1996–97 Minnesota Timberwolves season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 8th season in the National Basketball Association. In the 1996 NBA draft, the Timberwolves selected shooting guard Ray Allen from the University of Connecticut with the fifth overall pick, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for top draft pick point guard Stephon Marbury out of Georgia Tech University. The team also acquired James Robinson from the Portland Trail Blazers, and second-year center Cherokee Parks from the Dallas Mavericks, while signing free agents, rookie center Dean Garrett, second-year guard Chris Carr, and Stojko Vrankovic during the off-season. However, Michael Williams would miss the entire season due to a strained plantar fascia in his left heel.

After a 7–8 start to the regular season, the Timberwolves lost nine of their next ten games, but then played around .500 as the season progressed, holding a 23–25 record at the All-Star break. The addition of Marbury made a positive effect on the entire team, as the Timberwolves went on to make their first ever playoff appearance, finishing in third place in the Midwest Division with a 40–42 record, which was below .500 in winning percentage, but still good enough for the #6 seed in the Western Conference.

Tom Gugliotta led the team with 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while second-year star Kevin Garnett showed improvement averaging 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.1 blocks per game, and Marbury provided the team with 15.8 points and 7.8 assists per game, playing in 67 games due to ankle and thigh injuries, as he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, Sam Mitchell played a sixth man role, averaging 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game off the bench, while Garrett provided with 8.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and Doug West contributed 7.8 points per game. Off the bench, Robinson contributed 8.3 points per game, and Terry Porter provided with 6.9 points and 3.6 assists per game.

Gugliotta and Garnett were both selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio, which was Garnett's first ever All-Star appearance. Gugliotta finished tied in seventeenth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Garnett finished in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Gugliotta finished tied in ninth place; Marbury finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting behind Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers, and head coach Flip Saunders finished tied in sixth place in Coach of the Year voting.

However, in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Timberwolves were swept by the Houston Rockets in three straight games. Following the season, Garrett signed as a free agent with the Denver Nuggets, while Robinson signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Vrankovic was traded to the Clippers.

For the season, the Timberwolves revealed a new primary logo of a gray wolf with pine trees, and changed their uniforms adding dark blue and black to their color scheme. Their primary logo and uniforms both remained in use until 2008.

Draft picks

Roster

Roster Notes

Power forward Bill Curley missed the entire season rehabilitating from surgery on his right knee.
Point guard Michael Williams missed the entire season due to a sore left heel injury.