The Timberwolves have made some of the biggest moves of the NBA offseason, but their roster still has holes to fill before next season tips off.
The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in six games in the second round.
That exit made it clear the roster needed changes if the team wanted to take the next step, and Tim Connelly and the front office moved fast.
Minnesota traded Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team deal to clear salary.
Days later, the Wolves sent Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for LaMelo Ball and Josh Green in one of the biggest trades of the summer.
The Wolves also re-signed Ayo Dosunmu to a five-year, $112 million deal, brought back Jaylen Clark on a three-year, $10 million contract, and agreed to bring back Bones Hyland.
Minnesota signed veteran forward Trey Lyles to a one-year minimum deal after he spent last season with Real Madrid in Spain, where he shot over 42 percent from three across 61 EuroLeague games.
The Wolves also grabbed Isaiah Evans out of Duke with the No. 33 pick in the draft.
Who Left Town
Mike Conley headed to Boston for his 20th NBA season.
Kyle Anderson signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, and the team declined Julian Phillips' team option.
The biggest loss outside of the trades might be Donte DiVincenzo, who ruptured his Achilles in the first round against Denver and is expected to miss most or all of next season.
Where the Roster Stands Now
The projected starting lineup has Ball and Hyland at point guard, Dosunmu and Evans at shooting guard, Edwards and Terrence Shannon Jr. at small forward with Jaylen Clark as another option on the wing, Jaden McDaniels and Trey Lyles at power forward with Josh Green also in the mix, and Rudy Gobert at center with Rocco Zikarsky behind him.
Whether that depth chart can contend is a question right now, but adding more star power is what the front office is apparently going for this summer.
Can They Contend?
The backcourt looks as good as it has ever been in Minnesota.
Anthony Edwards averaged a career-best 28.8 points per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field last season, and Ball put up 20.1 points and 7.1 assists per game in 72 games for Charlotte.
Those two together give the Wolves a real one-two punch that this team has never had.
The frontcourt is a different story, though.
Gobert averaged 10.9 points and 11.5 rebounds last season, but behind him there is still no starting-caliber power forward.
Lyles brings floor spacing and veteran experience, but he was a bench player across his last several NBA stops before heading overseas, and McDaniels is a natural wing who will likely slide to the four.
The Wolves were linked to John Collins, Kenrich Williams, and Tobias Harris earlier in free agency, but all three signed elsewhere.
With two open roster spots and limited money to spend, the Wolves still need another frontcourt piece if they want to be a real contender in the West.
