Timberwolves playoffs: From contracts to reputation, what’s at stake

Everyone does well when everyone does well True in life true in gang sports While the NBA is littered with players pursuing their own individual dreams and goals so often the path to everything everyone wants is simple win It s no different for the Timberwolves who have as they ve reiterated all season eight starter-caliber players in their primary rotation Those eight were set to open Minnesota s first-round series Saturday night in Los Angeles with the goal of advancing the Timberwolves deep into the postseason for a second straight season There are certainly individual benefits of doing so as well Here s a look at what s on the line this postseason for each of Minnesota s top eight Anthony Edwards Already an ascending superstar who has comfortably earned top- participant status Becoming one of the battle s elite -point shooting threats has only raised what already appeared to be a sky-high ceiling But if Edwards wants to break into the top-five range and start becoming a serious year-over-year MVP candidate and join Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Nikola Jokic Giannis Antetokounmpo Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum in discussions about the truly elite players in in current times s challenge he ll need to prove he can win at the highest levels by playing and thinking the championship An early exit this season will undoubtedly lead to offseason conversations about moves he requirements to take to be the member he already believes he is Julius Randle Randle would like to alter his current perception as a non-playoff athlete He enters this year s postseason shooting from the field and from -point range with more turnovers than assists in playoff competition If he performs well in these playoffs and helps Minnesota advance because of it it would set up Randle for an fascinating decision this summer He s as of now staring at a million athlete option for next season but if he helps key a deep playoff run he could set himself up for another big long-term payday by opting out of the final year of his contract and testing the region Rudy Gobert The national consensus seems to be that Gobert isn t a playoff athlete because all anecdotal memories of past postseason trips feature jump shots being made over the four-time Defensive Contestant of the Year s outstretched arms In TheRinger Com s majority of current top contestant rankings the center came in at No There s no shame in that but it likely isn t reflective of his value when Gobert is playing as he has over the final quarter of the season If Gobert can help Minnesota make another deep playoff push with his interior defensive dominance and control of the glass it would be another step toward him receiving the national respect he deserves Jaden McDaniels There isn t as much at stake individually for the year old who s already recognized as one of the championship s premier perimeter defenders But a postseason in which he absolutely solves the Doncic riddle could put him at top of mind in his pursuit of a future Defensive Member of the Year award honor Mike Conley As pure as it gets At this point in his NBA career the floor general is still in hot pursuit of that elusive NBA title Sure strong individual play could quell any concerns about the -year-old guard s ability to contend with bigger physical players as he ages But Conley would likely take any road to a mid-June date with the Larry O Brien Trophy Nickeil Alexander-Walker A two-way wing with an increasingly reliable -point shot Alexander-Walker should be highly sought after in this year s free-agent sphere This will be the first big-money contract of the wing s career and the better he plays on the ultimate proving ground the more money he figures to make Plus Alexander-Walker likely wants to remove the bad taste in his mouth after last year s disappointing Western Conference Finals performance Naz Reid Reid is a surefire bet to opt out of his million player option for next season sending the shooting big into free agency Re-signing Reid who has gained fans around the league thanks to his diverse offensive skill set has long been considered a top priority for Minnesota But the forward would do well to put together a strong playoff run It can only increase his competitive arena Donte DiVincenzo The wing is cemented in Minnesota s long-term picture with a team-friendly contract that extends through the next two seasons He s a big piece of what the Wolves hope to do in the future and he proved with his impressive playoff performances with the New York Knicks last spring that he s capable of contending on this stage Little figures to change with these playoff results but perhaps a strong performance could make a circumstance that the sharpshooter should open next season in Minnesota s starting five Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle posts up against Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton during the first quarter of an NBA basketball challenge Thursday Jan in Salt Lake City AP Photo Rob Gray Related Articles things the Timberwolves must do to upset the Lakers plus a prediction Can Anthony Edwards out-think the Lakers Timberwolves playoff hopes depend on it Will Timberwolves Rudy Gobert struggle against Lakers small-ball lineup Julius Randle struck offensive balance in Minnesota Will that be better playoff formula Schedule set for Timberwolves-Lakers first-round series