Progress Reports for Minnesota Timberwolves Newcomers
The 10-game sample size may be small, but the Minnesota Timberwolves newcomers have underperformed.
The Wolves acquired Anthony Bennett, Thaddeus Young and Andrew Wiggins in the blockbuster trade of the summer. They also added depth at the point by drafting Zach LaVine and signing veteran Mo Williams.
These offseason acquisitions put the Wolves in a weird limbo between winning now with skillful veterans and looking to rebuild around a young core.
So far this season, the younger players have been unable to live up to expectations, and the veterans on this team have underperformed offensively.
These new Wolves haven't been in the pack for long, but Judgment Day is upon them.
OK, it's only a progress report.
Anthony Bennett
1 of 5
Bennett is playing better than he did as a rookie, but he didn't set the bar very high.
Last season, he averaged only 4.2 points per game and shot a horrid 35.6 percent from the field. Drew Garrison of SB Nation described Bennett's rookie year as the "worst rookie season of any No. 1 pick in the past 24 seasons."
In Bennett's defense, he suffered various injuries that stunted his development. In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, Bennett revealed he also had problems with his vision. "Anything far, I couldn't really see," said the 21-year-old forward.
When he was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Wolves, many fans expected him to bounce back and show the world he deserved to be the first overall pick. Bennett has definitely shown improvement this season, shooting 51.2 percent from the field, but he still hasn't shaken his reputation as a "bust."
So far, he is averaging only 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, and with Young on this team, it will be hard for Bennett to get enough playing time to really improve his stat line.
Grade: C+
Mo Williams
2 of 5
After leading the Wolves in scoring with 12.8 points per game this preseason, many fans expected Williams to play a huge offensive role. Unfortunately, he has not lived up to those expectations.
He’s averaging a modest 7.6 points and 5.5 assists per game this season, but he’s been very inefficient, shooting 36.4 percent from the field.
Williams finally got his first start of the year Wednesday night in a 115-99 victory over the New York Knicks. He surprisingly played very well, racking up 14 points and 13 assists.
He struggled at the beginning of the season, but recently he’s turned it around. Over the last two games, Williams is averaging 13.5 points and 10.5 assists.
With Ricky Rubio hurt and Zach LaVine still learning, Williams still has plenty of time to redeem himself.
Grade: C
Thaddeus Young
3 of 5
Young is arguably the best all-around player on the Wolves, but he has underperformed as a scorer.
The 26-year-old power forward is coming off a career year with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he averaged a personal-best 17.9 points per game.
Young has missed the last few games due to the unfortunate death of his mother, but so far this season, he's only averaging 14.3 points per contest. He's also been less efficient than in years past, shooting only 44.8 percent from the field, which is considerably lower than his career average of 49.9 percent.
He's only played in seven games this season, so there's still plenty of time for him to live up to expectations. Even with the decrease in scoring, Young still has proven to be one of the best players on this team.
He is currently the second-leading scorer on the Wolves—only behind Kevin Martin, who is averaging an impressive 20.4 points per game.
Grade: B
Zach LaVine
4 of 5
It's hard to say LaVine has underperformed, considering many fans and experts predicted he would spend a majority of his rookie season on the bench.
So far this season, LaVine's stat line does not look pretty. He is currently averaging 5.1 points and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 10 percent from long range.
In LaVine's defense, he was drafted more for his potential rather than his capability of making an immediate impact. However, the struggling neophyte has had some success this season. In a 113-101 loss to the Houston Rockets, LaVine recorded a career-high nine assists.
"W/ his 9 asts last night, Zach LaVine became just the 12th teenager in NBA history to dish out 9+ asts in an NBA game. #Twolves
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) November 13, 2014"
The very next game, in a 139-91 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, LaVine scored a personal-best 13 points.
LaVine will probably have his fair share of ups and downs this year, but that's expected of a 19-year-old. He has all the potential to become a future All-Star, but right now he's nothing more than a mere third-stringer.
Grade: D+
Andrew Wiggins
5 of 5
Many fans wanted Wiggins to spring on to the court and become an instant star, but that wasn't realistic.
Wiggins struggled out of the gate offensively. Over the first three games of the season, he had a 5.65 player efficiency rating, which is well below the league average (15).
Since then, Wiggins has looked much more comfortable, scoring over 10 points or more in four of his last five games. The 19-year-old actually has been one of the best rookies in the NBA this season.
According to ESPN.com, Wiggins ranks third in points per game (10.7) among rookies, fourth in minutes per game (27.1) and first in three point shooting (60 percent).
If Wiggins continues to improve, he will be a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate.
Grade: B-
All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.
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