For a franchise long stuck in mediocrity, the Minnesota Timberwolves are starting to see their fortunes change. Center Karl-Anthony Towns, the first overall pick in the 2015 draft, was named the unanimous choice as NBA Rookie of the Year by voters on Monday.
Towns became the second straight Minnesota player to win the award, following Andrew Wiggins winning the vote following the 2014-15 season.
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Towns’ Rookie of the Year honors shows how bright the future is in the North Star State. The Wolves only won only 29 games this season, but Minnesota’s young players put on a show. Towns was incredible, averaging 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in his rookie season — ridiculous numbers for a rookie. The 20-year-old is arguably the NBA’s best young big, whose ceiling is extraordinarily high. It’s hard to imagine how good Towns will be in his peak.
Towns isn’t even the only generational talent on the Wolves. Wiggins is also a future stud. The 21-year-old improved his scoring average by almost four points, averaging more than 20 points per game. He’s a lockdown defender, whose impressive athleticism can make him do special things. Taking the role as secondary star under Towns might be best for Wiggins, who’s quiet off the court, but an explosive player on it.
Towns and Wiggins are the franchise players, but the rest of the Wolves’ roster has promise. Dunk contest champion Zach LaVine averaged 14 points in his second season, shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc. Minnesota used the 21-year-old as a point guard for parts of last season, but his game is better suited at the two. Forward Gorgui Deng, 26, developed into a capable offensive threat in the last three months of the season. Ricky Rubio, 25, is still an elite playmaker and good defender at point guard. Even Shabazz Muhammad came on strong towards the end of the year.
The team’s offseason coaching change should also pay huge dividends next season. Replacing the overmatched Sam Mitchell with Tom Thibodeau was the biggest upgrade among the teams looking for new head coaches. Thibodeau is a brilliant defensive coach. Armed with Towns and Wiggins, it should be exciting to see the Wolves defend. Thibodeau is a hard-ass, but he’ll get the most out of his young roster.
Minnesota is also armed with another lottery pick in 2016. Adding a player like Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray or Dragan Bender will give the club another huge building block going forward.
There are pieces in place to suggest the Timberwolves are going to be a very good team in a few years. Wins won’t come right away, but for a franchise desperate to see results, they will be coming soon.
