I get no personal satisfaction out of telling you how bad things have been and for how long the 16-66 Timberwolves have been bottom feeders in the NBA.
The goal is to be number one, to win it all and be like 67-15 Golden State after several questionable years of tough drafts and forgettable choices, including being slapped by NBA Commissioner David Stern years ago for fraud around the Joe Smith signing, costing the organization several years of number-one Draft picks and a huge fine.
The Timberwolves scored big with the number-one draft pick Center Karl Anthony Towns, the talented star center who this year led the Wildcats to a 38-1 record and the Final Four after one year at Kentucky. Team President and Coach Flip Saunders and General Manager Milton Newton really worked to get it right this time.
Saunders recently lost his 94-year-old father. I saw Saunders and Newton and Assistant Coach Sidney Lowe at the Twins Cardinals game with Ohio State All-American D’Angelo Russell just days before the draft. Flip is a good coach; he is the franchise’s all-time winningest for games and playoff appearances.
They are carefully putting their stamp on this franchise, trading for 2015 NBA Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins and bringing Kevin Garnett back. And giving up three number-two draft picks for Duke’s Tyus Jones, the star guard from Apple Valley High School who has won championships at every level and now had his dream come true getting to play for his hometown Timberwolves.
From this point forward, hard work and good fortune should lead to the Timberwolves finally turning this franchise around. They have the foundation now to really start moving up in the rugged Western Conference. With the talent they added, this team is going to start having some fun.
So congratulations on a job well done. They did the right thing, did their homework, and took advantage of a good relationship with Cleveland. I’m excited for the Timberwolves because they finally got it right.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, on WDGY-AM 740 Monday-Friday at 12:17 pm and 4:17 pm, and at www.Gamedaygold.com. He also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Follow him on Twitter at FitzBeatSr. Larry welcomes reader responses to info@larry-fitzgerald.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.
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