It’s been a long time since the Timberwolves have been universally thought to be a lock for the playoffs before the season has even begun.

But that’s where the Wolves find themselves this offseason after coming off of a Western Conference Championship appearance and a 56-win season. With seven of the top eight rotation players returning for this season, it’s hard to see a world where Minnesota isn’t once again hosting a playoff series next season.

But improvements can always be made, and the Wolves needed to find a way to replace forward Kyle Anderson and guards Monte Morris and Jordan McLaughlin — players who all played important minutes in the playoffs last season — as they depart in free agency. In addition, the Wolves could stand to add bench scoring, playmaking and shooting to the roster, as well as a way to rest 37-year-old Mike Conley so he can be ready for the playoffs.

The moves that Minnesota has made so far this offseason has done exactly that.

In the first round of the draft this season, Minnesota added two dynamic scoring guards in Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon Jr. to the team. Dillingham, selected eighth overall, will be an impactful player this season and will be backing up Mike Conley as soon as he’s ready to play NBA minutes. His presence fills essentially four needs for the Timberwolves. As a backup point guard, he will provide some punch to the second unit with his crafty ball handing, playmaking and shot creation. He averaged 15.2 points and 3.9 assists in just 23.3 minutes per game for Kentucky last season coming off the bench. But his most important trait might be his shooting. In four and a half attempts per game, Dillingham drained 44.4% of his 3-point attempts and nearly 55% on catch-and-shoot shots, something that will likely allow him to play minutes in the starting lineup when it needs some boosted shooting. Dillingham’s size (6-1) and defensive shortcomings present some challenges, but Minnesota is more than equipped with size and defense around him to help compensate. As long as Dillingham is willing to put in the effort on the defensive side of the ball, his offense should more than compensate for his flaws defensively.

Shannon Jr. was selected 27th overall and isn’t quite as dynamic of a scorer as Dillingham, but he still offers some punch on that end of the ball. Shannon Jr. averaged some of the most points in college basketball last season, scoring 23 per game for Illinois. He did a lot of his damage in transition, something that will translate to the NBA. Shannon Jr. is also a decent 3-point shooter (36.2% last year) and offers a lot more size and defensive flexibility than Dillingham at 6-6 and 210 pounds, meaning that he doesn’t have to be perfect offensively to contribute to the rotation in Minnesota.

Dillingham and Shannon Jr. will mostly replace the roles that Morris, McLaughlin and even briefly Shake Milton were supposed to last season, but present a stronger threat on the offensive side of the ball than any of them did. However, Anderson’s departure is a far bigger question, as the defense and playmaking ability he offered are still in question.

Much of Anderson’s role will likely be filled by free agent acquisition Joe Ingles. Ingles has been a solid creator for his position for the duration of his long career, averaging 3.6 assists as a small forward over his 10 years in the NBA. While he may lack the defensive chops that Anderson had, he makes up for it in shooting — 41% for his career from beyond the arc and 43.6% last season with the Magic on 2.4 attempts per game. That’s nearly two more attempts and 20.7% better than Anderson last season, something that should help space out the offense for Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns next season.

I see two more needs that remain for the Timberwolves for next season, with one full roster spot to fill. I think the Wolves still need a veteran point guard to buoy the position as Dillingham adjusts to the NBA level, and a defensive wing to help cover for Ingles and Dillingham on the bench. Minnesota may look at its current roster for the second need, with players like Josh Minott and Leonard Miller ready to step up. Minott is a bouncy 3/4 with strong defensive chops, but needs to improve his offensive game. He is comparable to a bigger Josh Okogie from years past, with perhaps a bit more upside on his shotmaking. Miller, meanwhile, is more suited to play the power forward or center positions, and needs to learn how to take his raw tools and turn them into productive offense and defense before he can be relied upon. I’m looking forward to how the two of them look in the summer league this season. Hopefully, one or both of them can show the improvements necessary to crack the rotation for this upcoming year.

Finding a veteran guard is another problem, and remaining free agents are limited. I look to a handful of names still on the market — Spencer Dinwiddie or Dennis Smith Jr. are two options right now. Those names can be a steadying force for the bench and shoot well from behind the arc while still being available for the veteran minimum.

If the Wolves can make one of those acquisitions, along with developing Minott or Miller, they should expect to be right back in the mix for a finals appearance this season. It’s been a long time since a Minnesota team has had such strong title aspirations. The Wolves are all in this season. Only time will tell if it will pay off.