After losing in the second-round against the San Antonio Spurs, it's fair to expect the Minnesota Timberwolves to undergo some major roster changes this summer. Simply put, they must find a way to move closer to true title contention.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly confirmed this expectation and noted that he's not satisfied with the team.
“I mean, it depends. Obviously, the season we had last year was more successful than this season. We’re not content with where we are... Our goal is each year to get better. This year we had a lot of really good moments. We had another playoff series victory, but we finished sixth in the West again, and it didn’t end the way we wanted, so I think everything’s on the table, Connelly said.
Given the clear gap between the Wolves and the true top-tier contenders in the league, it was always fair to assume they'd be aggressive this summer. Furthermore, their interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline and previous interest in Kevin Durant indicated that the Wolves weren't totally happy with their roster.Â
Regardless, hearing Connelly say that everything's on the table is certainly notable, and it sets the stage for a wild Wolves offseason.
Tim Connelly's comments set the stage for a busy offseason
Connelly also noted that he likes the Wolves sub-26 core. Likewise, it's previously been reported by Jon Krawczynski that the Wolves "feel good" about the core of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Joan Beringer.Â
Still, the phrase "everything's on the table" cracks the door open for this core to be shaken up. If they can trade for Giannis, surely one of these players (likely McDaniels) will have to be moved. Now, if the Wolves strike out on Giannis (which feels likely given their lack of draft assets), fans have speculated that Connelly's next move is a Kawhi Leonard trade. While I don't think he'd include McDaniels, it's possible Reid or Beringer could be on the move.
My point is, if Connelly says anything is on the table, you really can't put limits on what to expect, given his history of pulling off shocking trades.Â
After both players had a subpar series against the Spurs, it wouldn't surprise anybody if Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert were on new teams next season. In fact, it would be surprising if Randle returned to Minnesota.
And with Connelly saying anything is on the table, you best believe he is shopping these two older frontcourt players in an effort to build a better roster around Ant.
Whether they can pull off a move for a game-changing star like Giannis or have to settle for a lesser-caliber player, it's fair to assume that Connelly will break up the Wolves' current frontcourt.
Connelly's aggressive mindset is exactly what the Wolves need to build a true title contender around Edwards. While it was always reasonable to expect the Wolves to have a busy offseason, Connelly's comments essentially confirm this will be the case and show that he will do whatever it takes to upgrade the roster around Ant.Â
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