The 2022-23 NBA regular season is set to tip off Tuesday evening, and the Minnesota Timberwolves will be eagerly awaiting their first contest at Target Center on Wednesday night.
Over the course of the offseason, there were a multitude of moves made by the Timberwolves’ front office, highlighted by their acquisition of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
The team looks markedly different from the last time they took the floor together in the regular season. Bench players were moved and high end role players took their place, several of which showed out in the preseason.
Other big lineup changes and contract decisions have been made, and the team is finally ready to take the court. So as we approach opening tip tomorrow night, let’s take a glance at what the finalized roster looks like.
Anthony Edwards weight: 239
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) October 18, 2022
Karl-Anthony Towns weight: 238 pic.twitter.com/MEvSbOIs23
Final cuts were made as preseason concluded
Heading into the weekend, the Timberwolves’ roster stood at 20 players, with three players needing to be cut to meet the 17 roster spots allotted to each NBA team.
As such, Minnesota made the decision to waive P.J. Dozier, A.J. Lawson, and C.J. Elleby. Dozier and Elleby were with the team on Exhibit-10 deals, while Lawson was on one of the team’s two Two-Way contracts.
While they no longer hold a spot on Minnesota’s roster, all three players are eligible to join the Timberwolves’ G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, for the upcoming season.
The second-year big man Luka Garza claimed the Two-Way contract that Lawson was occupying, while Eric Paschall retained the other.
Minnesota enters the season with a deep roster
With the Two-Way contracts finalized, the rest of the roster is filled out with a plethora of talented players.
D’Angelo Russell will be the team’s primary ball handler, with Jordan McLaughlin and Austin Rivers able to fill in where needed.
Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Nowell and Bryn Forbes will provide scoring in bunches for the Timberwolves’ backcourt. Meanwhile, Kyle Anderson, Nathan Knight and Taurean Prince will bring depth at the wing.
Moving to the frontcourt, Rudy Gobert will serve as the team’s defensive anchor, while Karl-Anthony Towns will be the other half of what should be one of the most intimidating front lines in the league.
Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid bring more defensive pressure and inside scoring. The two rookies from the 2022 draft class Wendell Moore Jr. and Josh Minott may have trouble finding minutes at first, but their talent will shine through sooner or later.
With the roster now complete, the Minnesota Timberwolves are ready to begin one of the more anticipated seasons in franchise history Wednesday night.