After trading away all-star power forward Kevin Love due to a contract dispute in the offseason, it became very clear that the Timberwolves would be rebuilding in 2014-2015. They’ve unsurprisingly started off the season as one of the worst teams in the NBA. Here’s a more in-depth look at their season:

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The Future: Andrew Wiggins (shown above)

The number one overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, out of the University of Kansas, has been one of the few bright spots this season. The Wolves acquired him from Cleveland in the Kevin Love trade. After a somewhat slow start, his game has been on the rise. He averaged 19.2 points per game in January, including eight games with at least 20 points. Coming out of college, we knew he’d be a tenacious defender and incredible leaper, but his jump shot has been passable (36% from behind the three point line) and he’s developed a very advanced post game for someone who is only 19. The future’s bright.

The Injury Bug

The Wolves’ terrible start cannot be attributed only to poor play. They’ve had possibly the worst luck in the league with injuries; point guard Ricky Rubio, center Nikola Pekovic, and shooting guard Kevin Martin have each missed the majority of the season. On the plus side, injuries have allowed rookies Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine to step in and gain valuable experience.

Looking Ahead

It is clear that the Wolves are on the rise, evidenced by the fact that they have four players who are going to be in the Rising Stars Challenge over All Star weekend. Along with Wiggins, guards Zach Lavine and Shabazz Muhammad will be there, along with center Gorgui Dieng. Muhammad and Dieng are both second-year players acquired from the Utah Jazz on the night of the 2013 draft. While both didn’t play much their respective rookie years, they’ve made the best of their opportunitiesthis season. Muhammad has averaged 13.6 points per game and is making his presence felt all over the floor with his hustle and energy. Meanwhile, Dieng is averaging almost a double-double while also serving as the shot blocker the Wolves badly needed on defense. Lavine hasn’t made as big of an impact as the previous three guys, but he has had several flashes of brilliance, like his 17 point game in a win against the Celtics on January 28th. He wasn’t drafted for what he can do now, but what he can do later-with what could be a really good team.