3 Possible Outcomes as New-Look Timberwolves’ Title Chase Begins

After the Timberwolves’ title chase ended last year in the Western Conference semifinals, it was obvious changes were coming. Team president Tim Connelly said as much at a May press conference after the team lost to San Antonio in the loaded West. But few people anticipated how much the roster would turn over, with key players arriving and departing. With Minnesota’s regular season set to begin Wednesday night at Miami, the new-look Wolves are on the cusp of starting another title chase. But the roster shakeup makes the range of potential outcomes wider than it’s been in years. Worst-Case Scenario: Timberwolves’ Title Quest Never Gets Off the Ground   There’s a possibility that all of Connelly’s moves will blow up in his face, and this year’s Timberwolves title run will be effectively over by Easter. In this scenario, new point guard LaMelo Ball’s balky ankles can’t hold up. He plays fewer than 50 games, isn’t on the floor long enough to gel with his new teammates offensively, and is a liability defensively. Jonathan Kuminga, the Wolves’ other big offseason acquisition, sees that the season is going nowhere and focuses on getting his own offense so he can opt out of his contract and get the bigger deal he probably deserves. At 34, Rudy Gobert ’s health finally gives out, and he suffers a major injury that forces him to miss significant time. The Wolves’ lack of frontcourt depth after trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid is exposed, and they struggle to rebound, protect the rim, and score in the paint. Even with all of that, the Wolves still sneak into the playoffs as a seven- or eight-seed via the play-in tournament thanks to Anthony Edwards , but they lose in the first round. Most Likely Scenario: Timberwolves’ Title Run Falls Short   Even if the season goes fairly well, the Timberwolves are far from favorites to come out of the Western Conference, where title hopes seem likely to run through San Antonio and Oklahoma City for years to come. The most likely scenario for the Wolves this year, even with all the changes, is that they remain a very good team that is just not good enough. Ball plays 50-70 games and has plenty of highlight moments. But he also has plenty of head-scratching turnovers and off-balanced 30-foot three-point tries. Edwards is a top-10 player in the league, but some nights he is forced to do too much because Kuminga and the rest of the supporting cast are mercurial. Gobert anchors a solid defense but shows his age and doesn’t have enough frontcourt help. The Wolves win 45-55 games and get a mid-range seed in the West as Stan Van Gundy recently projected . They lose to San Antonio or Oklahoma City in the conference semifinals again. Best-Case Scenario: A Timberwolves’ Title at Long Last   If everything breaks right, this team has the talent to win the franchise’s first championship and make Connelly look like a genius. In this scenario, Ball feels good all season and plays 70-plus games at his highest level. He allows Edwards to reach his potential as a two-way dynamo, unlocks Gobert as a lob threat, and creates plenty of open three-pointers and transition dunks for Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels . Gobert continues to defy Father Time and plays enough to make up for the loss of Randle and Reid. He also mentors Joan Beringer into a budding star. Inspired by Gobert, Edwards, and McDaniels, Ball and Kuminga redouble their defensive efforts and become plus defenders. The bench, led by Ayo Dosunmu , is one of the most productive in the league. Edwards finishes as league MVP, Kuminga is Most Improved Player, Dosunmu is Sixth Man of the Year, and Gobert is runner-up to Victor Wembanyama for Defensive Player of the Year. The Wolves win 60-plus games and narrowly earn the No. 1 seed in the West. Their depth and homecourt advantage help them win a grueling seven-game series against the Spurs or Thunder (already weakened from playing each other) in the Western Conference Finals. In the NBA Finals, Edwards takes it to another level, leading the Timberwolves to the promised land and cementing his place as the league’s best player. The Last Word After 37 mostly moribund years, the thought of a Timberwolves title still feels like a fairy tale. It’s not the most likely outcome as the team starts the season. But Connelly has taken some big swings that at least give fans reason to dream. More News Timberwolves’ Reserves Make Final Cases For Rotation In Loss vs Bulls LaMelo Ball Gives Timberwolves New Way to Use Rudy Gobert Timberwolves Are Taking A Risk With Their Center Depth This Season Photo Credit: David Banks, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect