The Minnesota Timberwolves' unlikely run to the 2025 Western Conference Finals was a testament to the hard work of the players and the coaching staff, especially after the way the season began. And although there were a lot of positive developments this season and in these playoffs, it is clear that the Wolves still need more talent around Anthony Edwards going forward.
Let's look at exactly how Minnesota's season came to an end. They were ousted by the supremely talented Oklahoma City Thunder, who boast one of the best defenses the NBA has seen in years. So although the Timberwolves had the second best player in the series in Edwards, these five games made it very clear that number five can't do it all by himself.
Of course, Minnesota was trying to make something out of nothing all year long when they replaced Karl-Anthony Towns with a Julius Randle coming off an injury. There were a lot of questions surrounding number 30, but Randle eventually proved that he has more than enough to be a difference-maker in this team's starting lineup. However, from there, there's still more questions about this team's roster construction.
If you're the Wolves this summer, you're looking at this team's contracts and thinking about where there's some redundancy on the roster that could perhaps become expendable.
The Timberwolves have to put a deeper roster around Anthony Edwards
Of course, that conversation naturally begins at the center position. With Randle, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid all currently rostered, there's a prevailing thought that at least one of them could be moved in the offseason. Randle and Reid both have player options for next season, while Gobert is under contract for two more seasons.
Move one of those three guys, and you can begin to think about adding guys that are more versatile to take their spot. What I mean by that is this: Gobert, while a great defender, clearly has some noticeable holes in his offensive game. While that's not the end of the world given the supreme defensive anchor Rudy is, it can still become a real factor in a postseason setting, which is what we just saw unfold.
Overall, Tim Connelly has to lean even more into building a roster that is centered around amplifying the strengths of Anthony Edwards. Additionally, depth matters. The Thunder are possibly on their way to winning a championship with a roster littered with athletic wings who can shoot and defend. That's where the Timberwolves should be focusing their efforts from now through October.
This season proved that Minnesota is here to stay when you talk about elite teams in the Western Conference. No one-hit wonder here. But it's clear there's still a step up to take, and part of that will involve making bolder and smarter moves as it pertains to structuring this roster going forward.