Fansided

The Whiteboard: Who’s more likely to implode, the Wolves or the Wizards?

By Ti Windisch

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 28: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends against Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards during the game on November 28, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 28: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends against Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards during the game on November 28, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards are both candidates for a midseason chemistry implosion, but which situation is more combustible?

For a lot of reasons that will be explored here shortly, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards are both teams that could endure some rocky locker room moments during the 2018-19 NBA season.

To best figure out which situation is more tenuous, we’ll use the classic Shea Serrano model of taking five categories and seeing which team wins more of them — although whoever “wins” is the closest to blowing up, so maybe winning is not the right word. Regardless, let’s see which tinderbox is more likely to go boom.

1. Voracious practice yelling

This might be on the nose, but it’s an important thing nonetheless — at a recent Timberwolves practice Jimmy Butler took the third team and beat the first team, went out of his way to demoralize Karl-Anthony Towns, screamed “You can’t win without me!” at his coach/general manager, and just generally went berserk.

The Wizards have had some odd moments leak out between John Wall and Bradley Beal in the past, but never anything that extreme. So, point to Minnesota here for the voracious practice last week.

SUBSCRIBE. Get The Whiteboard delivered daily to your email inbox. light

2. Probability of being bad

It’s a lot easier to be upset as an NBA player when your team stinks. Winning might not cure everything, but it really helps in overcoming differences that otherwise could become sticking points.

The Wolves ended up barely making the postseason last year, but the fact remains that with Butler on the floor Minnesota is a fantastic team. With him, the Wolves outscored opponents by 8.4 points per 100 possessions last season. That’s how many points the Houston Rockets outscored their opponents by in the regular season, and Houston was the best team in the NBA by that metric.

Washington could end up having a decent year, but the ceiling the Wolves have just isn’t there. The Wizards were just 0.5 points per 100 possessions better than other teams last season. With Wall on the court, the number jumps a bit to 4.1 points per 100, which is better but still not world-beating. The Wizards tie up the score here because there’s more chance they’re bad.

3. Blatant trade demand(s)

This category is closer than it may seem. Marcin Gortat did go to Poland and talk openly about how the Wizards would trade him and said that he expected it for a couple years, and he really didn’t sound all that bummed out about any of it. Gortat was, of course, correct about that, and since he’s no longer in Washington we can’t hold him against the Wizards anymore.

Without Gortat to consider, the answer becomes obvious. Jimmy Butler is trying every trick in the book and adding a few new chapters in his quest to get traded. Point to Minnesota, who takes a 2-1 lead.

4. Guard versus big

A lot of the best NBA feuds are between guards and big men. Shaq v Kobe is an obvious example, and John Wall versus Gortat is a modern example as well. The hilarious thing about the Wizards’ summer is they finally did move Gortat, just to bring in maybe the only center with more locker room unpredictability in Dwight Howard.

Nobody would be surprised to read a January headline that details how either Wall or Austin Rivers got into it with Dwight. It almost feels inevitable. Still, those specific players don’t have any bad blood yet.

The same cannot be said for Butler and Towns. Andrew Wiggins is sort of involved too, but the really important pieces in the (lack of) locker room cohesion in Minnesota are Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns, and these two seem to be completely at odds.

Considering Minnesota’s future as a competitive franchise hinges on keeping KAT, and he signed his long-term extension right after the Wolves publicly committed to trading Butler (whoops), the Wolves get the edge, and the win, 3-1.

5. Having Dwight Howard

It’s not enough to swing the series, but Washington gets an extra point for merely having Dwight around. Mike Budenholzer leaving Atlanta means no coach who has coached Dwight is still with the team they were on when they coached him. Good luck, Scott Brooks.

#Content you can’t miss

Looking towards the future; Andrew Mentock believes this season will be huge in determining the league’s talent pool

Sure, why not; Jimmy Butler is expected to play with the Timberwolves after all this season

A scary situation in Boston; Thomas King explains what’s next, now that Boston likely won’t extend Terry Rozier’s contract

The rules have changed; Broderick Turner details what to expect from new rule changes this season

BG taking shots; Ryan Snellings noticed some shots fired in a new comedy track from Blake Griffin

Home/NBA