Three Biggest Remaining Roster Needs for the Timberwolves

The Wolves still have one roster spot open, which begs the question, what do they need to address outside of the obvious PF position?

Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) warms up before the game against the Denver Nuggets during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Wolves still have some levers to pull in the 2026 offseason. As it currently stands, they have 17 players on roster with 14 players signed to NBA contracts and three on two-ways. This leaves one main roster spot available for the Wolves.

The possibilities are endless; they could lure one of the top remaining free agents to join the team. They could also take the less exciting route of stacking their roster for training camp and allowing a litany of players the opportunity to battle it out for the last spot.

Regardless, the spot will be filled, but without taking about specific positions, what are the Timberwolves' biggest needs in that final spot? 

1. Rebounding

Minnesota lost a large portion of its rebounding and size in the trades of Julius Randle and Naz Reid. The duo combined for 12.9 of the Wolves' 44.1 rebounds per game. The incoming LaMelo Ball and Josh Green combined for just 6.6 last season for the Hornets.

The remaining 6.3 rebounds have to come from somewhere. With the Wolves currently constructed to run out a team that doesn’t have a true power forward, the likely answer is that they will have to rely more on Rudy Gobert.

Gobert averaged 11.5 rebounds last season for the Wolves, which is just 0.2 less than his career average. That suggests that while Gobert has shown the ability to grab 14 plus rebounds a game in the past, the likelihood of him doing it in 2026-27 is not very high.

Second-year big Joan Beringer is expected to see an increase in minutes and in his 7.9 minutes per game last season did bring down 2.3 boards, so it may be likely that with more time he could approach the five rebound mark.

The other option would be to attempt to sign or trade for a player that can bring down rebounds. The Wolves do still have just over a veteran's minimum in salary space and could free up a roster spot easily by adjusting their two-way and rookie contracts.

With players like Jonathan Kuminga still unsigned, there is a possibility that the Wolves could shore up the position. However, at this time the need is glaring. 

2. Veteran voice

The group of veterans leaving the Wolves includes Randle, Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson and Joe Ingles. The foursome departing leaves Gobert and Trey Lyles as the only players in their thirties.

While having seasoned NBA players isn’t a requirement to win the championship, it certainly does appear to help. Just look at the Knicks last year, who had four. The Thunder and Celtics both only had two players in their thirties, but it does appear two 30-year-olds is cut off, as the last team to win a championship with just one player in their thirties was the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers. 

Still, adding some older talent to a team with the average age of just 25 years and 3 months old isn't a bad idea. While the Wolves' young core has seen their share of playoff battles and Gobert adds a lifetime's worth of experience for the team, it still might behoove them to sign another older player.

The list of seasoned veterans is shrinking quickly, though. Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook are the marquee names, but the likes of Garrett Temple, Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green are still out there. 

Regardless of if the Wolves decide to add a super-experienced veteran option to their team's depth, the roster is among the youngest in the league and will be banking on having enough playoff scars to jumpstart the under-26 core into another deep playoff run.

3. Shooting

Every team in the league can use more shooting and the Timberwolves are no different. With Donte DiVincenzo sidelined for at least half of the 2026-27 season, Minnesota should be in the market to at least attempt to replace some of his production. With Reid and Conley leaving, the Wolves lost two more knockdown three-point shooters that thrived in their roles last season. 

It’s not like the Wolves don’t have shooting, though. The Wolves did add Lyles and Green who are  known for their shooting ability and Ball will undoubtedly continue to be a great volume three-point shooter. Ayo Dosunmu and Jaden McDaniels both shot over 40.0% from three last season and Edwards is currently one of the best deep threats in the game. 

That all being said, the Wolves current center rotation includes Gobert and Beringer, neither of which have hit a three in their careers. The need for constant spacing around them with the new offense will be a must. Which means shooting will be at a premium every game. 

The Goldilocks window for the Wolves would be to get a good shooting, good rebounding, veteran with their last roster spot. However, this might be the most sought after player in the NBA.

With the pace and space era, finding size and production is near impossible with a veteran minimum level contract. It’s not inconceivable, though, whether it’s a training camp invite that pops, or a last second signing, the Wolves do have the opportunity to add a valuable piece to the roster before the summer ends.