Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Minnesota Timberwolves

ElectricMayhem · Post #1 » by **ElectricMayhem** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:50 am

Minnesota was grizzled by the Grizzlies. We shall now cut them open and see what's inside...

Here is the data from last year's Post-Mortems:
Post-Mortem Results I: GM Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results II: Coaching Confidence Meter
Post-Mortem Results III: Performance Compared to Expectations
Post-Mortem Results IV: Rising/Treadmill/Waning

Team Name: Minnesota Timberwolves
Record at Time of Death: 46-36 (.561)
GM: Sachin Gupta (2021-)
Coach: Chris Finch (2021)

Offensive Rating: 7th
Defensive Rating: 13h
Rebound %: 21st
Turnover %: 17th

GM: Change or keep?
Coach: Change or keep?
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Karl-Anthony Towns ($34m)
D'Angelo Russell ($31m)
Malik Beasley ($15m)
Patrick Beverly ($13m)
Anthony Edwards ($11m)
Jared Vanderbilt ($5m)
Leandro Bolmaro ($2m)
Jaden McDaniels ($2m)
Naz Reid ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed)
Jordan McLaughlin ($2m)

Team Options:
Jaylen Nowell

Player Options:

Free Agents:
Taureen Prince
Josh Okogie
Jake Layman
Greg Monroe
Nathan Knight
McKinley Wright IV

Dead Money:

Previous Post-Mortems:
30. Orlando Magic
29. Detroit Pistons
28. Houston Rockets
27. Indiana Pacers
26. Oklahoma City Thunder
25. Washington Wizards
24. New York Knicks
23. Portland Trailblazers
22. Sacramento Kings
21. Los Angeles Lakers
20. Charlotte Hornets
19. San Antonio Spurs
18. Cleveland Cavaliers
17. Los Angeles Clippers
16. Brooklyn Nets
15. Atlanta Hawks
14. Chicago Bulls
13. Denver Nuggets
12. Toronto Raptors
11. New Orleans Pelicans
10. Utah Jazz
9. Minnesota Timberwolves

chilluminati · Post #2 » by **chilluminati** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:59 am

All signs point up from here! Keep everyone. Hopefully add a few more pieces to upgrade their bench depth.

Marvin Martian · Post #3 » by **Marvin Martian** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:00 am

MIN needs a high IQ floor general to settle things down whenever they lose control of the game. Dlo is a 6th man, not the starter that they need. Getting benched for a scrub in an elimination game is unforgivable. He needs to go.

moss_is_1 · Post #4 » by **moss_is_1** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:41 am

Get rid of Dlo.

Get some bigs.

Let Ant be the guy.

Imon · Post #5 » by **Imon** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:51 am

moss_is_1 wrote:Get rid of Dlo.

Get some bigs.

Let Ant be the guy.

Just curious, how many Wolves fans consider Edwards to be "the man" on the team?

Or perhaps this is a Westbrook/Durant situation where Westbrook had the more domineering personality even though it was supposed to be KD's team?

RoyceDa59 · Post #6 » by **RoyceDa59** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:14 am

Very exciting future.

Towns is starting to round out his game. Elite offensive big.

Edwards is a star in the making. Has that swagger.

D’Lo can be an effective 3rd star.

Need to keep building, bright future.

alevirfe · Post #7 » by **alevirfe** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:19 am

solid season! they have a nice core that fits really well together

I'm also not a DLo fan, though he played okay this season (but abysmal in the playoffs). he's a talented player I just don't think he cares or plays hard. he wants to camp on the 3 point line and shoot jumpers. when they're falling he's a great player, but offers nothing else when his shot goes cold. that contract is rough and I don't know what options they have but to hope he improves

I think Towns being under the microscope and finally being in the playoffs for a couple of seasons will ultimately help him become a better player. he's never experienced that type of intense pressure and I think he was a bit caught off-guard with how much focus was put on his performances. it was a bit of a rough go, but it's on him to grow from here and he's talented enough to do it

what a star Edwards is. I knew he was special when he was calling out DLo & Towns last season as a ROOKIE. he's a leader and doesn't take any bull. he wants to win and if you aren't onboard you're going to have a problem with him. this Minny team was already talented enough to make the playoffs before he got there, but they needed his leadership and example to finally get there (and consistently)

Beverley gave them a lot this season. I'm not a Pat Bev fan, but his leadership was also massive for this young team. I think they rely way too much on his on court production though (and to be fair he's played pretty well) and need a long term solution at PG

_AIJ_ · Post #8 » by **_AIJ_** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:07 am

This season was fun and stressful. Front office should decide if they have to keep DLo or not. Get a very good PF and add more shooters

brutalitops · Post #9 » by **brutalitops** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:18 am

Great defensive improvement from KAT. From liability to a great PNR. The aggressive defensive style helped blokes who liked transition

D'lo, can't extend him for more then 20m a season. I think we need to find a more classic PG. Who can score 10PPG but defend and make Edwards/Towns have better looks. (Ironically, Simmons right?") We have enough shot creation. Just we get bogged down and not enough off ball players

McLaughlan could be, but just gives a bit too much away in the 1v1 situations.

Vanderbilt a 10% improvement. Dlo better decisions with the ball and were there

Ild keep most players. Naz might get a better contract, but would rather find a more traditional big who can play 10mpg and more if Towns gets in foul trouble.

Good season. Coach was fine. Some blunders but Finch has been great

brutalitops · Post #10 » by **brutalitops** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 6:19 am

_AIJ_ wrote:This season was fun and stressful. Front office should decide if they have to keep DLo or not. Get a very good PF and add more shooters

Thought Prince/Beasley were alright. Sure a Dillon Brooks would be amazing but I think that's a bit unreasonable to land someone like him without really throwing the future away

Crazy-Canuck · Post #11 » by **Crazy-Canuck** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 7:21 am

Trade dlo for a big 2 way wing.

MrGoat · Post #12 » by **MrGoat** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 7:35 am

Run it back. Their lack of experience ended up doing them in but now they have a little bit of playoff experience under their belts. Nothing drastic

Tukkerwolf · Post #13 » by **Tukkerwolf** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:26 am

Imon wrote:
moss_is_1 wrote:Get rid of Dlo.

Get some bigs.

Let Ant be the guy.

Just curious, how many Wolves fans consider Edwards to be "the man" on the team?

Or perhaps this is a Westbrook/Durant situation where Westbrook had the more domineering personality even though it was supposed to be KD's team?

KAT is the reason we were in the post season. As good as Ant had been during the play offs, KAT carried the load during the RS.

timO · Post #14 » by **timO** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:54 am

Dlo is friend of Towns, hes not going anywhere, and his max contract is untradeable for good assests.

They will be better with Edwards commanding the team next year, Mcdaniels is a good player to develop too.

Statlanta · Post #15 » by **Statlanta** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 9:32 am

Keep coach
Keep GM
About expectations
Rising
Run it back and hope for internal improvements

Godymas · Post #16 » by **Godymas** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 12:56 pm

Keep everyone on this team except DLo.

Keep the GM, Keep the Coach (assuming some of the bad shots and questionable plays were just players not listening), Rising team because of Edwards, McDaniels, Vanderbilt. KAT has shown who he is and that's a guy who is capable of being a solid 2nd option at best. A softer Anthony Davis (is that possible? apparently so)

DLo is horrendous, averaged 12 ppg on 12 FGA in the playoffs. This isn't new for him, career so far has been more FGA than PPG in the playoffs. That high arcing shot of his is serious trash. What is his role on the team? Beverly can be a floor general somewhat, his passes are just mediocre at best, dude is literally average to below average at everything he's supposed to do. Could've had a guy like Rubio on this team doing the same job as DLo but at least Rubio knows not to take these garbage shots.

Who is available to trade right now? If Minnesota can use his contract to get Dame and Minnesota wins 55 games that's a EOTY type of move. Otherwise what, take on Malcolm Brogdon maybe? It's hard to find a combo guard that a team would be willing to part with that also makes sense for the team. Maybe DeAaron Fox? Sac already made one terrible trade though.

slicedbread2 · Post #17 » by **slicedbread2** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:21 pm

-Keep everybody
-Keep the GM and coach.
-Rising team.

It's a damn shame that the T-Wolves overpaid for Russell and I know that the deal was made to placate Towns due to them being BFF's but there was no need to do that. Could've just given up a lotto pro. 1st/2 2nds and the Warriors would've taken the deal due to Russell being a horrible fit next to Curry. They could've had Kuminga/Wagner or an even higher pick but oh well.

Honestly Russell's deal will expire next year and I'd bring him back if he were to take a lighter contract in a 4/80-85M deal because he's honestly best used as a 6th man and Edwards is an emerging superstar in the making. Crazily enough Simmons would've been the ideal fit for this squad on paper, but due to the off-court stuff I don't think Minnesota would touch him at this point even though he, Towns and Russell are close.

They just gotta get continued development with McDaniels and hope that Vanderbilt becomes a better FT shooter and develops a corner 3 as teams can ignore him offensively. They'll have the 19th, 40th, 48th and 50th overall pick to work with in terms of filling out the roster and finding some potential diamonds in the rough.

Their inexperience did them in but for the most part it'll be a good learning one that'll hopefully get them to properly learn how to close out games as they gave Memphis a good scare.

There will be expectations and optimism for this team for the first time since the KG era which will be huge.

Grubie024 · Post #18 » by **Grubie024** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:36 pm

Tukkerwolf wrote:
Imon wrote:
moss_is_1 wrote:Get rid of Dlo.

Get some bigs.

Let Ant be the guy.

Just curious, how many Wolves fans consider Edwards to be "the man" on the team?

Or perhaps this is a Westbrook/Durant situation where Westbrook had the more domineering personality even though it was supposed to be KD's team?

KAT is the reason we were in the post season. As good as Ant had been during the play offs, KAT carried the load during the RS.

The Ant is #1 and KAT is #1 factions may be more equal than I thought.
I thought after this series most all Wolves fans would say this is clearly Ant's team now.
It's only a matter of time. Ant is special and I don't use that term lightly.

brutalitops · Post #19 » by **brutalitops** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:44 pm

timO wrote:Dlo is friend of Towns, hes not going anywhere, and his max contract is untradeable for good assests.

They will be better with Edwards commanding the team next year, Mcdaniels is a good player to develop too.

Someone finally gets it

McDaniels if he can develop to what he can be, Makes us super dangerous, He's an excellent defender, plus he has that fire in his eyes as well. If he makes that step that you obviously seen he can, We suddenly have the KAT/Vanderbilt/Mcdaniels/Edwards/Dlo which in terms we have a dangerous side,

He has those intangibles you want from a big 2 way wing. Can do many things on the floor well which compliment other players. If he developed to a top 15 wing in the league which is I think talentwise, something he can really strive for we are so much better.

metalinguss · Post #20 » by **metalinguss** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:54 pm

Need a vet PG who can actually distribute and I'm thinking Malcolm Brogdon if they can get him cheap given his injury history.

4 Questions