All Things 2023 Minnesota Timberwolves Off-Season Thread

BleedGopher

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Should be another interesting off-season.

Lots of big decisions to make again.

Howl Wolves!!
 
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Souhan: Timberwolves as big winners next year? Here are 10 ways to make that happen

Here's how the Wolves can win big next year:

Make Target Center the Ant Hill:

Edwards became an all-star this season, and proved against Denver he's one of the league's best players. If he continues to improve and mature, Edwards will elevate the entire franchise.

Looking for the next Mr. Jones:

The most obvious personnel upgrade should come at backup point guard. Michael Conley fits as a starter. Jordan McLaughlin has become more endearing than effective. The Wolves need a version of Tyus Jones to complement Conley.

Not too late:

Gobert is 30. Why can't he improve at this stage of his career?

For all of the consternation about the trade the Wolves made for him, Gobert wound up having a representative season and was better at the end than at the beginning.

If he were slightly better at catching passes and making five-foot shots, he'd be a dangerous man.

Bubble-wrap KAT:

Towns' illness in training camp set the tone for a team that entered the season with optimism. His injury erased any chance of this team maximizing its win total. Keeping him healthy for the next calendar year is imperative.

There will be calls to trade him, but trading a major talent at low value would be foolish. He remains an exceptional scorer and a willing passer who needs to improve on defense. Let's see what he can do with a healthy season while playing on the best roster he's enjoyed in Minnesota.

Grow up:

Edwards became infamous for homophobic comments. McDaniels punched a wall, and Gobert punched a teammate. Anderson annoyed Gobert enough to get punched. Anderson threw an elbow at the face of an opponent.

This was an immature team that lost too often to lousy opponents.

Opt out of play-in:

If the Wolves had won three more games against terrible teams, they would have avoided the play-in tournament. If they had avoided the play-in tournament, they would have entered the playoffs rested, and there may have been no reason for McDaniels and Gobert to throw punches in frustration.

If they had won four more games, they would have hosted a playoff series.

With better health and a little more continuity, the Wolves could easily have the kind of season next season that they'd hoped for this season.

Say goodbye to Nowell:

Jaylen Nowell's lack of defense, size and offensive reliability means he needs to go. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is better, which he proved during the playoffs.

Coach better:

Too many times this season, Wolves coach Chris Finch lamented a lack of ball movement or poor decision-making, and too many times his team was non-competitive against lesser competition. At some point, Finch has to do more than lament — he needs to engineer results.

Don't even think about it:

Wolves executive Tim Connelly could become a candidate to run the Washington Wizards, and he has ties to the D.C. area. After leveraging his love of Denver during negotiations with the Wolves, it would be unconscionable for Connelly to leave so quickly after making the Gobert trade.

Believe in cohesion:

The NBA's special sauce is cohesiveness, which requires the right kind of personalities jelling over time.

This year was often an unsightly mess, but a rotation of Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Towns, Gobert, Anderson, Taurean Prince, Alexander-Walker, Reid (if he can be re-signed) and a couple of developing youngsters should be good enough for the Wolves to produce 50 wins for the first time since 2004.


Howl Wolves!!
 

I just don't see them trading KAT - because they would be trading low.

I think they have to give the KAT/Gobert experiment a full season. if it really doesn't work, then go ahead and trade KAT next year.

for me, the big question is what you do to tweak the roster.

personally, I really want to see them keep Naz, but I don't know if they can make the $$$ work. If Naz leaves, then Garza should get a full-season deal.

Nowell is gone. McLaughlin is not the answer as a backup PG. there are things they can do to improve the roster. and they have to nail their draft picks - at least every other year...........
 

I just don't see them trading KAT - because they would be trading low.

I think they have to give the KAT/Gobert experiment a full season. if it really doesn't work, then go ahead and trade KAT next year.

for me, the big question is what you do to tweak the roster.

personally, I really want to see them keep Naz, but I don't know if they can make the $$$ work. If Naz leaves, then Garza should get a full-season deal.

Nowell is gone. McLaughlin is not the answer as a backup PG. there are things they can do to improve the roster. and they have to nail their draft picks - at least every other year...........
The problem with not trading Kat now is his contract goes up to $50 million from $38. It is a lot easier to trade someone making $38 than $50.

I get the idea that they want a full year to see if it works, but I am in the camp that believes it is never going to work no matter how long they try it.
 

The problem with not trading Kat now is his contract goes up to $50 million from $38. It is a lot easier to trade someone making $38 than $50.

I get the idea that they want a full year to see if it works, but I am in the camp that believes it is never going to work no matter how long they try it.
Yep. Trading him now is easier.
 










I smell a money grab attempt.


Howl ANT!!
If the wolves organization has half a brain it will strongly defend Ant. This was a pissed off kid in a crowded space who picked up a chair in his way and set it down on somebody's foot inadvertently. As you said, a money grab.
 




Chip chimes in:

Every option should be in play for Connelly right now. Major changes. Minor tweaks. Something in the middle.

The lone motivation with every decision should be Edwards and how to surround the dynamic guard with the best roster possible. Nothing or no one supersedes that mission.

The temptation will be to blame this turbulent season on injuries, and those disruptions certainly were a factor. But the injury excuse also conveniently ignores an underlying issue that cuts to the heart of their maddening ways.

The Wolves are just an immature bunch.

Coach Chris Finch raised that point once again Tuesday night after the Game 5 elimination loss. Finch applauded his team's competitive fight when backed into a tough spot throughout the season, but then he also noted, "that's not how you want to live."


Howl Wolves!!
 





the chair throwing is something I like. Ant was pissed.

I had soured on him during the year, but he was great this playoffs. I'm back on his side.

Build around him.

Oh, and yes, thoughts and prayers to those who are recovering from their injuries.
 




I mean he didn’t swing the chair at anyone, but the lawyer makes it seem like he was causally putting the chair away after a game of bingo in the church basement, which is not entirely accurate. The truth is somewhere in between and the fact the Denver DP changed him with anything is ridiculous.
 


Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly had a chance to silence speculation that he could leave Minnesota for the same job with the Washington Wizards, but he didn't do so when given the opportunity Thursday.

"Yeah, I mean I’m pretty committed to the Minnesota Timberwolves right now," said Connelly, asked by Jon Krawczynski about his name coming up in Washington's search for a new president after firing Tommy Sheppard last week.

"Just worried about how we can get out of the first round. It’s been a long, long time since we got out of the first round. I think [head coach Chris Finch] and I are pretty excited to meet with the guys, are really excited about the foundational pieces we have here. Just keep building."

Being "pretty committed" leaves the the door open for a move.


Howl Wolves!!
 





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