There's a new sheriff in town for the Minnesota Timberwolves. And the way he's known to conduct business could be just what the long sputtering NBA franchise needs to truly clean up their act.

The last time the Timberwolves appeared in the postseason in 2003-04, Kevin Garnett was still a young star with the team and the franchise hadn't yet made the head scratching decision to pass on reigning two-time league MVP Steph Curry in the 2009 draft.

Thibodeau in Charge

But with new GM and coach Tom Thibodeau now in town, there's growing hope that era lamented as the "lost decade" is truly a thing in the past.

The veteran coach brings with him a resume that seems tailor-made for a team that boasts eight players 25 or younger with an average of experience of only about three-year's each.

But all Thibodeau's drill-sergeant like tactics will be made worthwhile by the almost certain continued development of upstarts Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

The back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners combined to average nearly 20 points and two assists each last season. And the Wolves' good fortune in that department seems far from over, as a recent poll of NBA rookies tabbed this year's lottery- pick Kris Dunn as the most likely to win the award next season.

Dunn Looms Large

Dunn, Towns and Wiggins are expected to be the mainstays in a lineup that also features two-time dunk champion Zach Lavine, streak-shooter Shabazz Muhammad and emerging big men Gorgui Dieng and Adreian Payne.

But it's Dunn who could hold the key. His high-level play in the Las Vegas Summer League already has management thinking veteran point guard Ricky Rubio may be expendable and aptly used as the centerpiece in a deal that could bring another veteran part.

The Wolves appear to have penciled Tyus Jones in as Dunn's backup after he too starred in Vegas Summer League, going on to be named tournament MVP.

Among the possible rumored landing spots for Rubio are the Kings, Spurs, Rockets, Bucks, Sixers, Mavericks and Pelicans.