Derrick Williams (photo. Under Armour)

Minnesota was bad enough that they drafted Wesley Johnson, Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams. They were stubborn enough that they kept Rubio when they could’ve shipped him out to make room for any of their 15 point guards from the past few seasons. They also had to be lucky, and in a way, luck netted them Kevin Love, their cornerstone.

Whereas a few other teams – I’m talking to you New York – are assembling rosters and coaching staffs in complete disregard for how they function together (You shouldn’t mix Mike D’Antoni and a team designed for the half-court), Minnesota went after their man and got him. Adelman works best with skill players, and for a team coming off a 17-win season, the Wolves are surprisingly FLOWING with skill players.

Minnesota won’t make the playoffs this year. Probably. I think. But all these months we’ve been searching for the next OKC, another young, small-market team that could prove to us you can do it outside of the big city if you’re smart, it’s ironic it may turn out to be run by the guy who was a laughingstock for years.

One preseason blowout is like hearing the first single off an album. More often than not, it’ll be a different sound, and a different feeling than the rest of that joint. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Minnesota won 17 games last year. If they’re able to win close to 30 this year in a condensed season, that’ll be a success. Still, to see them slaughter a potential playoff team (Milwaukee), and watch their forwards (Love, Michael Beasley, Derrick Williams) make plays all over the court, you want to jump ahead of yourself. The Wolves spent the past few years building up to this point – to finally see the results. For the first time since KG left, they look like a content team. No one is on the move. No one is hoping to leave. The core is solid.

“I think (familiarity) is a balancing act,” Kahn once told me. “On the one hand, you don’t want to do things impulsively or impatiently. If you have a core nucleus, then you would ideally like it to grow together.”

Minnesota’s been patient enough to veer their course towards the edge of respectability. Stay poised a little longer and they’ll be exactly where they want to be.

The Starks aren’t the only ones preparing for something devastating. Minnesota knows Winter Is Coming as well. So bundle up. And if all else fails, play Bonzi Wells.

What does Minnesota need to get to eventually make the playoffs?

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