Minnesota
How the Minnesota Timberwolves can Improve in the 2025 NBA Draft
The Minnesota Timberwolves, by many standards, had another successful season in 2024-25.
After reaching the Western Conference Finals for just the second time in franchise history last year, Anthony Edwards and company had a bumpy regular season. Despite earning the No. 6 seed, the Wolves managed to knock off the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors en route to the third WCF appearance in the team’s history.
In the penultimate round of the playoffs, Minnesota was overmatched by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the series in five games to secure a spot in the NBA Finals. After another solid run comes to an end in the Western Conference Finals, the Wolves will now turn their attention to the draft.
General Manager Tim Connelly and company currently own the No. 17 and No. 31 overall picks in this year’s class, and could add valuable role players to their team on June 25.
Minnesota’s loss to the Thunder seemingly illustrated that the team needs more creation and playmaking alongside Edwards, as Mike Conley is 37-years-old and coming off a lackluster performance against OKC.
To fill this gap, the Wolves will likely turn to some of the young players on their roster, like Terrence Shannon Jr. and Rob Dillingham, but the team could also use a draft pick on another ball handler.
After being viewed as lottery picks by some analysts early in the season, Egor Demin, Kasparas Jakucionis and Nolan Traore could all be viable options for Chris Finch’s team. All three of the aforementioned prospects offer good size at the postion to go along with strong playmaking ability.
As a freshman at BYU, Demin averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 41.2% from the field and 27.3% from deep. At the NBA Combine, Demin measured at 6-foot-8 and a quarter of an inch with a wingspan stretching 6-foot-10 and a quarter of an inch.
Jakucionis tallied 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 31.8% from beyond the arc in his lone season at Illinois. The former FC Barcelona standout measured at 6-foot-4 and three quarters of an inch at the NBA Combine with a 6-foot-7 and three quarters of inch wingspan.
Traore, a 19-year-old prospect from France, averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game while shooting 39.2% from the floor and 30.4% from 3-point range playing for Saint-Quentin. Listed at 6-foot-5, Traore could be the next French prospect to make an impact in the NBA.
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Minnesota
Minnesota’s Pohlkamp helps Denver beat Wisconsin 2-1 for 11th national hockey title, 3rd in 5 years
Minnesota
Stamkos leads Predators past Wild 2-1, locking Minnesota into the West’s third seed
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Steven Stamkos scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 victory over Minnesota on Saturday, locking the Wild into the third seed in the Western Conference for the playoffs.
Matthew Wood also scored and Justus Annunen made 21 saves for the Predators, 4-1-1 in their last six.
Minnesota will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs.
Michael McCarron scored and Jesper Wallstedt made 20 saves for the Wild, losers of two straight.
The Predators are now three points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the Western Conference’s second wild card. The Kings defeated the Edmonton Oilers earlier Saturday. Nashville has two games remaining and the Kings three.
Stamkos scored the game’s first goal with 4:59 remaining in the opening period on a wraparound tucked just inside the left post.
The goal was the 40th of the season for Stamkos, the eighth time in his career that he’s scored 40 or more.
Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (77) keeps Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) away from the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/Mark Humphrey
Wood made it 2-0 at 6:34 of the second after Stamkos corralled the rebound of Nick Perbix’s shot and found Wood in the slot, where he beat Wallstedt with a wrist shot.
McCarron, traded by Nashville to Minnesota prior to this season’s trade deadline, scored at 6:54 of the third to avoid the Wild’s first shutout of the season. It was his second post-trade goal.
The Wild did not dress forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello or defenseman Jared Spurgeon for the game.
Nashville captain Roman Josi returned to the lineup after missing Thursday night’s game against the Utah Mammoth with an upper-body injury.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) blocks a shot by Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (71) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/Mark Humphrey
Up next
Wild at St. Louis on Monday night.
Predators host San Jose on Monday night.
Minnesota
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