Less than three calendar years ago, the Wolves were mired in one of the worst stretches of their history. That's an unflattering label for a franchise that had produced plenty of competition for misery.
Between Dec. 1, 2019 and April 21, 2021 — spanning most of two seasons, with the start of a global pandemic mixed in — Minnesota went a combined 25-81. They were searching for just about anyone to join forces with Karl-Anthony Towns and (in the second year) Anthony Edwards, and they gave heavy minutes to an unholy collection of youngsters, journeymen and past-their-prime veterans.