MINNEAPOLIS — 14 months. That’s how long it took for Tom Thibodeau to make his first trade as head honcho of the Wolves.
That kind of extreme patience felt wise back then. Thibs waited forever for the perfect moment to pounce, shrewdly assessing the entire roster before making any crucial decisions, or so it seemed. An epic draft night deal for Jimmy Butler was the perfect game-changing acquisition two years ago, not only to break the no-trade streak but to elevate a beleaguered franchise to new heights. At least in theory.
Fast forward two years and all that restraint, all for one offseason of blowing the entire bank account on one forgettable first-round playoff series, to break a ridiculously long playoff drought, feels like lost time (and assets) in building around superstar Karl-Anthony Towns.