The Minnesota Timberwolves are currently seventh in the Western Conference and after reaching the Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons. Officially reaching superstar status with one of his more efficient seasons, Anthony Edwards will look to bring Minnesota their first franchise NBA championship. However, as they know best, the road is long and everything can change in a matter of weeks in this unpredictable lead.
With the February 6 NBA trade deadline looming right around the corner, franchises will be scrambling to add new talent to their teams in hopes of making a push for the playoffs. Sitting in West's seven spot, the Timberwolves still have a ways to go before they can consider themselves safe inside the postseason.
The most glaring issue with the Timberwolves has been their inconsistency throughout the season. While they seem to be serious contenders on some occasions, they drop winnable games and find themselves amidst too many streaks in the wrong direction. However, it's been some time since Minnesota last adding to their lineup – a change during this mid-season point could be the spark they need to get them back into the WCF.
Timberwolves' current chances
As it stands, the Minnesota Timberwolves are currently hold the fifth-shortest odds to win the Western Conference at +1900. In front of them are the Thunder, Spurs, Rockets, and Nuggets, so the race to the Western Conference finals will certainly be a tight one. Over the last two years, the Timberwolves have finished sixth and third by the end of the regular season over the last two years, but they've shown a huge boost in play when it matters most during this postseason.
Much of this is in part to head coach Chris Finch's aggressive defensive style and consistent offensive pressure, all pieced together by Anthony Edwards always playing the best basketball of the season. They went 8-2 during the first two rounds last season, ultimately falling 4-1 to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
During that series, depth was a massive weakness for the Timberwolves as they couldn't keep up with the constant rotation of big men for Oklahoma City. The Timberwolves still only rotate three front court players (Randle, Gobert, Reid) and while all three are effective when playing together, they're still behind OKC in terms of scoring and stretching the floor with those players. Randle can more than handle a scoring load, but Gobert and Reid have made their struggles clear in the past.
Failing to add front court depth
Aside from Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle starting at the four and five-spots in the front court, froward Naz Reid has been listed as the second-string player for both of those positions. Rookie Joan Beringer and second-year man Leonard Miller have seen important game minutes throughout this season, but both players are still far away from starting, let along having an impact in the playoffs.
A number of centers and forwards have been reported to become available ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Sacramento Kings' Domantas Sabonis is one of the more interesting names on the list and would certainly aid the Timberwolves with his versatile scoring. However, Minnesota would almost certainly have to deal either Gobert or Randle in exchange, something they're unlikely to do at this moment.
Dallas Mavericks' Anthony Davis has also been a name in the rumor mill and given the Mavs' mentality to continue rebuilding, the Timberwolves could send a number of young players or draft picks in exchange for the former All-Star and NBA Champion. Davis is scheduled to be re-evaluated next month for an injury to his non-shooting hand, but his offensive skills would definitely add a whole new layer to the Timberwolves' offense. He's also a former DPOY finalist and pairing him with Gobert could make Minnesota's interior impenetrable.
This, of course, is all assuming the Timberwolves will be buyers ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. They haven't made any blockbuster moves since adding Rudy Gobert to the team, so expect the unexpected as Minnesota becomes serious about coming away with the West this season.
