*NEW ACQUISITION \ R ROOKIE (COLLEGE STATS)JOSH
OKOGIE
7.7 PPG; 2.9 RPG;
1.2 SPG; 38.6 FG%SHABAZZ
NAPIER*
9.4 PPG; 2.6 APG;
38.9 FG%; 33.3 3FG%They’re in a tough
position having all
this money tied up;
they have good young
players, but I don’t
know if it’s enough to
slide into the playoffs
or not. They’re caught
in that spot where
they’re building forthe future but don’t
have that flexibility in
terms of money....
The big factor here is
ANDREW WIGGINS. What
does he do? Does he
have the mentality to
take a team to the next
level? KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS
is going to be good. I
don’t know if you can
measure everything
by pure numbers. He’s
an All-Star, he’s reallygood. But in terms of
leadership and things
between Wiggins
and Towns—do they
have the mentality
to be able to will a
team?... It’s nice
that JEFF TEAGUE comes
off the books next
year, and eventually
GORGUI DIENG will, and
then they’ll have a
little flexibility. But if
Towns and Wiggins areyour top two guys, are
you gonna get a free
agent to come? It’ll
be interesting to see
if they’re able to grab
somebody else. Jimmy
Butler was the perfect
guy to help at times, but
then he rubbed them
the wrong way because
they’re not built like
that.... I like these
young guys. JARRETT
CULVER will be a goodfit for them, and I’ve
always liked JOSH OKOGIE.
I’m a big fan—he’s solid
gold. JAYLEN NOWELL could
even add value for
them. ROBERT COVINGTON
is still solid. But it’s
such a tough year in the
Western Conference,
and if you don’t have
the guys to give you
that edge night in and
night out, it’s going to
be tough.Projected Lineup
BenchKARL-ANTHONY
TOWNS
24.4 PPG; 12.4 RPG;
51.8 FG%; 40.0 3FG%CSGPGWhen blue-chip talents earn their
oft-lucrative second contracts, teams
are often paying full price for what
is still, in essence, potential. New
president of operations Gersson
Rosas inherits not one but two former No. 1
overall picks on max deals: Karl-Anthony Towns
and Andrew Wiggins are OWED A COMBINED
$280 MILLION OVER THE NEX T FIVE SEASONS.
Towns, 23, is one of the league’s most-well-
rounded offensive bigs, but he needs not only to
improve defensively but also, as the team’s best
player, to become an on-court leader. The upside
for Wiggins, 24, is less clear: After five years, the
sample size is large enough to classify him as an
inefficient, possession-hogging scorer, a superior
athlete but a poor decisionmaker. As Minnesota
takes a season to reassess on the fly, their hefty
paydays keep coming. Maximizing their value is
the only way to end a 15-year stretch without a
playoff series win. —Jeremy Woo$280M
TELLING NUMBER
ENEMY LINES
A rival scout weighs inStarters
PG
JEFF
TEAGUE
12.1 PPG; 8.2 APG;
2.5 RPG; 42.3 FG%SG
JARRETT
CULVER (R)
18.5 PPG; 6.4 RPG;
46.1 FG%; 30.4 3FG%SF
ANDREW
WIGGINS
18.1 PPG; 4.8 RPG;
41.2 FG%; 33.9 3FG%ROBERT
COVINGTON
13.3 PPG; 5.5 RPG;
43.1 FG%; 37.8 3FG%PF101GREG NELSON (TOWNS)
MINNESOTA
2018 – 19 RECORD 36– 46 5th in Northwest
Timberwolves COACH RYAN SAUNDERS 2nd season with Timberwolves∂34 wins ∂Miss the playoffs ∂The T-Wolves become sellers but find no takers for Andrew Wiggins’s deal.THE
WESTCrystal Ball: