Minnesota Timberwolves: What if … Andrew Wiggins missed those free throws?
By Ethan Becker
2018-19 NBA season
The 2018-19 NBA season won’t end up too different from how it actually went. Though it’s true that the Minnesota Timberwolves wouldn’t have the locker room issues that they had to start the season off, they will have also taken a step back in losing talents like Wiggins and Butler and replacing them with potential stars like Covington, Saric and Bridges.
One upside though, since Butler wasn’t around the locker room to drain Karl-Anthony Towns’ energy at the start of the season, he is able to beat out Rudy Gobert and be a part of the All-NBA third team.
Derrick Rose still has his comeback season, thanks to his newfound role as veteran leader, and Saric and Covington look to develop really well into a Timberwolves system focused on defense and floor spacing.
Due to his insistence on keeping Butler and the Timberwolves going into another All-Star break with a losing record, coach Tom Thibodeau is still fired and he is still replaced with Ryan Saunders, who will still become the permanent head coach after the season.
Bridges doesn’t put up the same numbers that he did with the Hornets, due to restricted minuted behind Covington, but he’s still able to put up 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.5 assists.
The biggest difference is that, with the added morale boost of losing Butler, the Timberwolves are able to put up a few more wins, and end the season with a record of 40-42; not enough to make it into the playoffs, but it is enough to seal a ninth-place record in the West.