The Western Conference Final Loss is not the end: Timberwolves Growth-type Season Revelation

When the Minnesota Timberwolves season ended in the away locker room in Oklahoma City, the players dragged in tired steps, the air full of sweat and loss. Boss Mark Lore and Alex Rodriguez came in to say hello, while Glen Taylor watched his last game of thirty years as the team owner at home. Lore said on social media that this is a "new chapter of continuous success" but the atmosphere in the locker room has not yet recovered from the disappointment of losing 1-4 to the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

For the Timberwolves, this disappointment is different from before. At this time, they had hoped that the lottery draw would be a good draw, waiting for the draft to bring a savior. Until five years ago, after Anthony Edwards came, their disappointment turned into a desire for a championship - they were so close to the championship in the past two years, but now they can only stop in the Western Conference Finals.

This season is like a roller coaster ride. Two days before the training camp, the team suddenly traded Carl Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle and Donovan Mitchell. It was very difficult to get in at the beginning. In November, Gobert deliberately violated the rules for three seconds because he didn't get the ball, but later they slowly found the rhythm. In the regular season, they finally finished the sixth in the West, and eliminated the Lakers and Warriors one after another, but they lost to the 68-win Thunder.

"This season is quite fulfilling," said coach Chris Finch. "Although sometimes it's difficult, we can always find ways to get better, which is the most rare thing. "

The team is about to enter the offseason, and there are many problems before us. Randall, Reed and Alexander Walker may become free agents, and the team has limited cap space. More importantly, the NBA will vote to decide that Lore and Rodriguez will become the new bosses at the end of June, which will be the biggest change for the team in 30 years.

Glen Taylor bought the team in 1994 and chose Garnett, but after trading Garnett in 2007, the team struggled for a long time and failed to make the playoffs 16 times in 17 seasons. But now when he left, the team had entered the playoffs for four consecutive years and reached the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive years. The core team composed of Tim Connelly, Finch and Edwards has brought unprecedented stability to the team.

The new boss intends to increase investment in commercial operations, including planning a new stadium, and they have made it clear that they will keep the team in Minnesota. In basketball, the team's lineup is expected to remain stable. The transactions Connelly made before were criticized by many people at first, but later it turned out that these operations made the team a strong team in the Western Conference. Now everyone hopes to renew his contract with him. The Detroit Pistons have expressed interest in him before.

Finci is the coach who won the most playoff games in the team's history, and both Edwards and Randle support him. "Seven championships have been replaced in the past seven years," Finch said. "No one can tell what the future will be, but we have to continue working hard. "

Although the team paid more than 90 million yuan in luxury tax this year, the new boss is ready to continue to spend money to build the team around Edwards. But the salary cap limit is there, and they may need to adjust their salary structure next season. This summer, the team has to choose between Randall, Reed and Alexander Walker. Alexander Walker played very well this year and would definitely ask for a raise in the summer. He said: "I like Minnesota, and it gives me the opportunity to be the best self. I can't exclude Minnesota. "

Randall played well in the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs, but his performance in the Western Conference Finals was a bit ups and downs, but he liked playing here very much. As the sixth man at the best, Reed may want to get a starting chance, but if Randall and Gobert stay, he may have to continue playing as a substitute. "If you want to win, you have to make sacrifices." Reed said.

If any of these three people leave, Connelly also reserves a lot of young players, and rookies like Terence Shannon and Jaylen Clark are waiting for the opportunity. In addition, the team also needs a player who can break through with the ball, and may have to dig from the inside or introduce veterans. Although Conley is preparing to return, it may reduce playing time.

Recalling this season, the Timberwolves did have a long way from a sudden trade in Towns to the difficulty of running-in at the beginning of the season, and then to the Western Conference Finals. But the loss to the Thunder in the Western Conference Final also made them clearly see the gap - the Thunder is younger and has a deeper lineup. Now they have become competitors, and everyone has higher expectations for them. Finch said that the competition in the West will be more intense next season and they still have many problems that need to be solved.

"We want to go further," Finch said. "Now we need to lay a solid foundation and continue to learn. "This summer is destined to be calm for the Timberwolves.