Panicking should not be the move.
The Minnesota Timberwolves' season ended with a 139-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
San Antonio shot 56 percent from the field, outrebounded Minnesota 60-29, and had the game wrapped up before halftime.
For a 49-33 team that really thought this was the year, going home like that stings.
But there is a lot more to this than a lopsided box score.
Edwards missed 11 of Minnesota's final 14 regular season games with a right knee issue, came back for the playoffs at less than full strength, and then hurt his left knee in the first round against Denver.
They also lost Donte DiVincenzo to a torn Achilles in that same series.
The Timberwolves still upset the Nuggets and pushed San Antonio to six games without DiVincenzo and with Edwards clearly hobbled, and that matters before anyone starts talking about tearing things apart.
The Free Agent Decisions Ahead
Minnesota has some real decisions to sort out this summer.
Ayo Dosunmu, who was one of the team's best performers in the playoffs, is an unrestricted free agent after being acquired at the deadline.
Mike Conley will also hit free agency at 38 after saying at his exit interview he wants to keep playing. Bones Hyland and Kyle Anderson are in similar spots.
Re-signing Dosunmu should be at the top of the list because he gave them real production on both ends and showed he could handle playoff minutes.
Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Rudy Gobert are all under contract for next season, so the bones of this team are still intact.
Tim Connelly does not need to gut everything just because the Spurs were better in May.
Why They Should Not Tear It Down
Three straight years of deep playoff runs is not something most franchises get, and walking away from that because of one series against a Spurs team loaded with Victor Wembanyama would be shortsighted.
Edwards just posted career highs with 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game at 24 years old, and the pieces around him still fit when healthy.
The Splash Move That Actually Makes Sense
The one player who probably needs to go is Julius Randle, who averaged just 12.8 points on 34.2 percent shooting against the Spurs while his ball-heavy style clogged the offense right when they needed space the most.
Using Randle's $33 million salary as the centerpiece of a trade for a real second star next to Edwards is the move.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is still the dream target after Minnesota pursued him at the deadline, and Milwaukee sounds more willing to deal now than it did in February.
If not Giannis, someone like Kawhi Leonard could fill the secondary scoring void that left Edwards shouldering too much this postseason.
Minnesota does not need a full rebuild, it just needs one right move.
