The Minnesota Timberwolves saw their 2025-26 season end in the Western Conference Semifinals, as the San Antonio Spurs knocked them out in six games. That defeat ended the Timberwolves’ streak of consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances at two, and The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski shared on The Jon Krawczynski Show that major roster changes are expected this summer.
“I do think there’s going to be some sort of fairly significant roster change so that the starting lineup on opening night next season is not going to be the same starting lineup that finished this season,” Krawczynski said.
Krawczynski expects trade talks to intensify after the NBA Finals, as we get closer to the NBA Draft, which will be held on June 23 and June 24. As for who the Timberwolves could chase after, a new name emerged in Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard.
“I do think that Giannis [Antetokounmpo] is a really hard one to pull off,” Krawczynski said. “I think Kyrie Irving is a more realistic possibility. You are hearing some other names start to just get kind of thrown around the rumor mill. You’re hearing Kawhi Leonard. You’re hearing maybe a little bit of Jalen Suggs, a few other names.”
Leonard has been linked to a host of teams as he will soon enter the final year of his three-year, $149 million deal. The Aspiration scandal still hangs over 34-year-old, too, and with the Clippers getting younger by shipping out the likes of James Harden and Ivica Zubac, he is a prime trade candidate.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2025-26. The seven-time All-Star finished seventh in MVP voting and also made the All-NBA Second Team.
It was one of the best seasons of Leonard’s career, and it’s not a surprise that more teams are being linked to him. He would certainly make life easier on the court for Anthony Edwards.
Edwards was excellent yet again for the Timberwolves in 2025-26, as he averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. He was unfortunately playing through a knee injury in that series against the Spurs, and no one else on the team really stepped up offensively during that time. It was clear that some change was needed.
Krawczynski pointed to Kyrie Irving as a realistic possibility, and Edwards reportedly has been privately advocating for the team to go after Dallas Mavericks guard. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has also openly spoken about them needing another ball handler and playmaker.
Orlando Magic’s Jalen Suggs is another guard whose name was brought up here. Suggs put up 13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Magic in 2025-26. He is more of a defensive-oriented guard, though, and won’t really provide a significant boost on the offensive end.
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo certainly would, and the Timberwolves have been linked to him. Krawczynski believes Antetokounmpo would prove to be too difficult to land, though. Unless the two-time MVP declares an intention to only go to one or two teams, a bidding war will break out. The Timberwolves might have to give up too much to beat out other teams in this race.
So, we can expect the Timberwolves to be aggressive, but likely not be in the mix for the biggest name potentially on the trade market in Antetokounmpo.
