When a team is 20 games below .500, finger pointing is the norm.
Minnesota’s most-respected player and a future Hall of Famer said that isn’t the case for the Timberwolves, at all, behind the scenes.
The Wolves go into Tuesday night’s game against the Lakers with a 14-35 record, but after shootaround, Kevin Garnett voiced his support for not only interim head coach Sam Mitchell and the coaching staff, but the organization as a whole.
“I think it needs to be said and understood that I am endorsing not only our coaches, but Sam Mitchell and the coaching staff; this organization,” Garnett said. “More importantly I am excited about our future, I am excited about our young players. I feel like we’re getting better. From these last probably 10-15 games, we’ve gotten better.”
It’s worth noting that Garnett doesn’t speak much with the media, but when he does, they listen.
Garnett endorses Mitchell, but what about some of the younger players on the team who have more NBA years left in them than The Big Ticket?
“Not only do I endorse Sam Mitchell, but the other players do, too,” Garnett said. “We believe in not just him, but the system and what we’re trying to do here. I think everyone needs to understand that.”
Mitchell has been given a truly difficult task of stepping in as head coach for Flip Saunders. Mitchell thought early on he was taking over for a short period before he shockingly learned, like the rest of the basketball community, just how serious Saunders’ condition was.
And the team that Mitchell is now in charge of is incredibly young.
The team's top three scorers (Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine) are 20 years old. Other big pieces on the team like Ricky Rubio (25), Gorgui Dieng (26) and Shabazz Muhammad (23) aren’t exactly players you’d call seasoned veterans.
After winning 16 games last season, the Wolves, along with Garnett, think they are heading in the right direction. And Garnett has seen the progression since the day he was traded to Minnesota.
“You have to understand that Day One, I’ve been here, first day, you see progression in how guys are getting the schemes; their IQ levels,” Garnett said. “Rhythm, not just in the offense and how someone is putting the ball in the basket, but how guys communicate with each other. The chemistry throughout the guys. When you’re watching your team progress, those are the things you are looking for."
Success doesn’t happen overnight. And for a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2003-04, it’s understandable why a fan base would be impatient, but with young players, and veterans who aren’t what they once were, it would have been difficult for the team to make a serious playoff run this season.
But they are working to get there in the future.
“(Wiggins is) working his butt off. Also, KAT, Karl has been working his tail off. Zach’s been working,” Garnett said. “You can see the guys really want to be really, really good and put the work in. That’s what is important. When you watch people getting better, you want to see the work be put in and hope the results come out of it.”
For a team with 14 wins, there is plenty of optimism going into the future. And Garnett has made it known that he fully supports the staff and the vision this team has. Garnett is a player who doesn’t do something if he doesn’t truly believe in it.
Garnett believes in Minnesota Timberwolves basketball.
“I’m teaching these guys how to communicate with each other, how to come in and get your work in,” Garnett said. “…Transformation and what we’re trying to build here is something for the future and these are the first steps of that.”