Well, it's official, the Minnesota Timberwolves' season is over. Losing in six games at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs isn't shameful, though three blowout losses are.
For the third year in a row, the Wolves proved that they're a clear notch below title contention. Standing pat last summer after some major late offseason changes in 2024 made sense. This offseason, though, it's clear the Wolves need to reshuffle the roster around Anthony Edwards to become true title contenders.
The Spurs exposed the Wolves' lack of secondary shot creation and ball handling outside of Edwards. Undoubtedly, the Wolves will need to make some offseason changes to address this issue and reach the next level. With that in mind, here are some players who might not be back with the team next year.
Julius Randle
Let's start off with the obvious: Julius Randle is poised to find a new home this offseason. This marks back-to-back playoffs against top-end teams where Randle has struggled mightily. When the Timberwolves traded for him, they hoped he'd be a viable second option next to Edwards. However, Randle hasn't proven he can be that against the best teams, and his success is very much matchup dependent.
Randle's play in the Spurs series was disastrous on all fronts. He took poor shots, failed to handle the Spurs' physicality, and didn't make the right reads as a playmaker when he was doubled. Without a doubt, Randle's inability to provide secondary creation alongside Edwards was a key reason why the Wolves lost.
Furthermore, the Wolves signed Naz Reid to a hefty five-year, $125 million contract last offseason, and Joan Beringer is ready for a real role. The Wolves will likely have to attach another player or some of their limited draft capital to get an ideal return for Randle. In any event, moving off Randle is an essential step to finding Ant-Man a championship-level running mate.
Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert isn't nearly as likely to be traded as Randle. Nevertheless, if the Wolves want to go all-in on Ant's timeline, it could be worth parting ways with Gobert.
At minimum, Gobert remains a top-three defensive player in the league, and we just saw him lock up Nikola Jokic. His offensive limitations are undeniable, though, and for the second straight playoffs, these limitations were put on blast. Now, it could be argued that trading Randle would benefit Gobert, given Naz Reid's floor spacing abilities.
Still, it's worth wondering if Gobert's offensive struggles will get worse with age, and if the Wolves want to shift their identity toward offense, trading Rudy would make sense. Gobert's immense defensive value could make his market robust if he's available. Again, I don't think Gobert is an obvious trade candidate like Randle, but his future is certainly worth monitoring.
Kyle Anderson
It was fun to see Kyle Anderson return to Minnesota, and I wouldn't rule out a world where the team re-signs him, especially given his leadership abilities. Nevertheless, it's becoming increasingly clear that elite 3-point shooting is the lone path to beating the Spurs and Thunder. Anderson fell out of favor in the Wolves' rotation in large part due to his poor shooting.
Re-signing him would be cheap, but it would be ideal if the Wolves prioritized youth and shooting when rounding out their bench this offseason. As such, Anderson could very well be looking for a new team.
Mike Conley
Mike Conley has been a cherished member of the Wolves franchise since his arrival in 2023. However, the 38-year-old could be ready to retire. Back in January, Conley's former teammate Austin Rivers noted that this is likely Uncle Mike's last year in the league. After 19 splendid seasons, there's no shame in calling it quits.
Conley saw a diminished role this season as he took a step back as a self-creator, defender, and shooter. He fell out of the Wolves' rotation in the second half of the season before returning to the rotation as the team's injuries piled up. While Conley's stabilizing playmaking still allows him to make some level of an impact, it's clear that he's no longer an everyday rotation player.
Frankly, though, I don't think it would be a shocker to anyone if Conley has played his last game in the NBA, and it would behoove the Wolves to get a young lead guard.
Joe Ingles
The last veteran, who could be on the move, is Joe Ingles. In this case, we know for sure that Ingles won't return to Minnesota, as back in April, it was reported that he would join Melbourne United in Australia next year. Ingles didn't play much in his two seasons with the Wolves, but he was a valuable veteran presence for the team. Given his lack of minutes, though, it makes sense for Ingles to return to Australia.Â
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