NBA Insider: Minnesota Timberwolves are Serious Title Contenders in 2023-24
The Sacramento Kings seemingly came out of nowhere to take the NBA by storm last season, and one league insider believes the Minnesota Timberwolves could do the same in 2023-24. This new NBA season might only be a month old, but there have already been some very interesting developments.
The Philadelphia 76ers have the best record in the league and have shown that James Harden was only holding them back. The Boston Celtics offseason additions have fit in perfectly with their new team, and the Denver Nuggets are once again the creme of the Western Conference crop.
Related: Draymond Green Talked Trash to the Wrong Dude in Anthony Edwards
Those teams, however, are performing as expected. The most fascinating storylines are those organizations that have surprised the basketball world with how they’ve begun the 2023-24 NBA schedule. One of the most notable in that group is the Minnesota Timberwolves and their impressive 7-2 record this season.
ANOTHER DUB.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 13, 2023
Ant – 33 PTS / 6 REB / 7 AST / 2 STL
KAT – 21 PTS / 14 REB / 3 AST / 1 BLK / 2 STL
Jaden – 13 PTS / 1 ST
Rudy – 10 PTS / 10 REB / 3 AST / 5 BLK / 1 STL
Naz Reid. – 10 PTS / 6 REB / 2 AST
Nickeil – 10 PTS / 2 REB / 1 ST / 2 STL pic.twitter.com/SrPwMuIFXG
NBA insider: Minnesota Timberwolves are in one-year title chase window
The team has already scored big wins this season over the defending champion Denver Nuggets, the Boston Celtics, and most recently, the league’s current dynasty squad, the Golden State Warriors.
That is why NBC Sports NBA managing editor and NBA insider Kurt Helin believes the Wolves are a legitimate title contender — at least for this year.
“I’m not totally sold yet on Dallas, but Minnesota is for real,” Helin told Sportsnaut. “Also, I feel like there’s a pressure on Minnesota. Next year, they are just boxed in financially. Edwards and Towns got max contract extensions kicking in. This feels like this is a one-year big swing and then they’re going to have to make some moves.”
The Minnesota Timberwolves have the No. 1 defense in the NBA entering the week as they give up just 103.1 points per game. However, there have been rumblings that Karl-Anthony Towns will be on the trade block this offseason, no matter how many games the team wins.
His max extension kicks in next year, which will bring KAT’s yearly cost from $36 million to $50 million, a price the Wolves cannot afford if they want to stay under the 2nd tier luxury tax, which they do.
With Rudy Gobert already under contract, Anthony Edwards’ new max deal also set to hit the books, and the extensions over the summer for Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniel, Minnesota will need to unload someone before the start of next season.
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