Two moves Timberwolves must make after disappointing series vs. Spurs

After putting up a valiant effort against the Denver Nuggets to upset them in the first round, the Minnesota Timberwolves fell to the San Antonio Spurs in six games. While the Timberwolves never seemed fully out of it, it was clear that the Spurs were the better team.

Anthony Edwards’ return to the lineup after a knee hyperextension gave the team the jolt it needed, particularly in stealing Game 1 of the series. But Minnesota sometimes looked lifeless on offense and defense. It seemed as if they lost their cohesion and hadn’t fully determined how to best compete with a Spurs team at the top of their game.

Many believe the window is closed for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who, prior to this season, made it to two straight Western Conference Finals. But with Anthony Edwards not even fully entering his prime yet, their contending window is far from over. They just need to make drastic changes that put the right supporting cast around Anthony Edwards to compete in a Western Conference that surely will not get easier as time progresses.

Julius Randle has to go

One of the first moves they have to make this summer is to get rid of Julius Randle. Randle is a serviceable player, and he stepped up at key moments throughout the regular season and even in the playoffs, when the Timberwolves dealt with injuries. But his performances in this series outside of Game 1 left a lot to be desired. The Timberwolves won’t fully flourish unless Randle is off the roster in favor of players who can actually step up to the magnitude of the moment.

Randle only had three points, seven rebounds, and one assist in Minnesota’s Game 6 blowout loss, and he only saw a total of seven minutes of action in the second half of the game. The Timberwolves are not going to fully realize their potential if Julius Randle is considered to be the second-best player on the team. This postseason, arguably, cemented Jaden McDaniels as the second-best player on the team, particularly in how he stepped up his level of play against the Denver Nuggets.

With Julius Randle out of the picture, the Timberwolves would need to figure out their next move. And it’s so simple: they need to get back in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. It’s time for Minnesota to go all in on building a contending roster with Anthony Edwards on the team. Development matters, but they’ve been too close to the NBA Finals to continue with the roster as currently constructed.

Get back in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes

As they enter the offseason and the NBA Draft swiftly approaches, the Timberwolves need to make some decisions. Is it time for the Rudy Gobert era to end? Especially in favor of a star like Giannis, who can bring a similar level of defensive intensity while also adding elite defensive versatility and elite offensive creation. How much depth would the Timberwolves be willing to give up to get a player like Giannis? And what moves could they make to fill the holes on the roster without receiving hefty tax penalties?

At this point, the only two players that should truly be untouchable are Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels. The Western Conference isn’t gonna get any easier, as the Spurs appear ready to be a serious contender and several other Western Conference teams are only gonna get better with savvy roster moves.

But even if Antetokounmpo is out of their reach, they need to do something. The Timberwolves need another All-Star-level talent. While the Karl Anthony-Towns trade to the New York Knicks looked like a win-win, the Knicks are on the cusp of an NBA Finals appearance as the Timberwolves appear further away than they started prior to the 2024-2025 season. Towns was an All-Star this year and, despite an up-and-down season, could arguably be considered the true catalyst of the Knicks’ Eastern Conference Finals run.

The Towns trade was largely about staying below the tax apron. Trading his contract was what the Timberwolves’ front office thought was financially expedient at the time. But winning has to take precedence over tax apron adherence. It’s time to go all in. And if the Timberwolves don’t, they’ll regret it.

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