Anthony Edwards needs a second option. That's been what almost every Minnesota Timberwolves fan has been saying after their second-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Without a doubt, Tim Connelly will do everything in his power to land a dependable co-star alongside Ant.
But what if there's another way? The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently up 3-2 against the Spurs despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's co-star Jalen Williams, missing the past four games, and OKC's third-best creator, Ajay Mitchell, missing the past two games.
You might argue that Chet Holmgren is OKC's second option, but it's important to note that he is a play finisher, not a creator. He's notably averaging just 12.2 points per game in the conference finals. Chet's defense makes him a top-20 player, but again, he's not a second option or creator. While the Thunder weren't intentionally built without a traditional second option for Shai, Williams has been injured for most of the season, and it hasn't mattered.
What the Thunder are showing is that a team with a prolific offensive star and elite complementary players can win at the highest level. The Wolves already have half of this blueprint. By upgrading their complementary talent and depth, they could move closer to the Thunder.
The Timberwolves should consider focusing on depth this offseason
Amid the Timberwolves' pursuit of a star, Connelly and company must consider this. I'm not saying that the Wolves should abandon their pursuit of a star; that would be rather silly. Simply put, if you have the opportunity to add a high-level star with a skill set that complements Ant, you do that.
However, if trading for a star forces the Wolves to gut their depth and/or mortgage their future, is it truly worth it? Furthermore, what if straight-up deals for Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert don't yield the Wolves a star who is a seamless fit next to Ant?
In the modern NBA, depth and fit matter far more than star talent. At the end of the day, trading Randle and Gobert in exchange for high-end complementary players might help the Wolves more than a classic star trade. Yes, the Wolves absolutely need some playmaking and creation chops from whoever they trade for, but it doesn't absolutely need to be a star.
The Thunder are proving that you can have success against an elite defense with quality depth and complementary players around SGA. Beyond that, the Spurs have solid depth themselves, and the New York Knicks upgraded their depth, which helped spark a finals run, and last year, the Indiana Pacers' finals run was centered around depth. You get the point, all of the best teams now have depth.
Thankfully, the Wolves have a solid foundation around Ant. Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Ayo Dosunmu (if he re-signs) are three fantastic complementary options. Donte DiVincenzo fits into this camp when healthy. Terrence Shannon Jr. and Joan Beringer could cement their spot as high-level complementary players next year.
Trading Randle and Gobert (who frankly don't fit alongside Ant) for quality complementary players, even if they aren't traditional stars, could eventually help the Wolves reach another level.
Ultimately, to be the best, you have to look at what the league's best teams are doing, and the Thunder are proving that winning at the highest level without a clear-cut No. 2 option is possible.
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