2025-2026 NBA Tour Western Conference Chapter - Timberwolves: Constant Response to Changes

Last season, the Timberwolves completely bid farewell to the "two tower era" and built a more competitive offensive and defensive system around Edwards, and the team entered a new cycle of dual-core drives by Edwards + Randle. It turns out that Towns' departure still had a great impact on the Timberwolves, and the most direct impact was that their regular season record declined significantly. Compared with the third place in the Western Conference in the 2023-2024 season, the Timberwolves only won the sixth place in the Western Conference last season, and only barely got the sixth place in the last moment, successfully avoiding participating in the play-offs.

Timberwolves first scored below in the first round of the playoffs last season, eliminating the Lakers led by James and Doncic with a 4-1 score, performing the "Black Six Miracle". In the second round of the playoffs, the Timberwolves once again eliminated the experienced Warriors 4-1, and Curry's injury gave the Timberwolves a chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Advance to the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive seasons, which was a result that many people did not expect before the playoffs. After all, the Timberwolves struggled extremely in the regular season and did not look like a team that could reach the Western Conference Finals. But they have young core player Edwards, who is the key factor in determining the Timberwolves ceiling.

Another key is Randall. The main reason why the Timberwolves are willing to exchange Landell for Landell is that Landell is more active than Lands on the defensive end, and Randall is also excellent on the offensive end, and his low-post offensive ability is stronger than Lands. Last season, Randall averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, and his shooting percentage of 48.5% hit a new high since the 2018-19 season. In the last 21 games of the regular season, Randall ushered in an explosion, leading the team to 17 wins and 4 losses, averaging 18.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game, and a three-point shooting percentage of 39.8%. He is the absolute hero of the Timberwolves' final ranking sixth.

It is worth mentioning that Randle's outstanding performance made him the first player in the Timberwolves history to achieve "1200 points + 400 rebounds + 300 assists" in the first 69 games. During the offseason, Randall gave up the original $31 million player option and reached a three-year $100 million contract extension with the Timberwolves, including the 2027-28 season player option.

In addition to renewing Randall, the Timberwolves also renewed Reed for 5 years and $125 million. As the sixth man of the best last season, Reed averaged 14.2 points and 6 rebounds per game and 37.9% of three-pointers, making him an important firepower output point on the Forest’s bench. Reed rejected the $15 million player option next season and signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Timberwolves. After the contract renewal, Reed became one of the most expensive substitutes in the league. Next season, Reed will continue to play as the sixth man, and he will still be an important substitute for the Timberwolves to rely on. Another important substitute for the Timberwolves is Alexander Walker, but the Timberwolves did not leave the defensive vanguard in the offseason. The Hawks got the backcourt gate for four years by signing first and then changing, and in exchange for the Timberwolves got a future second-round pick and cash. Walker maintained full attendance last season, averaging 9.4 points per game and shooting 38.1% from three-pointers. He is an important outside defender on the bench. His departure weakened the Timberwolves' backfield depth, especially on the defensive end. Walker performed outstandingly on the defensive end, but his offensive efficiency was average and he performed poorly in the playoffs last season, which is also an important reason why the Timberwolves are unwilling to renew their contract.

In terms of personnel introduction in the offseason, the Timberwolves did not have heavyweight signings. Apart from signing Ingles with a minimum salary of $3.6 million in one year, the Timberwolves had almost no other trading moves, and there is probably no big deal in the future. Since the Timberwolves' total salary reaches US$202 million, it triggers the second tyrant line and needs to pay high luxury taxes. The Timberwolves were forced to give up role players such as Walker and instead make room for rookies to grow and allow young players to grow. During the offseason, the Timberwolves tried to chase stars such as Durant, Bill, and Lillard, but their prospects for championships were insufficient, resulting in limited reinforcement.

Since big-name stars cannot be allowed to make a shot, the Timberwolves simply retained the original team and responded to changes. Therefore, the renewal of Randall and Reed became the most important recruitment work for the Timberwolves during the offseason. In addition to the team's top brand Edwards, the inside core Gobert, McDaniels, and the Timberwolves lineup are still competitive. The only impact is that the decline in capacity and the salary deadlock may affect the competitiveness of the new season, especially in the face of strengthening the Western Conference's powerful men. If the mid-season record is poor, Gobert or Randall may become a bargaining chip in exchange for future assets.

The core lineup of the Timberwolves in the new season is still centered around Edwards + Randle + Gobert, and Edwards is the cornerstone of the team. Edwards' performance in the 2024-2025 season was amazing. Last season, he played in a total of 79 regular season games, and averaged 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Not only did he become the team's scoring champion, his breakthrough ability, outside shooting and defensive improvements have made him among the top scoring guards in the league. The leader temperament he showed at critical moments is the confidence of the Timberwolves. Moreover, he is only 23 years old at the moment, and he still has room for improvement. So his upward space will determine the fate of the Timberwolves next season.

Three years ago, the Timberwolves traded for Gobert, and paid Beasley, Beverly, Kessler, Vanderbilt, four first-round picks and one first-round swap. Now three seasons have passed, and the Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive seasons, making the deal look at least not that bad. Gobert played 72 regular season games last season, scoring 12 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 blocks; in 15 playoff games, averaged 27.4 minutes per game, scoring 7.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 58.2%. Gobert is still one of the most dominant defensive centers in the league, and is the inside barrier of the Timberwolves. His existence provides the Timberwolves with the tactical fulcrum of penalty area protection and high pick-and-roll, but it is also a loophole in the Timberwolves' high-end game..

The main point guard Conley is 37 years old. Conley's data have severely declined last season, and his competitive state is probably difficult to guarantee next season. But his experience, his organizational abilities and outside projections will share the pressure for Edwards. In addition, after a season of training, young guard Dillingham has gained a foothold in the NBA. In the summer league not long ago, Dillingham averaged 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game, so he will be a big variable for the Timberwolves in the new season. If he grows up quickly, the problem of the Timberwolves' back line will be completely solved.

Timberwolves' tactical system will continue to be based on defense in the 2025-2026 season. Head coach Chris Finch has successfully built a defensive system with Gobert as the core in the past few seasons, and the team's defensive efficiency has always been at the forefront of the league. On the offensive end, the Timberwolves' tactics will be more diversified. Edwards' ability to play with the ball is the team's first choice, while Gobert's high pick-and-roll and all-in-one threats create more opportunities for outside shooters. The shooting abilities of forward players such as McDaniels and Randall will help the team open up space and allow Edwards to focus more on scoring and handling key balls.

Although the Timberwolves' starting lineup looks quite competitive, the cruel competitive environment in the Western Conference remains their biggest challenge. After the young Rockets receive Durant's support, their strength will reach a higher level next season. The Lakers also strengthened the inside, the Nuggets also strengthened the depth of the bench, the Clippers formed a luxury battleship, and the defending champion Thunder. If the Timberwolves want to stand out in the West, they first need to maintain stability in the regular season, especially when facing strong teams.

Combined with the Timberwolves' existing lineup, it is estimated that the Timberwolves' top six in the Western Conference next season. If Dillingham or Shannon Jr. grows into a qualified rotation, the substitute firepower will be significantly improved. The Timberwolves' lowest goal broke through the first round of the playoffs, and the Western Conference Finals was their upper limit. If you want to go further, it depends on the quality of Edwards' superstar and Randle's stability.

Timberwolves are a team with both talent and experience. Their core lineup has been running-in for several seasons, and the tactical system has matured. They retained their original lineup during the offseason. If Edwards can continue his explosive performance last season, Gobert will remain healthy, and veterans such as Conley will play their remaining energy, and the Timberwolves will even have a chance to become a dark horse in the West. In the fierce competition in the West, the Timberwolves' goal is undoubtedly to lock in a playoff spot and strive to go further in the playoffs. The Timberwolves in the new season are still worth looking forward to, but they also need to be patient, because the growth path of this young team is still full of challenges.