It feels like there have been three major events that have led to today’s iteration of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The starting point of this story is the drafting of Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels in 2020. Then, there’s obviously the trade of Karl-Anthony Towns, which was once again put into perspective as the Wolves took on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden (or maybe are currently doing so, depending on when this goes live.) But, most crucially, it was the move for Rudy Gobert that eventually led to a Western Conference Finals appearance, and then a second one in what was considered a retool year.
Before the seismic move, Gobert had spent nine years in Salt Lake City since being drafted in 2013. While all three of Jared Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, and Patrick Beverley — the bulk of the salary moved to bring in Gobert — are no longer on the roster, Keyonte George and Walter Clayton Jr. were both technically Wolves’ draft picks.
While it’s unlikely for Rudy to have a stat-stuffing revenge game, Julius Randle has been on an absolute tear recently and will look to continue that trend against one of the few “easy wins” in the West. Assisting him could be the return of superstar Anthony Edwards to the lineup.
The two teams play at 7:00 PM CST in Minnesota. The Target Center should be jumping as the NBA Cup kicks into gear. Especially considering the new selection of jerseys, it should be an electric environment that could power Minnesota to win.
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* [Timberwolves Game Previews](/timberwolves-game-previews)