Editing Minnesota Timberwolves (section)

====Departure of Flip Saunders====
[[File:012308-TC-Twolves001.jpg|thumb|240px|right|The Timberwolves conduct pre-game warm-ups at their home Arena, the [[Target Center]]]]
Going into the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]], the Wolves roster remained virtually the same from the previous season; however, Babcock left to become the general manager of the [[Toronto Raptors]], and the team was also plagued with contract disputes and the complaining of key players [[Latrell Sprewell]], [[Sam Cassell]], and [[Troy Hudson]] during the off-season. After a disappointing start to the season, head coach [[Flip Saunders]] was replaced by general manager and long-time friend [[Kevin McHale (basketball)|Kevin McHale]], who took over as coach for the rest of the season. Despite a strong finish, the Timberwolves missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years, by one game, to the [[Memphis Grizzlies]], ending the season with a record of 44–38.

During the 2005 off-season, McHale and the Wolves started their search for a head coach. McHale interviewed [[Seattle SuperSonics]] assistant coach [[Dwane Casey]], [[San Antonio Spurs]] assistant [[P. J. Carlesimo]], former coach [[John Harding Lucas II|John Lucas]] and Wolves assistants [[Randy Wittman]], [[Sidney Lowe]] and [[Jerry Sichting]], among others.

On June 17, 2005, the Timberwolves hired Casey as the new head coach. It was Casey's first head coaching job, making him the Wolves' seventh head coach in their 16-year history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/caseydw99c.html |title=Dwane Casey NBA & ABA Basketball Coaching Record |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |date=April 17, 1957 |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=August 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815174214/http://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/caseydw99c.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[2005 NBA draft|2005 draft]], the Timberwolves selected [[Rashad McCants]], a shooting guard from [[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|North Carolina]] with the 14th overall pick of the first round.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/draft2005/board.html |title=NBA Draft Board |work=NBA.com |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112180549/http://www.nba.com/draft2005/board.html |archive-date=January 12, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Timberwolves also selected [[Bracey Wright]], a guard from [[Indiana University (Bloomington)|Indiana]], with the 17th pick of the second round (47th overall).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nbadraft.net/nba_draft_history/2005.html |title=2005 NBA Draft |publisher=NBADraft.net |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=March 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325033637/http://www.nbadraft.net/nba_draft_history/2005.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During the off-season, they traded All-Star [[Sam Cassell]] and a protected future first-round draft pick to the [[Los Angeles Clippers]] for [[Marko Jarić]] and [[Lionel Chalmers]]. They also signed free agent [[Nikoloz Tskitishvili]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/tskitni01.html |title=Nikoloz Tskitishvili NBA & ABA Stats |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=April 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404042334/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/tskitni01.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On January 26, 2006, the Wolves traded forward [[Wally Szczerbiak]], centers [[Dwayne Jones (basketball player)|Dwayne Jones]] and [[Michael Olowokandi]], and a future first-round draft pick to the [[Boston Celtics]]. In return, they received forward-guard [[Ricky Davis]], center [[Mark Blount]], forward [[Justin Reed]], guard [[Marcus Banks]], and two second-round draft picks. In a separate trade on the same day, the Timberwolves traded Tskitishvili to the [[Phoenix Suns]] for a 2006 second-round draft pick. The Timberwolves finished 33–49, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/standings/2005/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Div.html |title=NBA.com |website=[[NBA.com]] |date=September 16, 2008 |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=February 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220221928/http://www.nba.com/standings/2005/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Div.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[2006 NBA draft]], the Timberwolves selected future [[NBA Rookie of the Year]] [[Brandon Roy]] with the 6th overall pick, [[Craig Smith (basketball, born 1983)|Craig Smith]] with the 36th pick, forward [[Bobby Jones (basketball, born 1984)|Bobby Jones]] with the 37th pick and center [[Loukas Mavrokefalidis]] with the 57th pick. The Timberwolves traded Roy to the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] for [[Randy Foye]] and cash considerations. The Timberwolves then traded [[Bobby Jones (basketball, born 1984)|Bobby Jones]] to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] for a 2007 second-round pick and cash.

On January 23, McHale fired head coach Casey and replaced him with [[Randy Wittman]]. McHale explained in a news conference that it was inconsistency by Casey that led to the firing. Casey had compiled an overall record of 53–69. They finished the 2006–07 season with a record of 32–50, allowing them to keep their 2007 first-round pick.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2007.html |title=2006-07 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=April 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404102741/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2007.html |url-status=live }}</ref>