INGLEWOOD — For the past three games, the Minnesota Timberwolves have looked like the team they aspired to be. The defense has been better with perimeter defenders flying around and all of it anchored by Rudy Gobert. The team has used that to play faster with more transition opportunities for guys like Anthony Edwards, and the Timberwolves are taking care of the ball. Everything seems to be fitting together, although the three straight wins came against the slumping Lakers and a shorthanded Clippers team. Tests are coming up against Golden State this weekend, and other games in the coming weeks, which may be a better measuring stick.
Mike Conley attributed the team’s turnaround to how it responded to a recent loss to Sacramento at home.
“It was a back against the wall moment for all of us. One where you look up and the season can go one way or the other,” Conley said after the Timberwolves blew out the Clippers Wednesday. “You can hit rock bottom really quickly, and we had to put our foot in the ground and say, ‘You know what do we want out of the season? What do we want to be? Who we who are we going forward?’ Challenge each individual guy, challenge ourselves individually, like look in the mirror, all that, and we’ve all responded really well.”
Executives around the league are not as convinced. Julius Randle has been a clunky fit next to Gobert so far (again, that has looked better the past few games, but will it be sustained), DiVincenzo played 77% of his minutes last season as the two guard, working off the ball for New York, but has been asked to be a point guard off the bench for Minnesota and 66% of his minutes are at the one, and he has struggled. Conley has looked old.
That has executives thinking Minnesota could be active at the trade deadline coming in February, reports Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
That’s why Minnesota has been labeled by league decision-makers as a potential player between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Yes, the Wolves are coming off comfortable victories against the reeling Lakers and shorthanded Clippers, but they have higher aspirations than battling for the last play-in spot, which is where they currently sit.
“Just because you’re trading for talent, it has to be the right fit. They have to learn and adjust,” a scout said. “Making a trade that late [right before training camp] is hard. So I’m empathetic.”
If Minnesota’s strong play in the last three games proves to be an illusion, they could try to be active at the trade deadline. However, with the team already over the second luxury tax apron, there are numerous restrictions on their ability to make a deal — they can’t aggregate multiple salaries, they have to bring back less money than they send out, and that’s just the start — which make it unlikely we see any more blockbuster moves from the Timberwolves.
Chris Finch and that locker room will have to figure it out with this group of guys. Changes are more likely next offseason.
We’ll find out soon enough if Minnesota has started to figure things out, or if this team will stay where it is now, at 11-10 and fighting for a play-in spot.
