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