| The Timberwolves made their debut on November | | | | |
| 3, 1989 losing to the Seattle Super Sonics on | | | | Guard Malik Sealy was killed in a car |
| the road 106-94. Five days later they would | | | | accident in the summer of 2000. Also in that |
| make their home debut at the Metrodome losing | | | | season, a free agent deal signed by Joe Smith |
| to the Chicago Bulls 96-84. Just two nights | | | | was voided by the NBA, who ruled that the |
| later the Wolves would get their first win, | | | | Timberwolves violated proper procedure in |
| beating the Philadelphia 76ers at home | | | | signing the contract. |
| 125-118 on November 10th. The Timberwolves, | | | | |
| led by Tony Campbell with 23.2 ppg, went on | | | | They stripped the T-Wolves of three draft |
| to a 22-60 record, finishing in 6th place in | | | | picks, fined them $3.5 million and suspended |
| the Midwest Division. Playing in the | | | | general manager Kevin McHale for one year. |
| cavernous Metrodome, the expansion | | | | (Smith would eventually sign with the Detroit |
| Timberwolves drew over 1 million fans | | | | Pistons before re-signing with the T-wolves |
| including the 3rd largest crowd in NBA | | | | in 2001.) Despite the trouble the Wolves made |
| history at 49,551 on April 17, 1990 that saw | | | | the playoffs for the 5th straight season with |
| the Timberwolves lose to the Denver Nuggets | | | | a 47-35 record. However, in the playoffs the |
| 99-88 in the final home game of the season. | | | | Wolves were eliminated in the first round |
| | | | again by the San Antonio Spurs in 4 games in |
| The next season the team moved into the | | | | the spring of 2001. |
| Target Center and won 29 games. They fired | | | | |
| their head coach Bill Musselman. | | | | 2002-2003 seemed to look up for the Wolves. |
| | | | Kevin Garnett had a great season, finishing |
| Over the next several years, the franchise | | | | 2nd in MVP voting while averaging a solid |
| encountered mediocrity and even a near | | | | 23.0 ppg and 13.4 rebounds per game as the |
| relocation in 1994 before NBA owners rejected | | | | Timberwolves finish in 3rd place with a 51-31 |
| the team's move to New Orleans. Glen Taylor | | | | record. |
| bought the team and named Kevin McHale | | | | |
| general manager. | | | | With home court advantage for the first time |
| | | | facing the three-time defending champion Los |
| Building a Contender In 1995, the | | | | Angeles Lakers. After being blown out at home |
| Timberwolves selected Kevin Garnett in the | | | | in Game 1 the Timberwolves had a chance to |
| draft, and Flip Saunders became coach. | | | | take a 3-1 series lead as they led heading |
| Christian Laettner was traded along with Sean | | | | into the 4th quarter of Game 4 in Los |
| Rooks to the Atlanta Hawks for Andrew Lang | | | | Angeles. |
| and Spud Webb. Also, first round pick Donyell | | | | |
| Marshall was traded the previous season for | | | | However, the Lakers came back to win the game |
| Golden State Warriors' forward Tom Gugliotta, | | | | on the way to winning the series in six |
| who was earlier traded himself from | | | | games, as the Timberwolves were eliminated in |
| Washington for Chris Webber. These trades | | | | the first round for the 7th straight year. |
| paved the way for rookie Kevin Garnett to | | | | |
| become the go-to player inside. Garnett went | | | | In 2003, the Timberwolves made two stunning |
| on to average 10.4 ppg in his rookie season | | | | offseason moves, trading away forward Joe |
| as the T-Wolves finished in 5th place in the | | | | Smith and injured guard Terrell Brandon in a |
| Midwest Division, with a 26-56 record. | | | | multi-player deal for Ervin Johnson, Sam |
| | | | Cassell and embattled guard Latrell Sprewell. |
| In 1996, the T-Wolves added another star | | | | |
| player in the draft, swapping Ray Allen to | | | | During the 2003-04 NBA season, the |
| the Milwaukee Bucks for the rights to Stephon | | | | Timberwolves became the team everyone wanted |
| Marbury, the 4th overall pick. | | | | to beat. They finished as the season as the |
| | | | top seed in the Western Conference with a |
| The addition of Marbury had a positive effect | | | | record of 58-24, and beat the Denver Nuggets |
| on the entire team, as Kevin Garnett and Tom | | | | and Sacramento Kings in the first two rounds |
| Gugliotta became the first Wolves to be | | | | of the NBA playoffs before losing to the |
| selected to the All-Star team. Gugliotta and | | | | Lakers in the Western Conference finals. |
| Garnett led the Timberwolves in scoring as | | | | Kevin Garnett finally earned his first MVP |
| the team made the playoffs for the first time | | | | award with 24.2 points per game and 13.9 |
| in franchise history with a record of 40-42. | | | | rebounds per game. |
| | | | |
| However, in the playoffs the Timberwolves | | | | In the 2004-05 season, the Wolves kept the |
| made a quick exit as they were swept by the | | | | same team from the previous season. |
| Houston Rockets in 3 straight games. The | | | | |
| T-Wolves also decided to change their image | | | | The team was plagued with contract disputes |
| by changing their team logo and colors, | | | | and the complaining of key players Latrell |
| adding black to the team colors and replacing | | | | Sprewell, Sam Cassell, and Troy Hudson. Coach |
| the original logo with a logo featuring a | | | | Flip Saunders was replaced in midseason by GM |
| snarling wolf looming over a field of trees. | | | | Kevin McHale, who took over the team for the |
| While at the time the new logo was roundly | | | | rest of the season. The Timberwolves finished |
| criticized in the Twin Cities sports media, | | | | 44-38, and missed the playoffs for the first |
| its appearance accompanied a much improved | | | | time in eight years. |
| product on the court, so criticism was | | | | |
| relatively short-lived. | | | | During the 2005 Offseason, Kevin McHale and |
| | | | the Wolves started their search for a head |
| In 1997 Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury | | | | coach. McHale interviewed Seattle assistant |
| established themselves as two of the | | | | coach Dwane Casey, San Antonio Spurs |
| brightest rising stars in the NBA. | | | | assistant P.J. Carlesimo, former coach John |
| | | | Lucas and Wolves assistants Randy Wittman, |
| Garnett averaged 18.5 ppg and 9.6 rebounds | | | | Sidney Lowe and Jerry Sichting, among others. |
| per game, while Marbury averaged 17.7 ppg and | | | | |
| dished out 8.6 assists per game. Despite | | | | On June 17, 2005, the Timberwolves hired |
| losing leading scorer Tom Gugliotta for half | | | | Dwane Casey as the new head coach. This will |
| the season the Timberwolves went on to post | | | | be Casey's first head coaching job. |
| their first winning season at 45-37 making | | | | |
| the playoffs for the 2nd straight season. | | | | He will be the Wolves' 7th head coach in |
| | | | their 16-year history. |
| After dropping Game 1 on the road to the | | | | |
| Seattle Supersonics in the playoffs the | | | | In the 2005 Draft, the Timberwolves selected |
| Timberwolves earned their first postseason | | | | Rashad McCants, a shooting guard from North |
| win in Game 2 winning in Seattle 98-93. As | | | | Carolina with the 14th overall pick of the |
| the series shifted to Minnesota the | | | | 1st round. The Timberwolves also selected |
| Timberwolves had an opportunity to pull off | | | | Bracey Wright, a guard from Indiana with the |
| the upset as they won Game 3 by a score of | | | | 17th pick of the 2nd round (47th overall). |
| 98-90. However, the Wolves dropped Game 4 at | | | | |
| home as the Sonics went on to win the series | | | | During the offseason, they traded All-Star |
| in 5 games. | | | | Sam Cassell and a protected future first |
| | | | round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers |
| In 1998, a year after signing Kevin Garnett | | | | for Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers. They |
| to an unprecedented 6-year, $126 million | | | | also signed free agent Nikoloz Tskitishvili. |
| contract, the Timberwolves were used as the | | | | |
| poster child of irresponsible spending as the | | | | On January 26, 2006 the Wolves traded forward |
| NBA endured a 4-month lockout that wiped out | | | | Wally Szczerbiak, centers Dwayne Jones and |
| the season. With an already cap heavy payroll | | | | Michael Olowokandi, and a future first-round |
| the Wolves were forced to let Tom Gugliotta | | | | draft pick to the Boston Celtics. In return |
| walk away and trade Stephon Marbury fearing | | | | they received forward/guard Ricky Davis, |
| both would seek deals similar to Garnett's. | | | | center Mark Blount, forward Justin Reed, |
| In the 3-team midseason deal that sent | | | | guard Marcus Banks, and two second round |
| Marbury to the New Jersey Nets the Wolves got | | | | draft picks. |
| Terrell Brandon in return. | | | | |
| | | | In a separate trade on the same day, the |
| The Wolves made the playoffs for the 3rd | | | | Timberwolves traded Nikoloz Tskitishvili to |
| straight season by finishing in 4th place | | | | the Phoenix Suns for a 2006 Second-Round |
| with a 25-25 record. In the playoffs the | | | | Draft Pick. Television broadcasters for the |
| Timberwolves were beaten by the San Antonio | | | | Minnesota Timberwolves are Tom Hanneman and |
| Spurs in 4 games. | | | | Jim Peterson. Chad Hartman is the voice of |
| | | | the Wolves on radio station KFAN. |
| In 1999, the Timberwolves drafted Wally | | | | |
| Szczerbiak. He had a solid season finishing | | | | The Timberwolves selected Brandon Roy with |
| 3rd on the team in scoring with 11.6 ppg. Led | | | | the 6th pick in the 2006 NBA draft. |
| by Kevin Garnett, who averaged 22.9 ppg and | | | | |
| 11.8 rebounds per game, the Timberwolves | | | | They then traded him to the Portland Trail |
| enjoyed their first 50-win season finishing | | | | Blazers for Randy Foye and cash. |
| in 3rd place with a solid record of 50-32. | | | | |
| | | | They also selected Craig Smith with the 36th |
| However, in the playoffs the Wolves fell in | | | | pick, Bobby Jones with the 37th pick, and |
| the first round again losing to the Portland | | | | center Loukas Mavrokefalidis with the 57th |
| Trail Blazers in 4 games. | | | | pick. |