Brooklyn Nets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: The Battle of the Rebuilds
Nov 8, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts after dunking over Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of a major rebuild, making changes to almost everything about the franchise. From the general manager to the head coach, down to the players, there are almost no familiar faces left from the last regime.
The Brooklyn Nets face a team tonight that was in a similar position only a few short years ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Since Minnesota was founded as a team in 1989, they have never been considered a marquee franchise. They have only won one division title in team history and made the playoffs eight times, largely because of the play of Kevin Garnett.
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The Nets are a franchise trying to recapture their one-time greatness from back in the early 2000’s when they were the best team in the Eastern Conference. They went to back-to-back NBA Finals in 2001 and 2002 and were a powerhouse in the league. They continued to be competitive in the conference, but never got back to their former glory.
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In 2007, the Nets fell into a slump, becoming one of the worst teams in the NBA. This prompted the team to make the move to Brooklyn in 2012, rebranding the franchise in an attempt to add life to the fan base. They went into a “win-now” phase that ultimately ended up with empty playoff appearances and a lack of future draft picks.
Both teams have been struggling for relevancy in recent history since they have had to rebuild their franchises from the ground up. The Timberwolves are in a better place than the Nets are, but it has certainly been a work in progress. Minnesota seems to currently be on the right track, and it started with a scorched earth rebuild similar to what the Nets are doing now.
Jan 6, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) dunks the ball against the Washington Wizards in the first quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Rebuild
The Timberwolves were a franchise that had a superstar player: power forward Kevin Love, but nothing else around him, and no team identity. They realized that they would not be able to put the right players around him to contend, so they decided to start over again. They traded Love away to the Cleveland Cavaliers and began the makeover.
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The trade brought over forward Andrew Wiggins, a young rookie to build around, signaling the start of a new era in Minnesota history. Wiggins, from of the University of Kansas, was drafted by the Cavs and traded to the Wolves with high hopes and expectations.
They followed up the following year by drafting center Karl Anthony-Towns first overall in the 2015 draft. He immediately started alongside Wiggins and has become a team leader. During Towns’ rookie season, he dominated veteran players with his offensive ability and defensive prowess. Minnesota now had two foundation players and were ready to take the next step.
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Four out of the five starters for Minnesota are first round draft picks selected by the T-Wolves. Guards Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine were fifth overall in the 2009 draft and 13th overall in the 2014 draft respectively. They joined Wiggins and Towns in the starting rotation and have been building chemistry.
Although they are not winning many games, the potential to be a great team is there. It is only a matter of time before they click and become a playoff contender. They are in phase two of the rebuild, the chemistry phase.
Jan 6, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Isaiah Whitehead (15) reaches for the basket during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center. Cleveland Cavaliers won 116-108. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Brooklyn Rebuild
The T-Wolves’ rebuild is a stark contrast to the current state of the Nets. The Nets are at the first phase of the rebuild: the crash and burn phase. It would normally be called tanking, but since they have been without a first round pick for what seems like forever, they can only struggle along with the talent they have.
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First year general manager Sean Marks made trades to get into the first round of the 2016 draft to find young talent and used free agency to build the current team. He’s targeting young players who have the potential to develop into legitimate players in the future.
Marks seems to have hit gold on rookie guards Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead, who have had stellar rookie seasons thus far. Due to injuries, they have had to play extended minutes and are adapting to the NBA game quickly. Whitehead seems like he can develop into a great scoring option, while LeVert shows signs of being an all-around NBA star in the future.
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Marks’ biggest hit in free agency was the first one that he signed to start off his tenure with the Nets: Sean Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick was brought up just 10 days after Marks took office to serve as roster depth during the injury plagued 2015-16 season. He had some opportunities and showed that he can score at a high level. Marks liked what he saw and signed him to a three-year contract, and it has paid off.
Kilpatrick has been a bright spot in the tough season by showing that he can handle extended minutes in games. He has played out of position due to injuries and has adapted nicely. His scoring ability is top-notch, and he has made a strong case to hang around for the duration of the rebuild.
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The other free agents Marks signed were point guard Jeremy Lin, shooting guard Joe Harris, combo guard Randy Foye, power forward Trevor Booker, power forward Luis Scola, and center Justin Hamilton. Booker, Hamilton, and Harris have made an immediate impact by playing long minutes and playing well. Lin was brought in with the hope that he could lead the team, but has suffered injuries throughout the season that have limited him to only 12 games this season.
Jan 17, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson coaches against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
A Reason for Optimism
Eventually, the Nets will have their own first round picks, and Marks will be able to build the same way Minnesota has. Until then, he must try to find diamonds in the rough in the D-League, such as Kilpatrick, and late picks in the draft.
The difference in the phases that each team is currently at is simple to see. The Timberwolves are beginning to form an identity of who they are as a team, while the Nets are still trying to gain traction in head coach Kenny Atkinson’s system. One team knows the core that they are building around, while the other is holding season-long tryouts to see who should stay for the future.
Regardless of the result of the contest, one thing is for sure: it will be fun to watch. Both teams are young and athletic with the ability to score in bunches. Nets fans should pay attention to this one, because they will be where this Minnesota team is soon.
