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Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 big goals for 2018-19 NBA season

By Luke Askew

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 23: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves has the ball against James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Rockets defeated the Timberwolves 119-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 23: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves has the ball against James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets in Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Rockets defeated the Timberwolves 119-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off their best season in over a decade. In a pivotal year for the franchise, how can they follow that up?

The Minnesota Timberwolves made big moves in the summer of 2017. They basically traded away three lottery picks in return for Jimmy Butler.

At the time, this seemed like the right move. An injured Zach LaVine, a struggling Kris Dunn and an unproven Lauri Markkanen for a perennial All-Star and All-NBA caliber player? I mean, why not?

Butler seemed like he was exactly what the Wolves needed — a defensive-minded veteran who could catapult the Wolves into win-now mode. At first, it worked, but then Butler and the Wolves reminded us that some NBA reunions are too good to be true. That was the case for Butler and head coach Tom Thibodeau.

After an incredible season that saw the Wolves make the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season, they’re all of a sudden in a place that no team wants to find themselves in: Their best player wants out, and worse than that, he wants out right before the final season of his contract begins.

The Wolves now have to find a way to move Butler before the season starts and still try to make a playoff run in the increasingly difficult Western Conference — a task that feels like it’s slipping away from the grips of Thibs and co.

With all that being said, here are five big goals for the Timberwolves’ 2018-19 season.

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