MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves forced their way into the national spotlight last year thanks to a superstar turn from Anthony Edwards and a run to the Western Conference finals.
The NBA cognoscenti are taking note. CBS Sports released its list of the 100 best NBA players and six Wolves made the cut, with Edwards rocketing his way into the top 10.
The ageless Mike Conley ranked 85th on the list. The veteran point guard is indispensable to the Wolves’ offense and provides a steady presence on a team mostly rostered by young players. CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbish said Conley “should once again be a key piece on a Minnesota team primed to make another deep run in the postseason.”
Next up at No. 75 is fan favorite Naz Reid, whose name has become a catch-all cheer for Wolves fans. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is “one of the league’s best role players,” CBS Sports’ James Herbert said. While he could start on many teams, Reid signed a deal to stick around in Minnesota as part of one of the league’s best young cores.
Jaden McDaniels, the 62nd-ranked player, is among the league’s best defenders. Along with Rudy Gobert (stay tuned for his ranking), McDaniels is a huge reason the Wolves ranked first in defensive rating and first in opponent points per game last season. CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin noted his impressive offensive performance in the postseason, too.
Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns landed back-to-back at 39 and 38, respectively. Gobert was praised for his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award and his pairing with Towns. Interestingly, Sam Quinn’s writeup for Towns focuses more on what Towns needs to do to get better than why he’s ranked as highly as he is.
“He was invisible for large stretches of the Western Conference finals when Minnesota badly needed offense,” Quinn wrote. “Towns doesn’t have to be the all-encompassing offensive force he was earlier in his career, but he has to be able to find buckets when the Timberwolves need them most.”
Unsurprisingly, Edwards is the highest-ranked Wolf on the list, coming in at No. 10.
“He averaged career-highs across the board last season, made his first All-NBA appearance and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals, upsetting the defending champion Nuggets en route,” Jack Maloney wrote.
The Wolves are one of four teams with six players on the list — the others are the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic topped the list.
The Wolves start the 2024 season on Oct. 22 in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
