Minnesota Timberwolves

Harvey Ratner and Marv Wolfenson submitted an expansion proposal and held a naming contest, which produced the Timberwolves name.⁠[1]

The NBA approved Minneapolis for expansion, with play scheduled to begin in 1989–90.⁠[2]

First played on November 3.⁠[1]

Target Center opened in October and became the team’s long-term home.⁠[3]

Glen Taylor purchased the team, keeping it in Minnesota after the NBA rejected the original owners’ deal with a New Orleans group.⁠[4]

Kevin Garnett entered the NBA directly from high school and joined Minnesota as the fifth overall draft pick.⁠[5]

Lost the first playoff series 3–0 to Houston.⁠[1]

Minnesota reached the Western Conference Finals.⁠[6]

Garnett won the NBA Most Valuable Player award.⁠[5]

After 12 seasons with Minnesota, Garnett joined the Boston Celtics.⁠[5]

Selected Karl-Anthony Towns first overall.⁠[1]

Ended a 13-season playoff drought.⁠[7]

Selected Anthony Edwards first overall.⁠[1]

Chris Finch became head coach on February 22 after serving as an assistant with the Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are an NBA basketball team based at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada.Open the full entry.⁠[8]

Acquired Rudy Gobert from the Utah JazzUtah JazzThe Utah Jazz are an NBA team based at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.Open the full entry.⁠[1]

Lost the West finals 4–1 to Dallas.⁠[9]

Karl-Anthony Towns was traded to the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knicks are an NBA basketball team based at Madison Square Garden in New York and owned by MSG Sports.Open the full entry.⁠[1]

Lost the West finals 4–1 to Oklahoma City.⁠[10]

The NBA approved Lore and Rodriguez’s controlling-interest purchase.⁠[11]

Eliminated in the West semifinals.⁠[12]

Minnesota lost Game 6 to the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an NBA basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing at Frost Bank Center.Open the full entry 139–109, ending the series with a 4–2 defeat.⁠[13]

Unveiled new logos, uniforms and court designs.⁠[14]

Marc Lore agreed to sell his controlling interests in the Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx to Marc Stad, with Alex Rodriguez remaining a co-owner.⁠[15]

League approval remained pending at the announcement.⁠[16]

Target Center is at 600 First Avenue North in Minneapolis. The city owns the arena, which is also home to the Minnesota Lynx.⁠[3]

Garnett’s number 21 retirement is planned for February 28, 2027.⁠[17]

Minnesota Timberwolves: Official website: https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/ (opens in a new window).⁠[18]

Minnesota Timberwolves: X: https://x.com/timberwolves (opens in a new window).⁠[19]

Minnesota Timberwolves: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timberwolves/ (opens in a new window).⁠[20]

Minnesota Timberwolves: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MNTimberwolves/ (opens in a new window).⁠[21]

Minnesota Timberwolves: YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/timberwolves (opens in a new window).⁠[22]