As the 2024-25 NBA season approaches, the Minnesota Timberwolves have made headlines with a surprising trade. This maneuver aims to secure immediate success while paving the way for future prosperity, assembling a roster filled with both emerging young talents on the verge of their primes and seasoned veterans eager to end their careers with a championship title.
Three of the Timberwolves’ five preseason games have been played, presenting a mix of performances that provoke emotional reactions, stirring doubts and hopeful fantasies as we try to decipher what remains uncertain. But that’s the beauty of preseason, isn’t it? We build anticipation for meaningful games by sampling the ingredients that will eventually create the team’s recipe for triumph.
This column focuses on exploring several positive and negative impressions the Wolves have left so far, just before a season that promises to captivate fans.
The positives
The all-around excellence of Donte DiVincenzo
The eye-catching trade involving long-standing Wolves star Karl-Anthony Towns and a second-round pick to the New York Knicks in exchange for DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, Keita Bates-Diop, and a protected first-rounder from Detroit via New York was primarily appealing due to DiVincenzo’s ability to resolve several challenges faced by the Wolves.
DiVincenzo is a combo guard capable of making three-point shots at an impressive volume, providing backup for starting point guard Mike Conley with reliable yet unflashy playmaking, all while helping to alleviate a payroll that craves value. Even at this nascent stage, it is safe to say he has surpassed those high expectations and is likely to continue this impressive performance when the regular season commences next week.
The exciting aspect of discovering DiVincenzo is the added layer of his versatility. He not only excels at shooting threes and delivering assists at a reasonable average salary of $12 million per season over the next three years, but he is also quick on his feet, moving fluidly without the ball, staying aware of his surroundings, and promoting fast-paced play. Additionally, he displays tenacity as a defender.
Perhaps most importantly, he grasps the principles of effective teamwork, adeptly gauging where and how he can contribute during the flow of the game. Through both his words and actions, he is already sharing this knowledge with younger players, including Rob Dillingham, the rookie poised to take over for Conley.
DiVincenzo possesses an understanding of when to lead, when to step back, and when to work in tandem with others. Some of the most exhilarating images from the preseason have been the pure joy radiated by players like Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid when DDV (also affectionately called “The Big Ragu” by Knicks fans) enhances their gameplay with his unique blend of flair and intelligence, perfectly suited to the moment.
If you’re intrigued by sensational headlines, you may have seen the incident between DDV and Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson after the Wolves’ preseason matchup in New York on Sunday night. However, the more telling moment came during a sideline interview with Wolves head coach Chris Finch between the first and second quarters when he assessed DiVincenzo’s fit and impact: “Feels like he’s been here forever.”
<img decoding="async" width="2560" height="2048" src="https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-12T020441Z_634793478_MT1USATODAY24466350_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-PHILADELPHIA-76ERS-AT-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-scaled.jpg" alt="Philadelphia 76ers forward KJ Martin (1) defends the shot from Minnesota Timberwolves forward Josh Minott (8) at Wells Fargo Arena. The Timberwolves beat the 76ers 121 to 111. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images" class="wp-image-2183361" srcset="https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content
Philadelphia 76ers forward KJ Martin (1) defends against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Josh Minott (8) at Wells Fargo Arena. The Timberwolves triumphed over the 76ers with a score of 121 to 111. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
The Emergence of Josh Minott
Drafted as a second-round pick in 2022, Minott was a raw, teenage talent who demonstrated potential during his limited 96 minutes of court time as a rookie. However, last season was a setback, as he managed only 91 minutes across more than twice as many games—mainly in mop-up roles. This stagnation led to frustration, highlighting his immaturity as he sought relevance. Unfortunately, his lack of refinement and self-awareness was apparent during a mostly uneventful Summer League performance last July in Las Vegas.
Recently, a significant change occurred. In his Media Day interview at the end of September, Minott shared insights about a mental shift he initiated last season. He expressed his commitment to reducing the fear of failure and alleviating the stress regarding his statistics and contract. More importantly, he mentioned becoming “smarter, knowing what works and what doesn’t,” while focusing on “simplifying my game.”
While Minott has always possessed strong instincts, the stress he faced previously was distracting. During this preseason, he validated the praise from Coach Finch by striking a commendable balance between disciplined play and active engagement, optimizing his athletic abilities. He has developed into a smarter passer and a consistently effective team defender. In addition to gaining muscle mass, he has refined his shot mechanics.
His success with shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, has bolstered his confidence, allowing him to adopt an attitude that embraces risk without dwelling on failure or career status. The results have been impressive. In the first three preseason games, Minott leads the Wolves in minutes, rebounds, blocks, and steals, ranks second in points (behind Ant), and is fourth in assists.
However, Minott may still struggle to secure regular rotation minutes due to the current roster configuration. Nonetheless, it is very likely that he will significantly increase his playing time compared to the previous two seasons. His dynamic, cohesive play as a combo forward has positioned him ahead of rookie TJ Shannon, making him a logical candidate to cover gaps, particularly when both Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid faced foul trouble against the Knicks on Sunday night.
Minott has swiftly transitioned from a stagnant prospect to a player poised to make meaningful contributions throughout the season—an impressive milestone just a month before his 22nd birthday.
The Negatives
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Must Navigate His Limitations
During preseason media interviews, Alexander-Walker (commonly known as NAW) repeatedly emphasized that his primary goal entering training camp was to enhance his play-making skills, aiming to become a more viable backup for Conley at point guard.
He filled this role last season—according to basketball-reference.com, he spent a career-high 43% of his minutes at point guard—but his contributions were more basic than proactive. In my annual discussion with Coach Finch last month, he candidly remarked, “The more (NAW) tries to be a traditional point guard, the worse it gets.”
So far in the preseason, NAW’s attempts to challenge that perception have not been successful. When Finch rested Conley and placed NAW as the point guard to begin the second half of the game against the Sixers on Friday night, Philadelphia exploited this switch.
NAW was held accountable for two quick and glaring turnovers, prompting Finch to distribute the responsibility of bringing the ball up among the team.
After three games, NAW tops the Wolves with seven turnovers—no other player surpasses four. In contrast, six teammates have outperformed him in the assist category, highlighting a troubling trend regarding his future role. Rookie Dillingham leads with 14 assists and only two turnovers; although his playmaking has been more erratic than that ratio suggests, it’s a positive indication that the young player could eventually fill the gap after Conley retires.
Another Timberwolf with double-digit assists is DiVicenzo, who has a total of 12. This performance contributes to the likelihood that his playing time will increase once the games gain significance next week. But will this impact NAW’s role? The answer is uncertain, especially considering NAW’s impressive performance off the bench last season, where he excelled in essential tasks like drawing charges, defending perimeter scorers, and becoming a formidable threat from the corner on three-pointers.
The complexity of the situation is heightened by NAW’s status as a “confidence player”—his performance noticeably improves when he feels secure in his role. This preseason, his struggle to enhance his playmaking, combined with the noticeable impact of a newcomer sharing similar positions and responsibilities, has dented his confidence and affected his overall performance. He has only converted 2 of 11 three-point attempts and achieved a mere 35% shooting rate overall. Additionally, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the pressure on him intensifies.
Among a roster filled with principled and thoughtful players, NAW stands out as an open-hearted and sincere individual, though he can be hard on himself and is prone to vulnerability. Finch, known for his relational coaching style, has fostered a crucial bond with him that has been instrumental in his growth. However, despite a largely optimistic preseason and training camp, NAW’s struggles remain a glaring exception.
<img decoding="async" width="2560" height="1708" src="https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-scaled.jpg" alt="New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) defends during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images" class="wp-image-2183362" srcset="https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-190×127.jpg 190w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-640×427.jpg 640w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-768×513.jpg“`html
<img src="https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-2560×1707.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-768×512.jpg 768w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-1536×1025.jpg 1536w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-2048×1367.jpg 2048w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-1200×801.jpg 1200w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-1024×683.jpg 1024w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-1568×1046.jpg 1568w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-2000×1335.jpg 2000w, https://www.minnpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-13T223708Z_2075000717_MT1USATODAY24484437_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PRESEASON-MINNESOTA-TIMBERWOLVES-AT-NEW-Y
The Wolves have added Joe Ingles, a longtime teammate of Gobert, to their roster and have Mike Conley, another veteran familiar with Rudy, at the point guard position. Dillingham was drafted partly due to his potential as a lob partner for Rudy, particularly for finishing at the rim. Finch annually emphasizes that the offensive synergy between Ant and Gobert will be a key focus during the preseason.
However, it’s worth noting that Gobert has only seen 38 total minutes on the court thus far, having missed the game against the Sixers on Friday. Conley, who recently turned 37, has played a limited 22 minutes. Ingles has been on the floor for only 41 minutes, often taking on a mentoring role with the second unit. Despite these absences, the Wolves’ offensive flow has looked impressive, appearing closer to the elasticity and spontaneity that Finch aims for at that end of the court. After 11 seasons in the NBA and navigating some challenging adjustments last year that required both the Wolves and Gobert to make compromises, one might question whether there are still new strategies for the veteran to adopt. Although the preseason sample size is small, attempts to involve him outside of moments when he’s prepared for an entry pass in the post or positioned in the dunker’s spot often lead to turnovers.
While the statistics may not tell a significant story—Gobert has managed 4-for-7 shooting, with 3 assists and 4 turnovers in those 38 minutes—the undeniable reality is that the tempo tends to slow down with Gobert on the court. This is not a disastrous situation; on the contrary, Gobert is a major factor behind the Wolves possessing the best defense in the NBA last season and progressing to the Western Conference Finals. His limitations are manageable since his overall contribution remains considerable.
In essence, recognizing an acceptable status quo as a downside this preseason may indicate that the team is making positive strides after a successful 2023-24 season and a significant trade this past summer. After three games, the feeling is optimistic, with a couple more evaluations to come before the regular-season opener on October 22.
Britt Robson
Britt Robson has been covering the Timberwolves since 1990 for City Pages, The Rake, SportsIllustrated.com, and The Athletic. In addition, he has been writing about various music forms and styles for over 30 years.
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Assessing the Minnesota Timberwolves: Navigating the Preseason Hype and Uncertainties Before the 2024-25 NBA Season
Overview of the Timberwolves’ Recent Performance
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been a team of contrasts in recent seasons. Following a challenging rebuilding phase, the franchise has made strides toward becoming a competitive team in the Western Conference. Analyzing their recent performance gives us insight into the expectations surrounding the 2024-25 NBA season.
2023-24 Season Recap
Last season, the Timberwolves finished with a record of 42-40, securing a playoff spot for the second consecutive year. Key performances from stars like Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns highlighted their journey. Below is a quick summary of their season:
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Wins | 42 |
| Losses | 40 |
| Playoff Appearance | Yes |
| Top Scorer | Anthony Edwards – 24.5 PPG |
Key Players to Watch in the Upcoming Season
As the Timberwolves prepare for the 2024-25 NBA season, several players will be pivotal in shaping the team’s success. Here are the key players to watch:
- Anthony Edwards: The young star has emerged as the Timberwolves’ leader, showcasing his scoring ability and playmaking skills.
- Karl-Anthony Towns: A versatile big man, Towns’ performance will be crucial for both scoring and rebounding.
- Rudy Gobert: The three-time Defensive Player of the Year adds size and defensive prowess to the roster.
- Jaden McDaniels: Known for his defensive versatility, McDaniels is expected to take on a larger role this season.
Addressing Preseason Expectations and Hype
Preseason hype can often lead to unrealistic expectations. Here’s how to navigate the excitement surrounding the Timberwolves:
1. Understanding the Offseason Moves
The Timberwolves have made several strategic moves in the offseason, including potential trades and free-agent signings. Here are a few noteworthy additions and subtractions:
| Player | Status |
|---|---|
| Mike Conley | Retained |
| Shake Milton | Signed |
| D’Angelo Russell | Traded |
2. Injury Concerns
Injuries can derail a team’s season before it even begins. Staying updated on players’ health and conditioning during the preseason is crucial. Key players like Towns and Edwards must remain injury-free to meet the Timberwolves’ aspirations.
3. Coaching Strategies
Head coach Chris Finch will be under the spotlight. His ability to adapt strategies and develop player chemistry will greatly impact the team’s performance. Fans should pay attention to:
- Offensive schemes and ball movement.
- Defensive alignments and effectiveness against various opponents.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Timberwolves
Every team has its strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a breakdown of what the Timberwolves bring to the table:
Strengths
- Scoring Talent: With players like Edwards and Towns, they boast one of the most dynamic scoring duos in the league.
- Defensive Depth: The combination of Gobert and McDaniels provides elite defensive coverage.
- Young Core: The Timberwolves feature a young roster that could improve significantly with experience.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistency: The Timberwolves have struggled with consistency in their performances, particularly in clutch situations.
- Bench Depth: The team’s bench has been questioned, and finding reliable contributors off the bench is vital.
- Defensive Coordination: Despite having strong individual defenders, team defensive schemes can sometimes falter.
Practical Tips for Timberwolves Fans
As the Timberwolves gear up for the season, fans can enhance their experience by:
- Staying Informed: Follow reliable sports news outlets for updates on player performances and team dynamics.
- Engaging on Social Media: Join fan groups on platforms like Twitter and Facebook to share insights and opinions.
- Attending Games: Watching the Timberwolves in person at Target Center can elevate the experience.
Case Studies: Teams with Similar Dynamics
Examining other NBA teams that navigated similar hype can offer insights into what the Timberwolves might expect:
Example: Memphis Grizzlies
In recent seasons, the Memphis Grizzlies garnered significant attention as young stars like Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. emerged. Their success hinged on:
- A strong defensive identity.
- Emphasizing team chemistry.
- Managing expectations amidst preseason hype.
Example: Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks experienced a surge in popularity following their 2020 playoff run. They highlighted the importance of:
- Building around a young franchise player.
- Addressing depth concerns through strategic roster moves.
- Fostering a winning culture in the locker room.
Final Thoughts
As the 2024-25 NBA season approaches, the Minnesota Timberwolves stand at a crucial juncture. Balancing the excitement of preseason hype with realistic assessments will be key to their success. By understanding their strengths, addressing weaknesses, and engaging with the fan community, Timberwolves supporters can navigate the upcoming season with optimism.
