Predicting the Roles/Impact of Each Minnesota Timberwolves Newcomer This Season
With Kevin Love gone, the Minnesota Timberwolves must begin a new era with a new identity.
This team is filled with unproven players with very high ceilings, such as Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Anthony Bennett.
They also drafted Glenn Robinson III in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders spoke optimistically about the Timberwolves when asked which "rebuilding unit's core" would he prefer:
"I like what the Wolves have… I like Orlando… 76ers have some promise that needs to be shown… not sure the Bucks have anything yet.
I think Minnesota could make the playoffs this year if things break their way. Orlando could win 40 games this year too… Not sure the 76ers or Bucks win 40 games combined in the next two years — I am joking of course. They are both in the early stages of a rebuild, so Wolves & Magic within five years… in seven or eight… Philly gets in the mix for me.
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In addition to the youth, the Wolves added veteran leadership by bringing in Thaddeus Young and Mo Williams.
Fans in Minnesota may be excited for the future, but it's time to focus on the now. What impact will these new additions have on the team this season?
Glenn Robinson III: Developmental League
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Glenn Robinson III is a very athletic small forward with decent potential, but he is not ready for the NBA.
In his two years at the University of Michigan, he proved to be a capable defender thanks to his athletic ability. Matt Kamalsky of Draft Express shared a similar opinion:
"Mostly defending the power forward position at Michigan, Robinson played with a more consistent motor than he did as a freshman and had some nice moments defending the perimeter thanks to his lateral quickness, but he'll benefit from gaining experiencing defending the small forward position full time and playing with a greater sense of urgency given how much of an impact he appears capable of making on this end of the floor.
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He was also effective offensively, shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc.
It's obvious that the Wolves are in rebuilding mode, so it makes sense not to rush his development. It is also worth noting that he has yet to sign with the team.
Mo Williams: Backup Point Guard
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Mo Williams has 11 years of experience in the NBA, and he's proven to be an above average guard, but at the age of 31, he is nothing more than a mere backup for Ricky Rubio.
Last year with the Portland Trail Blazers, Williams only averaged 9.7 points per game, which was his lowest year since 2003 when he was a rookie.
However, he still remained productive for the Trail Blazers averaging 4.3 assists per game and shooting 36.9 percent from long range.
Most likely the 23-year-old Rubio will stay atop the depth chart. After all he ranked in the top 10 in assists per game in each of his three NBA seasons.
Zach LaVine: Bench Player
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With his elite athleticism and his ability to shoot from deep, Zach LaVine has tremendous potential, but at only 19 years old he still needs time to develop.
LaVine had many fans in Minnesota drooling this summer when he showcased his explosive leaping ability in a twitter dunk contest:
"just accepted @GRIII challenge at the @PaniniAmerica shoot and now challenge @22wiggins to beat this! https://t.co/KBw6hO0Y11 #hoopsrookie
— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) August 3, 2014"
Due to his length and poor passing ability, LaVine may be better suited as a shooting guard. At UCLA, he averaged only 1.8 assists per game.
Thaddeus Young: Starting Power Forward
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With Kevin Love gone, the starting power forward position for the Timberwolves now belongs to Thaddeus Young.
Young isn't an All-Star, but he is coming off of a career-year in which he averaged a personal-best 17.9 points per game.
On a roster filled with inexperienced youth, Young will be one of the few veteran leaders on the team.
Defensively, he is a solid improvement over Love. At 6'8", Young is slightly undersized as a power forward, but he is usually able to compensate with his lateral quickness.
Michael Levin of SB Nation described Young as "one of the best pick-and-roll defensive power forwards in the league."
He still has time to improve, but it's probably fair to expect similar stats to last year's numbers.
Anthony Bennett: Backup Power Forward
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Also known as "Big Daddy Canada," Anthony Bennett is looking to have a bounce-back season.
Due to injuries, Bennett struggled throughout his rookie season, but he surprised many by having an impressive summer. According to NBA.com, at the Las Vegas Summer League, he averaged 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Most importantly, Bennett seems to be injury free, and he even reportedly lost weight:
"Anthony Bennett has been working out in Cleveland the last couple months, hired personal chef. Says he's lost 15-20 lbs since April
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) July 12, 2014 "
Unfortunately for Bennett, Thaddeus Young will most likely become the Wolves' new starting power forward.
As a former first overall pick, Bennett has great potential, but for now he is only a backup.
Andrew Wiggins: Starting Small Forward
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Even without stepping foot on an NBA court, Andrew Wiggins is starting to become a household name.
The hype surrounding Wiggins may seem crazy but it's well deserved. The 19-year-old rookie spent only one year in college, which was enough to make him the No. 1 overall selection in this year's draft.
He displayed excellent athletic ability and showed intensity on defense. He, and fellow rookie teammate LaVine, spent this summer wowing fans with their leaping ability via twitter:
"challenge accepted @ZachLaVine. @tdot_ennis now I challenge you. https://t.co/18PDzF56bO #hoopsrookie
— andrew wiggins (@22wiggins) August 3, 2014 "
However, with Corey Brewer still in Minnesota, Wiggins may start the season on the bench. As the year goes on, Wiggins will prove to be the better player. Throughout his seven-year career, Brewer has never reached a Player Efficiency Rating of 15, which is the league average.
Not to mention, Wiggins had an impressive summer on both ends of the floor. According to NBA.com, in the Las Vegas Summer League, he averaged 15.5 points, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted
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