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The Minnesota Timberwolves are heading in the right direction. Last season they traded for one-time all-star D'Angelo Russell with plans of pairing him up with their franchise player, Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns and Russell, ages 25 and 24, respectively, share a bond off the court and are known to be good friends.
Unfortunately, once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we only got to see the duo perform once in which they put up 45 points and 12 assists in a loss to the Toronto Raptors. The Minnesota Timberwolves were not invited into the bubble, and their season ended after the league paused play. The team finished with the 3rd-worst record in the league.
Minnesota Timberwolves 2020-21 NBA season preview: Does Anthony Edwards make it a Big 3?
After having their season cut short, the franchise had a stroke of luck and landed the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft lottery. The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards with the first pick in the NBA Draft and hope to have their own big three.
Anthony Edwards is a super athletic wing and was a star in college, averaging 19.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, and 2.8 apg while playing for Georgia. Although not expected to make an impact immediately, he will be a project for the Timberwolves' future. Edwards might come off the bench and compete for the starting spot with Malik Beasley.
Minnesota Timberwolves 2019-20 NBA Season Record
Regular-season record: 19-45
Western Conference standings: 14th
Division standing: 5th in the Northwest division
Playoffs: did not qualify
Key Acquisitions
F Anthony Edwards, No. 1 overall pick in 2020 NBA Draft; G Leandro Bolmaro, No. 23 overall pick; F Jaden McDaniels, No. 28 overall pick; G Ricky Rubio, F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
The Minnesota Timberwolves bring back Ricky Rubio this offseason. Rubio played his first 6 seasons of his NBA career in Minnesota. He was there with KAT in his first two seasons, so the pair have some chemistry.
James Johnson's departure leaves the team lacking an enforcer, but having Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will help them stretch the floor and keep their options open in terms of guard play. The front office also gave a $60 million contract to Malik Beasley, which is confusing because they then drafted Edwards who plays the same position as Beasley.
Predicted starting line-up for the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 2020-21 NBA season
PG Ricky Rubio, SG D’Angelo Russell, SF Anthony Edwards, PF Juancho Hernangomez, C Karl-Anthony Towns
Complete Roster
F Malik Beasley, F Josh Okogie, G Jarrett Culver, F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, F Jaden McDaniels, G Leandro Bolmaro, F Tyler Cook, G Jaret Culver, G Charles Brown Jr., C Ed Davis, G Ashton Hagans, F Jake Layman, G Ade Murky, F Jaylen Nowel, G Naz Ried, F Jared Vanderbilt
Overview
The young duo of Towns and Russell will be one of the things the NBA will be watching. The integration of Edwards and the reintegration of Rubio will be two other storylines to expect from the Minnesota Timberwolves this year.
Overall, the Minnesota Timberwolves are heading in the right direction. Having two all-stars should make a team playoff contenders at least, but in this year's stacked West, that could be a tall order for the young team.
Predictions for the 2020-21 NBA Season
Predicted record: 26-46
Predicted playoff standing: 10th in the West
Breakout star: Anthony Edwards
The combination of Towns, Russell, and Edwards should be fun to watch, and the growth of the rookie playing alongside the two all-stars should be interesting. They won't make any major leaps, but the development of KAT as a leader should be something the franchise will be hoping for. The Minnesota Timberwolves is set up well and should improve as the season goes on.
Read also : Utah Jazz 2020-21 NBA Season Preview and Prediction - Key acquisitions, complete roster, and starting five
