The Minnesota Timberwolves didn't have a bad offseason by any means. They were able to re-sign both Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a tough loss; however, it was always expected that they wouldn't be able to afford all three free agents. Nevertheless, the reality is that most of the West got better while Minnesota didn't make any tangible improvements.
As a result, the Wolves will be counting on internal development (primarily from unproven young players) to sustain their success or make another leap in a loaded Western Conference.
The West got even better
When looking at the West, it's staggering how many teams improved. The Houston Rockets were a No. 2 seed last year and added the go-to scorer they needed in Kevin Durant, all while retaining much of their core. Furthermore, they added Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela in free agency. The Denver Nuggets finally upgraded their supporting cast around Nikola Jokić by adding Cam Johnson, Jonas Valančiūnas, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
While the Nuggets and Rockets made the most significant improvements, they are far from the only teams that upgraded their roster. By adding Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, and John Collins, the Los Angeles Clippers addressed their main needs of extra playmaking and big man depth. The Los Angeles Lakers arguably improved by adding Deandre Ayton to fill their center void. However, they lost Dorian Finney-Smith, who was a crucial part of their defensive identity.
The San Antonio Spurs, having a full season with De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama, will greatly benefit them. Adding No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper and No. 14 overall pick Carter Bryant will certainly help. Plus, they upgraded their center rotation by signing Luke Kornet and trading for Kelly Olynyk. Oh, and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder are bringing back nearly an identical roster while adding skilled big man Thomas Sorber in the draft. Needless to say, the Western Conference is stacked.
The Wolves are betting on internal improvements
None of this is to say that the Wolves can't make their third straight conference finals or even make another jump. However, it will be challenging in a loaded Western Conference. The Wolves will need both Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jaylen Clark to step up in place of Alexander-Walker. Both players showed flashes of their potential last season. Shannon's scoring prowess and Clark's on-ball defense will be beneficial. While it feels likely that they will step up and provide high-quality minutes, it's not guaranteed.
Minnesota opted to go the development route in the draft by selecting Joan Beringer with the 17th pick. Beringer appears to be a long-term successor to Rudy Gobert, but won't play much as a rookie.
The other elephant in the room is second-year guard Rob Dillingham. Despite having many opportunities to do so, the Wolves opted not to upgrade their point guard depth this offseason. With Mike Conley turning 38 before the start of the season and showing signs of offensive decline, Dillingham is poised to have a massive role.
The Kentucky product has the ideal blend of perimeter shot creation and playmaking that the Wolves need. However, Dillingham didn't play much as a rookie, and it's unclear how many minutes the 6-foot-1 guard will be able to handle.
Again, none of this is to say that these internal improvements won't happen. In fact, I believe betting on their young talent and continuity is a wise decision for the Wolves. Nevertheless, it's a clear risk to bank on internal growth when most of the conference made tangible improvements.