Editing Minnesota Timberwolves (section)

===1989–1995: team creation and early years===
NBA basketball returned to the [[Twin Cities]] in 1989 for the first time since the [[Minneapolis Lakers]] (1947–1960) departed to [[Los Angeles]] in [[1960–61 NBA season|1960]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rippel |first=Joel |date=May 3, 2024 |title=Why did the Minneapolis Lakers basketball team move to Los Angeles? |url=https://www2.startribune.com/basketball-nba-minneapolis-lakers-history-move-los-angeles/600363490/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=MANY HAPPY RETURNS |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1989/11/06/many-happy-returns-larry-bird-eastern-europeans-and-minneapolis-are-all-making-comebacks-and-come-the-spring-the-pistons-and-the-lakers-will-be-back-playing-for-the-championship |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230614100151/https://vault.si.com/vault/1989/11/06/many-happy-returns-larry-bird-eastern-europeans-and-minneapolis-are-all-making-comebacks-and-come-the-spring-the-pistons-and-the-lakers-will-be-back-playing-for-the-championship |archive-date=2023-06-14 |access-date=2025-02-27 |work=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |language=en-us}}</ref> The NBA had granted one of its four new expansion teams on April 22, 1987 (the others being the [[Orlando Magic]], [[Charlotte Hornets]], and the [[Miami Heat]]) to original owners Harvey Ratner and Marv Wolfenson to begin play beginning in the [[1989–90 NBA season|1989–90 season]]. There were two previous [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA) franchises that played in between the Lakers' departure and the Timberwolves arrival: the [[Minnesota Muskies]] (1967–68), and the [[Minnesota Pipers]] (1968–69). The Timberwolves have worn throwback uniforms for each of the previous franchises.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/blog/sports-business/2012/02/wolves-to-wear-throwback-jerseys.html |title=Wolves to wear throwback jerseys — way back to the Muskies |work=Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal |last=Vomhof |first=John Jr. |date=February 1, 2012 |access-date=July 21, 2022 |archive-date=March 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317153940/http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/blog/sports-business/2012/02/wolves-to-wear-throwback-jerseys.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2019/11/20/timberwolves-new-alternate-uniforms-resemble-minneapolis-lakers/ | title=Timberwolves' new alternate uniforms resemble Minneapolis Lakers | date=November 21, 2019 | access-date=June 27, 2022 | archive-date=June 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627010309/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2019/11/20/timberwolves-new-alternate-uniforms-resemble-minneapolis-lakers/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

The franchise conducted a "name the team" contest<ref>{{cite web|title=TIMBERWOLVES: Suggested Nicknames for the Minnesota NBA Franchise|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/history/suggested_nicknames.html|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=February 1, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040203121134/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/history/suggested_nicknames.html|archive-date=February 3, 2004|access-date=August 3, 2015}}</ref> and eventually selected two finalists, "Timberwolves" and "Polars", in December 1986. The team then asked the 842 city councils in Minnesota to select the winner and "Timberwolves" prevailed by nearly 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|title=Behind the Name: Timberwolves|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/features/behind_the_name_timberwolves.html|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=August 3, 2015|access-date=August 3, 2015|archive-date=April 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424225227/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/features/behind_the_name_timberwolves.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2014-15 Minnesota Timberwolves Media Guide|url=http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/media/2.0/teamsites/timberwolves/media/2014-15_Timberwolves_Online_Media_Guide.pdf#page=177|publisher=Minnesota Timberwolves|date=October 23, 2014|access-date=August 3, 2015|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011226/http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/media/2.0/teamsites/timberwolves/media/2014-15_Timberwolves_Online_Media_Guide.pdf#page=177|url-status=dead}}</ref> The team was officially named the "Minnesota Timberwolves" on January 23, 1987. Minnesota is home to the largest population of [[Eastern wolf|timberwolves]] in the contiguous 48 states.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wolf Management: Minnesota DNR|url=http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/wolves/mgmt.html|publisher=Minnesota Department of Natural Resources|date=August 3, 2015|access-date=August 3, 2015|archive-date=July 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719101543/http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/wolves/mgmt.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Timberwolves debuted on November 3, 1989, losing to the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] on the road 106–94.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1989-03-01 |title=Minnesota Is Back in NBA, 29 Years After Lakers Leave |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-01-sp-777-story.html |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Five days later, they made their home debut at the [[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome]], losing to the [[Chicago Bulls]] 96–84.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Madison |first=Eric in |date=2018-11-24 |title=Remember When...The Wolves Played Their First Ever Home Game? |url=https://www.canishoopus.com/2018/11/24/18110097/remember-when-the-wolves-played-their-first-ever-home-game-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-history |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=Canis Hoopus |language=en}}</ref> Two nights later on November 10, the Wolves got their first win, beating the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] at home 125–118. The Timberwolves, led by [[Tony Campbell]] with 23.2&nbsp;ppg, went on to a 22–60 record, finishing in sixth place in the Midwest Division. Playing in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the expansion Timberwolves set an NBA record by drawing over 1&nbsp;million fans to their home games.<ref>[http://www.apbr.org/attendance.html The Association for Professional Basketball Research] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702065641/http://www.apbr.org/attendance.html |date=July 2, 2017 }} APBR.org</ref> This included a crowd of 49,551 on April 17, 1990, which saw the Timberwolves lose to the [[Denver Nuggets]] 99–88 in the final home game of the season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1990.html |title=1989-90 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=April 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403224806/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1990.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The next [[1990–91 NBA season|season]], the team moved into their permanent home, the [[Target Center]], and improved somewhat, finishing 29–53. However, they fired their head coach, [[Bill Musselman]]. They fared far worse in the [[1991–92 NBA season]] under Musselman's successor, ex-[[Boston Celtics|Celtics]] coach [[Jimmy Rodgers (basketball)|Jimmy Rodgers]], finishing with an NBA-worst 15–67 record. Looking to turn the corner, the Wolves hired former [[Detroit Pistons]] general manager [[Jack McCloskey]] to the same position, but even with notable first-round selections such as [[Christian Laettner]] and [[Isaiah Rider]], the Timberwolves were unable to duplicate McCloskey's "Detroit Bad Boys" success in the Twin Cities, finishing 19–63 and 20–62 the next two seasons. One of the few highlights from that era was when the Target Center served as host of the 1994 [[1994 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] where Rider won the [[Slam Dunk Contest]] with his between-the-leg "East Bay Funk Dunk".<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/vpGcjaG4MUU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120209111822/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpGcjaG4MUU&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]}}{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpGcjaG4MUU |title=1994 NBA Slam Dunk Competition |date=March 9, 2007 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=March 22, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

As winning basketball continued to elude the Wolves, Ratner and Wolfenson [[Minnesota Timberwolves failed relocation to New Orleans|nearly sold the team to New Orleans interests]] in 1994 before NBA owners rejected the proposed move. Eventually, [[Glen Taylor]] bought the team and named [[Kevin McHale (basketball)|Kevin McHale]] general manager. The Wolves finished 21–61 in 1994–95, and the future looked bleak.<ref name="basketball-reference">{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1995.html |title=1994-95 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=April 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403220314/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1995.html |url-status=live }}</ref>