The Minnesota Timberwolves have just been eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in six games, with Anthony Edwards even fighting through a hyperextended knee just to give them a chance. That alone would not have been enough. A big offseason is now staring them in the face.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has been one of the most aggressive executives in the league, and that is not about to change. Nearly all major players discussed for trade during recent years, such as Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Ja Morant, have been topics at least once in internal discussions.
“This season, Connelly was working on another groundbreaking maneuver. With speculation swirling about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee, the Timberwolves were one of several teams trying to trade for the Bucks star.”
The Wolves weren’t able to finalize a deal before deadline. However, the Bucks will likely come around a lot more when it comes to trading Antetokounmpo in summer, and Minnesota intends to be part of that discussion again.
“The Bucks are expected to entertain offers for Antetokounmpo with a seriousness that they did not have in February. Connelly will likely try to re-engage on that front while also looking at other options around the league.”
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The Wolves have their No. 28 pick in this year’s draft and their 2028 first-rounder to offer as draft compensation. Any deal though would almost certainly need players attached, and that is where things get complicated.
What made the deadline pursuit messier was how visible it became inside the locker room. Julius Randle’s name kept surfacing in trade chatter, and according to Krawczynski, his performances dipped in a stretch that coaches and teammates directly connected to that uncertainty.
“Their efforts were well known throughout the league and in their own locker room. It did seem to have an adverse effect on the existing roster around the trade deadline. Randle, in particular, went through a rough stretch of performances that coaches and teammates believed were directly connected to his name being bandied about in trade rumors.”
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Gobert and Randle have played well, but the fact is that neither one of them has turned out to be the second star alongside Edwards like this team really needs. Gobert is a great defensive player, but his inability to contribute much offensively gets exposed during crucial moments. Randle is capable of big plays, but his lack of dependability in the playoffs is a serious drawback.
Giving almost $70 million to two players whose contribution towards achieving a championship is minimal, does not make sense especially when Edwards is at the peak of his career. There is no time for Minnesota to wait for everything to fall into place.
The Wolves need another creator, another shot-maker, someone who can actually take pressure off Edwards when defenses lock in. Right now, that player does not exist on this roster.
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