With a successful season in the rearview mirror, the Minnesota Timberwolves' plan for 2024 seems pretty clear.
Chris Finch's side have exceeded all expectations and improved significantly in their second season with the Twin Towers, and it is very clear that Anthony Edwards is here to stay. With a few tweaks, we could be looking at one of the best teams in the Western Conference for years to come.
Naturally, their season did not end well. Maybe the game wasn't going their way, or maybe they ran out of gas. Whatever the case, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about this team.
With that in mind, we'll take a look at the Timberwolves' upcoming free agents, potential targets, and an overview of what the Minnesota Timberwolves' 2024 offseason plan should look like.
Minnesota Timberwolves offseason: How to help Anthony Edwards
Most important things first. Most of the Timberwolves roster is being kept around for years to come, so they don't have to worry about losing most of their key pieces. Kyle Anderson is the only key piece that could move away in free agency, and it would be in their best interest to keep him around because of his defense.
AJ Lawson, Luka Garza, and Daishen Nix will all become restricted free agents, with Monte Morris, TJ Warren, Jordan McLaughlin, and the aforementioned Anderson set to become free agents.
Things get more complicated when it comes to potential trade candidates. Naz Reed is coming off the best season of his career as Sixth Man of the Year, but he has a player option after next season. The same goes for Rudy Gobert, who has the resume of one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, but he's certainly not one.
His pairing with Karl-Anthony Towns proved too good in the regular season, and their three-headed monster was enough to get past the Denver Nuggets in the second round, but should they double down and keep them together?
The Timberwolves have a decision to make
Gobert's reputation in the league is not good, at least among players. He's the least respected veteran in the game, and his well-documented woes in the postseason have outweighed his rim protection and defensive impact in the regular season.
This makes it very difficult to measure the value of his trade. Would the team be willing to part with something close to the massive package they made to acquire him from the Utah Jazz? If so, would staying away from him be the right decision?
Karl-Anthony Towns is a former first overall pick who is still young and one of the best offensive big men in the game. He's still under contract for the next three seasons, so maybe he could be a better trade chip for them.
Of course, he also comes with a lot of baggage, as he has not shown up for big moments time and time again, and some have questioned his character. However, many teams would gladly take him off the Timberwolves' hands, and he could get the type of trade return that could take this team to the next level.
Edwards needs to go to the gym
Ultimately, the Timberwolves don't need to make many free-agent signings; They could be good by just keeping Anderson and trading one of their bigs.
However, what they really need to get over the top is to get Anthony Edwards into better shape. Not that he's overweight or anything like that, but his conditioning needs to improve.
He was completely exhausted and exhausted in the Western Conference Finals, and it had a huge impact on his offensive game. Sure, he's coming off playing in the FIBA World Cup and logging heavy minutes, but he's only 22 years old.
However, this summer with Team USA he has done wonders with his game, and has a strong work ethic, as shown by improving every year and making great strides defensively.
So, with the right conditioning program, he should be able to come back stronger and better than ever, and that's a scary thought for the rest of the league.
