The Minnesota Timberwolves are having their most successful season in well over a decade and it’s an unusual feeling for many fans. For a franchise that has been steeped in disappointment and seen so much turnover in recent years (from players to GMs), one release that many of us cling to consistently is Wolves Twitter.
Whether it’s the frequent sharing of Ricky Rubio gifs or an obsessive tendency to dice up statistics, the Wolves Twitter community is home to a humorous, witty and ornery fanbase. One that deserves to be celebrated and appreciated on a regular basis.
That’s why we’ll be highlighting the week’s best from the Twitter community and its surrounding bubble on a regular basis moving forward. Here you’ll find a handful of noteworthy tweets each week — everything from priceless memes to profound stats to laughable trade proposals. Let’s get started.
- The old Wolves order discusses the new (@KGArea21)
"They're right there in the thick of it."
— KG's Area 21 (@KGArea21) February 7, 2018
Former @Timberwolves teammates Kevin Garnett, Gary Trent, Troy Hudson & Trenton Hassell discuss this season's #Timberwolves squad. pic.twitter.com/HsrPYu2E13
On Tuesday during TNT’s Players Only broadcast, Kevin Garnett hosted three former teammates from the ‘03 Timberwolves (Troy Hudson, Gary Trent and Trenton Hassell) to talk hoops and reminisce. A lot of their discussion came off as a surly group of retirees examining outdated “back in my day” cliches of the pick & roll, but the above segment features some interesting insight from KG on Andrew Wiggins and his determination.
KG goes on to say that Wiggins does in fact have that mythical on-off switch we’ve all speculated on over the last few years. He suggests that Wiggins is the type of player who needs to get that kind of stimulation and engagement from the players around him (which is yet another testament to the importance of Jimmy Butler’s presence on this team).
Coming from possibly the most incendiary personality to ever set foot on a basketball court (and one of the most respected, to boot), this is one of the most reassuring things I’ve ever heard about Wiggins. If the all-time great Timberwolf sees something in the stoic kid from Canada, haters be damned.
2. The trade to end all playoff droughts (@fgasper21)
Am I.....am I doing this right? pic.twitter.com/OzZuYHkxoU
— frankie lymon (@fgasper21) February 3, 2018
Ah, the tried and true Trade Machine. It’s great, right? For a fanbase that’s experienced a playoff drought worthy of its own bar mitzvah, ESPN’s Trade Machine has become a frequent getaway for Wolves fans and their wildest dreams. Like this.
Unfortunately this one’s officially out of the picture since yesterday’s trade deadline came and went. But, I mean, who’s to say Thibs wouldn’t gamble the potential Justin Patton may hold to bring home the Wolves’ prodigal son, Michael Beasley? After yesterday’s Cavs kerfuffle, any trade is possible. Right?
3. Shoutout to the Wolves’ other Baz (@Timberwolves)
Fans, we appreciate your continued dedication to proposing trade after trade in our mentions...this may come as a surprise, but we’re just the Twitter account. We don't have control over these things.
— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) February 6, 2018
Speaking of trades, the Wolves Twitter account dropped this gem a few days before the trade deadline. Now that Shahbaz Khan is back doing “digital content” things with the Wolves, things are about to get a lot spicier from @Timberwolves. He’s the guy behind the rise of the Sacramento Kings’ Twitter handle in the past few years, which was recently named one of the best follows on NBA Twitter from places like Complex and Bleacher Report. Wolves Twitter #content is in for a treat.
4. Karl-Anthony Towns gets schwifty (@Kickstradomis)
@KarlTowns Rick and Morty PE
— Kickstradomis (@Kickstradomis) February 6, 2018
Had to hit em with the pickle Rick!#teamkickstradomis #RickandMorty pic.twitter.com/zVPVb0pr7E
KAT’s kicks have been trendy all season long, touching on everything from Stranger Things to the Grinch. His shoes have been all over the place and he’s turning into a custom kicks tastemaker around the league.
But this? These Pickle Rick kicks put him on a whole other level. And they’ll even match the Wolves’ new color scheme too. For those unfamiliar with Rick and Morty, I’m sorry for this one.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Known 3-point Slingers (@Rachel_Nichols)
40 combined 3’s in this Wolves-Cavs game.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) February 8, 2018
New NBA record.
(This is fun )
The night before the Cavs tossed away half their roster, they were embattled in one of the most entertaining basketball games of the season against the Wolves on national television. One in which both teams combined for 40 (FORTY) threes, an NBA record. The Wolves made a franchise-record 19, while Cleveland landed 21 of their own. What was the over/under on the Wolves being part of this record coming into the season I wonder?
In any case, it came right on the heels of our own Charlie Johnson posting a transcendent analysis of how this very Wolves team manages to get by without a long-range game. But don’t let Wednesday’s game fool you: the Wolves are still a grind and bind team. So be sure to check out Charlie’s breakdown.
6. D Rose? NO THANKS (@thedailywolf)
Two words: NO THANKS ... while I had a good feeling this day was eventually coming it doesn't make any sense to sign Derrick Rose. What is he going to bring to the Timberwolves? Fans are going to go nuts over this.
— John Meyer (@thedailywolf) February 8, 2018
Much of Wolves Twitter collectively rolled its eyes into the back of its skull on Thursday when Marc Stein dropped a bomb that put a damper on what was an entertaining trade deadline up until that point, suggesting that the Wolves are interested in signing Derrick Rose once the Utah Jazz waive him.
And of course the Rose stans who none of us knew still existed started tweeting from 2011 immediately. Keep your takes to yourself on this one and stay out of poor John’s mentions.