Minnesota Timberwolves: The (Hardly) Bold Predictions
I’ll admit, I’m pretty good with predictions when I feel very strongly. Like Monday night, I could not have felt more comfortable taking the Washington Redskins plus-9.5 over the hysteria-inducing Dallas Cowboys. But those are infrequent, and when I have to make predictions simply for the sake of doing them, it can blur the vision.
Last season I went bold over reasonable and proclaimed that the Toronto Raptors’ Jonas Valanciunas would make the All-Star team. That was premature—I’m still steadfast in my expectations for him; I can’t say the same for his team’s handling of him, though—but it hasn’t soured me on making big statements if it feels right.
With that said, though, I’m feeling a little dull and lacking an overly bold flavor in my predictions for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season. I’ll try and conjure one up. Let’s get to it.
It was hard enough for me to entertain the confident (delusional) ravings of this knowledgeable guy Lee T., who is certain that the Wolves would approach 50 wins this season and shock everyone with a brand of youthfully exuberant basketball that the league isn’t ready for.
That’s not a joke. He may be partial fanboy, but he knows basketball. He was a high school big shot point guard. It was the kind of optimism you have to respect, even if you are shaking your head in disbelief.
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I don’t share that sentiment in the least, and neither do the sportsbooks. Most have the Wolves over/under at 26.5 wins. A record of 26-56 is hardly flattering, but if it means getting the foundation set and the foundational players the experience they need, no one will bat an eye on the record.
I still believe the season will be a power battle between the development/competition philosophies, and that will keep the Wolves from a historically bad campaign. I’ll say they post a 29-53 record with the potential for 35 wins if some guys show they’re ready to contribute quicker than expected. No one will complain.
Ricky Rubio will take a step forward in finishing around the rim, which must happen for him to get to the next level. But will his teammates hit the shots when Rubio finds them? I’ll call for 11 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and three steals. His field goal percentage will not hit 40 percent, though.
Kevin Martin will be relied upon early, but will be phased out late. They may move him, too, which I have argued they need to open up minutes. He will average about 20 points a game out of the gate, but will finish at around 15. Considering offense is all he adds, let’s hope that the quicker the Wolves decide to move on from him, the better.
I still can’t forecast how many minutes Andrew Wiggins is going to play right away. I’ve spoken at length about the logjam and finding time, but I have to assume that the situation will work itself out and the team will put Wiggins and the other young guys in the best position to succeed.
I’ll call for Wiggins to average 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists. There will be ugly offensive games, but they will be overshadowed by consistent playmaking ability.
Thaddeus Young will put up numbers because he’s a good player, but I still can’t get over the fact that he’s a probably one year rental for a bad team. If he re-signed, that’s great; he could be a piece to build around, but I feel like I will be watching empty minutes and points this season.
But he will be good. I’ll say 15 points and eight rebounds while playing decent defense. The fact that Flip Saunders insisted on getting Anthony Bennett back in the Kevin Love trade should speak well of their plans to use him, but I’m skeptical that he gets more than about 12 minutes a game. His role should grow, but I expect that to be slow.
While I hate to admit it, I have sort of the same empty feeling with Nikola Pekovic. He’ll also be good, but I want the more athletic, defensively superior Gorgui Dieng to take this job and run with it. But in the short term, Pekovic is crucial to this team’s success. I see 17 points and nine rebounds from Pekovic in an efficient 25-30 minutes a game.
Speaking of Dieng, it looks like he could be in line for 20 minutes a game with a healthy Pekovic, and another starring role if Pekovic gets hurt. He has a history of injuries, and Dieng will be ready if called upon for major minutes.
I foresee seven points and nine rebounds in the sidekick role and more like 14 and 14 if he needs to start. I love his potential; he showed a ton of it last season. I hope the Wolves rely on him.
If I had to pick a disappointment, it would be lottery rookie Zach LaVine. But disappointment only in that he won’t make a significant impact. I really like him, but he isn’t ready. I’ll say he averages four points and makes a small impact with steals.
I’m also not sure that second-year wing Shabazz Muhammad will take a big step forward, either. I think he’ll bump his output to about six points.
The others will do what they do. Corey Brewer, Chase Budinger, Mo Williams, and Robbie Hummel won’t really surprise and they won’t disappoint. Again, there is a lack of bold calls on my part. Honestly, the one call I can make is that any fan should be pleading for a trade of Kevin Martin.
I am certain that would create a very positive domino effect for all the players they need to see.