Every Wednesday the rest of the season, FOX Sports North's Phil Ervin will track the progress of the Timberwolves' young core (players on the first or second year of their rookie contract).
ANDREW WIGGINS (age 19, first season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 28.8 minutes (30.7), 5.0 points (12.0), 6.5 rebounds (4.0), 1.5 assists (1.3), 1.5 steals (1.0), 1.0 blocks (0.5), 22.2 FG% (38.5), 0 3PT% (36.4)
Advanced stats, season: 9.13 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 45.8 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 19.8 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "We're not going to start winning in one day, especially with the guys injured. We're young. We're starting two rookies and two sophomores. We're a young team, but I know when all the older guys come back, like Ricky, Pek, K-Mart, we'll be a different team." -- Wiggins
Noted: The ineptitude suggested by Wiggins' recent numbers should be tempered by the fact Minnesota has played just two games in the past week. What is troublesome, however, is the fact coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders called out the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, citing his much-scrutinized tendency to loaf at times during the game, after Sunday's loss to Indiana. Wiggins says he's working on it, but as long as that observation can be made about him, he'll be prohibited from reaching his full potential.
ZACH LAVINE (age 19, first season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 19.8 minutes (25.3), 8.0 points (9.0), 1.5 rebounds (2.5), 2.5 assists (3.4), 2.0 steals (0.8), 0.0 blocks (0.2), 38.5 FG% (39.1), 66.7 3PT% (27.9)
Advanced stats, season: 8.60 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 47.4 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 20.0 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "You just can't bow down to them. I feel like they wouldn't want that. They talk about how they always want a challenge. You've got to go at them. It's not like they're not going to go back at you." -- LaVine on playing against superstars like LeBron James, whom the Wolves face Tuesday in Cleveland.
Noted: It was a novelty at first, the experiment with LaVine at point guard early in his first NBA season. But the quaintness has worn off, replaced by a realization that LaVine, despite his athleticism, has a whole lot of developing to do. Mo Williams' return to the lineup helps in that process, and when injured guards Ricky Rubio and Kevin Martin return, LaVine will be back in the place Saunders had set aside for him -- the classroom, i.e. the bench, the practice gym and the film room, for now.
SHABAZZ MUHAMMAD (age 22, second season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 37.8 minutes (20.5), 23.5 points (13.2), 5.5 rebounds (3.7), 3.5 assists (1.0), 1.0 steals (0.5), 0.0 blocks (0.1), 57.6 FG% (50.4), 66.7 3PT% (38.9)
Advanced stats, season: 22.03 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 56.5 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 24.4 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "You can have a million excuses, but that doesn't matter. Nobody's out here to make excuses. The fans want to see us win. ... Who cares if we're younger than all these guys? We've got to go out and compete. That's something that we have to really dictate and do in the beginning of the games." -- Muhammad
Noted: The Corey Brewer trade moves Muhammad into the starting lineup. In fact, the second-year pro's emergence this season was part of the reason Minnesota felt comfortable enough to deal Brewer and continue building for the future, Saunders said. Muhammad is averaging 19.1 points per game the past 12 outings.
GORGUI DIENG (age 24, second season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 33.0 minutes (27.7), 9.5 points (8.8), 5.5 rebounds (7.9), 2.0 assists (2.0), 0.5 steals (1.0), 1.0 blocks (1.4), 46.7 FG% (50.6), 0.0 3PT% (0.0)
Advanced stats, season: 17.78 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 57.6 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 13.5 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "We're asking him to do so much. He's tried to save some of his energy just to be able to stay in games. It's hurt him a little bit, just in terms of his productivity when he's on the court, because he's got to be there for so long. We're just asking him to do a lot in a role that he probably wasn't ready for." -- Saunders on Dieng
Noted: Backup big man Ronny Turiaf was sent to Philadelphia in the three-team trade that dealt Brewer to Houston, leaving Dieng as the only healthy center on Minnesota's roster for the time being (Nikola Pekovic remains out with an ankle injury). But that's nothing new; Turiaf is out for the season, and Dieng has started the Wolves' past 17 games. Pekovic is expected back sometime next month, but until he is, Dieng will continue to be the guy -- the only guy -- at center.
ANTHONY BENNETT (age 21, second season)
Statistical averages, past week (season): 14.5 minutes (16.8), 3.5 points (6.2), 5.5 rebounds (4.0), 0.5 assists (0.9), 0.0 steals (0.6), 0.0 blocks (0.5), 33.3 FG% (45.4), 0.0 3PT% (0.0)
Advanced stats, season: 13.37 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 47.3 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 17.3 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "(I'm) just up and down. But just have made a defensive effort, just try to get every rebound, try to stop my man from scoring. Whatever it is that's going to help us on the court." -- Bennett
Noted: Although he's yet to show the game-breaking ability he flashed during the preseason, Bennett has taken some of the grittier yoke upon his shoulders of late, racking up 11 rebounds in the past two games. Continued effort on the glass and on defense will be rewarded, especially if Bennett can get into a rhythm and start converting more of the high-percentage shots he tends to take.
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