Do the Timberwolves have enough offensive weapons to contend in 2024-25?

The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to improve on a very successful 2023-24 season in which they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.

To improve this season, the Timberwolves will of course rely on its defensive play but will also need its roster depth to mature rapidly and its offense to improve outside of its go-to options.

Outside of young star Anthony Edwards, the team has options like Karl-Anthony Towns, Naz Reid, Mike Conley and Jaden McDaniels to supply some offense. But can they be consistent enough to step up when it matters?

NBA analyst Shaun Powell recently previewed the Wolves in his "30 Team ins 30 Days" series, asking the same question:

"They’ll have Edwards and their defense … but will they have enough scoring?"

The Timberwolves ranked 16th overall in the NBA in offensive rating (115.6), as the Los Angeles Lakers (115.9), Sacramento Kings (116.9), New Orleans Pelicans (117.4), Phoenix Suns (117.6), Dallas Mavericks (117.6), Golden State Warriors (117.8), Denver Nuggets (118.4), Los Angeles Clippers (118.8), and Oklahoma City Thunder (119.5) all ranked ahead of them in the Western Conference.

Minnesota also ranked 18th overall in points per game (113) in 2023-24.

The team lost veterans Kyle Anderson and Monte Morris, as well as longtime Timberwolf Jordan McLaughlin in free agency. They added rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. in the 2024 NBA Draft and veterans P.J. Dozier and Joe Ingles.

The team also re-signed Luka Garza and traded Wendell Moore Jr. to the Detroit Pistons.

Its defense was the best among all NBA teams last season and players — not including Edwards — stepped up offensively in the first two rounds of the playoffs against the Suns and Nuggets.

However, in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, many players went cold shooting the ball as Edwards appeared to get worn out from carrying the offense each night and fighting off double teams.

Related: Timberwolves News: Charles Barkley says last season's team was 'lucky'

In order for Minnesota to be a contender yet again in the tough Western Conference, they'll need its depth to step up and mature quickly (Dillingham and Shannon specifically) and Towns will need to be that consistent No. 2 option to Edwards.

Reid, who won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award last season, will also need to keep improving his scoring presence and may have an even larger role this season. McDaniels brings the energy on defense but a more polished offensive game from the 23-year-old will only make the Wolves more of a threat.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker is also someone that could show more consistency shooting the ball but his on-ball and perimeter defense is his bread and butter. The veteran Conley makes the offense run and isn't expected to be a scoring threat consistently, but is there another level he can bring himself to at the age of 36?

Rudy Gobert is defensive-minded but any sort of improvement on his offensive game in the post or jumpshot would be warmly welcomed by all of Minnesota.

When it's all said and done, the Timberwolves' defense will carry them as far as they can keep defending at the level head coach Chris Finch had them at last season. Its offense, however, could be its downfall.