The Minnesota Timberwolves came into existence in 1989 and they suffered the typical woes of an expansion team. In their first six years of existence the Timberwolves never won more than 29 games. Following a 21-61 record during the 1994-1995 NBA season, the Timberwolves went into the 1995 NBA Draft with the fifth overall selection. The Timberwolves would go on to select power forward Kevin Garnett out of Farragut Academy in Chicago, Illinois. By 1997 Garnett led the Timberwolves to their first playoff appearance as he would become the face of the franchise. From 1997-2004, the Timberwolves would make the playoffs each year, but they were only able to advance past the first round once. In 2004, the Timberwolves went 58-24 and they made it to the Western Conference Finals, but it has been downhill since. The Timberowlves have not made the playoffs since 2004 and by 2007 Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics. Garnett left Minneapolis as the Timberwolves all-time franchise leader in all the major statistical categories. Since then rebuilding has been frustrating for the Timberwolves and it could actually get worse for them.
As soon as the 2008 NBA Draft ended, the Minnesota Timberwolves gained the draft rights to power forward Kevin Love from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to shooting guard O.J. Mayo. Like Garnett before him, Love has become the face of the Timberwolves franchise. But unlike Garnett, Love has been unable to lead the Timberwolves to the postseason. And by the look of things Love may never be a part of a playoff team in Minnesota.
The NBA’s off-season is upon us and Love is the hottest name buzzing this side of Miami Heat small forward LeBron James and New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony. Love has expressed his desire to leave Minneapolis while the Timberwolves intend to do everything in their power to keep him.
Love finished the 2013-2014 NBA season fresh off of career highs in points (26.1) and assists (4.4) to go along with 12.5 rebounds. Love will be 26-years old just prior to the start of the 2014-2015 NBA season and he is looking for a fresh start in a bigger market. It took Garnett to get to the age of 31 to realize what Love has already realized at the age of 25 which is that you’re not going to win with the Timberwolves.
Since the Timberwolves last playoff appearance they have employed five different head coaches and the team’s current general manager Milt Newton has been on the job for less than a year. During his tenure in Minneapolis, former Timberwolves David Kahn went out of his way to complain about the team never winning the NBA’s Draft Lottery. For their history the Timberwolves have had seven seasons in which they have won fewer than 25 games, but with the exception of Garnett, this is an organization that has missed big in the draft.
Since 2007 only one Timberwolves draft pick (point guard Ricky Rubio) is still with the team. There was the infamous 2009 NBA Draft where the Timberwolves had four first round picks and Kahn used three of their picks on point guards. If Kahn’s excuse was never winning the NBA Draft Lottery then he and every other team in the league should take a hard look at the 2014 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. Since drafting power forward Tim Duncan with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, the Spurs have not picked higher than 24th in the first round; yet they have go on to win five NBA Championships and with the exception of the lockout shortened 1998-1999 NBA season, they have won at least 50 games in every NBA campaign. The Spurs have done a tremendous job in scouting and developing their talent in San Antonio which is not a big media market. The Spurs strategy is something that the Timberwolves should pay attention to.
Love is under contract with the Timberwolves for next year with a player option for the 2015-2016 NBA season and I highly doubt that he will be with the Timberwolves next season. Newton along with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and head coach Flip Saunders have all expressed their desire to keep Love in Minnesota, but why keep a player on the payroll that does not want to be there? The Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, and Celtics are all interested in the services of Love and the Timberwolves should listen so that they can once again “start over”.
The modern male professional athlete is more business savvy than ever as he knows that he has a very small window to earn top dollar playing sports while also winning a title and cashing in on endorsements. With limited endorsement opportunities in Minneapolis and a front office with the Timberwolves that doesn’t have a winning pedigree, it makes total sense for Love to leave town. Regardless of whether or not that Love is with the Timberwolves next season, they must do a better of drafting and developing talent in Minneapolis in order to compete in the NBA.
Source: Basketball-reference.com
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