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What if … Minnesota Timberwolves hadn’t alienated Kevin Garnett

By Ethan Becker

Minnesota Timberwolves Flip Saunders Kevin Garnett. Copyright 2004 NBAE (Photo By David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Minnesota Timberwolves Flip Saunders Kevin Garnett. Copyright 2004 NBAE (Photo By David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Garnett
Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Garnett. Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images /

2017-18

Sam Mitchell and Milt Newton waste no time. Instead of an ownership stake, they convince Garnett to take a currently vacant president of basketball operations position. Now, instead of just being an owner, Garnett is taking an active role in the success of the Minnesota Timberwolves and his All-Star presence helps in attracting free agents to Minnesota.

Just a few weeks removed from the 2016-17 NBA season, the Timberwolves have built one of the first front office big threes in NBA history.

The on-court product begins to show promise too. While Kris Dunn didn’t live up to expectations, Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen both exceeded them and Garnett’s mentorship and tough love push Andrew Wiggins to have more drive to his game and Karl-Anthony Towns to get a defensive intensity.

Not only that but, since the Wolves didn’t lose a first-round pick in the Jimmy Butler trade, they’re able to keep Ricky Rubio.

Going into the 2017-18 season, the Timberwolves are looking poised for success, and there are rumblings about a dark horse playoff run. Their rotation is as follows:

And the Timberwolves go on a tear. The team in reality was close to winning 50 and now they smash that, going 55-27. The record easily puts them third in the West (a position they were two games away from in reality). On a side note, because they don’t have a solid point guard leading them, the Utah Jazz miss the playoffs and the Denver Nuggets are the eighth seed.

In the first round of the playoffs the Wolves face the New Orleans Pelicans, who they beat three times during the regular season in reality. With home-court advantage, Minnesota has no problem and they win 4-1.

Unfortunately, the West that year had two powerhouses in the top two seeds and the Wolves are swept by the Golden State Warriors in the second round.

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