Chip Scoggins: Tim Connelly needs to rid the Timberwolves roster of 'moody' behavior this offseason

Chip Scoggins, The Minnesota Star Tribune on May 19, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves held standard exit interviews with reporters Saturday to recap the season. Based on admissions from multiple players, it’s clear Chris Finch made a major strategic mistake this season.

He should have handed out juice boxes and animal crackers in the locker room after games.

Sounds like the head coach had to deal with a lot of petulance.

Players revealed publicly underlying dysfunction rooted in “moody” behavior. Without naming names, they said players would sulk and allow their attitudes — and, thus, performances — to be negatively impacted if they didn’t get enough shots or score enough points to their liking.

The San Antonio Spurs didn’t just outclass the Wolves in talent. They outclassed them in cohesion, too. Wolves President Tim Connelly needs to get to work to fix both areas.

“I think we have more than enough talent,” sixth man Naz Reid said when asked how the team can close the gap on the Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. “But just being less moody. I think that’s just the name of the game for us, just being less moody and more selfless.”

Said Jaden McDaniels: “I know we’re all cool, we’re all friends and stuff like that, so it shouldn’t matter who’s having a good game. But I for sure think if we can get rid of that [moodiness] a little bit, we’ll be way better.”

Their honesty is appreciated, but having what we witnessed with our eyes confirmed by the players themselves is an indictment on the entire operation. They should have changed their nickname to the Moodywolves.

Too many uninspired performances against inferior opponents left them as the sixth seed in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season. The Spurs were superior in different areas, especially with the Wolves’ unfortunate injury situation, but three losses in the series came by margins of 38, 29 and 30 points. Injuries don’t fully explain those lopsided results.

Something felt off with the team all season. The vibe was weird, a ping-pong match between highs and lows, as if players were just treading water until reaching the postseason.

The on-court chemistry and discipline on display with the Spurs and the Thunder were less evident with the Wolves.

Inexperience can’t be used as an excuse any longer. Anthony Edwards and McDaniels just completed their sixth seasons. Reid is a seven-year veteran, Julius Randle 12 years, Rudy Gobert 13.

If anything, their experience should be an advantage. Players pinning their demise on character flaws more than talent demands action from Connelly to root out the problems.

Some fans will point to Finch as the main culprit for allowing issues to fester. Finch certainly is not blameless because a head coach is ultimately responsible for everything that happens inside a team. I place more emphasis on personal accountability. An NBA coach shouldn’t have to hold players’ hands and beg them to play hard and be good teammates.

Finch’s mistake was treating players like adults and giving them latitude to figure things out. In return, here are some laments from players themselves: They didn’t build championship habits. Didn’t follow game plans. Didn’t always play hard. And they were moody when they didn’t get more shots.

All that says is Connelly has the wrong mix of players on the roster.

Finch’s decision to move Edwards to point guard apparently caused a domino effect that led to some of the moodiness. He had no other viable options because Connelly, the roster architect, grossly miscalculated Rob Dillingham’s readiness to run the offense. Connelly failed to properly address that position, which became a season-long problem.

The roster needs a new look, new personalities, new vibe. Trading Randle is the most obvious move. He is too inconsistent to be treated as a credible No. 2 to Edwards. His body language too often shows indifference. He is the leader of the moody club.

Gobert is a true pro and difference-maker defensively, but his offensive limitations remain a liability. Losing him would be a blow to the defense. Adding more shooters to space the floor should be a top priority.

Those who stay need to mature quickly. The Wolves look old and disjointed compared with the revved-up Spurs and Thunder. Both of those teams are younger, more athletic and more cohesive. And they are not fading away anytime soon.

This feels like an inflection point for Connelly and the organization, a moment that requires more than subtle changes. Players admitted their own lack of professionalism prevented them from having a better season. The man who controls roster decisions shouldn’t need to hear anything more.

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