It’s time to break out the Naz Reid towels again—if they ever went away. Hopefully Minnesota pro sports fans got all the rest they needed after the Lynx’s early playoff departure and the Vikings’ bye week, because the ball doesn’t stop in the North Star State. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves begin their season against the Portland Trail Blazers in Oregon before their home opener on Sunday.
The names at the top haven’t changed much for the Wolves since they last took the court, but a quiet shakeup is happening further down the depth chart. In a star-studded Western Conference, Minnesota will need some key players to step up if they want to continue their NBA ascension.
Ant-Man Astonishes
Anthony Edwards is a bona fide NBA star. Last year, he took home his third All-Star and second All-NBA selections. He finished seventh in MVP voting for the second consecutive season. He led the Wolves to their second Western Conference Finals in a row, this time as the sixth seed, after turning around a shaky season. And he did it all with his signature swagger at 23 years old.
The question now is if he can get even better. Edwards ascended to Steph Curry levels of three-point volume and efficiency last season. Still, he remains outside the NBA’s consensus top-five. To improve, he must sharpen his playmaking, cut down on turnovers, and stay dialed on defense. These are tough asks for a star player who already does it all, but that’s what it takes to ascend to superstardom.
Sidekick Search
Around this time last year, the Timberwolves traded away the beloved Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round draft pick. Immediately, questions abounded about whether Randle would be a suitable sidekick to Edwards.
In the regular season, the answer was “no.” Randle averaged his fewest points since 2018 and fewest rebounds ever. In the playoffs, however, his offensive numbers jumped. He averaged his most postseason points and assists ever while shooting an uber-efficient 39 percent from three. Then, it all fell apart in the conference finals, as the Wolves fell in five games to Oklahoma City.
Randle’s fit with Edwards has always been dubious. Both stars demand the ball and struggle to be productive without it. Other players—Jaden McDaniels, for instance—could slot into the second option role, but it would take a big leap. If no one can fill the KAT-sized hole in the rotation on his own, the Wolves may have to do it by committee. Of course, Naz Reid is always up for the challenge.
Out with the Old, in with the New
Despite their new vintage threads, this might be the theme of the Wolves’ season. Over the summer, they lost backup wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the Atlanta Hawks. Now, it’ll be up to sophomore shooting guards Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jaylen Clark to replace him.
The Wolves also prepared for the future this summer when they drafted two 18-year-old big men, the French Joan Beringer and the Australian Rocco Zikarsky. Beringer looks destined to take over for the Wolves’ resident Frenchman, Rudy Gobert. At 32, Gobert hasn’t slowed down much, but to replace a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, the Wolves need to be proactive.
The point guard spot is the Timberwolves’ biggest quandary. Mike Conley turned 38 at the start of October, and his stats have shown his age for a while now. Last year’s eighth-overall pick Rob Dillingham has the most potential, but Bones Hyland will gun for the spot too as he looks to bounce back from some rough seasons.
Stadium Scuttlebutt
The Wolves have played in the Target Center since 1990. While it underwent renovations in 2017, the only older NBA arena is Madison Square Garden. When Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez finally gained ownership of the Wolves and Lynx this summer, they immediately brought up a new stadium.
No official decisions have been made yet, but Lore has indicated that they’re looking all over for a location—and it may not be downtown. The current arena has a 30 percent smaller footprint than most other NBA arenas. A move from downtown might help a new venue stretch out.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey insists the Wolves and Lynx’s new digs must not use taxpayer funding, but the city will still be responsible for the Target Center once the teams leave. Minneapolis purchased the building in 1995 amidst uncertainty about the Wolves’ future.
If the teams leave before 2035, the owners will have to pay a $50 million fee for breaking the lease, so don’t expect any sudden moves. In the meantime, the Timberwolves have a season to play. Wolves back? We’re about to find out.