While there are now not many people left on the free agent market and the workforce, except for upheaval via the expected trades of Damian Lillard and James Harden, is almost complete, it’s time to take stock of the first summer for all 30 NBA franchises. After Detroit, Houston, San Antonio, Charlotte, PortlandThen Orlando, Washingtonand finally Indiana , UtahDallas, Chicago, Oklahoma City and Toronto, it is now up to Minnesota to scrutinize.
Eliminated in the first round of the playoffs (4-1) by the Nuggets, future NBA champions, the Wolves are considered by Bruce Brown as the team that was the most difficult to beat. A good omen for the next season, especially as Anthony Edwards proved during this series that he had the shoulders to assume his status as a “franchise player” in Minnesota.
SEASON 2022/23
42 wins – 40 losses (15th)
23rd attack: 113.3 points scored on 100 possessions
10th defense: 113.1 points conceded on 100 possessions
ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES
Arrivals: Troy Brown Jr., Shake Milton, Leonard Miller (33rd pick), Jaylen Clark (53rd pick)
Departures: Taurean Prince, Nathan Knight, Jaylen Nowell
WORKFORCE 2023/24
Leaders: Mike Conley, Jordan McLaughin, Jaylen Clark
Fullbacks/Wingers: Anthony Edwards, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shake Milton, Wendell Moore Jr., Josh Minott, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Troy Brown Jr., Leonard Miller
Interiors: Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, Luka Garza
THE LIKELY MAJOR FIVE
Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert
THE OBJECTIVE
Go for the Top 4 and home field advantage. The season ended with a timid 8th place finish in the Western Conference, behind the injury-decimated Clippers and the rollercoaster subscriber Lakers. After the big transfer in February which saw D’Angelo Russell set sail for Los Angeles to recover the experienced Mike Conley, the franchise has finalized its reformatting, which began a year ago with the arrival of Rudy Gobert. It wasn’t a rebuild, it was a roster refresh, and Mike Conley emerged as a point guard more inclined to shine the explosive talent of Anthony Edwards and combine with Rudy Gobert. .
Wolves carried out their summer recruitment in the same vein. The arrivals of Troy Brown Jr. and Shake Milton will bring more solutions on the outside lines and depth to the workforce. Brown is capable of providing a 3-point threat after a decent season with the Lakers. As at the Sixers, Shake Milton will have the role of the will-o’-the-wisp to relieve Anthony Edwards, see Mike Conley. The arrival of the former Sixers should seal the fate of Jaylen Nowell, whose contractual situation is not yet clear.
With a richer workforce, more built around Anthony Edwards, Minnesota seems to have changed direction and therefore “franchise player”. The Wolves are definitely the team of the former Georgia who has just signed a contract extension for 5 years at maximum salary.
QUESTIONS
Karl-Anthony Towns, stop or again? With only 29 games played, and the keys to the franchise entrusted to Anthony Edwards, rumors surrounding a departure of Karl-Anthony Edwards are gaining momentum. While Tim Connelly did everything to justify his association with Rudy Gobert, this first experience of the “Twin Towers” in Twin Cities “was not very conclusive. Only, Minnesota with a Towns far from the infirmary, it changes the game and completely redistributes the cards of the Western Conference. With career stats at 23 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, KAT shouldn’t be short of offers if Wolves are really selling. Except that his huge contract and his fragility are hampering applications…
Can Anthony Edwards federate? At only 22 years old, the number 1 of the 2020 Draft comes out of a remarkable series against Denver, with 31.6 points per game over the 5 meetings. He proved to his leaders that their new strategy was the right one, and according to his summer ambitions with Team USA, the hatching of Anthony Edwards seems to have begun. It remains to be seen whether he can federate around him. A priori, his charisma and his enthusiasm are communicative. Is Towns ready to pass the torch to him?
