The Timberwolves as a franchise have been rebuilt many more times than they have been solidly built, a fact that was obvious enough to even the Wolves themselves when they built a marketing campaign many years ago on their numerous attempts to turn their post-Kevin Garnett fortunes around.

The slogan: We're not rebuilding. We're re-re-re-re-re-re-rebuilding.

(Wolves historians agree this was sometime during the David Kahn era, with evidence pointing to 2010 as the most likely year. The former Wolves personnel boss once said, "I have absolutely no desire to build a team that perennially wins 40 to 45 games and scratches and claws for the first round," which he certainly accomplished when the Wolves averaged 22 wins a season during his four-year tenure).

You could argue Kahn's tenure was the low point for the franchise, but the truth is, there have been so many moments that picking the true nadir is difficult.

What might even be more difficult: Fully realizing and accepting that those days are part of history, not the present.

Somehow, some way, the Timberwolves have become a very good team and a respected NBA franchise.

Even after four straight playoff appearances and two consecutive years advancing in the postseason — with that second run resuming Tuesday in the conference semifinals against a Golden State franchise that kicked dirt on the Wolves during a lot of those low points — it's hard for Wolves fans to believe it.

But it's true, as Patrick Reusse and I talked about on Monday's Daily Delivery podcast.

The latest rebuild began in earnest on Nov. 18, 2020, with a virtual draft before a second straight season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anthony Edwards went No. 1 overall to the Wolves, and Minnesota also made a trade for No. 28 pick Jaden McDaniels. (The Warriors, by the way, took James Wiseman at No. 2, the rare time when the Wolves were on the right side of history with Golden State).

Edwards and McDaniels learned in Year 1 (with Chris Finch being a midyear coaching hire to replace Ryan Saunders) and made a leap to the playoffs the next season under Finch. They haven't missed the postseason since then, including last year's run to the conference finals while Ant was still just 22.

It's easy to see why the Wolves are winning when you consider Edwards' ascent and look at the talent built around him. But it is also still hard to fathom after all of these years.

As Minnesota Star Tribune writer and long-time Wolves sufferer Jeff Day said on a podcast episode last week, he wasn't convinced the Wolves were actually going to beat the Lakers until the final seconds ticked off the clock in Game 5.

I knew how he felt. I think a lot of people do. Those repeated failed rebuilds left a lot of scar tissue, and it's still hard to believe sometimes that the Wolves aren't what they used to be.