"It seems like the leadership of this organization is on super solid ground" - NBA analyst believes the trio of Gobert, KAT and Edwards has got Timberwolves fans amped, praises rebuilding process of the team
Fresh off a playoff appearance in 2022, the Minnesota Timberwolves have pushed all in to contend right now. They parted ways with a haul of players and draft picks to acquire All-Star big man Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz.
With Karl-Anthony Towns in the prime of his career and Anthony Edwards taking a big step forward in year two, Minnesota felt it was time to take a big swing. There might be some growing pains at the start, but the franchise has the pieces to make some noise in the Western Conference.
During a recent episode of "The Lowe Post," The Athletic's John Krawczynski opened up on the new-look Timberwolves. He thinks the team's new trio of stars should have fans more than excited for this upcoming season and said:
"You have Rudy Gobert coming in. It's a polarizing deal, but fans here have talked themselves into it.
"They're excited about three time defensive player of the Year and then you have Anthony Edwards who is just an ultra popular figure locally and he has kind of captured the imagination of the fans and really connected with them."
Krawczynski added:
"I think one thing that basketball fans are really picking up on here is that for the first time in a very long time, it seems like the leadership of this organization is on super solid ground."
Can the Minnesota Timberwolves be a contender in the Western Conference?
The Timberwolves should be lauded for making the move for Gobert, but it does not guarantee they will be a new force in the Western Conference. Looking at all the teams in their way, securing a playoff spot again will be no small task.
One thing the Timberwolves have going for them is that Anthony Edwards continues to ascend towards superstardom. Having a strong perimeter player is crucial in today's game, and the former No. 1 pick is trending towards becoming one.
In 72 games last season, Edwards averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
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While the Timberwolves are sure to improve on the defensive end, how they fare on the other end of the floor is a major question mark. Most teams are trending away from the traditional big man, while Minnesota just doubled down on size.
Even with Karl-Anthony Towns being one of the best floor-spacing bigs in the game, there could still be spacing issues at times. Minnesota will hope Rudy Gobert's arrival will help cover for Towns' shortcomings.
Fans certainly have a reason to be excited about this team, but just how far they can make it in a stacked Western Conference remains unknown.