The Minnesota Timberwolves will enter the 2019-20 NBA season with one goal–playoffs. Last season was one they would like to forget as the team just fell apart. Jeff Teague was off his game, Andrew Wiggins showed up most nights but then took other games off, and Karl-Anthony Towns had to deal with trade rumors while he was quietly having one of his best seasons as a pro. It was just too much bad mojo following the Wolves last year.

Now they get to start fresh. However, the issue they will face is that most of the teams at the bottom of the Western Conference with them have made major upgrades to their roster. The Timberwolves didn't make any big free-agent splashes this offseason but did they really need to? The one area of concern is SG but there is hope that second-year player Josh Okogie will fill a defensive void. It will be an uphill climb for Minnesota but the pieces are there to make a run at the 8th spot in the conference.

Here are 5 bold predeiction for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2019

Andrew Wiggins Will Not Be Traded

The Timberwolves may think they have no choice but to move the Small Forward. For whatever reason, the pairing with him and Towns has not produced the type of wining it should have. Wiggins can be explosive when he wants but the issue has been either his drive or he's just that inconsistent. In 2018, Wiggins averaged 18.1 points, 2.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds while shooting .412 percent from the floor.

If the Timberwolves were to put him on the market, they will need to draw in a quality player. A move may do Wiggins some good but staying in Minnesota could earn the Timberwolves a trip to the playoffs. Winning is about talent but chemistry is just as important. Last season, the Wolves went through a dark spell with the entire Jimmy Butler fiasco. With Butler gone, Wiggins should see an increase in touches which should make him and the Wolves happy.

Karl-Anthony Towns Will Show Out

Can Karl-Anthony Towns get any better? In 2019, Towns averaged 24.4 points and 12.4 (career-high) rebounds while shooting .518 percent from the floor. Great numbers all the way but he has more left in him. On the season, Towns attempted 17.1 shots per game. While those numbers may hover around the same this coming season, Towns will still up his average. The reason for that being is his free throw shooting. In 2018, Towns went to the line 5.8 times per game and shot .863 percent from the charity stripe. If Teague can continue to get Towns the ball in his sweet spots and Wiggings can knock down the open three, this will allow Towns to drive his defender deeper into the post.

If Towns can get to the stripe an average of 7-8 times per game, we're talking another three points added to his average while placing his primary defender in foul trouble. That's great news due to the fact that starters themselves have trouble guarding him so image what a reserve will do. If he has managed to work on his three-point shooting over the summer, then he will become unstoppable. This is the season Wolves' fans have waited for.

Timberwolves Will Make Playoffs

The Minnesota Timberwolves will make the Playoffs this season. The top spots in the Western Conference will still go to the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs. With those standings, that will leave the Wolves out of it. However, it's the Spurs the Wolves may catch. San Antonio is due for slippage and if the Wolves can get everyone on the same page, they will leapfrog them for the 8th spot.

The reason being for their rise will be attributed to many factors. Karl-Anthony Towns is set to be the leader while PG Jeff Teague returns to All-Star from. However, the key piece to this puzzle is Robert Covington. While with the Philadelphia 76ers, Covington carved out a lane in the NBA is a great defender and a player able to play both sides of the floor with an above-average offensive game. While other teams in the Western Conference have improved, the Wolves have a solid nucleus. It's just getting all the players to buy into the larger goal.

Timberwolves Will Strive on defense

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Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves just could not figure things out on the defensive side of the court. After the Jimmy Butler trade, the Wolves still had issues getting players to buy into the system. So what's different heading into the new season? Same players but a new attitude, hopefully. Teague is not a slouch on the defensive end at the point of attack. If second-year player Josh Okogie can grow into a perimeter player on the defensive end, that will give the Wolves a tough starting unit.

Last season, the Wolves finished the year ranked 23rd in points allowed. But that ranking will change with a healthy Covington, a refocused Teague, a dedicated Wiggins, and Towns patrolling the paint. The Wolves have suffered enough heartbreak and harsh criticism over the years. A team with this much talent should not be in contention for a Lottery Pick. Winning starts on the defensive end and te entre team must buy into that.

Jeff Teague Will Return To All-Star Form

As good as Towns is, the Wolves season will still come down to Jeff Teague. If he can return to the player who led the Atlanta Hawks' offensive and defensive attack during the 2014-15 season, the Wolves are destined for a playoff berth. In 2018, Teague struggled to the tune of 12.1 points and 8.2 assists while hitting .423 percent of his shots. While his scoring was down, his assists rose. This is a good sign moving forward for Teague and the Wolves. If this trend can continue, the Wolves' offense will have great balance.

In the past, Teague has been able to take defenders off the dribble and get to the hoop for either a basket or a foul. Last season, he forgot how to do that. After hearing his name in trade rumors, this needs to be a season of redemption for the former All-Star who could also find his way out the door or come to terms that this will be his last large payday. He has motivation.