Tom Thibodeau’s first season as Timberwolves head coach was the 2016-17 campaign, and Gorgui Dieng‘s fourth season in the NBA.
After having played almost entirely center over the first two years of his career and splitting time almost evenly between the four and the five in his third season, Dieng started all 82 games at the power forward spot in 2016-17.
Dieng showed remarkable consistency, averaging nearly identical numbers to his 2015-16 season and adding a corner 3-point shot to his arsenal. He was still only put up 10 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in the season immediately following his signing of a four-year, $64 million contract extension.