Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has completely transformed the personnel and identity of this roster in one offseason. What was a slightly older, slower, and at times lethargic team now looks to be one of the youngest, most energetic, and fast-paced teams in the league.
If you were to nitpick one flaw with the roster construction, it might be the frontcourt depth. Rudy Gobert is obviously a staple there, but as excited as people are about Jonathan Kuminga, he's still a mystery box. Then off the bench, you have second-year big man Joan Beringer, Trey Lyles, and Cody Williams as guys who will vie for rotational minutes.
While some of these guys aren't household names, I don't think the depth will be a huge issue during the regular season.
The Wolves' frontcourt possesses a lot of versatility
Outside of Gobert, the frontcourt does have a lot of unknown to it, and I can see how that could scare people. But the versatility the frontcourt has can offer the Wolves a lot of different elements on both sides of the ball.
As for Kuminga, the concerns are noteworthy. He's struggled to settle into an NBA role. He hasn't been the most consistent in his career, and he often expects to receive too many shots. However, all indications seem to be that he's bought into his role in Minnesota, and he seems to be locked in on doing whatever is needed of him to win basketball games.
Beringer should finally give the Wolves a true rim protector and glass cleaner during the non-Gobert minutes. This has been something that has plagued the Wolves for nearly the entire Gobert era. Naz Reid, who was immensely talented but not a true center, being Gobert's primary backup wasn't ideal, especially defensively.
After those two guys, you'll venture into the territory of the players who will likely be fringe rotation players: Trey Lyles and Cody Williams. Lyles and Williams likely won't play every day, but their skill sets could definitely be useful in certain lineups.
If the Wolves need a much more defensive lineup, Cody Williams makes a lot of sense. His length and range to get stops on the perimeter and be a weak-side rim protector could be an underrated button to push during the season.
Lyles also has the ability to give the Wolves a true five-out offense, something they won't be able to do if either Gobert or Beringer is on the court. A lineup of Ball, Edwards, DiVincenzo (when he gets healthy), McDaniels, and Lyles would give the Wolves dynamic spacing that would be extremely tough to guard.
These guys aren't household names, and there are plenty of scenarios where they may not work out the way the Wolves hope, but at least during the regular season, this shouldn't be an issue. The Wolves have more than enough talent to withstand the unknown that the frontcourt depth may provide.
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