Dane Moore hops on Two Words: Wolves Pod to discuss media day and the start of training camp for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
— No drama heading into media day and training camp. The team seems to know who they are and what they are looking to accomplish this season.
— Anthony Edwards seems much more settled into his role as the clear leader of the team. Before the trade of Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, KAT was the leader in the locker room. In his absence, Ant had to fill that void, and
he seems much more comfortable with that now compared to twelve months ago.
— Last season, Julius Randle had an up-and-down first season in a Timberwolves uniform. The timing of the trade from New York, just a few days before training camp, was cause for a slow start to the season. With a new long-term contract in place, an All-Star season may be possible for Randle.
— The varieties of outcomes for what Rob Dillingham’s season could look like are vast. He could absolutely flourish after a rookie season of not playing often, or it could be another year of struggling to break into the rotation.
— Rudy Gobert struggled at times during the playoffs, but that was in part due to the opponents, as the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors were not playing a traditional center. One matchup where Gobert will be especially valuable is against Nikola Jokić and the new-look Denver Nuggets.
— Chris Finch has said he wants the rotation this season to include a total of ten players when everyone is healthy. While that sounds great with Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr, and Jaylen Clark poised to play more than last year, it’s hard to see where all the minutes will come from to make ten players happen.
— Joan Beringer has stood out during Summer League and all during the offseason, but this season is more likely to be focused on his development than getting him minutes on the court.
