The Minnesota Timberwolves are going to be in a weird position next year, and their need to develop young pieces could get in the way of Anthony Edwards trying to compete for a championship. Es Baraheni discussed this on The Athletic NBA Daily podcast:
“I look at that trio of Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Jaylen Clark of guys that are going to step into rotation minutes next year and fill what Nickeil Alexander-Walker was for this team,” Baraheni said. “To your point Andrew, Mike Conley, a year older, but also Rudy Gobert, a year older. And he was good. He had a good season, in my opinion. But for the most part, you think of a guy who’s now in his 30s. Obviously, every year, there’s a little bit extra mileage on his body of a seven-footer. And so, my question is, how much longer can he be that active defensive anchor for them consistently? And then, what’s behind him?
“And so, to me, I will say under [for win total], and I think it’s more about a learning curve for this Timberwolves team to figure out some of their younger pieces.”
How will Anthony Edwards be affected by Wolves’ youth movement?
As noted by Baraheni, the Wolves have a few youngsters they need to develop this year. They lose Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency to the Atlanta Hawks, and in order to replace his production, they’ll need to spread the wealth.
Terrence Shannon Jr. looked impressive at Summer League, and his scoring will undoubtedly come in handy for the Wolves next season, especially when Edwards is off the court.
Rob Dillingham is a very talented ball-handler and scorer, but he needs the ball in his hands in order to be at his best, which could lead to some awkward lineup combinations.
Then there’s Jaylen Clark, who showed out last season in an off-ball role. However, he still needs more minutes in order to fully develop, much like Shannon and Dillingham.
In order for those three guys to improve to the point of helping the Wolves compete in the West, they’re going to inevitably have to play through some struggles. And in this year’s Western Conference, that could be a dangerous game to have to play.
There is very little room for error, and Minnesota’s need to develop young talent while also trying to compete could put them, and Edwards, at a disadvantage in the race to make it out of the West.