Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves Look To Start A New Era
Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota Timberwolves Look To Start A New Era

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:16 p.m. ET

Apr 11, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; The Minnesota Timberwolves reveal their new logo in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Timberwolves unveiled the team's new logo during their last home game of the 2016-17 season to mark the start of a new era.

With the longest playoff drought in the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to change things up. They have not made the playoffs since making it to the Western Conference Finals in 2004.

Changing their identity is exactly what the Wolves need to distance themselves from the stigma of many below average years.

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The new logo will be the fourth one for the Wolves since the franchise started in 1989. The most recent logo has never made it to the playoffs. With that being said, let's take a look at how the Wolves fared under each logo era.

For your reference, below is a tweet showing the history of all four logos.

Next: 1989-96 Era

Apr 11, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; The Minnesota Timberwolves reveal their new logo in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

1989-96 Era

The new logo the Timberwolves announced is actually very similar to the logo the Wolves used during this era. Hopefully that is all that era will have in common with the new one. The Wolves did not make any post season appearances while using that logo.

Below are the records from those years.

Seasons Table 
Season Lg Team W L W/L% Finish Coaches
1995-96 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 26 56 .317 5 B. Blair (6-14), F. Saunders (20-42)
1994-95 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 21 61 .256 6 B. Blair (21-61)
1993-94 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 20 62 .244 5 S. Lowe (20-62)
1992-93 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 19 63 .232 5 J. Rodgers (6-23), S. Lowe (13-40)
1991-92 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 6 J. Rodgers (15-67)
1990-91 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 29 53 .354 5 B. Musselman (29-53)
1989-90 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 22 60 .268 6 B. Musselman (22-60)

The Wolves finished their first seven seasons with a combined record of 152-452, winning only 25 percent of their games. Rough start for the original logo.

Jan 12, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett (21) against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. The Thunder defeated the Timberwolves 101-96. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

1996-08 Era

This was the best era in Minnesota Timberwolves history, largely due to the fact that Kevin Garnett spent 1995-2007 with the team. During this time span the Wolves went to the postseason eight years in a row. Those eight seasons remain the Wolves' only playoff appearances to this day.

Here are the their records from those seasons.

Seasons Table
Season Lg Team W L W/L% Finish Coaches
2007-08 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 22 60 .268 4 R. Wittman (22-60)
2006-07 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 32 50 .390 4 D. Casey (20-20), R. Wittman (12-30)
2005-06 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 33 49 .402 4 D. Casey (33-49)
2004-05 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 44 38 .537 3 F. Saunders (25-26), K. McHale (19-12)
2003-04 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 58 24 .707 1 F. Saunders (58-24)
2002-03 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 51 31 .622 3 F. Saunders (51-31)
2001-02 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 50 32 .610 3 F. Saunders (50-32)
2000-01 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 47 35 .573 4 F. Saunders (47-35)
1999-00 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 50 32 .610 3 F. Saunders (50-32)
1998-99 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 25 25 .500 4 F. Saunders (25-25)
1997-98 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 45 37 .549 3 F. Saunders (45-37)
1996-97 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves* 40 42 .488 3 F. Saunders (40-42)

The Wolves finished this era with a record of 497-455. This was the highest winning percentage of all the eras, ending with the Wolves winning 52 percent of their games.

Nov 16, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love (42) smiles and congratulates Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin (23) after making a three point shot in the second half against the Boston Celtics at Target Center. The TImberwolves won 106-88. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

2008-17 Era

This era has been a tough pill for the Minnesota Timberwolves organization and fans to swallow. The closest they came to winning at least half of their games was during the 2013-14 season. That year they finished 40-42 and missed the playoffs.

Below are the overall numbers for the era.

Seasons Table
Season Lg Team W L W/L% Finish Coaches
2016-17 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 31 51 .378 5 T. Thibodeau (31-51)
2015-16 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 29 53 .354 5 S. Mitchell (29-53)
2014-15 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 16 66 .195 5 F. Saunders (16-66)
2013-14 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 40 42 .488 3 R. Adelman (40-42)
2012-13 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 31 51 .378 5 R. Adelman (31-51)
2011-12 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 26 40 .394 5 R. Adelman (26-40)
2010-11 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 17 65 .207 5 K. Rambis (17-65)
2009-10 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 5 K. Rambis (15-67)
2008-09 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves 24 58 .293 4 R. Wittman (4-15), K. McHale (20-43)

The final record for this era was 229-493. That makes this the least winning era in Wolves history with them winning only 31 percent of their games. Despite years of losing, the future looks bright heading into the new era.

Apr 11, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; The Minnesota Timberwolves reveal their new logo in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

New Era

The Wolves have an excellent core of young players on their roster. They feel confident building around Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Because of that, this is the perfect time to rebrand and get fans excited about a new era.

The Timberwolves did just that with the following tweet from the official Minnesota Timberwolves Twitter account.

New team, new logo, new future.

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