Timberwolves

The Wolves Are No Longer Just A Feel-Good Team

Photo Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Well, folks, it finally happened. I have been adamantly warning against pairing Karl-Anthony Towns with a traditional big. But, clearly, Tim Connelly and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ brass have not been reading my work. For shame.

Part of being a basketball fan is having big feelings about the team that you root for. Part of being a basketball analyst is critically evaluating the team that you cover. I am a fan and an analyst, but today I’m mostly going to be a fan as I try to unpack my feelings regarding the Gobert trade.

Considering how much the Wolves gave up acquiring Rudy Gobert, I see a minimal downside to this move. Barring disastrous injury, which can happen to any team, Gobert and the Timberwolves should be one of the best regular-season teams in the league for years to come. Gobert has proven that he can bolster an elite defense damn near on his own. Towns has kept the Wolves around top-10 on offense since he’s entered the league. Pairing Towns with another All-NBA talent feels like a no-brainer, no matter the cost. Keep in mind that the Wolves made this trade without giving up any of their blue-chip talent. And yet, I feel somewhat disappointed.

Yes, the Wolves gave up an absolute haul of picks, but I don’t see the path to those picks becoming high-level assets, at least not any time soon. Sure, 2029 is a long way away. Still, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels are so young that even if this experiment fails spectacularly, those two should be firmly in their primes and good enough to keep the team afloat while the Wolves shift the roster around and recoup assets. Honestly, I think it’s wise for the Wolves to put themselves in the playoff mix because anything can happen if they can make it to the second round. Injuries and other factors can instantly shift the playoff landscape, but teams can’t take advantage of that if they are not in the postseason.

Overall, I’ve come to terms with this deal and see the upside. It makes sense to me on a lot of levels. But, ultimately, I don’t feel as excited as I want to, and I think that’s because there will be a massive change of expectations for this team. Although the Wolves will be very good this year in all likelihood, the pressure that comes with winning is something most Minnesota fans aren’t used to.

For many, there is probably a little residual trauma from the last time the Wolves went all-in on a player. Although Minnesota’s trade for Jimmy Butler was a steal, the rift that he left in the franchise outweighed the savings the franchise managed to get when trading for him. There were a few good moments while Butler was here. During that season, Jimmy was an MVP candidate, and the Wolves looked like one of the best teams in the West. Then he got hurt, and the Wolves slid down the standings. They beat the Denver Nuggets in the last game of the regular season to clinch the eighth seed, only to have the Houston Rockets shellack them. The good times quickly came to a halt. An upset Jimmy Butler followed in their wake, desperate to make his way out of town.

That’s part of the gamble of trading for a star player. The risk seems even more pronounced in a market like Minnesota. The Wolves gave up three unprotected firsts for Gobert, a considerable price. Rather than betting on the chemistry and development of the roster, Connelly decided to wager on a proven, elite talent in Gobert, thus stripping fans of so much of the magic that made the 2021-22 season special.

Last year’s team had a ragtag energy that catapulted so many players straight into the fanbase’s hearts. Of course, the feel-good Wolves weren’t meant to last forever. Few teams can vibe their way to championship contention. Executives must make tough choices when it comes to winning in the NBA. Connelly felt it was time to push the chips in so the Wolves could go from play-in rascals to playoff regulars.

Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Josh Okogie, and Malik Beasley weren’t valuable to this team solely because of their production on the court. Each of them brought certain intangible qualities that will be hard to replace. It was so beautiful watching the way that Beverley ingrained his own identity into that of the Wolves. He brought a toughness that Minnesota desperately needed. He also pulled off my favorite play of the season.

Vanderbilt was quiet, but no one worked harder on the court. His effort on the glass was outshined only by his fashion sense. No one dressed better. Beasley rebuilt his image in Minnesota after spending some time in jail. He became a fan favorite, and his outrageous, overzealous energy was a thing of beauty. Not to mention that he is the all-time single-season best 3-point shooter in Timberwolves history. We lost a real legend.

Okogie was the longest-tenured Timberwolf next to KAT. During his four years of service, we saw him as a regular starter, the top defender off the bench, and ultimately out of the rotation. He handled every transition with grace and joy.

Gobert brings expectations as super-sized as the Wolves’ new-look front court. But big expectations open the door for big disappointments. Conversely, a play-in berth and two wins against the Memphis Grizzlies seemed to unravel like a fairytale last year. I came into last season thinking the Wolves would be about a .500 team, fighting for the play-in tournament. Every Wolves win felt like a gift, and every tough loss was a part of the learning curve. But, in the end, Minnesota had what could essentially be described as a perfect season. The team stayed healthy, Anthony Edwards took another step forward, and KAT returned to All-NBA form.

This year, the Wolves need to prove that they’re legitimate competitors in the West. Those same wins that felt so special last season are now expected. The losses are no longer a part of the learning curve. With each loss, the package that the Utah Jazz received becomes better. That’s the reality of the situation. And that’s how things will be until the 2030-31 season, after Minnesota has conveyed the last of their assets to the Jazz. So let’s hope this works.

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Photo Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

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