After failing to reach the conference finals for the first time in three years, the Minnesota Timberwolves are dreaming big this offseason. A second superstar to pair with Anthony Edwards is at the top of president of basketball operations Tim Connelly’s to-do list this summer and the hope is that the player can help them get over the hump and bring Minnesota closer to a championship.
While Wolves fans may dream of Edwards and Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kyrie Irving holding up the Larry O’Brien Trophy one year from now, the current state of the Timberwolves is a cold bucket of water.
Connelly will certainly be aggressive. However, the Wolves may not be able to field a championship contender next year and it could lead to a step back that could lead to a giant leap forward two years down the road.
The Timberwolves could be facing a gap year despite major changes this offseason
Getting a second star may be a priority, but it might not be feasible this summer. The Timberwolves have already made it clear that they want to keep their core of Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Joan Beringer intact, and the quartet represents the most tradeable players on the team.
While the Wolves could dangle Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert, both players are assets that may not get much in return.Â
The entire nation just watched Randle become a walking disaster during the playoffs. While the Wolves could scoff at any offers, they’ll likely need to get rid of him before the start of next season, which could lead teams to send low-ball offers that don’t bring much back to Minnesota.
Gobert is a little less volatile, but has some issues. In addition to his offensive game rooted three feet from the basket and having hands made with a touch of concrete, he’ll turn 34 next month andonly be appealing to a group of teams that need rim protection.
While dealing Randle and Gobert could be smaller transactions that could lead to big ones, it still represents two players that Minnesota will need to replace. That list grows, considering Donte DiVincenzo is recovering from a torn Achilles and may not play next season and Ayo Dosunmuwill hit free agency this summer.
Minnesota also has a limited number of draft picks to sweeten a deal for a star player. The Wolves own the 28th overall pick in the first round of next month’s draft, but that pick is unlikely to yield an impact player for a team like the Milwaukee Bucks or Dallas Mavericks, who have superstars available to trade, but their eyes are set on a rebuild.
Also, the Timberwolves don’t have a lot of draft picks to play with in future years. The Wolves own their 2028 first-round pick but would have to be traded before draft day and be involved in a pick swap. They also have first-round picks in 2030 and 2032 and no second-round picks in the 2027, 2028 and 2031 drafts.
Even if the Wolves can pull off a trade, that star player would join a team incredibly short on depth and means to improve itself during his time in Minnesota. While that would be exciting, it may not be enough to get past the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs and it might be best to accept their fate as a team facing a gap year.
The combination of limited draft capital and their top two trade candidates having uncertain value could be a roadblock that forces the Wolves to embrace a gap year.
The Wolves could still get to the playoffs with their planned core and can go back to the drawing board and all-in during the 2027 offseason. At the same time, players like Beringer and Terrence Shannon Jr. could have more experience under their belt, DiVincenzo can return to full health and the Wolves could have more desirable trade assets pending the result of a potential Randle and Gobert trade.
Of course, the NBA media machine will put even more pressure on Connelly to build around Edwards and it might lead to Connelly looking for a new job as his contract ends after next season. But even if Minnesota is desperate, it may be another year before it can realistically contend for a championship.
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