The options are plentiful for Minnesota.
The Minnesota Timberwolves pushed all the way to the Western Conference Semifinals before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in six games.
The playoff run felt like progress, but it left behind the same question Minnesota has been sitting with for years now.
How does this team take the next step?
The Backcourt Gap Is Real
The Timberwolves need backcourt help in the worst way.
Mike Conley plans to return next season, but he will be 39 by the time the 2026-27 campaign tips off, and that is not a long-term answer at the point.
Ayo Dosunmu, who gave Minnesota some of its biggest postseason moments this spring, is heading into free agency along with Bones Hyland.
Donte DiVincenzo suffered a torn Achilles during the first round against Denver and is out indefinitely.
That leaves a real hole behind Anthony Edwards, who averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 61 regular-season games this year.
Edwards had a career-best shooting season with a 48.9 percent clip from the field and 39.9 percent from three, but he cannot carry the backcourt by himself and also maintain that level of play through a deep postseason.
Minnesota holds the No. 28 pick in this year's draft via Detroit, and while that slot does not jump off the page, the Timberwolves have a history of finding rotation players late.
Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Terrence Shannon Jr. were all picked outside the lottery, and each one became a real contributor for a team that went 49-33 and proved it belongs among the West's best.
Who Fits at No. 28
Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas is one of the names most often connected to Minnesota at this spot.
The 6-foot-5 freshman averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 41.6 percent from three and earning SEC All-Freshman honors.
He has the size to defend multiple positions and can score both on and off the ball, which would give Minnesota a weapon it desperately needs alongside Edwards and Julius Randle.
Stanford's Ebuka Okorie is another option.
The 6-foot-2 guard put up 23.2 points per game and broke the ACC's freshman scoring record, though his size at the next level remains a question.
His ability to create shots in isolation off the bench could fill a specific gap that hurt the Timberwolves against San Antonio.
Trade It or Use It
There is also the possibility that Tim Connelly packages the 28th pick in a deal for more immediate help.
The Timberwolves showed during the playoffs that the core of this roster can compete, and pairing a first-round pick with a salary could open up conversations with teams looking to rebuild.
Edwards is entering his prime, and with Randle and Gobert both getting older, Minnesota does not have the luxury of developing a project.
Whether the pick turns into a rookie like Thomas or becomes part of a bigger move, they need somebody who helps them get past the second round.
