Still holes in Minnesota Timberwolves depth chart after Gobert trade?

Nothing is perfect for any NBA team, and the Minnesota Timberwolves certainly fit into that imperfect category. With a finite supply of funds, a limited number of draft picks, and the reality that 29 other NBA teams are all trying to arrive at the same finish line faster than the competition, the Timberwolves’ best efforts were destined to come up short. But how short are they? Or rather, how close is this team to the ideal roster?

The Minnesota Timberwolves had a pretty good plan for the 2022 NBA offseason. The team improved the depth chart wherever the team could, and retained players on the roster where they needed to. In the end, the Minnesota Timberwolves projected 2022-23 depth chart is nearly incomparable to that of just one year ago. And yet, with all 15 roster slots filled, and both Two-Way contracts signed, and one player on an Exhibit 10 contract, is this enough?

You are the ultimate tiebreaker. But before deliberate, let’s take a look at the Minnesota Timberwolves’ current roster and projected depth chart:

• Player                             Posn        Ht                Wt                       Age     Exp

1. D’Angelo Russell         PG1           6-foot-4   198-pounds      26       7
   Jordan McLaughlin      PG2           5-foot-11 198-pounds     26       3
   Austin Rivers                PG3           6-foot-4    200-pounds    30       10
2. Anthony Edwards       SG1           6-foot-5   225-pounds      25        2
   Jaylen Nowell               SG2           6-foot-4   200-pounds      23        3
   Bryn Forbes                  SG3           6-foot-2   190-pounds      29        6
3. Jaden McDaniels         SF1           6-foot-9    200-pounds      21        2
   Kyle Anderson             SF2           6-foot-9    230-pounds      28        8
   Wendell Moore Jr.       SF3           6-foot-4   198-pounds       26        7
4. Karl-Anthony Towns  PF1           6-foot-11 248-pounds     26        7
   Taurean Prince             PF2           6-foot-7   220-pounds      28        6
   Josh Minott                   PF3           6-foot-8    205-pounds     19       R
5. Rudy Gobert                 C1              7-foot-1   245-pounds      30        9
   Naz Reid                        C2              6-foot-9   250-pounds      22        3
   Nathan Knight             C3              6-foot-10  253-pounds     24        2

Two Way contracts

• Player                           Posn         Ht                Wt                     Age     Exp
  Eric Paschall                F                6-foot-6   255-pounds     25        3
  A.J. Lawson                  SG             6-foot-6   177-pounds     22        1

Training Camp/Exhibit 10, Exhibit 9 (so far, Aug 11, 2022)

• Player                        Posn        Ht               Wt                      Age      Exp
  C.J. Elleby                  SF             6-foot-6   200-pounds     22        2

If you read between the lines, you are aware of the fact that the Timberwolves are counting heavily upon the development of both SF Jaden McDaniels and SG Jaylen Nowell this season. In fact, you know that because Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has gone on record to publicly call out his two young players.

But the other point of the current depth chart is the fact that Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly has stated that the team is a solid two-deep roster. That suggests that the team’s third man at each position is a work in process. But more than that, it also suggests that anyone filling the primary backup role at any position needs to be solid this year.

How do you feel about this roster? Do you see places where the team could improve? Or do the Minnesota Timberwolves appear to be good to go?

Ready or not, the team is about to find out very soon.