The Minnesota Timberwolves were able to earn a second consecutive appearance in the NBA Playoffs after getting out of the Play-In Tournament.
Their reward? Taking on the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round. Minnesota found itself in a 3-0 series hole with Karl-Anthony Towns and others struggling heading into Game 4 on Sunday. In surprising fashion, the team was able to come out on top and force Game 5 in Denver.
Showing pretty much everyone that they still had fight in them, the Wolves played it close against two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in Denver.
Towns joined fellow big man Rudy Gobert in holding Jokic to 8-of-29 shooting before both fouled out late in the game. Star guard Anthony Edwards continued to show why he’s the face of the franchise by dropping 29 points on 13-of-27 shooting.
It just was not enough for Minnesota to extend this series. Jokic took over late in the game as Denver came out on top by the score of 112-109.
After a second consecutive first-round exit in the NBA Playoffs, there is going to be questions about the Wolves’ path forward. Can they have sustained success with two bigs in Gobert and Towns? What about a supporting cast behind Edwards? We look at that and more below.
Related: Rudy Gobert punches teammate Kyle Anderson on Minnesota Timberwolves’ sideline
Minnesota Timberwolves must consider Karl-Anthony Towns trade
We’re not going to get into Towns’ struggles heading into Game 5 against Denver or his history of postseason failures dating back to last season. It happens.
Rather, it’s all about the fit of Gobert and Towns in the modern NBA. It’s one of the primary reasons that front office head Tim Connelly received criticism for trading four first-round picks and change to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Gobert last summer.
You need spacing in the modern Association. With Game 5 being the most-recent example of the lack of that (8-of-33 from three-point range), it’s become clear that Minnesota doesn’t have this spacing.
Towns and Gobert were stellar in Game 5, combining for 42 points to go with 26 rebounds. That’s fine and dandy. But you can’t win in the modern iteration of the NBA without the necessary spacing. Having two bigs on the court at the same time during crunch time creates major limitations on offense.
Unfortunately, Gobert has little to no trade value right now. As for KAT, he could net Minnesota the necessary return to both rebuild its draft capital and add another core piece to go with Edwards. This thought process played a role in previous reports suggesting that Towns could be dealt during the summer.
“Teams are already talking about it, There’s no doubt that other teams are eyeing this situation and looking to see if Karl-Anthony Towns will become available.”
Report from Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic on Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns
There are other teams who will view Towns as a better fit than what we saw in Minnesota this past season. His scoring ability coupled with a solid perimeter game adds another layer to that. If the Wolves can get back a wing to help Edwards from a scoring aspect on the outside, it would create a much more well-rounded unit.
Minnesota Timberwolves find upgrade at point guard
Mike Conley was a solid veteran presence after he was acquired from the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade back in February. He seemed to be a better fit than D’Angelo Russell, who was involved in that blockbuster.
Even then, we’re talking about a 35-year-old guard who is well past his prime. The good news for Minnesota is that only $14.32 million of Conley’s $24.36 million salary for next season is guaranteed. Said guarantee kicks in two days after the 2023 NBA Draft.
What does this mean? Conley’s contract is actually pretty valuable leading up to the draft. Another non-contending team might want to move off an expensive contract while opting to decline Conley’s deal. This could open up avenues for the Minnesota Timberwolves to improve at point guard.
Terry Rozier (Charlotte Hornets) comes to mind as a possibility. Thinking larger-scale, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard could demand a trade this summer. How about packaging Conley with Towns and other assets to land an elite backcourt threat to team up with Edwards?
Either way, it’s time for the Minnesota Timberwolves to think big by going smaller. The status quo is not working. Connelly and Co. simply must get with the modern NBA.