The Timberwolves from last season were a dumpster fire on defense. According to Synergy the Wolves graded out as Poor in Transition Defense and Below Average in Overall Half Court Defense. Overall they ranked as the 27th team in the NBA giving up .998 points per possession. They were particularly bad defending spot up shooters, cuts, offensive rebounds, and off screen. However, when it came to isolation they ranked 2nd in the league only giving up .796 points per possession. Connecting the dots of these stats is that when it comes to on ball defenders the Wolves have capable guys, but when it comes to them having to make decisions and help off of their man they are not capable. Andrew Wiggins is probably the best example of this. He rated out as a Below Average defender, but rated out as an Excellent defender in isolation situations.
Other Timberwolves players were just as bad as Wiggins in that regard. What the Timberwolves have done is surround Wiggins and Towns with quality defenders. Jimmy Butler rated out as an Excellent defender on the season despite carrying a huge offensive load for the Bulls. Now that he has two more than capable guys to help with the scoring there is no telling how much better he can be on defense. Butler will push Towns and Wiggins to defend and I feel that he will raise their defense. Taj Gibson is a solid defender and understands what Tom Thibodeau wants to do on defense. He will not do anything to hurt Minnesota defensively and will help Towns defend the paint. While Teague is not the defender that Rubio was, he is solid. With a projected starting five of Gibson, Towns, Wiggins, Butler, and Teague the Wolves should be able to defend at a good enough level to make a move in the standings.
Offensively, the Timberwolves came in right in the middle of the pack when it came to Transition and Half Court Offense. The Timberwolves relied on spot up opportunities for the majority of their offensive possessions, which is great when you have shooters. As a team, the Timberwolves shot 35% from 3, which puts them ranked at 20th in the league. However, they attempted only 21 three point shots per game, which ranked dead last in the league. Adding Jeff Teague and Jimmy Butler will help in that regard. They shot 36% and 37% from three last season respectively. Also, Towns and Butler will demand attention from other defenders, which will lead to more open looks.
The Timberwolves have a few more people that they need to add to really get into a serious conversation for a top 4 seed in the suddenly loaded West. However, Butler is going to help them in a big way. Wiggins is the big question mark. He has shown that as a high volume player, he can be effective, but they need him to take a leap. He has to become more effective. He will not get as many opportunities as he has previously, so he will have to find more effective ways to score and start to develop his shot. Whatever you may think about the Wolves, I think they are on the right track.