Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns agreed to a long-rumored buyout. Upon being bought out, Beal immediately signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. While the Clippers were widely considered the favorite to land Beal, the Minnesota Timberwolves were also reportedly in the mix for Beal. At face value, Beal would perfectly fit the Wolves’ main needs of shot creation and playmaking.
However, missing out on Beal isn’t a bad thing for the Wolves as their young players can develop better, and their overall continuity is a notable advantage. The Wolves already have a well-rounded rotation and are still contenders without Beal.
Continuity is key for the Wolves
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly recently spoke about how the Wolves’ continuity is an advantage for them. These comments made it feel clear that the Wolves weren’t going to make a move for Beal or another big name; instead, they will focus on rounding out their roster with depth pieces. After officially missing out on Beal, this plan is all but guaranteed.
While Beal’s three-level scoring and playmaking would fit key needs for the Wolves, it’s fair to wonder if it would have taken him time to gel with the rest of the core. Furthermore, Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. are primed for bigger roles this upcoming season. Both second-year players can help fill this void of perimeter creation and playmaking next to Anthony Edwards. Undoubtedly, Beal’s presence would have hurt the development of Dillingham and Shannon.
Making a big splash in free agency is always hard to pass up, and Wolves fans might be disappointed that they missed out on Beal. Nevertheless, developing their young players could be better for the Wolves' season and their future.
It’s also worth wondering if Beal’s style of play would take time to mesh with Edwards, Julius Randle, and the rest of the squad. Most likely, it would take a bit for Beal to get used to playing alongside this group and vice versa. Plus, Beal's score-first style proved to be less than an ideal fit with Devin Booker, and he may not fit well alongside Ant. The Wolves could get off to a slow start, which is less than ideal in a stacked Western Conference.
The Wolves have the makings of an elite team
After acquiring Randle shortly before the season, it took time for him to gel with the rest of the team. The Wolves got off to a slow start, but they finished the season with a 16-4 record in their last 20 regular-season games and ultimately made a run to the Western Conference Finals.
With a full season of this core getting used to each other, it’s fair to believe the Wolves will get better this upcoming season, despite not making any major moves this offseason. As a result, it makes sense for the Wolves not to shake up their core, and missing out on Beal isn’t a bad thing. Teams with more continuity have a clear advantage, and this will be crucial for the Wolves.