During his exit interview after the Western Conference Finals this year, Tim Connelly said he prefers to “err on the side of continuity” when making roster moves for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, Connelly’s track record since the Wolves hired him as their President of Basketball Operations in 2022 doesn’t support that statement. Less than two months after he got the job, Connelly traded for Rudy Gobert. Seven months later, he flipped D’Angelo Russell for Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker at the 2023 trade deadline. Days before this year’s training camp, he traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
“I think patience in professional sports is largely non-existent,” Connelly continued. “Those organizations that can show patience tend to have a really high level of success. But patience shouldn’t lead to risk aversion.”
Connelly’s blockbuster moves have paid off for the Timberwolves, who just came off their second consecutive Western Conference Finals appearance. Connelly isn’t afraid to take a risk. His track record shows he welcomes it.
As Connelly and his staff gear up for another off-season together, they will explore their options for getting Minnesota over the Conference Finals hump. The front office will also battle the temptation to make a big move again. Connelly might prefer to err on the side of continuity, but a 15-time All-Star named Kevin Durant is sitting in the trade rumor mill.
Will the temptation be too much for Connelly to bear again this summer? Or will he remain patient with the current roster? His decision will determine Minnesota’s long-term fate.
“If there is something that we have to shake it up, and we think it can make us a better team, we’re certainly open to that,” said Connelly. “We made the KAT and Donte trade that took us a while to get acclimated. We look forward to returning the core next year, and hopefully, go a little bit further.”
As the Wolves battled various injuries this season, they learned about the young depth players who didn’t crack Chris Finch’s rotation to begin the season.
Rob Dillingham had a spurt from mid-January to the end of February, when he averaged 16.3 minutes over 21 straight games. He showed off his shifty, microwave scoring and the potential he has to eventually be Minnesota’s starting point guard.
Jaylen Clark stepped up when Julius Randle suffered a groin injury at the end of January. Clark averaged 14.3 minutes over the final 36 games of the regular season, showcasing his lockdown defense and disciplined and intelligent offensive approach, shooting 44% from deep.
Terrence Shannon Jr. also got a chance to shine during Randle’s injury, playing in 11 straight games during that stretch and averaging 18.8 minutes. The Wolves lacked Shannon’s speed all season, even when Randle was healthy. Therefore, once the Wolves dug themselves a 2-0 hole against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Conference Finals, Finch turned to Shannon to inject pace into the game and a spark into his team.
Even though the Thunder sent the Wolves home in five games, Shannon’s reckless pace and physical defense further highlighted Minnesota’s promising depth chart. His play, and the regular season stretches from Dillingham and Clark, give Connelly and his staff more to consider as they begin planning for the offseason.
“You’re always just guessing, right? I don’t know,” said Connelly regarding possibly shaking up the roster again. “Until you win it all, you’ve got to be very self-critical and look for areas to improve upon.
“We feel very happy with the core we have. We don’t feel there is a tremendous pressure to do much, but until you’re raising the trophy, you’ve got to be active and as creative as possible to try to get to a point where at some point you are the final team.”
Connelly is managing two timelines this summer. He has built a strong roster and has a coaching staff and ownership group willing to do what it takes to win. The Wolves have opened a championship window and must urgently capitalize on it.
But they also have young talent waiting in the shadows. The young nucleus could keep Minnesota competing around Anthony Edwards for longer, which was part of Connelly’s original goal when he traded KAT.
“It’s a huge accomplishment to be a final four team in back-to-back years,” said Connelly. “We view the ability to be a final-four team as a real puncher’s chance to win it all. The more at-bats you have, the better. But how can we push back? We are in the same place this year as last year, which is great, but not where you want to be.”
The Wolves know they can’t squander their opportunity. Perhaps internal development, adding depth in the draft (Minnesota holds the No. 17 and 31 picks this year), bringing back Julius Randle and Naz Reid, and patience from the front office will be enough for the Wolves to get past OKC and make the Finals next season.
Connelly and his staff are considering that plan, but they know they can’t be dogmatic in their approach this summer.
“We plan, and then you get a call, and the plans are out of the window,” said Connelly. “The best plan is to have a pretty good lay of the land, and when you have an opportunity to be aggressive, be aggressive.”
Minnesota was among the teams rumored to have “serious” talks with the Phoenix Suns regarding Durant at the trade deadline. Both teams were in the second apron, so salary cap restrictions made working out a deal difficult. Therefore, many expect the Wolves to revisit the potential blockbuster this summer as Durant and the Suns work together to find trade destinations.
Edwards and Durant are very close. They played together on the Olympic team, and Edwards grew up idolizing Durant. Partnering them together would create a scoring duo capable of scoring 50 points per game and exponentially increasing ticket and jersey sales. More importantly, the duo could be what the Wolves need to lead them to a Finals berth.
The tempting decision staring Connelly in the face comes down to two main considerations.
Do the Wolves believe Durant, a 36-year-old future Hall of Famer who averaged 26.6 points last season on 52.7% shooting, can bring them a championship now?
Are the Wolves willing to alter the structure they established last season, both for the current roster and the future, to trade for KD?
Perhaps Phoenix’s asking price for Durant doesn’t include Dillingham, Clark, or Shannon. Maybe the Suns really like Rudy Gobert. Acquiring Durant, who will make $54.7 million next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent, forces the Wolves to sacrifice depth to make the money work. They may also have to sacrifice their promising future for an aging star.
It would be a risk, but that has never hindered Connelly’s decision-making since joining the Wolves. He may prefer to err on the side of continuity, but things can change with one phone call. He knows that well.
Durant may be on a new team before the draft, and that team could be the Wolves.
Minnesota could welcome one of the biggest-name players to ever play in the state. Edwards could partner up with his favorite player growing up. Together, they could lead the Wolves over the Conference Finals hump. Or Durant could regress, and the Wolves could be sitting in Cancun one year from now, wishing they had prioritized continuity.
It’s another splashy trade that Connelly is probably tempted to add to his resume. His decision this summer, both regarding a Durant trade or a similar-sized move, will directly impact how far the Wolves go with Edwards on the roster.