The Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty of reason for optimism heading into training camp. Anthony Edwards appeared to make “the leap” during his time with Team USA in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, leading the team in scoring multiple games with dominant performances. Karl Anthony-Towns is back and healthy heading into camp, forming an offense-defense duo with Rudy Gobert that should further develop after playing only 29 regular season games as starters together last season.
With Edwards, Towns, and Gobert all locked in to the Timberwolves starting lineup, which players on the roster best complement that core group? That's the big question heading into training camp, and an outside-the-box solution may give the Timberwolves a little added athleticism in transition and more juice defensively on the ball.
The one Timberwolves player in danger of losing their starting job heading into the 2023-24 training camp is veteran point guard Mike Conley.
Conley has been a regular starter for his entire career and for the Timberwolves last season after being acquired from the Utah Jazz, so it might be shocking to list him here. But if the Timberwolves truly want to commit to letting Anthony Edwards become the star he's capable of being, getting the ball out of Conley's hands and letting Edwards initiate the first action offensively could unlock his star potential. If Conley is taking on an off-ball role anyway, it might be wise to get a faster, more athletic defender and transition contributor in the lineup next to Edwards, Towns, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.
Enter Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who played a key role in the postseason last year and has proven to have the kind of glue guy abilities that can help the stars around him blossom. Alexander-Walker shot nearly 40 percent on corner threes last season, and is a hound defensively that can release some of the pressure off Rudy Gobert to clean up everything at the rim with his solid on-ball defense. Conley is deadly from the corner as well but rarely ends up there due to his on-ball responsibilities initiating the offense.
Moving Mike Conley from a Timberwolves starter to the bench would allow him to run the second unit and maximize natural scorers like Shake Milton and Naz Reid, who would benefit greatly from a veteran who can get them the ball at the right times. Minnesota's starting lineup needs more help off the ball than on it, and preserving Conley for the postseason by not burning him out during the regular season could make a lot of sense for Minnesota.
Ultimately, this move would be more about Edwards than anything else. Allowing him to make mistakes and learn when and where to pick his spots will be a crucial part of his star development. Conley's presence is a little like having training wheels on your bike — it will help you wobble and crash less often, but you won't know exactly what you can get away with until you take them off. Edwards needs to be shoveled more responsibility with less restraints because his talent level is worthy of that.
Letting Nickeil Alexander-Walker develop chemistry with Edwards as a starter might be the best move long-term for the Timberwolves as well. Mike Conley is getting up there in age (he'll turn 36 this season) and miles, and he's on an expiring contract this year as well. Alexander-Walker, meanwhile, is on a similar timeline to Edwards and is on a cheap, controllable contract. If Conley is willing to take a reduced role, both the starting lineup and second group for the Timberwolves would be better off if the two swapped places.
It's not a move the Timberwolves have to make by any means, but it's a forward-thinking one that could pay dividends both in Anthony Edwards's development and for the future of the young core in Minnesota.
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