Projected Timberwolves lineup and rotation heading into preseason

So far, the Minnesota Timberwolves have had an incredibly solid offseason. After a year where players and coaches alike had to acclimate to a new roster and deal with a myriad of injuries, the Wolves look to be in even better position to succeed than this time last year.

While there are still rumblings about a potential Karl-Anthony Towns trade, those rumors seem to be dying down more as time goes on. Minnesota is very content with running the current roster back plus a few minor additions, which should give them a solid chance of being a top-six playoff team in the West next year.

The Timberwolves currently have 14 full-time players signed to the active roster (plus two two-way players), with the ability to add one more before opening night. Here is what the starting lineup in Minnesota currently looks like.

Projected Timberwolves starting lineup heading into preseason:

• PG: Mike Conley
• SG: Anthony Edwards
• SF: Jaden McDaniels
• PF: Karl-Anthony Towns
• C: Rudy Gobert

When it comes to the starting lineup, there is not too much to discuss. Barring any type of offseason injuries or unforeseen trades, this is exactly who the Timberwolves’ five starters should be for the majority of the season.

As the two best players on the team, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have the most obvious guaranteed starting spots. Unless Mike Conley somehow ages five years in the offseason, he remains the Wolves’ best option to run point.

The leap Jaden McDaniels took in 2022-23 helped solidify his case as a full-time starter. Based on what we know now, he should not be coming off the bench for the rest of his career. And of course, Rudy Gobert rounds out the starting unit.

Projected Timberwolves rotation:

Based on projected minutes off the bench, here is how the rest of the Timberwolves’ rotation should pan out.

• 6th: Kyle Anderson
• 7th: Naz Reid
• 8th: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
• 9th: Troy Brown Jr.
• 10th: Shake Milton
• 11th: Jordan McLaughlin
• 12th: Leonard Miller
• 13th: Josh Minott
• 14th: Wendell Moore

It will be interesting to see how the minute distributions change as the season goes on. Anderson and Reid seem primed to receive the most playing time off the bench after their huge seasons in 2022-23. From there, players like Troy Brown Jr. and even Leonard Miller could earn bigger roles based on their versatility and ability to play at multiple positions.

The Timberwolves’ most obvious positional need is a reserve point guard, as they do not have a traditional ball-handling guard ready to play regular minutes off the bench. Odds are they will have this in mind when they make their final signing before the season begins.