The Timberwolves have broken through to enter the best era of basketball in franchise history. After making one Western Conference Finals appearance in their first 34 years of existence, Minnesota has now made back-to-back appearances in 2024 and 2025, though it was eliminated in five games each time.
Standing at the forefront of this surge is former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards, who, at 23, has established himself as the face of the franchise by galvanizing his teammates and bringing a unique energy to the fan base.
The next step for Edwards and the Wolves? Getting over the hump to make their first Finals appearance.
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Franchise president Tim Connelly has not been afraid to make big swings to help this franchise, and it would not have reached recent heights without the moves to acquire Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle. Now, however, they’ll need to become even more creative to be the last team standing in the über-competitive West.
Here’s the situation that faces Minnesota moving forward.
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What’s next for the Timberwolves?
Minnesota’s surge to the Western Conference Finals showed how its roster was built for postseason success, but coming up short against the Thunder exposed a few of the team’s weaknesses.
While Edwards declined to categorize his shortcomings as “struggles,” OKC limited him by forcing him into a playmaker and limiting his driving lanes. The Thunder’s elite defense is more capable of doing that than other teams, but the result is a reminder of the type of playmaking needed to keep Edwards going.
Mike Conley is a steady hand at point guard but is also one of the league’s oldest players. Julius Randle is an excellent playmaker from the power forward position, but, as evidenced in the OKC series, can be heavily limited by the right scheme.
The Wolves made a big leap to acquire Rob Dillingham on draft night last year, but is he the answer at the lead guard position? Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s potential exit further complicates things, as Minnesota could be left with major holes in the backcourt.
In a small sample size, Terrence Shannon Jr. looked to be a revelation during his playoff bursts, but just how far can he take that? Jaden McDaniels, who is clearly Edwards’ favorite player, is also a crucial building block, but how much more can his offensive game blossom?
Not for nothing, Minnesota could also use depth in the frontcourt as insurance for a potential Naz Reid exit or, in a more ideal world, to bring in a different type of center than Reid and Rudy Gobert.
The ways Minnesota can improve are clear, and Connelly will surely look to capitalize on his team’s recent surge to continue to highlight Minnesota as a destination for winning.
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Timberwolves free agents
Minnesota will have at least five free agents this offseason, though there will be plenty of eyes on Randle and Reid, both of whom have player options for the upcoming season.
Nothing is a certainty, but Randle has become an integral part of the Wolves’ equation, and a longer-term agreement could be in the best interest of both parties. Alexander-Walker and Reid, however, could be in line for big paydays that Minnesota may not be able to afford comfortably. There could be corresponding moves that provide the Wolves with more financial flexibility, but there is also a world in which they are looking for replacements on the open market.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Unrestricted)
- Joe Ingles (Unrestricted)
- Jesse Edwards (Restricted)
- Bones Hyland (Restricted)
- Tristen Newton (Restricted)
Timberwolves future draft picks
While Minnesota does not own either of its picks, it has two valuable picks in the upcoming draft: The 17th overall pick (via Detroit) and the 31st overall pick (via Utah). The Wolves can address needs and bring in impact players on value contracts based on where the selections fall.
Conversely, both picks hold value and could be used in bigger moves to bring the team closer to where they’d like to finish.
- 2025: Pistons’ first-round pick (17th overall)
- 2025: Jazz’s second-round pick (31st overall)
- 2026: First-round pick swap with Utah/Cleveland/Atlanta pending
- 2026: Second-round pick swap with Indiana/Miami/San Antonio pending
- 2028: Own first-round pick
- 2029: Own second-round pick
- 2030: First-round pick swap with Dallas/San Antonio pending
- 2030: Grizzlies’ second-round pick
- 2031: Second-round pick swap with Golden State pending
Timberwolves 2025-26 roster, contracts
Minnesota will have as many as 13 players returning for the 2025-26 NBA season, pending free agency decisions around Randle, Reid, Luka Garza, and Josh Minott.
In addition to players with options in their contracts for next season, Leonard Miller’s $2.2 million salary for 2025-26 is only partially guaranteed.
| Player | Position | Salary | Age |
| Anthony Edwards | G | $45,550,512 | 24 |
| Rudy Gobert | C | $35,000,000 | 33 |
| Julius Randle | F | $30,935,520 (Player Option) | 31 |
| Jaden McDaniels | F | $24,858,621 | 25 |
| Naz Reid | C | $15,022,464 (Player Option) | 26 |
| Donte DiVincenzo | G | $11,990,000 | 29 |
| Mike Conley | G | $10,774,038 | 38 |
| Rob Dillingham | G | $6,576,120 | 21 |
| Terrence Shannon Jr. | G | $2,674,080 | 25 |
| Luka Garza | C | $2,349,578 (Team Option) | 27 |
| Leonard Miller | F | $2,221,577 (Non-Guaranteed) | 22 |
| Jaylen Clark | G | $2,191,897 | 24 |
| Josh Minott | F | $2,187,451 (Team Option) | 23 |
