This year, the “Let’s go Wolves” chant really meant something
A “Let’s go Wolves” chant serenaded Target Center as the final buzzer of the best Timberwolves’ season in the last 20 years rang out. On Thursday night, the Wolves lost Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to the Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led Dallas Mavericks, eliminating the Wolves from the playoffs. Though the swan song to a fairytale season didn’t end on a high note, a 21-point loss in Game 5 shouldn’t loom over the memory of what had been an otherwise great year for the long overdue Wolves.
This 2023-24 Timberwolves team reignited Wolves pride in the Twin Cities; fans can be seen walking around, sporting their old-school Stephon Marbury or Isaiah Rider jerseys that built up dust from years spent tucked away in a closet. The same fans who chanted “Let’s go Wolves” after a blowout that looked better on the box score than it did in real-time, are the same fans who sat through the many sub-20 win Wolves teams; this 56-win year paired with a series win over both Phoenix and Denver was for those long-time dedicated patrons. And while this year’s run is over, it certainly doesn’t mean that the championship window for the Wolves has closed. The future is bright for the Ant & Co. Timberwolves.
This 2023-24 team broke franchise records and racked up awards: Rudy Gobert won Defensive Player of the Year, fan-favorite and beach towel phenomenon Naz Reid won Sixth Man of the Year, Jaden McDaniels earned his first All-Defensive team selection, and Anthony Edwards received the honor of his first All-NBA team selection. Seven of the eight core rotation players are on contract for next season, so barring any blockbuster trades, next year’s roster will look largely similar.
Some fans have thrown out the concept of trading Karl-Anthony Towns after what had been a disappointing series for the 7-footer on a supermax contract, but trading the team’s second in command on the offensive end would be a major splash after such a great year. If the Wolves were to trade Towns, it would be to free up cap space, as they are currently set to fall deep into the dreaded lottery tax. Nonetheless, trading the soon-to-be 10 year veteran and former number one overall pick would be a shocker.
The Western Conference will continue to improve as Victor Wembanyama takes an inevitable leap and Ja Morant returns to a healthy Grizzlies, and that is just on top of the already stacked teams in the West — such as the Mavericks, Nuggets and Thunder. But despite the
competition, the Timberwolves will likely remain in the forefront of the conference for years to come with Anthony Edwards at the helm.
While the crushing defeat to the Mavericks was an anticlimactic way to close the year, this season was a resounding success, and hopefully, just the beginning of a decade of winning.