There’s been a lot of talk about the Timberwolves’ young core of talent.
And with last year’s top pick Andrew Wiggins, this year’s top pick Karl-Anthony Towns, and players like Zach LaVine, Adrienne Payne, Tyus Jones and even Ricky Rubio around them – there’s plenty of reason for Timberwolves basketball fans to be excited.
But we can’t look to the future without at least taking a look back at Minnesota’s bumpy past for an organization that’s seen more downs than ups.
Yahoo Sports put together a starting lineup filled with who it believes are the all-time best Timberwolves. Here is who they came up with:
- C – Al Jefferson – Jefferson averaged 20 points and 10.4 rebounds a game over three seasons with the Wolves. He was the key to the trade that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston. Jefferson was later dealt for a trade exception, Kosta Koufos, and draft picks.
- F – Kevin Garnett – Garnett is the best player the Timberwolves have ever had. KG stands alone as Minnesota’s all-time leader in minutes, points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He also led the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals in 2003-04.
- F – Kevin Love – Injuries, bad trades and worse drafting plagued Love’s time in Minnesota. But he was still productive as he averaged 19.2 points and 12.2 rebounds a game. Love even made three All-Star teams in Minnesota.
- G – Stephon Marbury – Marbury forced his way out of Minnesota with a trade to New Jersey after he realized he’d never make as much money as Garnett due to the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement. But for the short time he was in Minnesota, Marbury averaged 17 points and eight assists per game in 167 contests.
- G – Terrell Brandon – He arrived in Minnesota when Marbury left and picked up right where Stephon left off, averaging 15.6 points and 8.3 assists for Timberwolves teams that routinely made the post season.
It’s probably too soon to tell if any of the young Wolves will break into the team’s All-Time starting five.
ESPN earlier this week didn’t exactly pick greatness for the group this year when they picked the Wolves to finish 24-58 this season – dead last in the Western Conference.
