The tough guy averaged 22 points per game in the playoffs and is leaving the team? The Wolves future is a bit in lingering

Timberwolves management left Reed for $125 million in five years, which at first glance was good news. Reed averaged nearly 15 points per game, not only a space-type inside line, but also has outstanding performance on the defensive end. He is a rare 3D player. As one of the sixth best players in the league, he can start on more than half of the teams and finally chooses to stay in Minnesota, with an average salary of only $25 million, which is a contract renewal with a high price and high cost performance. However, although Reed stayed at the team with a salary lower than the market price, it was still 10 million higher than the $15 million last season. The Timberwolves are not far from triggering the second luxury tax line. After Reed renews his contract, they will actually face many headaches.

First of all, how to solve Randall's problem? Randall is now considering whether to implement the player option. If it is executed, he will get $30.94 million in the new season, so the Wolves are still some distance away from Ershe. But is Randle willing to only get 30 million? This year's playoffs, he averaged 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, with a very comprehensive performance, with a shooting percentage of more than 50%, a three-point shooting percentage of 39%, and a free throw shooting percentage of 88%. He was the hero of the Wolves' gentleman swept the Lakers in the first round and the gentleman swept the Warriors in the second round. Randall's market price is at least 40 million, and he is not as old as Reed, who is about the same age as Edwards and McDaniels, and has grown up in Minnesota, and has not had that strong feelings for the Timberwolves. Randall is expected to not implement the option and go to the free market to seek a larger contract, and the Timberwolves are basically unable to match.

Secondly, how to solve the problem of number one? The Wolves's current No. 1 position is still Conley, and he still has one year of contract. But Old Conley is obviously no longer suitable to serve as the starting point guard of the playoff team. In this year's playoffs, he averaged only 6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game. His shooting percentage was a terrible 30%, and his defensive end was also frequently targeted. Conley wants to realize his dream of winning in Minnesota, but what he can provide as the starting No. 1 position is becoming more and more limited. Substitute Alexander Walker is very good and can provide three-point firepower and defensive strength, but his contract has expired. He can get at least a middle-class contract with an annual salary of 10 million yuan, which the Wolves can't afford. Conley is getting older and Walker is basically leaving, and the Wolves' point guard position is becoming more and more difficult.

What should the Wolves do when facing the fact that Randall, Walker, and the fact that the number one position is getting weaker and weaker? When the transaction is limited by salary space, the only hope they can place is Edwards. Edwards exposed many problems this year's playoffs, such as cracking intensive defense and controlling the team's playing rhythm, which is a poor rank among star players. He can't lead his teammates to score better like Alexander, and it still needs to be improved. Once you are strictly guarded and defended, once your offensive route is suppressed and targeted, the Timberwolves' overall offense will be paralyzed.

It is also because of this that Edwards has a lot of room for improvement in the off-season. His personal offensive firepower is unquestionable and his defensive aggressiveness is also very good, but he needs to improve his concentration. As long as Edwards better polishes his operation and control technology, and more calmly deals with the situation of double-teaming and improves his connection ability, the overall appearance of the Timberwolves will be changed. Edwards is only 23 years old, so we are still willing to believe in his room for improvement. After all, when Alexander was 23 years old, he had not yet led the Thunder to the playoffs, and Edwards had already entered the Western Conference Finals twice.