Saving money and laying off employees for two consecutive years, but succeeding for two consecutive years! Is the Timberwolves underestimated?

Entering October, this means that the new season of the NBA officially kicked off. Compared with previous years, the competitive situation in the Western Conference is becoming more and more intense. Based on the fact that James and Curry are both one year older, the competitiveness of the Lakers and the Warriors is relatively limited in the new season. The Lakers lineup has natural shortcomings, and the defensive lower limit is too low, which cannot be changed by just one Smart; the Warriors lineup is old and short, and the core is also full of injury risks, which greatly reduces its durability. After the Thunder won the championship last season, it became the anchor target of many teams. The Clippers + Nuggets + Rockets have completed lineup improvement work during the offseason, especially the Rockets, which is equivalent to winning Durant for nothing, and the team's ceiling has expanded a lot. But there is another team that seems to be forgotten by everyone.

When the US media divides Western Conference teams in the new season, in addition to the Thunder and Nuggets, the Timberwolves are also in the same range as the Rockets and Clippers. Last season, the Timberwolves lost 49 wins and 33 losses in the regular season, barely getting a direct ticket to the playoffs, but in the playoffs, they became the "Legend Terminator". The gentleman swept the Lakers 4-1 in the first round, and the Lakers were knocked out of the fig leaf. There were no huge shortcomings in the inside, including the reality that James was repeatedly targeted on the defensive end, and the Timberwolves did not encounter any resistance. In the second round of the Warriors, the Timberwolves lost one first, but when Curry fell, the Timberwolves showed no mercy to face Butler, and won four games in a row and swept the gentleman again, reaching the Western Conference Final for two consecutive seasons. Although in the Western Conference Finals, they were unable to fight back against the Thunder.

But why did the Timberwolves reach the end of the West for two consecutive years? In the summer of 24, Edwards and Towns led the team, swept the Suns in the first round, and led the Nuggets 2-0 in the second round and were tied for three consecutive games, but both G6 and G7 Timberwolves won, but they did exhaust their energy in the Western Conference Finals and lost to the Mavericks. At this time last year, the Timberwolves management made an important decision to send Towns away! In exchange for Randall and Divincenzo, there was no loss in this deal. The Knicks and the Timberwolves both reached the division final last season. What’s important is that the Timberwolves saved nearly 40 million in luxury taxes and cleared Towns’ four-year, 224 million max contract. This summer, in order to save money, the Timberwolves was forced to let Alexander Walker go, and was snatched away by the Eagles for 62 million in four years. The Timberwolves couldn't afford it!

Their team's salary has always been on the verge of danger. If you force Walker, you will need to pay an extra luxury tax of nearly 70 million yuan, which you can't afford! But even so, Edwards (45.55 million) + Gobert (35 million) + Randle (30.86 million) + McDaniels (24.39 million) + Reed (21.55 million) + Divincenzo (11.99 million) + Conley (10.77 million) in the new season, the total salary of the 7-man team also reached 180 million, the team's total salary is 203 million, and there is also a luxury tax of 24.4 million. The main reason for the success of the Timberwolves in the past two seasons is the stable eight-man rotation system, from Towns to Randle, from Li Kaile to Divincenzo, all of which are both offensive and defensive, without obvious shortcomings.

But the team cap is constantly being raised because Edwards! He is only 24 years old now, but he has led the team to the playoffs for four consecutive years and entered the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive years, setting a team record in history! In his fifth season of his career, he has grown into a top 6 super giant in the league. Edwards has a footprint every year, averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists last season, and even made 320 three-pointers, the first in the league; averaged 4.1 three-pointers per game, the second in the league! If you insist on picking the bones in the eggs, it means that the playoffs are ups and downs, and there is a lack of effective ending methods at critical moments (no whistle). But Randall (100 million in 3 years) is much more cost-effective than Towns, averaging 21.7 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game in the playoffs, and his three-point shooting percentage is 38.5%.

has space projection, hard solve ability, and plays in the Warriors series, and chases Butler for many rounds. Beside him is a blue-collar Gobert, a superb reed with strong mobility on the bench, including McDaniels, who limits opponents' shooting percentage, and the role of the Timberwolves' core framework, each with distinct characteristics. Although management was forced to cut salaries for two consecutive years in order to save money, from Lee Kyle to Downs, including Alexander Walker, the strength of the Timberwolves core framework remains unchanged. Of course, there is no problem in the Timberwolves entering the playoffs in the new season. They even have the ability to guarantee the second round or even continue to compete in the Western Conference Finals, but they urgently need to find the eighth round player, and Conley needs to find a successor!

The opportunity is left to young Dillingham, Jaylen Clark, Shannon and others. Judging from the Timberwolves' great success in the past two years, it is not terrible to be underestimated and despised. Edwards is still young enough. Although he does not receive the whistle privileges enjoyed by his peers, growing up in adversity can raise the upper limit even more. At least from the paper lineup and experience in the past two years, the Timberwolves' new season should not be underestimated. It has the ability to compete with all the top-tier top champions in the league. It depends on when Edwards can grow into a top three super giant in the league!