Despite reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2024, the Minnesota Timberwolves front office decided they needed to move on from Karl-Anthony Towns (and his contract) if they were going to make one more step forward. They traded KAT to the Knicks, betting that the combination of Julius Randle with the depth of Donte DiVincenzo would be the upgrade they needed.
If one thing became clear in the six games against San Antonio that ended Minnesota’s season (despite the injuries they faced), it’s that there is a large gap between the young, improving Spurs and the Timberwolves.
What’s next for Minnesota? How does it take that next step forward?
Minnesota was one of the teams in conversation with Milwaukee about Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, and the two-time MVP reportedly had interest in pairing with Anthony Edwards. However, at that time, the Bucks were gauging the market more than looking for a deal, league sources told NBC Sports.
That vibe has changed this offseason, with the Bucks sounding serious about a clean break. Expect the Timberwolves to be back in the conversation for Antetokounmpo, reports Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic.
One key question in this: Milwaukee is going to ask for Jaden McDaniels as well as a matching salary (Randle at $33 million or Rudy Gobert at $36.5 million are the most likely fits), plus draft picks. A third team likely has to be involved to add picks and make it work. Would Minnesota be willing to trade McDaniels, who, along with Naz Reid, makes up a core part of the Timberwolves’ identity?
Even if they do, will that be enough? Will Antetokounmpo want to play with Edwards badly enough to push for this, or will he decide his best path back to the Finals is to stay in the East and push for a trade to a team there? Everything is still up in the air with Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee will be in the mix.
If not Antetokounmpo, then what?
About the only thing that feels certain in Minnesota this offseason is that the team will focus on re-signing free agent Ayo Dosunmu, whom the Timberwolves acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline and who has become a key shot-creation option.
Aside from that, look for team president Tim Connelly to go big game hunting, Krawczynski reports.
Nearly every big name that has come available over the last few years, from Durant to Antetokounmpo to Ja Morant and James Harden, has at least been discussed internally. That will only shift into overdrive now.
For his part, Edwards thinks Minnesota’s roster can compete with San Antonio and Oklahoma City (when healthy).
“I feel like we good,” Edwards said at exit interview day when asked about adding another star.
There are parts of this core that the front office also believes can win, Krawczynski reports.
As disappointing as the finish to this season was, the Timberwolves do feel good about the core of Edwards, McDaniels, Reid and [center Joan] Beringer going forward. They will have some big decisions to make, but were encouraged by how the team did pull together to play for one another in the playoffs.
(Beringer was Minnesota’s first-round pick last year and a player the team likes to take a big step forward next season.)
Expect changes, maybe big changes, around that core. Minnesota got an up-close look at where San Antonio is setting the bar in a West where it may not even be the best team. And a conference that still has Luka Doncic with the Lakers and Nikola Jokic with the Nuggets.
Minnesota is a good team, but the next step is the hardest one to take. They are going to try to take that step this summer.
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