If things go sideways in the playoffs, it will be Tim Connelly's job to assess why that happened. There are already a few Minnesota Timberwolves players who have little margin for error in these playoffs, with the Wolves consistently at the heart of trade talks involving some of the league's biggest stars. A disappointing playoff run from these guys might be the final straw for Connelly to pull the trigger on an all-in trade.
Number 1: Julius Randle
I feel as though this is the most obvious answer. Anthony Edwards is going to need Julius Randle to play at his All-Star-level potential in this playoff run for the Wolves to have any chance of playing into June. Unfortunately for Randle, he's going to have much less favorable matchups this year as opposed to last year.
He'll be matched up with Aaron Gordon in the first-round, while also having to defend Nikola Jokic at times. If the Wolves do happen to advance, they'll likely face the Spurs, assuming they win. He'll then have to deal with Victor Wembanyama. If Randle shrinks in these playoffs and his inconsistencies are loud, Tim Connelly will likely look to give Edwards a more productive second option.
Number 2: Donte DiVincenzo
With Donte DiVincenzo, it is slightly different. He isn't going to have the offensive workload a guy like Randle would have. But what he needs to do is cash in on the open 3-pointers that he will definitely be getting. Teams are going to load up on Ant and Randle, leaving guys like Donte open, and if he isn't hitting those shots, he could be slightly obsolete.
Next season is also a contract year for DiVincenzo, and a bad showing may turn the front office off to a potential contract extension. He will definitely have value on the market this offseason. He's a premier role player on a great contract, but the Wolves have lots of guard depth they'll likely prioritize if Donte isn't the threat from three we know he can be.
Number 3: Naz Reid
Wolves fans love Naz like a son, so the thought of him getting traded is a tough pill to swallow, and just to be clear, I don't think it will happen. However, the Wolves are going to need his scoring, especially against Denver. They just gave him an extremely lucrative extension, and he needs to prove to them that it was worth it.
These last few months, he hasn't been the Sixth Man of the Year we all know he is. A lot of it is due to injury, but nevertheless, he needs to prove that he can be a staple of this franchise for the next five-plus years. The way to do that is to have big moments in the playoffs. If he doesn't, we all know how Tim Connelly operates.
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