Is Minnesota a Top 4 team?

[KGdaBom]

It would seem to me that we have to get past the first round otherwise this trade failure. I suppose not necessarily this upcoming season, but we for sure need to make a serious run in the next 3. We were already capable of losing in the first round without giving up 5 first round picks. There has to be some sort of tangible improvement.

There will be. How can anybody expect the same result after adding one of the best players in the NBA?

[minimus]

By the beginning of 2022-23 season we are not top4 team. Not yet. Gobert is a system player, and right now we need a complete overhaul of our defensive and offensive scheme. Thats a learning curve that cannot be replaced with talent. They need to get experience, they need to be patient, they need to execute and adopt. Plus we still will rely on very young players such as MCD, Edwards. They need time to find their game next to Gobert. It will be standard cycle design-execute(success/fail)-learn/adopt-repeat.

Mid season, we might be top4 team in West, if Gobert-Towns-DLo find balance, they will carry whole team. Just imagine that Gobert despite being so limited in offense was able to carry UTA in some degree. At this point I expect role players such as Prince, Anderson and lil JMac to give us some stability, once they learn how to play within new system.

By the end of the season in best case scenario Gobert-Towns-DLo get support from Ant, MCD, Nowell, Moore, in this case we finish season strong.

[LibertyPrime]

No. I refuse to elevate this group before they've provided any evidence of how they're going to play together. This season I expect a lot of growing pains. We need a better bench, for one, and that hasn't been put together yet. I expect Ant will be pretty damn good in any circumstances, but beyond that, a lot of our success depends on chemistry between KAT, D'Lo and Rudy and how that evolves. We were told that KAT and D'Lo would be an deadly automatic pick-n-roll combo - that didn't happen. So I'm not holding my breath on top-4-dom.

The key is D'Lo. I wish, I wish, I wish, we had a pass-first, high D player as a PG, but we don't, and we just sent the closest option we had to Utah. If D'Lo keeps jacking up bad shots from the perimeter instead of taking advantage of the fact that he's got the top FG% player in the league waiting for him in the paint - and the top shooting big man in the league RIGHT NOW on the perimeter - and taking advantage of that, then this season is going to suck. I worry that in a contract year he'll decide he has to get his points first. He could be leading the league in assists with the targets he has. Feed the bigs, feed them relentlessly - THAT should be the goal.

But after this team grows together - if it does - look out. The real payoff is likely to come not next year, but in the years after that.

[minimus]

Wathcing UTA games I want to list mismatches which were problems for UTA:

1) five out LAC in 2020-21: Batum-PG13-Kawhi-Morris-Jackson-Mann vs Gobert-Ingles-Bogdanovic-DM-O'Neal
2) five-out DAL in 2021-22: Bullock-Kleber-Dinwiddie-Brunson-DFS-Doncic vs Gobert-O'Neal-Bogdanovic-DM-Conley
3) any combination of HOU built around Harden + CP3
4) GSW

Factors that had a significant impact:

1) Rubio, Ingles and Conley injuries. UTA were struggling to execute, feed Gobert
2) UTA was clearly undersized with Mitchell 6'1", O'Neal 6'4", Bogdanovic 6'7" playing on the wings

So here is my question: how we would match same five out matchups now?

One things that jumps out that MCD-TP-Anderson-Edwards at wings are not undersized. I am particularly intrigued by Anderson as low man, combo forward who can rotate. I also hope DLo-Moore-Nowell can positively contribute as big ball handlers as they are all 6'4"-6'5". Maybe we can kind of make Anderson "designated weakest point", inviting opponent to attack against him

Watch on YouTube

Another thing is team weakest point in rotation. I remember LAC basically killed Okogie career in MIN by daring him to shoot open 3s, making him useless in offense. in Gobert-Towns-MCD-Edwards-DLo rotation Gobert or MCD will be the weakest point, but I am more than happy if LAC want to double team Towns leaving Gobert or MCD alone. Also the answer might be using our version of five-out with oversized wings Towns-Anderson-MCD-TP-Edwards.

[Norseman79]

I voted no, but it's because I am concerned about the depth we lost. People can say that Nowell and Jordan M will be fine, but they haven't proven that over a long stretch of games yet.

Warriors back and healthy, Nuggets back and healthy, Suns as of now, and Clippers back and healthy... I'm not saying that I think those teams are for sure better than the wolves, but until we see everything comes together, I personally can't put them above them, not to mention Dallas has improved, Portland is improved, Memphis didn't get worse and I'm sure there's other teams I'm spacing out on. The wolves have the potential to be a top four team for sure, but depth is concerning

[bluethunder0005]

The West will be very tough next year and I think more teams take a step forward than teams take a step back. If I had to predict it now I'd say that the Wolves finish with the #3 seed behind Golden State and Denver. If the Suns somehow land KD for Ayton then that keeps them above us but they've only got another day to agree on a deal because tomorrow Ayton will sign an offer sheet and no longer be available for sign and trade.

Improving records: Nuggets, Wolves, Pelicans, Clippers, Lakers, and Blazers
Getting worse: Suns, Grizzlies, Mavs, Jazz, and Spurs
Staying the same: Warriors
Bottom Feeders (for now): Kings, Thunder, and Rockets

[minimus]

I voted no, but it's because I am concerned about the depth we lost. People can say that Nowell and Jordan M will be fine, but they haven't proven that over a long stretch of games yet.

Yes and no.I dont think that we lost much depth, at least not in playoffs. On paper we lost three rotational players: Beasley, Vanderbilt, Beverley (plus Bolmaro, Kessler as prospects). But Beasley was non factor in playoffs 8.2ppg, on 42% FG, 32% from 3pt, Vando was unplayable, Beverley was good, but there is always a chance that he fouls too much or gets injured.

We added Gobert, Anderson, Moore. We keep MCD, TP, Nowell and Reid. I believe that we have just enough depth, but now we have much more size and defensive talent. As for shooting, we might actually benefit from Gobert rim gravity, who often help perimeter player to get extra spacing.

I
Warriors back and healthy, Nuggets back and healthy, Suns as of now, and Clippers back and healthy... I'm not saying that I think those teams are for sure better than the wolves, but until we see everything comes together, I personally can't put them above them, not to mention Dallas has improved, Portland is improved, Memphis didn't get worse and I'm sure there's other teams I'm spacing out on. The wolves have the potential to be a top four team for sure, but depth is concerning

Yes and no. Nuggets get Murray, but lost Campazzo and Morris. GSW just had another season of 100+ games, their core players have big mileage. LAC gets back Kawhi, but I'd never trust his health. Dallas is going to lose Brunson, POR has talent, but little chemistry and unproven coach. MEM are the same.

[KGdaBom]

By the beginning of 2022-23 season we are not top4 team. Not yet. Gobert is a system player, and right now we need a complete overhaul of our defensive and offensive scheme. Thats a learning curve that cannot be replaced with talent. They need to get experience, they need to be patient, they need to execute and adopt. Plus we still will rely on very young players such as MCD, Edwards. They need time to find their game next to Gobert. It will be standard cycle design-execute(success/fail)-learn/adopt-repeat.

Mid season, we might be top4 team in West, if Gobert-Towns-DLo find balance, they will carry whole team. Just imagine that Gobert despite being so limited in offense was able to carry UTA in some degree. At this point I expect role players such as Prince, Anderson and lil JMac to give us some stability, once they learn how to play within new system.

By the end of the season in best case scenario Gobert-Towns-DLo get support from Ant, MCD, Nowell, Moore, in this case we finish season strong.

GoBear may be limited in some ways offensively, but metrics still show him as having a top 10 positive impact on offense overall. I consider his offensive game to be a huge plus for us.

[KGdaBom]

No. I refuse to elevate this group before they've provided any evidence of how they're going to play together. This season I expect a lot of growing pains. We need a better bench, for one, and that hasn't been put together yet. I expect Ant will be pretty damn good in any circumstances, but beyond that, a lot of our success depends on chemistry between KAT, D'Lo and Rudy and how that evolves. We were told that KAT and D'Lo would be an deadly automatic pick-n-roll combo - that didn't happen. So I'm not holding my breath on top-4-dom.

The key is D'Lo. I wish, I wish, I wish, we had a pass-first, high D player as a PG, but we don't, and we just sent the closest option we had to Utah. If D'Lo keeps jacking up bad shots from the perimeter instead of taking advantage of the fact that he's got the top FG% player in the league waiting for him in the paint - and the top shooting big man in the league RIGHT NOW on the perimeter - and taking advantage of that, then this season is going to suck. I worry that in a contract year he'll decide he has to get his points first. He could be leading the league in assists with the targets he has. Feed the bigs, feed them relentlessly - THAT should be the goal.

But after this team grows together - if it does - look out. The real payoff is likely to come not next year, but in the years after that.

How many more games would we have won last year if we had the best rebounder and interior defender in the league on that team. Answer is MANY. 46 wins last year means 56 or more wins this year. Top 4 in the west pretty easily.

[Klomp]

How many more games would we have won last year if we had the best rebounder and interior defender in the league on that team. Answer is MANY. 46 wins last year means 56 or more wins this year. Top 4 in the west pretty easily.

I admire your optimism. I agree that we are going to be better this year. But that jump from play-in to home court is a big one.

While I agree that Gobert's skill set lines up very well with what we were missing last year, but I think it's important to note that teams will be taking us a lot more seriously this year. 10 wins is a lot when talking about teams already in the playoff picture. I think we have a chance at that type of improvement, but I'm not ready to be as confident as you. After all, we are still Timberwolves fans.

[KGdaBom]

How many more games would we have won last year if we had the best rebounder and interior defender in the league on that team. Answer is MANY. 46 wins last year means 56 or more wins this year. Top 4 in the west pretty easily.

I admire your optimism. I agree that we are going to be better this year. But that jump from play-in to home court is a big one.

While I agree that Gobert's skill set lines up very well with what we were missing last year, but I think it's important to note that teams will be taking us a lot more seriously this year. 10 wins is a lot when talking about teams already in the playoff picture. I think we have a chance at that type of improvement, but I'm not ready to be as confident as you. After all, we are still Timberwolves fans.

After this season Timberwolves fan will be a synonym for optimism.