If Minnesota Timberwolves fans are afraid of how the second apron might limit the front office's efforts to complement Anthony Edwards, a recent report should result in a collective sigh of relief. Fresh off of a second consecutive Conference Finals appearance, Minnesota is committed to taking the next step.
With new governors and a superstar who hasn't even entered their prime, the Timberwolves are committed to raising the bar.
Minnesota is in the midst of the most successful chapter in franchise history. It's reached the Conference Finals more times over the past two seasons than it had between its previous 34 combined, and there's reason to believe their success has only just begun.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Timberwolves refuse to allow the second apron to prevent them from building a contender around Edwards.
"Despite Minnesota operating in the second apron of the salary cap this season, a team source told The Athletic that the Wolves plan to continue to be aggressive in constructing a roster around Edwards that can compete to come out of the Western Conference."
The Timberwolves have a mountain of difficult financial decisions ahead of them, but it appears as though the second apron won't be the hindrance some expected it to be.
Timberwolves will remain aggressive despite second apron
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid will all be eligible to enter free agency come July 1. The likelihood of Minnesota re-signing all three is admittedly low, as the cost of retaining that talented group of players, let alone each individual, could prove monumental.
The task is made even more challenging by the fact that Reid views himself as a starting-caliber player—and Randle's presence may prevent that from transpiring in Minnesota.
To make matters more complicated, Alexander-Walker has firmly established himself as one of the best perimeter reserves in the NBA. He's a skilled offensive player with defensive acumen worth praising and a track record of quality postseason performances.
With this in mind, there's a strong possibility that the Timberwolves will need to prioritize re-signing certain players rather than expecting to bring all three back.
Krawczynski's report, however, seems to imply that options aren't quite as limited as they seem for Minnesota to improve or even keep this group together. An aggressive mentality would seemingly make the latter option a more realistic possibility than previously anticipated.
It could also suggest that the Timberwolves are willing to build upon their 2024 offseason strategy, which centered heavily around utilizing the trade market.
It remains to be seen what that might entail, but the goal of improving upon back-to-back Conference Finals appearances is a refreshing change of pace. Minnesota has long been criticized for complacency in the face of opportunity, but the modern era of the organization continues to reinvent the franchise's image.
With new governorship in place, it appears the Timberwolves will be more aggressive than ever before in their efforts to help Edwards deliver a championship to Minnesota.