Editing Minnesota Timberwolves (section)

===2015–2020: the Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins era===

====2015–2016: the arrival of Karl-Anthony Towns====
Due to having the worst record in the NBA for the 2014–15 season, the Timberwolves had the highest chance, at 25%, to receive the first pick in the [[2015 NBA draft]] at the 2015 NBA draft lottery. On May 19, the Timberwolves received the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft for the first time in franchise history. On June 25, the Timberwolves selected [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] as the number one pick and acquired Minnesota's own [[Tyus Jones]] through a trade with the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]].

The 2014–15 season also saw the return of Kevin Garnett. In February 2015, Garnett, at the time with the [[Brooklyn Nets]], waived his no-trade clause to enable a trade back to Minnesota which sent [[Thaddeus Young]] to Brooklyn. In his first game back, Garnett resumed wearing the No. 21 jersey that had not been worn by any other Timberwolves player since his departure and the team defeated the [[Washington Wizards]] 97–77 at the Target Center.

On June 6, 2014, [[Flip Saunders]] was named the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, returning to the franchise for a second stint.<ref>{{cite news|title=Flip Saunders Named Timberwolves Head Coach|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/flip-saunders-named-timberwolves-head-coach|publisher=Minnesota Timberwolves|date=June 6, 2014|access-date=December 13, 2016|archive-date=October 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023041232/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/flip-saunders-named-timberwolves-head-coach|url-status=live}}</ref> During his second stint with the Timberwolves, Saunders was diagnosed with [[Hodgkin's lymphoma]]. As a result, during his recovery, he would delegate his coaching position over to assistant coach and former [[NBA Coach of the Year]] winner [[Sam Mitchell (basketball)|Sam Mitchell]]. On October 25, 2015, Saunders died at age 60. Mitchell took over as head coach. In honor of Saunders, the team announced that they would wear a patch reading "FLIP" on their uniforms for the duration of the 2015–16 season.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Timberwolves to Wear Commemorative Patch in Honor of Flip Saunders|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/timberwolves-wear-commemorative-patch-honor-flip-saunders|publisher=Minnesota Timberwolves|date=October 27, 2015|access-date=December 13, 2016|archive-date=January 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109210640/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/timberwolves-wear-commemorative-patch-honor-flip-saunders|url-status=live}}</ref>

====2016–2019: the Tom Thibodeau saga====
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| image1 = Wiggins10-20190120.jpg
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On April 20, 2016, the Timberwolves agreed to sign [[Tom Thibodeau]] to be their head coach and president of basketball operations. He was previously an assistant coach for the team from 1989 to 1991.<ref name="Thibodeau-Wolves">{{cite news|title=Minnesota Timberwolves Agree to Terms with Tom Thibodeau and Scott Layden|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/minnesota-timberwolves-agree-terms-tom-thibodeau-and-scott-layden|publisher=Minnesota Timberwolves|date=April 20, 2016|access-date=June 30, 2016|archive-date=June 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627182457/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/minnesota-timberwolves-agree-terms-tom-thibodeau-and-scott-layden|url-status=live}}</ref> On September 23, 2016, Kevin Garnett announced his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA. He expressed interest in playing one more year for the Timberwolves but felt that his knees would be unable to hold up for the duration of the season. The Timberwolves ended their season with a 31–51 record, having only a two-game improvement from their previous season.

====2018: the arrival of Jimmy Butler and the return to the playoffs====
[[File:Derrick Roooose.jpg|left|thumb|[[Derrick Rose]] warming up with the Timberwolves.]]
On June 22, 2017, the Timberwolves acquired [[Jimmy Butler]] and the 16th overall pick in the [[2017 NBA draft|2017 draft]] in trade for Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn and the 7th overall pick in the draft (used to select [[Lauri Markkanen]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/timberwolves-trade-zach-lavine-kris-dunn-no-7-pick-to-bulls-for-jimmy-butler/430241303/|title=Timberwolves trade Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, No. 7 pick to Bulls for Jimmy Butler|website=[[Star Tribune]]|date=June 23, 2017 |access-date=June 23, 2017|archive-date=October 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005183519/http://www.startribune.com/timberwolves-trade-zach-lavine-kris-dunn-no-7-pick-to-bulls-for-jimmy-butler/430241303/|url-status=live}}</ref> This trade marked the end of the LaVine and Wiggins duo, dubbed "Bounce Brothers". Later that night, the Timberwolves selected center [[Justin Patton]] with the 16th overall pick in the draft. Later, the team added [[Taj Gibson]], [[Jeff Teague]], [[Jamal Crawford]] and [[Derrick Rose]] during free agency. The Timberwolves ended their season with a 47–35 record, which became the first winning season since the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]], and secured the last spot in the playoffs on the final day of the regular season with a 112–106 win over the [[Denver Nuggets]]. The 2017–18 season also ended the longest streak without a playoff appearance at 13 seasons. The Timberwolves would be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Houston Rockets in five games.

On November 12, 2018, the Timberwolves traded Butler and [[Justin Patton]] to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] in exchange for [[Robert Covington]], [[Dario Šarić]], [[Jerryd Bayless]] and a 2022 second-round draft pick.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minnesota Timberwolves Acquire Robert Covington, Dario Šarić, Jerryd Bayless and a Future Second-Round Draft Pick from Philadelphia |url=https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/minnesota-timberwolves-acquire-robert-covington-dario-saric-jerryd-bayless-and-future-second |website=NBA.com |access-date=November 13, 2018 |date=November 12, 2018 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093337/https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/minnesota-timberwolves-acquire-robert-covington-dario-saric-jerryd-bayless-and-future-second |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 6, 2019, Thibodeau was fired as head coach and president of basketball operations. After Thibodeau's firing, it was announced that [[Ryan Saunders]] would serve as interim head coach until a permanent head coach is found.<ref>{{cite web|title=Timberwolves Relieve Tom Thibodeau of his Duties|url=https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/timberwolves-relieve-tom-thibodeau-duties|website=NBA.com|access-date=January 6, 2019|date=January 6, 2019|archive-date=October 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021050412/https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/timberwolves-relieve-tom-thibodeau-duties|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Anthony Edwards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (51734745028) (cropped) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Anthony Edwards was selected 1st overall in the 2020 draft and led the Wolves to their second ever Conference Final]]