2020–21 Minnesota Timberwolves season explained

Team:	Minnesota Timberwolves
End Year:	2021
Wins:	23
Losses:	49
Division:	Northwest
Division Place:	4
Conf Place:	13
Coach:	Ryan Saunders (fired Feb. 21) Chris Finch
Gm:	Vacant
Owner:	Glen Taylor
Arena:	Target Center
Playoffs:	Did not qualify
Bbr Team:	MIN
Television:	Bally Sports North
Radio:	WCCO

The 2020–21 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the 32nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA) On February 21, 2021, the Timberwolves fired head coach Ryan Saunders after three seasons with the team.^[1] On the following day, Toronto Raptors assistant head coach Chris Finch was announced as the next head coach.^[2] After a loss to the Sacramento Kings on April 21, followed by the San Antonio Spurs defeating the Detroit Pistons the next day, the Timberwolves were eliminated from playoff contention for the third straight year.^[3]

Draft

See main article: 2020 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School / club team
1	1	Anthony Edwards	Guard		Georgia
1	17	Aleksej Pokuševski	Forward		Olympiacos
2	33	Daniel Oturu	Center		Minnesota

Before the start of the 2020 NBA draft period, the Timberwolves' selection was held stuck as the #3 selection of the draft with their record being the third-worst of all NBA teams the prior season at 19–45 before the NBA suspended their season on March 12, 2020 and cancelled the rest of Minnesota's season by June 5.^[4] As a result, they held the best odds to move up at #1 alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors for the 2020 draft, though also held odds to fall as low as the #6 pick of the draft. This year, the Timberwolves ended the 2020 NBA draft lottery with the #1 selection, moving up two spots from their initial projection. In addition to their first-round pick, the Timberwolves also held their second-round pick and gained a first-round picks from a previous trade involving the Brooklyn Nets. They traded the Number 17 pick and James Johnson for Ricky Rubio, the number 25 and 28 overall picks.^[5] They then traded the number 25 and 33 overall picks for the 23rd overall pick.

Standings

Conference

Notes

• z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
• c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs
• y – Clinched division title
• x – Clinched playoff spot
• pb – Clinched play-in spot
• o – Eliminated from playoff contention
• * – Division leader

Game log

Preseason

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| December 12| Memphis| | Jaylen Nowell (22)| Karl-Anthony Towns (8)| Malik Beasley (3)| Target Center
0| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| December 14| Memphis| | D'Angelo Russell (19)| Karl-Anthony Towns (9)| Karl-Anthony Towns (5)| Target Center
0| 0–2|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| December 17| @ Dallas| | Karl-Anthony Towns (20)| Malik Beasley (11)| Ricky Rubio (4)| American Airlines Center
0| 1–2

Regular season

|-style="background:#cfc;"| 1| December 23| Detroit| | Malik Beasley (23)| Karl-Anthony Towns (11)| Karl-Anthony Towns (7)| Target Center
0| 1–0|-style="background:#cfc;"| 2| December 26| @ Utah| | D'Angelo Russell (25)| Karl-Anthony Towns (12)| D'Angelo Russell (6)| Vivint Smart Home Arena
0| 2–0|-style="background:#fcc;"| 3| December 27| @ L. A. Lakers| | Anthony Edwards (15)| Jarred Vanderbilt (7)| Jarred Vanderbilt (6)| Staples Center
0| 2–1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 4| December 29| @ L. A. Clippers| | D'Angelo Russell (22)| Jarrett Culver (10)| Jordan McLaughlin (9)| Staples Center
0| 2–2|-style="background:#fcc;"| 5| January 1| Washington| | Malik Beasley (21)| Ed Davis (10)| Ricky Rubio (5)| Target Center
0| 2–3|-style="background:#fcc;"| 6| January 3| Denver| | Malik Beasley (25)| Ed Davis (8)| D'Angelo Russell (7)| Target Center
0| 2–4|-style="background:#fcc;"| 7| January 5| @ Denver| | D'Angelo Russell (33)| Willy Hernangómez (8)| D'Angelo Russell (11)| Ball Arena
0| 2–5|-style="background:#fcc;"| 8| January 7| @ Portland| | Anthony Edwards (26)| Jarred Vanderbilt (10)| Ricky Rubio (10)| Moda Center
0| 2–6|-style="background:#fcc;"| 9| January 9| San Antonio| | Malik Beasley (29)| Karl-Anthony Towns (13)| Ricky Rubio (8)| Target Center
0| 2–7|-style="background:#cfc;"| 10| January 10| San Antonio| | D'Angelo Russell (27)| Willy Hernangómez (8)| Ricky Rubio (6)| Target Center
0| 3–7|-style="background:#fcc;"| 11| January 13| Memphis| | Malik Beasley (28)| Karl-Anthony Towns (14)| D'Angelo Russell (8)| Target Center
0| 3–8|-style="background:#ccc;"| –| January 15| Memphis| colspan="6" | Postponed (COVID-19) (Makeup date: May 5)^[6] |-style="background:#fcc;"| 12| January 18| @ Atlanta| | D'Angelo Russell (31)| Jarred Vanderbilt (8)| D'Angelo Russell (7)| State Farm Arena
0| 3–9|-style="background:#fcc;"| 13| January 20| Orlando| | D'Angelo Russell (19)| Jaden McDaniels (8)| Jordan McLaughlin (7)| Target Center
0| 3–10|-style="background:#fcc;"| 14| January 22| Atlanta| | Malik Beasley (17)| Naz Reid (8)| McLaughlin, Rubio (5)| Target Center| 3–11|-style="background:#cfc;"| 15| January 23| New Orleans| | Naz Reid (20)| Jarred Vanderbilt (11)| Ricky Rubio (7)| Target Center
0| 4–11|-style="background:#fcc;"| 16| January 25| @ Golden State| | Malik Beasley (30)| Naz Reid (10)| Ricky Rubio (11)| Chase Center
0| 4–12|-style="background:#fcc;"| 17| January 27| @ Golden State| | Beasley, Edwards (25)| Vanderbilt, Reid (7)| Rubio, McLaughlin (5)| Chase Center
0| 4–13|-style="background:#fcc;"| 18| January 29| Philadelphia| | Malik Beasley (22)| Ed Davis (8)| Ricky Rubio (5)| Target Center
0| 4–14|-style="background:#cfc;"| 19| January 31| Cleveland| | Edwards, Beasley (23)| Jarred Vanderbilt (8)| Ricky Rubio (8)| Target Center
0| 5–14|-style="background:#fcc;"| 20| February 1| @ Cleveland| | D'Angelo Russell (18)| Jarred Vanderbilt (9)| 3 players (4)| Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
0| 5–15|-style="background:#fcc;"| 21| February 3| @ San Antonio| | Malik Beasley (29)| Reid, Vanderbilt (11)| Ricky Rubio (7)| AT&T Center
0| 5–16|-style="background:#cfc;"| 22| February 5| @ Oklahoma City| | Malik Beasley (24)| Reid, Vanderbilt (9)| Ricky Rubio (8)| Chesapeake Energy Arena
0| 6–16|-style="background:#fcc;"| 23| February 6| @ Oklahoma City| | Naz Reid (29)| Anthony Edwards (8)| Rubio, McLaughlin (6)| Chsesapeake Energy Arena
0| 6–17|-style="background:#fcc;"| 24| February 8| @ Dallas| | Malik Beasley (30)| Malik Beasley (9)| Ricky Rubio (7)| American Airlines Center
1,000| 6–18|-style="background:#fcc;"| 25| February 10| L. A. Clippers| | Naz Reid (23)| Karl-Anthony Towns (10)| Ricky Rubio (10)| Target Center
0| 6–19|-style="background:#fcc;"| 26| February 12| @ Charlotte| | Malik Beasley (31)| Karl-Anthony Towns (8)| Ricky Rubio (9)| Spectrum Center
0| 6–20|-style="background:#cfc;"| 27| February 14| @ Toronto| | Towns, Beasley (20)| Karl-Anthony Towns (11)| Malik Beasley (6)| Amalie Arena
0| 7–20|-style="background:#fcc;"| 28| February 16| L. A. Lakers| | Anthony Edwards (28)| Jarred Vanderbilt (13)| Ricky Rubio (8)| Target Center
0| 7–21|-style="background:#fcc;"| 29| February 17| Indiana| | Karl-Anthony Towns (30)| Karl-Anthony Towns (10)| Ricky Rubio (13)| Target Center
0| 7–22|-style="background:#fcc;"| 30| February 19| Toronto| | Karl-Anthony Towns (19)| Karl-Anthony Towns (13)| Jordan McLaughlin (7)| Target Center
0| 7–23|-style="background:#fcc;"| 31| February 21| @ New York| | Karl-Anthony Towns (27)| Karl-Anthony Towns (15)| Ricky Rubio (6)| Madison Square Garden
0| 7–24|-style="background:#fcc;"| 32| February 23| @ Milwaukee| | Towns, Beasley (26)| Karl-Anthony Towns (8)| Karl-Anthony Towns (8)| Fiserv Forum
1,800| 7–25|-style="background:#fcc;"| 33| February 24| @ Chicago| | Malik Beasley (25)| Anthony Edwards (9)| Ricky Rubio (10)| United Center
0| 7–26|-style="background:#fcc;"| 34| February 27| @ Washington| | Karl-Anthony Towns (23)| Jarred Vanderbilt (12)| Karl-Anthony Towns (5)| Capital One Arena
0| 7–27|-style="background:#fcc;"| 35| February 28| Phoenix| | Anthony Edwards (24)| Karl-Anthony Towns (10)| Ricky Rubio (6)| Target Center
0| 7–28|-|-style="background:#fcc;"| 36| March 3| Charlotte| | Ricky Rubio (20)| Karl-Anthony Towns (15)| Ricky Rubio (9)| Target Center
0| 7–29|-style="background:#cfc;"| 37| March 11| @ New Orleans| | Jaylen Nowell (28)| Karl-Anthony Towns (7)| Ricky Rubio (8)| Smoothie King Center
3,700| 8–29|-style="background:#fcc;"| 38| March 13| Portland| | Karl-Anthony Towns (34)| Karl-Anthony Towns (10)| Ricky Rubio (8)| Target Center
0| 8–30|-style="background:#cfc;"| 39| March 14| Portland| | Anthony Edwards (34)| Karl-Anthony Towns (8)| Karl-Anthony Towns (8)| Target Center
0| 9–30|-style="background:#fcc;"| 40| March 16| @ L. A. Lakers| | Towns, Edwards (29)| Karl-Anthony Towns (6)| Ricky Rubio (12)| Staples Center
0| 9–31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 41| March 18| @ Phoenix| | Anthony Edwards (42)| Karl-Anthony Towns (10)| Karl-Anthony Towns (8)| Phoenix Suns Arena
3,172| 10–31|-style="background:#fcc;"| 42| March 19| @ Phoenix| | Karl-Anthony Towns (24)| Anthony Edwards (10)| Ricky Rubio (10)| Phoenix Suns Arena
3,124| 10–32|-style="background:#fcc;"| 43| March 22| Oklahoma City| | Karl-Anthony Towns (33)| Karl-Anthony Towns (10)| Ricky Rubio (11)| Target Center
0| 10–33|-style="background:#fcc;"| 44| March 24| Dallas| | Anthony Edwards (29)| Naz Reid (6)| Ricky Rubio (7)| Target Center
0| 10–34|-style="background:#cfc;"| 45| March 26| Houston| | Karl-Anthony Towns (29)| Karl-Anthony Towns (16)| Rubio, Towns (8)| Target Center
0| 11–34|-style="background:#fcc;"| 46| March 27| Houston| | Edwards, Towns (27)| Karl-Anthony Towns (15)| Ricky Rubio (10)| Target Center
0| 11–35|-style="background:#fcc;"| 47| March 29| @ Brooklyn| | Karl-Anthony Towns (31)| Karl-Anthony Towns (12)| Karl-Anthony Towns (5)| Barclays Center
1,732| 11–36|-style="background:#cfc;"| 48| March 31| New York| | Anthony Edwards (24)| Karl-Anthony Towns (17)| Ricky Rubio (7)| Target Center
0| 12–36|-style="background:#fcc;"| 49| April 2| @ Memphis| | Karl-Anthony Towns (30)| Karl-Anthony Towns (16)| Anthony Edwards (6)| Target Center
0| 12–37|-style="background:#fcc;"| 50| April 3| @ Philadelphia| | Karl-Anthony Towns (39)| Karl-Anthony Towns (14)| Jordan McLaughlin (9)| Wells Fargo Center
3,071| 12–38|-style="background:#cfc;"| 51| April 5| Sacramento| | D'Angelo Russell (25)| Karl-Anthony Towns (13)| Edwards, Rubio, Towns (5)| Target Center
1,436| 13–38|-style="background:#fcc;"| 52| April 7| @ Indiana| | Karl-Anthony Towns (32)| Karl-Anthony Towns (12)| Ricky Rubio (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Limited seating| 13–39|-style="background:#fcc;"| 53| April 9| @ Boston| | Karl-Anthony Towns (30)| Karl-Anthony Towns (12)| D'Angelo Russell (8)| TD Garden
2,298| 13–40|-style="background:#cfc;"| 54| April 11| Chicago| | Russell, Towns (27)| Karl-Anthony Towns (12)| Ricky Rubio (9)| Target Center
1,436| 14–40|-style="background:#ccc;"| —| April 12| Brooklyn| colspan="6" | Postponed (Killing of Daunte Wright) (Makeup date: April 13)^[7] |-style="background:#fcc;"| 55| April 13| Brooklyn| | Anthony Edwards (27)| Anthony Edwards (8)| Jarred Vanderbilt (3)| Target Center
0| 14–41|-style="background:#fcc;"| 56| April 14| Milwaukee| | Anthony Edwards (24)| Naz Reid (15)| D'Angelo Russell (6)| Target Center
0| 14–42|-style="background:#cfc;"| 57| April 16| Miami| | Karl-Anthony Towns (24)| Naz Reid (7)| Edwards, Towns, Russell (5)| Target Center
1,638| 15–42|-style="background:#fcc;"| 58| April 18| @ L. A. Clippers| | Anthony Edwards (23)| Naz Reid (7)| Rubio, Towns (5)| Staples Center
1,734| 15–43|-style="background:#cfc;"| 59| April 20| @ Sacramento| | Edwards, Russell (28)| Karl-Anthony Towns (18)| Ricky Rubio (11)| Golden 1 Center
0| 16–43|-style="background:#fcc;"| 60| April 21| @ Sacramento| | Karl-Anthony Towns (26)| Naz Reid (7)| D'Angelo Russell (9)| Golden 1 Center
0| 16–44|-style="background:#cfc;"| 61| April 24| @ Utah| | Karl-Anthony Towns (24)| Karl-Anthony Towns (12)| Anthony Edwards (4)| Vivint Arena
5,546| 17–44|-style="background:#cfc;"| 62| April 26| Utah| | Karl-Anthony Towns (21)| Karl-Anthony Towns (11)| D'Angelo Russell (12)| Target Center
1,638| 18–44|-style="background:#cfc;"| 63| April 27| @ Houston| | Karl-Anthony Towns (31)| Anthony Edwards (9)| D'Angelo Russell (7)| Toyota Center
3,225| 19–44|-style="background:#cfc;"| 64| April 29| Golden State| | Ricky Rubio (26)| Karl-Anthony Towns (11)| D'Angelo Russell (8)| Target Center
1,638| 20–44|-style="background:#fcc;"| 65| May 1| @ New Orleans| | Anthony Edwards (29)| Karl-Anthony Towns (14)| D'Angelo Russell (11)| Target Center
1,638| 20–45|-style="background:#fcc;"| 66| May 5| Memphis| | Anthony Edwards (42)| Naz Reid (7)| D'Angelo Russell (14)| Target Center
1,436| 20–46|-style="background:#fcc;"| 67| May 7| @ Miami| | Karl-Anthony Towns (27)| Jarred Vanderbilt (11)| Ricky Rubio (9)| American Airlines Arena
Limited seating| 20–47|-style="background:#cfc;"| 68| May 9| @ Orlando| | Russell, Towns (27)| Anthony Edwards (10)| D'Angelo Russell (7)| Amway Center
4,086| 21–47|-style="background:#cfc;"| 69| May 11| @ Detroit| | Karl-Anthony Towns (28)| Towns, Vanderbilt (8)| D'Angelo Russell (10)| Little Caesars Arena
750| 22–47|-style="background:#fcc;"| 70| May 13| Denver| | Anthony Edwards (29)| Karl-Anthony Towns (11)| Edwards, Rubio (5)| Target Center
1,638| 22–48|-style="background:#fcc;"| 71| May 15| Boston| | Karl-Anthony Towns (24)| Karl-Anthony Towns (14)| Edwards, Russell (6)| Target Center
1,638| 22–49|-style="background:#cfc;"| 72| May 16| Dallas| | Anthony Edwards (30)| Jarred Vanderbilt (12)| D'Angelo Russell (10)| Target Center
1,638| 23–49

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player
	SG	72	55	2,314	336	211	82	36	1,392	32.1	4.7	2.9	1.1	.5	19.3
	C	70	15	1,347	322	72	34	76	784	19.2	4.6	1.0	.5	1.1	11.2
	PG	68	51	1,772	223	433	98	4	582	26.1	3.3	6.4	1.4	.1	8.6
	PF	64	30	1,139	368	76	64	46	344	17.8	5.8	1.2	1.0	.7	5.4
	PF	63	27	1,511	232	71	35	60	427	24.0	3.7	1.1	.6	1.0	6.8
	SG	59	37	1,197	156	63	54	28	316	20.3	2.6	1.1	.9	.5	5.4
	PF	52	6	900	205	35	19	7	375	17.3	3.9	.7	.4	.1	7.2
	PG	51	2	938	108	193	51	6	256	18.4	2.1	3.8	1.0	.1	5.0
	C	50	50	1,689	529	225	39	57	1,239	33.8	10.6	4.5	.8	1.1	24.8
	SF	45	11	627	67	28	29	19	231	13.9	1.5	.6	.6	.4	5.1
	PG	42	26	1,196	111	244	45	18	796	28.5	2.6	5.8	1.1	.4	19.0
	SG	42	0	759	95	62	22	12	379	18.1	2.3	1.5	.5	.3	9.0
	SG	37	36	1,214	162	88	30	7	724	32.8	4.4	2.4	.8	.2	19.6
	SG	34	7	499	104	24	17	9	180	14.7	3.1	.7	.5	.3	5.3
	C	23	7	299	115	21	13	13	48	13.0	5.0	.9	.6	.6	2.1
	PG	2	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	2.0	.0	.0	.0	.0	.0

Transactions

See main article: List of 2020–21 NBA season transactions.

Trades

November 19, 2020^[8]	To Minnesota Timberwolves Draft rights to Mathias Lessort 2023 second-round pick	To Los Angeles Clippers Draft rights to Daniel Oturu
November 20, 2020 (Three-team trade)	To Minnesota Timberwolves Draft rights to Jaden McDaniels Ricky Rubio	To Oklahoma City Thunder Draft rights to Aleksej Pokuševski James Johnson 2024 second-round pick
To New York Knicks Draft rights to Immanuel Quickley
November 19, 2020^[9]	To Minnesota Timberwolves Ed Davis	To New York Knicks Jacob Evans Omari Spellman 2026 second-round pick

Free agency

Re-signed

Player	Signed	Ref.
Malik Beasley	4-year contract worth $60 million (November 25, 2020)	^[10]
Juancho Hernangómez	2-year contract worth $21 million (November 27, 2020)	^[11]
Jordan McLaughlin	Two-way contract (December 17, 2020)	^[12]

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team	Ref.
Ashton Hagans	Two-way contract (November 19, 2020)	Kentucky Wildcats	^[13]
Tyler Cook	Exhibit 10 contract (November 29, 2020)	Denver Nuggets	^[14]
Ade Murkey	Exhibit 10 contract (December 2, 2020)	Denver Pioneers	^[15]
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	Exhibit 10 contract (December 3, 2020)	Toronto Raptors	^[16]
Charlie Brown Jr.	Exhibit 10 contract (December 10, 2020)	Atlanta Hawks	^[17]
Zylan Cheatham	Exhibit 10 contract (December 18, 2020)	Oklahoma City Thunder	^[18]

Subtractions

Player	Reason left	New team	Ref.
Ade Murkey	Waived (December 18, 2020)	Iowa Wolves
Zylan Cheatham	Waived (December 19, 2020)	Iowa Wolves	^[19]
Charlie Brown Jr.	Waived (December 19, 2020)	Iowa Wolves
Tyler Cook	Waived (December 19, 2020)	Iowa Wolves
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson	Waived (December 19, 2020)	Portland Trail Blazers
Ashton Hagans	Waived (February 13, 2021)	—	^[20]

Notes and References

1. https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/timberwolves-relieve-ryan-saunders-his-duties Timberwolves Relieve Ryan Saunders Of His Duties
2. Web site: Minnesota Timberwolves Name Chris Finch Head Coach. NBA.com. February 22, 2021. February 22, 2021.
3. Web site: Quinn. Sam. April 22, 2021. Rockets, Timberwolves officially eliminated from playoff contention with Spurs win. cbssports.com. April 23, 2021.
4. https://www.nba.com/news/board-of-governors-approves-nba-return-official-release NBA Board of Governors approves competitive format to restart 2019-20 season with 22 teams returning to play
5. Web site: Timberwolves reacquire Ricky Rubio in 3-team trade . NBA.com . June 21, 2021 . November 21, 2020.
6. Web site: Grizzlies-Timberwolves game postponed for Health and Safety Protocols . NBA.com . January 16, 2021. January 18, 2021.
7. Web site: Nets-Timberwolves game postponed . NBA.com . April 13, 2021 . April 13, 2021.
8. https://www.foxsports.com/north/story/minnesota-timberwolves-mathias-lessort-daniel-oturu-los-angeles-clippers-112020 Timberwolves acquire Lessort, 2023 second-round pick for Gophers’ Oturu
9. https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/minnesota-timberwolves-acquire-ed-davis-new-york Minnesota Timberwolves Acquire Ed Davis From New York
10. Web site: Minnesota Timberwolves re-sign wing Malik Beasley. dunkingwithwolves.com. June 21, 2021. November 25, 2020.
11. Web site: Minnesota Timberwolves Re-Sign Juancho Hernangómez. NBA.com. June 21, 2021. November 28, 2020.
12. Web site: Minnesota Timberwolves re-sign Jordan McLaughlin to two-way contract. dunkingwithwolves.com. June 21, 2021. December 17, 2020.
13. https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2020/11/29/minnesota-timberwolves-sign-ashton-hagans-two-way-contract/ Timberwolves sign Kentucky guard Ashton Hagans to two-way contract
14. Web site: Minnesota Timberwolves Sign Tyler Cook. NBA.com. June 21, 2021. December 2, 2020.
15. Web site: Minnesota Timberwolves Sign Ade Murkey. NBA.com. June 21, 2021. December 3, 2020.
16. Web site: Timberwolves Sign Ronade Hollis-Jefferson. NBA.com. June 21, 2021. December 3, 2020.
17. https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/timberwolves-sign-charlie-brown-jr Timberwolves Sign Charlie Brown Jr.
18. KeithSmithNBA . 1340155751445262336 . December 19, 2020 . Per league sources, the Minnesota Timberwolves have waived Ade Murkey and signed Zylan Cheatham. . June 21, 2021.
19. Web site: Timberwolves Waive Four Players. NBA.com. June 21, 2021. December 19, 2020.
20. https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/minnesota-timberwolves-waive-ashton-hagans Minnesota Timberwolves Waive Ashton Hagans