Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly made an appearance on NBA TV during the Wolves' latest summer league game against the Detroit Pistons. During this interview, Connelly spoke about how continuity is a positive for this Wolves team.
“The continuity is something we are really going to lean in on. We’ve had a lot of success over the last couple of years. Our coaching staff has done an A+ job… We made a big trade right before training camp last year; it’s not easy to accumulate all these new faces. We had a really nice second half over the season, had some playoff success, hopefully, we can continue to build off of that.” Connelly said after being asked about the Wolves' offseason and current roster.
Currently, the Wolves have two open roster spots, and many people are wondering how they will round out their roster. However, Connelly’s comments make their plan clear: Minnesota will likely not make a major signing and complete their roster with depth pieces.
The Wolves' continuity is valuable
Opting to keep their core intact and valuing on-court chemistry is a wise choice for the Wolves. We have seen teams that have experience together make deep runs, including the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers this past season. Going back to the champions before OKC, the Boston Celtics in 2024 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023 both had plenty of experience as a core.
Yes, the Celtics and Thunder both made improvements in the offseason before winning their title. Regardless, the core of these teams remained the same. Bringing back these two core players in Julius Randle and Naz Reid, this offseason is a massive win for Minnesota.
While the Wolves have been linked to bigger names, including Bradley Beal and Malcolm Brogdon (to a lesser extent), adding one of these players might not be in the Wolves’ best interest. Beal would give the Wolves some much-needed scoring and playmaking next to Anthony Edwards. However, it would take time for him to gel with the rest of the core. Plus, Beal could disrupt some of the Wolves' younger players, such as Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr.
The Wolves' rotation is already loaded and can compete with anyone in the West. As a result, they can look to add some depth pieces to round out their roster. If they want to target guard depth, Monte Morris and Delon Wright would be logical targets. Lindy Waters III and Torrey Craig are two forward names to monitor.
These moves wouldn’t be a big splash by any means. Nevertheless, it could help the Wolves round out an already impressive roster. The Wolves project to be one of the best teams on both ends of the court this upcoming season. With a well-rounded roster and possible internal growth, the Wolves are poised to compete for a title. Ultimately, prioritizing continuity makes a lot of sense for Connelly and the Wolves.