Ranking each Timberwolves player on the roster by importance

3. Rudy Gobert

The Stifle Tower has arrived in the Twin Cities, and Rudy Gobert’s impact on this team will be monumental.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year significantly raises the ceiling for this Timberwolves team. Going forward, it will be much more difficult for opposing teams to score at will close to the hoop like the Grizzlies did in the 2022 playoffs.

Anchoring what could be a top 10 defense, Gobert will block and alter countless opponent shots this season. And when he’s not doing that, he’ll be making opposing offensive players think twice before driving into the paint and attempting a shot.

The best defensive teams frequently go deep into the postseason, and Gobert can make that possibility a reality for the Timberwolves.

2. Karl-Anthony Towns

Entering his eighth year in Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns will have more talent around him than ever before.

He’s the best-shooting big man in the NBA, and his skill should only be accentuated by the plethora of great players surrounding him. While many bigs in the league are more accustomed to shooting from the outside than ever before, Towns is a man amongst boys in that department.

KAT was one of two players 6’11” or taller to finish the year shooting 41% from three or better in 2021-22. And as supremely skilled as he is, he can still get better.

Defensively, any weaknesses he has can be covered up by his all-world defensive backcourt partner. Towns has an argument for best player on this Minnesota team, but there’s still one who has his number.

1. Anthony Edwards

There’s no question about it: the Minnesota Timberwolves are Anthony Edwards’ team. Coming into his own at just 21 years old, Edwards is looking to put the league on notice this year.

He’s one of the most gifted scorers in the NBA, and his offensive repertoire is still opening up. There’s a real possibility he could average 25 points per game or more as the Timberwolves’ first option this year.

A threat from all over the floor, Edwards is an absolute game-changer anytime he steps on the floor. In 2021, he became the youngest player in NBA history to make 10 three-pointers in a game. His talents are truly transcendent.

Basketball is a team game, but it should be obvious that Minnesota will go as far as Anthony Edwards will take them in 2023. With Ant budding into superstardom, Timberwolves fans could be in for something truly special.