The 2023-24 season was a big one for the Minnesota Timberwolves. It saw the team reach its first Western Conference Finals since 2004. Rudy Gobert won his fifth Defensive Player of the Year award. Naz Reid won his first Sixth Man of the Year award, and Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns were both named All-Stars. It was a successful season on numerous levels, and one filled with both personal and team achievements.
There is a lot of optimism that this season could mirror the 2023-24 season, with many accolades up for grabs for this team. After an extremely eventful season that saw the Wolves bring in two new starters, the talent is off the charts.
A disclaimer: I am not predicting that the players win all of the awards they're listed with, simply to be in the mix for them. Here's which Wolves you can expect to be in award conversations and which awards they're in the running for.
Anthony Edwards: All-Star, All-NBA, MVP, and Scoring Champion
Edwards is perfectly set up to have his most successful season yet. He's managed to improve his stats every single season, and that's without a true point guard setting the table for him. He's needed to work twice as hard his entire career to get open looks, and now with LaMelo Ball alongside him, that's no longer the case. Averaging above 30 points should be in play, and with that, he'll be firmly in the mix to lead the league in scoring.
If the Wolves don't lollygag through the regular season as they have in the past, they have the talent to be one of the top seeds. If they can become a top-three seed in the Western Conference and Edwards is the best scorer in the NBA, there's no reason why he shouldn't be in the thick of the MVP conversation.
LaMelo Ball: All-Star, All-NBA, Assist Leader
Similar to Edwards, but to a much greater degree, this is far and away Ball's most talented roster he's had beside him. Assists will be extremely easy to come by this season. During his tenure with the Charlotte Hornets, Ball was one of the best playmakers in the NBA, and that was with minimal star-level talent on the court with him.
He'll have so many options, whether it's throwing lobs or kicking out to shooters. He should also see an uptick in scoring efficiency due to the talent around him making room for more open looks for him. If Ball is averaging around 22 and nine, and the Wolves are one of the best teams in the league, becoming an All-Star and potentially All-NBA Third-Team isn't a crazy theory.
Rudy Gobert: Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive Team, Rebounds leader
To start, saying Gobert will be on one of the All-Defensive teams is about as obvious as saying there are fish in the ocean. As long as he's healthy, which he has been throughout his entire career, he'll be there. Winning Defensive Player of the Year will obviously be a challenge given the 7-foot-4 alien who resides in San Antonio, but there are at least some valid questions about whether Victor Wembanyama will consistently be able to meet the 65-game requirement.
If Wembanyama doesn't play enough games, Gobert winning his fifth DPOY could be in reach. He'll also need to rebound more than ever this season, given how much size the Wolves lost during the offseason.
Jaden McDaniels: All-Defensive Team, Most Improved Player
It's pretty criminal that, so far in his career, McDaniels has just one All-Defensive Team selection, back in the aforementioned 2023-24 season, when he made the Second Team. He's one of the best wing stoppers in all of basketball and absolutely deserves more national recognition on that end.
While he may not be a finalist, the Most Improved Player should be on the table too. He's had to take a lot of shots in previous seasons, and he's never had a point guard to set him up with open looks. He averaged 14.8 points a season ago, and if he's truly going to get treated like the third option, there's no reason why he couldn't jump up to 18-19 points. He certainly has the skill for it.
Ayo Dosunmu: Sixth Man of the Year
Dosunmu could become the second Sixth Man of the Year winner in Wolves history if he's able to replicate what he did last season. Last year, he averaged 14.8 points and 3.6 assists with blistering efficiency. During his half-season with the Wolves, he was even a member of the 50/40/90 club.
He definitely has some stiff competition for this award, most notably Dylan Harper of the Spurs, who appears to be the preseason favorite, but Dosunmu shouldn't be far behind. The Wolves becoming a regular-season juggernaut should only further help his case.
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