On paper, the Minnesota Timberwolves are a team that should be competing for a championship this season.
With Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, and Rudy Gobert, they have all the talent they need to make a serious run in the West this season — and they expect nothing less.
But after a 4-4 start, and some concerning play on both ends of the floor, it’s pretty clear that the Timberwolves have a number of kinks to work out before they reach their triue poitential.
Meanwhile, off the court, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have given the impression that it has been difficult to play together. When speaking about why he has zero dunks this season, Ant provided a very interesting answer that only increased the volume of the alarm bells in Minneosta.
“Everybody is in the paint,” Edwards said. “I’m only 6’4, 6’5, I can’t just jump over everybody, man. I ain’t as tall as Giannis. Everybody be asking me to dunk the ball like it’s all peaches and cream. I’ve got to get a good lane to dunk the ball.”
It’s a fair take from Edwards, who is averaging 23 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4 assists per game on 44.9% shooting. But not everybody loves the way Ant has handled himself in this campaign.
ESPN Analyst Says The Timberwolves Lack Discipline And Accountability Amid 4-4 Start
In a segment on NBA Today, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins called out Edwards for his post-game press conference and called out the Timberwolves as a team for their lack of veteran leadership.
“There is something bigger here. I don’t just want to start making up narratives, but just hearing these two young fellas speak at the post-game, and speak about each other, and speak about the system, and keep making excuses. No accountability whatsoever. This is why vets matter in the locker room,” Perkins said. “This is why a guy like Patrick Beverley was so valuable to the Timberwolves so that he can police this whole situation… You need a guy that’s gonna be a voice.”
https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1587891026290786304
Needless to say, Perkins isn’t sold on the young and talented Timberwolves just yet, and he isn’t the only one. All across the league, analysts and experts have been questioning if Minnesota is ready to make the leap this season.
So far, they just haven’t looked like it. Gobert has been a clumsy fit, Towns has taken a step back, and Edwards is still far too young and inexperienced to lead this team on his own.
But perhaps with a few changes and a tweak in culture, the Wolves can finally become the team we were all hoping to see to start the season. Until then, the doubters and naysayers will continue to have their way.
