Minnesota Timberwolves: 2015-16 Season Outlook

Coming off a season of injuries, young talent being thrown into the fire and sporting the worst record in the NBA, expectations aren’t particularly high for the Minnesota Timberwolves entering the 2015-16 season. And yet, there’s a good deal of excitement surrounding the Timberpups as they begin the first step of rebuilding.

With Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins and a second consecutive No. 1 draft pick in Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves have the foundations to build their future upon. Though the roster still boasts an interesting blend of established, veteran talent and young, developmental pieces, there’s certainly no doubt about Minnesota’s bright long-term future.

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What is fair to ponder, however, is how good the Timberwolves will be in 2015-16. Will starting-caliber players like Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Garnett stay healthy? Will Towns prove himself to be NBA-ready? Just how much better can we expect Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng, Zach LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad to be next year?

On the one hand, a few injuries here and there could easily send the young Timberwolves back to another top draft pick and no one would bat an eye. But then again, if everyone stays healthy and the Wolves catch a couple of breaks here and there, they could very easily improve — substantially — in Wiggins’ second NBA season. In between this team’s ceiling and floor, where does their ultimate fate lie?

2014-15 Vitals
16-66, 5th in Northwest Division, 15th in Western Conference
97.8 PPG (23rd)/106.5 OPPG (30th)
102.9 Offensive Rating (25th)/112.2 Defensive Rating (30th)

Team Leaders
Scoring: Kevin Martin, 20.0 PPG
Rebounding: Gorgui Dieng, 8.3 RPG
Assists: Ricky Rubio, 8.8 APG
Steals: Corey Brewer, 2.3 SPG
Blocks: Gorgui Dieng, 1.7 BPG

Honors
Rookie of the Year Award: Andrew Wiggins
All-Rookie Team (1st): Andrew Wiggins
All-Rookie Team (2nd): Zach LaVine

Next: 2015-16 Roster