Roster Additions
Thaddeus Young was the only player on the Philadelphia 76ers who was fantasy relevant or even a true NBA-caliber player last year. This year he comes to Minnesota by virtue of a certain trade (which I’ll get to shortly) and should step in to contribute at the forward position. He averaged almost 18 points per game last year, a career high, and is a nice find for the Timberwolves.
The major addition this offseason was a bevy of young talent. Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Glenn Robinson III, and Zach LaVine all step into the spotlight as the Timberwolves look to move forward. Wiggins was the first overall pick by Cleveland, but was traded along with Bennett. Robinson III and LaVine were drafted as the Wolves hope to rebuild and get to the playoffs once again. Bennett seems to have regained some confidence from last year’s debacle and Wiggins could be a star in the NBA.
Roster Losses
Kevin Love is the major piece of that trade with Cleveland and Philadelphia that I maaaay have forgotten to mention. The former franchise star exits to join forces with LeBron James in Cleveland and leaves the Timberwolves a gaping hole at the power forward spot. Not only was Love a great scorer; he was also a superb rebounder. Once considered the future of the team, now Minnesota has a new team based on the bright hopes of future success.
Key Success Factors
1. Replace Kevin Love: This will be no small task, but immediately the Timberwolves have to replace the scoring, rebounding and shooting prowess of Love. Thaddeus Young helps, but this is more about guys like Nikola Pekovic and Ricky Rubio playing at a higher level. Rubio needs to shoot at a higher percentage to be the true playmaker he is, and Minnesota has to get more contributions from Kevin Martin and newcomer Mo Williams as well.
2. Ride the youth wave: There is no doubt that this season might have been lost before it even began. However, there is optimism going forward with so much young talent on hand. Wiggins, Bennett, LaVine, Robinson, and even incumbents Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng could contribute immediately. Half of this roster comes in having one year or less in the NBA, and they will have to grow up fast in the ultra competitive western conference.
3. Better guard play: The guards have a lot of weight on their shoulders this season. After coming off a poor year, in which the team allowed opponents to shoot 37% from beyond the arc while only shooting a league worst 30%, they have even more responsibilities with Kevin Love gone. Also, with the looming buyout of JJ Barea, Ricky Rubio, Corey Brewer, Mo Williams, Anthony Wiggins and company all have found themselves in a position of necessity. Their success will largely determine the team’s success as well.
Fantasy Impact
Studs
Thaddeus Young – Coming off of his best statistical season yet, Young seems to be the forgotten piece in that Love/LeBron trade. Young is still playing at a very high level and could once again approach 20 points per game this year. He moves into a low-pressure situation where the focus is on the future, much like his time in Philadelphia, and he should have a similar amount of freedom to play his game. Young will be solid this season; draft him as such.
Ricky Rubio – Rubio is an interesting fantasy candidate because he is so good at passing and racking up assists and steals, but his shot is terrible. Rubio needs to improve his shooting percentage and he will be a borderline fantasy star. He will have the ball in his hands more this year and will likely be given free reign to run the offense and distribute to guys like Wiggins and Young.
Duds
Anthony Bennett – Don’t be fooled by his summer league performance this summer; that’s exactly what it was: summer. Bennett had perhaps the biggest fall from grace after being a surprising #1 overall pick and then falling flat on his face. Though his confidence may be back, there are still far too many holes in his game for him to be considered fantasy relevant. Avoid drafting him at all costs.
Sleeper
Andrew Wiggins – Wiggins could be a star, or he could be a first year bust. The spectrum ranges to both extremes this year as Wiggins looks to make a name for himself and prove that Cleveland made a poor choice trading him away. If he is aggressive early in his career he can be successful and become a viable fantasy option, but there are always questions about rookies. Monitor his situation, but drafting him late could pay off throughout the season.
2014 Season Predictions
MVP: Ricky Rubio
Least Valuable Player: Anthony Bennett
Finish – 13th seed in the West, miss playoffs
The Timberwolves went from being a borderline playoff team to cellar-dwellers with one huge trade. This team is now fully oriented towards the future, and that means that 2014-2015 could be a long one for Wolves fans. This team is not ready for success as currently constituted, and they will struggle this year in the west.