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The Jimmy Butler drama is over. The new guys are fitting in and — Surprise! — the reconfigured Minnesota Timberwolves are playing well enough now that fans who'd written off the season should think again.

Two months after Butler pushed the Minnesota Timberwolves to trade him, the disgruntled star was dealt last weekend to the Philadelphia 76ers. Following a five-game losing streak on the road, Butler was moved, along with second year forward/center Justin Patton. In return, the Wolves got forwards Robert Covington and Dario Saric, point guard Jerryd Bayless, and a second-round draft pick. 


Since the trade, Minnesota's won both games it's played. The first win, against the Brooklyn Nets, came without the new additions. On Wednesday night, though, in front of a home crowd against the New Orleans Pelicans, Covington and Saric joined young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins to usher in a new era.  


Despite a slow and joy-sucking start to the season, the local NBA squad sits just three games out of the eighth seed to make the playoffs for the second straight season. So, what now?


After trading Butler for Saric and Covington, there was optimism that a dark cloud had been lifted over the franchise. While it's true that the stress of worrying about Butler has been lifted, there were questions on the ceiling of the new-look wolves before they hit the hardwood. 

At the time of the trade, Minnesota sat at 4-9. Once the deal was announced, you wondered if Minnesota would be looking to move other pieces as well. 

With several talented forwards on the team now — Taj Gibson, Covington, Tolliver, Towns — the frontcourt has become crowded with little space nor need for slow-footed big-man Gorgui Dieng. The Timberwolves have not been shy in their interest to move Dieng and his expensive $62 million contract. But unless he's packaged with an enticing prospect or future assets it will be hard for to move him. 

One possibility: using Wolves guard Tyus Jones to sweeten a deal for Dieng. It would hurt to say goodbye to Jones, a Minnesotan and former Apple Valley High School star with upside in his young NBA career. But that kind of deal could be a win for all involved.

Wolves guard Derrick Rose has found his form during a recent stretch of games, while rookie Josh Okogie has played too well to be glued to the bench. Jones deserves more than 20 minutes playing time a night, but it's likely he won't get them in Minnesota. 

Are playoffs a realistic outcome for this team? 


Minnesota's early-season drama damaged the team' chances, but there's reason to be hopeful.

Head coach and team president Tom Thibodeau is on the hot seat, and he knows it. He has the rest of the season to turn this team around, or he'll surely be canned in the offseason. Between the pressure on him and the franchise's humiliation across the league, there is a lot of motivation for the entire organization to earn back respect.

Minnesota needs to go 35-32 to make it to .500 for the regular season. To make the playoffs, they may need to win at least 37 games moving forward.


It seems crazy, but all the teams ahead of them for a playoff spot — the Pelicans, the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks — have serious flaws, and mid-season turnarounds in the NBA are not unusual. Last year, the Jazz started the season 19-28 before going on a hot streak in the second half of the season to clinch the fifth seed in the playoffs.

For now, though, the Towns and Wiggins era begins in earnest. There will be growing pains, but they will have fun doing it. 

Should the team come together quickly as they did against the Pelicans, don't be surprised if the Timberwolves make a late season push for the playoffs.

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Jeffrey Bissoy

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The Jimmy Butler drama is over. The new guys are fitting in and -- Surprise! -- the reconfigured Wolves look good. MPR News assistant producer Jeffrey Bissoy-Mattis says fans who'd written off the season should think again.

MPR's Jeffrey Bissoy and John Wanamaker discuss the Minnesota Timberwolves in the post-Jimmy Butler era.

Playoffs possible for new-look Timberwolves? Yes. Really.

Go Deeper.

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