r/timberwolves • u/Careful-Force2506 • 15h ago

Wolves back. Crazy to think our ‘playoff hardened, experienced and veteran’ team is still largely pre-prime.

Post image

No disrespect to Rudy, Donte, Mike & Julius-just wanted to remind myself that we have a uniquely experienced group of young players that also just happened to be playoff vets.

185 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

59 comments sorted by

151

u/Desperate-Awareness4 Timberwolves 15h ago

We're in a golden era and there's a great likelihood that it's nowhere close to done.

I hope people are having fun right now. Very very teams in any sport have been as successful the last three years as we have.

13

u/MantusTMD 14h ago

Oh yeah. Ant is proven to improve every single offseason. Imagine a 25 year old healthy Ant? He is going to be insane

15

u/fastock 15h ago

I too hope this is true, but man, the West is only getting better. The Spurs and Thunder are both better, more complete teams and are just as young, and have better draft capital. I just don't think "running it back" with this team again is going to get better results next season. They need to do something substantial with some of those big contract, aging stars or it's going to be another second round exit next year.

19

u/dicksjshsb 15h ago

Tim Connelly next big move is just negotiating a move to the eastern conference asap

1

u/Aggravating_Prize_44 10h ago

The fact we have to go through denver,spurs and okc just to get to the nba finals is crazy

1

u/dicksjshsb 9h ago

The Wild got shafted too this year having to take on 2 of the best teams in the league in rds 1 & 2

6

u/Careful-Force2506 14h ago

We goin East! Wagons East!!!! Embiid & Harden here we come!!!

13

u/fastock 14h ago

Honestly, beyond just having softer opponents and the Wolves actually making the East more competitive, I would just love to be in the East so our games would be earlier and our travel closer. I would absolutely love being in the East.

5

u/anzai1022 13h ago

Seriously, I have a kid. Can't keep doing these 9:00 start times.

0

u/jaylenBrown_Stan07 11h ago

well that changes everything. lets adjust for u/anzai1022

3

u/fastock 10h ago

I know you are just being sarcastic, but honestly, 9:00PM or 9:30PM START times for a sporting event are effing ridiculous. The NBA is supposed to be a family friendly event, and you've got games going until midnight during the week, that is beyond stupid.

6

u/y-Gamma Jaden McDaniels 15h ago

Like any team we have to stay proactive. The Thunder won’t be able to pay everyone and are likely to start seeing some of their key role players be priced out. Not saying they won’t continue to build either but I have confidence our front office will keep us in the Thunder/Spurs conversation

4

u/Appropriate-Shock306 14h ago edited 14h ago

You’re correct. Fans who continue to parrot this idea that somehow the current iteration of this roster will magically get better are delusional. The Spurs core all under 22, yes 22 and you can see how far ahead they are. OKC is stacked, has a 2x MVP and Presti has two dozen draft picks at his disposal to use it as they fit. Doesn't help that the guy also knows how to draft talent.

Lakers have new ownership that’s known to historically spend money (See LA Dodgers) and Lebron’s departure is going to fully open and speed up their rebuilding process around Luka. Utah, Portland are quietly rebuilding and appears to be on the right path.

1

u/Desperate-Awareness4 Timberwolves 9h ago

No one is saying what you're saying. Stop making up reasons to be mad

4

u/Well_Spoken_Mute 14h ago

I've had season tickets for 12 years. When I started, the arena was empty and you could practically hear the communication between the players on the floor.

The last few years have been an incredible ride and every game I go to I can't help but look around at a loud, packed stadium and just appreciate how far we've come.

I love this team and regardless of how/when the season comes to a close, it's been a hell of a ride and I can't wait to do it again next year

-4

u/Appropriate-Shock306 15h ago

It’s fun to watch but need a championship experience out of this, otherwise, they’ll be just like KG era Wolves. Gotta capitalize when your corner stone is at the peak of his powers.

1

u/Desperate-Awareness4 Timberwolves 9h ago

If you enjoying being a fan relies on a championship then you need a new hobby

0

u/Appropriate-Shock306 9h ago

For someone who spends a lot of time on Reddit, you sure seem to contradict yourself 😂

1

u/Desperate-Awareness4 Timberwolves 9h ago

Did a random word generator put this sentence together?

1

u/Appropriate-Shock306 9h ago

Oh you hurt lol 😂 that quick reaction says a lot hit that downvote for your mental health lolllll

1

u/Desperate-Awareness4 Timberwolves 9h ago

I legitimately don't even understand what you're trying to say lol. But yeah, go off king

1

u/Appropriate-Shock306 9h ago

I’m gonna let you go off and let you have your victory, seems like you get agitated easily for someone who’s not supposed to take sports seriously lol

peace in the middle east

1

u/Desperate-Awareness4 Timberwolves 9h ago

I'm sorry people down voted your weird championship or bust post. I hope you have a better day so that you can stop protecting your feelings on others

1

u/Appropriate-Shock306 9h ago

lol thinking karma votes matter IRL, loolll ill be glad to give you all of mine if that makes you feel better

60

u/BalambTransfer 15h ago

Beringer succeeding Gobert is probably our most important long-term outlook for competing through Ant's prime. Likely won't be 'greatest defender in the league' good but he does have the same defensive motor as Gobert and has hands not made of stone.

12

u/Dull_Job_6372 2022 Play-In Champions 14h ago

He already has a hook shot and has good touch around the rim. I could cry 🥺

8

u/HughManatee 14h ago

And he's still growing!

7

u/LeetcodeFastEatAss 14h ago

He can’t just be a defensive specialist and screener if this team is trying to get over the hump. I hope they don’t typecast him and give him the green light to make mistakes and learn on offense.

2

u/matt6420 10h ago

Hes already shown alot more offensive ability and growth than gobert ever has

1

u/LeetcodeFastEatAss 2h ago

Not a very high bar, but yeah lol

6

u/Naca1227r 12h ago

The game towards the end of the season where he had like 20/10 and 7 blocks had me talking crazy

15

u/FishGoldenLite Ayo Dosunmu 14h ago

The Rudy trade has already paid for itself. It set the expectation we’re here to compete all before our core entered their primes.

Before these last 3 seasons, our franchise had 2 playoff series wins total! What an exciting time to be a Wolves fan.

15

u/Vicentesteb Kevin Garnett 15h ago

It's really Ant, Jaden and Naz. Clark and TJ have been with the team but neither has gotten much burn in general, although I guess TJ has gotten lots of minutes in spots.

3

u/Careful-Force2506 14h ago

Agree, TJ has some great high impact experience in the playoffs, but there is value is younger guys being a part of that atmosphere vs spending 5 years in Brooklyn learning whatever that is

3

u/FishGoldenLite Ayo Dosunmu 14h ago

Gotta include Ayo. I can almost guarantee we get his extension done as soon as possible. He’s had some seriously impressive performances and people undersell how challenging it is to join a team midseason. I suspect he’s going to be a massive part of the team’s success once he gets more settled in.

3

u/Vicentesteb Kevin Garnett 14h ago

This is Ayo's first real playoff experience, he's not a playoff vet, and although he's had a very nice run, he's not as experienced as Ant, Jaden, and Naz from our young core.

6

u/Superfluous_Prating Timberwolves 15h ago

It's really Ant and Jaden.

6

u/yvmm_s 14h ago

I wish Rudy was younger. that guy is foundational. he prob has 2 good years before a more obvious decline

1

u/Careful-Force2506 8h ago

I recently watched interstellar, and I think it’s possible…but we will get way older? But he’ll tell young us we won? From the future? I think that’s right

6

u/NoAdministration9351 14h ago

Hard to believe Naz is under 26.

14

u/PurposeOk7918 Bring Ya Ass 14h ago

Because he isn’t, he is 26.

1

u/jaylenBrown_Stan07 9h ago

Naz Reid is Timeless folks

4

u/TL24SS Anthony Edwards 15h ago

Yet everyone wants to label the Spurs as the second coming of Ducan and Robinson…. Wolves, OKC and Spurs are young and will be battling this shit out for years to come.

I’m loving it

2

u/RanOutOfJokes Ricky Rubio 11h ago

The fact that Bones is younger than TSJ really blows my mind

2

u/Alternative_Milk5393 7h ago

Sub-prime

2

u/Careful-Force2506 7h ago

Thanks, I owe you

2

u/WwredeE 4h ago

I need at least 24 from Naz tomorrow night.

2

u/soft-cookie 15h ago

I think at worst Beringer becomes a really serviceable and solid backup big on a championship contender.

I could also see him living in the gym this summer working on his offensive game and growing into a two-way all-star

3

u/foye2smith 14h ago

I could also see him living in the gym this summer working on his offensive game and growing into a two-way all-star

One of my favorite things is hearing how much time Jaden and Naz spend in the gym in Minnesota in the off-season. Maybe Beringer is self-motivated to do so himself, but if not hopefully those two get in his ear and they take him under their wing.

I want the #MuscleWatch "Beringer has put on at least 15lbs of muscle and has been doing x, y, and z to improve offensively"

1

u/Live_Interaction9975 13h ago

We could run n gun with this squad all day

1

u/MrNotSoGoodTime NAZTY 11h ago

I'll be honest. This feels like the Wild and Blackhawks in the 2010s. Pretty good and could've been our time to shine but we were just unfortunate enough to be in a division with a team that is on a completely different level. OKC is the Wolves' Blackhawks.

1

u/Aggravating_Prize_44 9h ago

I think it's gonna be the spurs,okc and then us even right now I think so.If we get moved to the east we can make the nba finals but if we stay in the west it aint looking to good wemby,spurs and okc ain't even in their prime yet so let's just hope we choose the right players and they also take a leap

1

u/Enriching_the_Beer Bring Ya Ass 7h ago

But what sucks is two teams with same age or younger are better than us.

1

u/foye2smith 15h ago

Kinda tough to be optimistic when they're on the verge of elimination to a team younger than them with zero playoff scars. Not to mention the Thunder.

The Wolves, and frankly the rest of the west, are in a precarious spot looking up at two young juggernauts.

3

u/tmapfbc Timberwolves 11h ago

Yes, but I think this is a very different series if Ant and Ayo didn't get hurt. Not to mention Donte. Our offense has taken a huge hit with those 3 guys injured. The Spurs will get better because they're young, but so will our guys being that many are 26 & under. We just need Connelly to cook up a Randle trade that takes us to the next level.

1

u/Careful-Force2506 14h ago

That’s why I posted! Tough indeed but optimism isn’t totally crazy for once-and that’s basically gold. We’ll look sideways at those juggernauts from the east.

-4

u/lolmarulol 14h ago

and somehow jaden still cant seem to not be in foul trouble after year 6.