Minnesota Timberwolves: Ex-players who’d be welcomed back

3. Zach LaVine (2014-17)

Have you ever had that ex that you broke up with and then you saw them go towards a worse guy while you got a better one, and you think that everything is going to work out in your favor only for your guy to make you and your family hate each other, and your ex to go into a relationship where he is valued and cherished for what he is, instead of criticized for what he wasn’t.

For the Minnesota Timberwolves, that’s Zach LaVine.

LaVine was part of the package that the Timberwolves sent to the Chicago Bulls for Jimmy Butler. At the time, it seemed like a great trade for Minnesota.

Butler was set up to be a perennial All-Star, whereas LaVine was averaging 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game and was really known more as a magnetic dunker than as a guy who could star in a Timberwolves backcourt consistently.

Now, just two years later, the Timberwolves wish they could get someone like him back.

LaVine averaged 23.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assits, and 1.0 steals per game last season, all career bests. LaVine got career marks last season and he didn’t even play the most games or average the most minutes of his career.

Meanwhile, Butler is on his third team in as many years now in the Miami Heat and the hole he left in the morale of the Timberwolves not only affected them while he was here in 2018-19, but also after he left.

What was once thought to be an unfortunate but ultimately beneficial parting of ways for the Timberwolves proved to only help LaVine, while Minnesota is left scrambling to pick up the pieces.