"Can the team still play well?" When Edwards tried to resolve the argument between Gobert and Randle on the training ground, who would have thought that this young genius would be pushed to the ground. At that moment, the training ground became a stage for drama, and the problems of the Timberwolves were exposed in full view: this team, which should have had a promising future, was already in chaos due to internal strife.
Why did it come to this? Where is the future of the team? All of this stems from those seemingly insignificant little contradictions.
The "first protagonist" of the contradiction is none other than Gobert. This French center, who was brought in at a high price, has been frequently in a slump since the start of the season. His offensive performance is unsightly, with continuous mistakes, causing his teammates to have some complaints. Especially the players on the guard line, their cooperation with Gobert is always out of sync, leading to small-scale disputes that gradually accumulate. It's like a powder keg, with hidden dangers long buried.
Another powder keg is Randle. Many people may still remember his "lone ranger" image during his time with the Knicks. At that time, Randle was known for his outstanding individual performances, but he was criticized for his laziness on defense and decision-making errors in critical moments. After joining the Timberwolves, not only did these shortcomings fail to improve, they were further magnified.
Especially with the heavy "brushing" of data, this made Gobert very unhappy. Thus, the two gradually escalated their conflict, eventually turning into a direct confrontation on the training ground.
It is reported that Gobert directly criticized Randle: "You just want to brush up your stats, you don't care about the life and death of the team." This sentence can be said to have hit Randle's sore spot, and the tension between the two immediately escalated. Edwards tried to act as a "peacemaker," but he was unexpectedly drawn into it and even pushed to the ground. The situation was once out of control.
In the final analysis, the contradiction between Gobert and Randle was foreshadowed when they were introduced at the same time. The Timberwolves management's approach is somewhat like "taking advantage" when buying vegetables, wanting to bring home two players who look good, but ignoring their incompatibility in style. Gobert focuses on defense and scores by eating cakes, while Randle is an offensive core who needs the ball. It's easy for the two to "fight each other" when paired together.
This recruitment strategy is undoubtedly a failure. Even worse, when the contradictions began to emerge, the management not only failed to intervene in a timely manner to solve the problem, but instead chose to ignore it. This attitude undoubtedly exacerbated the division within the team, turning the problem from "small friction between teammates" into "public infighting."
This exposes the long-standing management dilemma of the Timberwolves: on the one hand, they are eager to complete "quick success" through recruitment in a short period of time, and on the other hand, they have not made thoughtful plans based on the actual situation of the team. As a result, they can only end up like this, "picking sesame seeds and losing watermelons," with poor results and internal strife within the team.
As the future star of the Timberwolves, Edwards has actually been trying to find his place in this team. However, the various problems within the team have made him increasingly confused. The management's recruitment operations not only failed to help him grow, but also slowed down his pace.
Edwards has repeatedly hinted in media interviews that the team lacks cohesion and a clear direction. "No one takes defense seriously, and it feels like everyone is playing their own game during matches." Although these words do not name names, they have already revealed his disappointment with the veterans.
For a young player, nothing is more devastating than a depressed team atmosphere. Edwards and other young players actually have unlimited potential, but when the veterans fight among themselves and the management does nothing, it is difficult for them to find role models to learn from. Imagine a young man trying to work hard, only to find that the people around him are in conflict. Can he still fully invest in the game?
In fact, there are no shortage of similar infighting incidents in NBA history. The most typical example is the Warriors' Green and Durant. In the 2018-2019 season, the two also caused a stir due to their on-court arguments.
At that time, Green accused Durant of being selfish in a key game, and even blurted out after the game, "The team won't fall apart if you leave." The contradiction between the two almost made the Warriors' dynasty shake.
But the Warriors' management quickly realized the seriousness of the problem. They did not let the contradictions between the players fester, but instead took swift action, including bringing in psychological counselors and adjusting the internal atmosphere. In the end, although Durant did leave, the Warriors were not defeated by the contradictions, but instead won the championship again later.
In contrast, the Timberwolves' current approach is clearly far from enough. They have neither taken effective measures to ease the contradictions nor provided a stable growth environment for young players. If the contradictions are allowed to continue, the future of this team is worrying.
Faced with the current situation, the Timberwolves need to make adjustments from multiple aspects:
- Clarify tactics and core leaders
The team can no longer play their own games. Management must clarify the tactical system and choose a true core leader. Whether it's Edwards or someone else, a clear direction is needed.
- Management takes the initiative to intervene
For the contradiction between Gobert and Randle, management can no longer stand idly by. If necessary, they even need to make personnel adjustments and take concrete actions to tell the team that "no one is above the team."
- Introduce psychological counseling and team building
The Timberwolves can refer to the Warriors' approach, hire psychological experts and team building consultants to help players vent their emotions and strengthen internal relationships. The NBA is a high-pressure environment, and support at the psychological level is very important.
Finally, back to that training ground: what kind of feeling would Edwards have after standing up after being pushed down, looking at the backs of the two veterans? Perhaps it's disappointment, perhaps it's confusion. But for the Timberwolves, what was pushed down was not just Edwards, but the trust and hope of the entire team.
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