James Harden injury update: Rockets star expected to return Thursday vs. Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be one of the most expensive teams in the NBA this season. With Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards on maximum contracts, Rudy Gobert on a near-max deal and Jaden McDaniels starting a five-year extension, Minnesota is in uncharted territory with team salary and the luxury tax.

Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said that makes developing the team’s young players that much more important. Rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. are going to have to be factors for the Wolves, according to Connelly.

“We don’t want to put too much on any young guy’s shoulders, but we’re gonna put a lot on their shoulders. Obviously, they’re going to have to prove they’ve earned those minutes. But where we are, we’ve become a pretty expensive team, so we’re going to have to find some spots for these young guys,” Connelly said. “We know it’s not always going to be pretty, but most importantly they buy into [Wolves head coach Chris Finch] … We’re not expecting perfection, we’re just expecting a commitment to do things the way we do them.”

Minnesota traded into the lottery to draft Dillingham with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Shannon was selected with the 27th pick of the first round.

Dillingham is projected as the Wolves point guard of the future and will see minutes as Mike Conley’s backup this season. Shannon should add wing depth behind Edwards and McDaniels.