The 2024-25 NBA season is about to start and that means the Minnesota Timberwolves begin their latest conquest toward an NBA Finals birth, something they fell just short of accomplishing last season. To allow them more flexibility, both now and in the future, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly dealt Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks a couple of weeks ago, in shocking fashion. He had another goal, however. A new identity. Out went KAT, a player most of the league sees as soft. In came Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, two players who nobody in the league associates with the “S” word. Connelly and head coach Chris Finch wanted the 2024-25 version of the Minnesota Timberwolves to have a tougher, more rugged feel than what this team has put on the floor in the last decade plus. It was the right move. The Wolves, as currently constructed, are better suited for a championship run than it was before the Karl-Anthony Towns trade went down. The shift in the Wolves playoff chances, according to