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Just a few months ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally rose to relevancy in the NBA. They swept Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs before sending Nikola Jokic and the defending champions home in the second. But while they were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks, a trip to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since the Kevin Garnett era was a remarkable feat.
Unfortunately, the Timberwolves are also in the midst of an ownership battle between Marc Lore, former MLB star Alex Rodriguez, and current owner Glen Taylor. During the offseason, the team witnessed the repercussions of the battle, as they traded away All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in a three-team trade. In return, the Wolves received Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, and a first-round draft pick.
Nearing the 20-game mark, the Wolves are posting a mediocre 9-10 record, which is only 11th in the Western Conference. Moreover, they've also degraded as a team in terms of chemistry and cohesion. As a result, the Timberwolves' biggest disappointment early in the 2024-25 NBA season has been the underwhelming play of both Randle and DiVincenzo, the two major players they swapped for Towns.
Julius Randle's questionable fit
A lot of basketball fans will agree that Julius Randle was the biggest consolation that the Timberwolves received after letting go of Towns. On paper, Randle is still a three-time NBA All-Star, who previously won the NBA Most Improved Player Award. But while Randle found plenty of success in New York, it's turning out to be a different story in Minnesota.
On the bright side, Randle is still getting his usual numbers. The former NBA Most Improved Player is averaging 21.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He is also shooting efficiently at nearly 51% from the field overall. Although Randle's numbers have been great, his production doesn't exactly reflect his fit with the team.
There have been times when the All-Star power forward has failed to locate his teammates. In fact, Randle caught the ire of Gobert for failing to locate the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year. On the other hand, the two-time All-NBA Team player could also be caught sleeping on the defensive end. Randle hasn't been known for his defense, but in Minnesota, he's being asked to exert a little more effort in that department. As a result, it's safe to say that Randle is by no means filling the shoes of KAT.
Uncomfortable role for Donte DiVincenzo
Aside from Randle, another notable acquisition the Timberwolves got from the blockbuster trade was Donte DiVincenzo. With DiVincenzo lighting up Madison Square Garden last season, he was easily a welcome addition to the franchise. But while the Timberwolves could possibly use his shooting, the Villanova standout has yet to showcase his shooting chops on full display.
DiVincenzo is only averaging 8.9 points per game while shooting 34.8% from the field overall and 31.5% from Rainbow Country. These numbers are sheer drops from his performance last year. If anything, all is not well for the NBA champion in Minnesota. On a side note, it seems that DiVincenzo is being asked to fill a different role for the Timberwolves.
The sharpshooter was a catch-and-shoot player back with the Knicks. In Minnesota, the NBA champion was even asked to do point guard duties, when Mike Conley went down with an injury. The move has forced DiVincenzo to work harder for his shots, leading to a decline in his production. But worse, it didn't take long for head coach Chris Finch to figure out that DiVincenzo wasn't the right man for the job, benching the former Villanova shooter with the game against the Houston Rockets still within reach.
Is the Karl-Anthony Towns trade already biting the Timberwolves?
Early into the season, things aren't looking great for the Timberwolves since the blockbuster trade headlined by Towns was executed. As the season progresses, the move is looking more and more like a mistake, at least for Minnesota. By now, they should have realized that Randle doesn't impact the game the same way Towns did at the power forward position. On the other hand, the Timberwolves have yet to fully utilize DiVincenzo as an elite catch-and-shoot marksman.
When the deal was made, the move already seemed regrettable on paper. Fast forward to today, the Timberwolves are dealing with personnel fit and chemistry issues. To make matters worse, it seems like Towns is also thriving in New York. Unfortunately for the Edwards-led Wolves, the milk has already spilled and their build-up for the past few years may very well have gone up in smoke. While the season is still young, the Wolves don't look like they're heading in the right direction.
Make no mistake, the Timberwolves' struggles don't entirely fall on the players and its coaches. It's worth noting that the reason behind Towns' departure was related to the financial concerns of the team. Moreover, there's also the ugly ownership spat between Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore, and Glen Taylor. It's safe to say that for any franchise to succeed in the NBA, all the stars need to align in the organization from the owners all the way down to the ball boys.
Clearly, the organization is facing some rough patches.
