear to the world — for those who weren’t sure already — that Thibodeau and Scott Layden are ready to win right now — and down the road.

The team has two top-20 players in Butler and Towns, an additional 20-plus points per game scorer in Wiggins and some pieces behind the three of them. By all accounts, the Timberwolves should be a solid playoff team this season, but Thibodeau wants to take things one step at a time.

“I think that it’s not uncommon this time of year, everyone’s optimistic,” Thibodeau said at Friday’s Timberwolves Media Day. “You can’t lose sight of what you actually have to do, and you have to do it every day. Everything matters.”

This wasn’t a vague poke at last season. His desire to look at everything is in reference to tried and true statistics.

Offense wasn’t the problem in Thibs’ first year in Minnesota. A year ago, his team finished in the top-10 in offensive rating, field goal percentage, assists, assist percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio. The team scored the ball well, took care of the ball and played an efficient brand of basketball, all while shooting the lowest percentage of 3-pointers in the entire league in a league that preaches the contrary.

But as big a plus as the offense could be, the defense still often put them in the red. They finished in the bottom-10 in defensive rating, points allowed on the fast break, second chance points allowed, and opponent field goal percentage.

Aside from the obvious star power and offensive punch he provides, Butler is also a top-notch defensive player. Adding both Butler and Taj Gibson, both known for their vocal and active approach to defending, should help with this immediately. And, of course, Thibodeau’s micromanaging on his favorite side of the ball will always be there.

“More often than not, much of the emphasis is going to be on the defensive end,” Butler said, describing his former and now current coach’s approach. “On offense, you have all the rope, all the leeway in the world. But you have to do what you have to do on defense.”

Media day and training camp is a time for players and coaches to boast about their individual and collective improvements, but nothing tangible comes from this period of the season. This is why the Thibodeau-led coaching staff, as Jeff Teague mentioned on Friday, jumped right into defensive drills as individual practices began. The coaching staff knows the importance of continuing to work on the flaws of the year prior, even with a slightly new cast.

Tempering expectations for a Wolves team, expected to make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, can be hard. This is a team that was supposed to be better than the 31-win team it became last season, and its inability to handle early expectations could certainly be part of that. Butler alone makes this roster makeup is a better one than it was a year ago, but how well they’ll do in the win-loss column remains to be seen.

One of the biggest differences between this season and last season is the inclusion of veterans. Last year featured guys like Jordan Hill and Cole Aldrich — the latter still with the team — but Thibs didn’t have any veterans in his regular rotation. This year, in addition to Butler and Gibson, players like Jamal Crawford and Teague should help bring perspective for the still-youngsters who remain.

“The veterans, I think, can help speed the process up for the younger guys, because they know how things should be done. They’ve done it before,” Thibodeau said.

Aaron Brooks, another vet and the team’s most recent signing, will battle for backup point guard playing time against youngster Tyus Jones. Regardless, his outlook on past season may be just as important early on.

“I don’t know. I know these guys can play, but I’ve been on good teams where guys didn’t come together, and it didn’t work,” Brooks said, discussing the team’s hype coming into this season. “I know there’s a lot of talent, and Thibs is a good coach. I just hope it works.”

The Timberwolves are in San Diego for training camp this year, where they’ll spend the remainder of this week. From there, they’ll fly out to China for a series of preseason games in an attempt to find their identity.

A temporary move across the globe, according to several of the players, is a perfect way to get to know their new teammates, and to gel quickly.

“It’s gonna be fun,” Butler said. “Like it or not, we’re gonna have to spend a lot of time with one another.”

Butler has seen what a successful team led by Thibodeau can look like. He saw it in Chicago; a team riddled with positive history, championships, with the statue of the best player ever sitting outside their arena. The Timberwolves do not match, or even compete, with such a history.

Towns and Wiggins, young as they are, represent what the team has idealized in the past: young and talented at the top, but with lots of room to grow. Butler brings similar talent, but also the experience on how to handle those lofty expectations. Together? Time will tell how they handle it collectively.

It’s been a while, and absolutely nothing is guaranteed. But for the first time in a number of years, the talent and experience are there, all at once.


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