Nothing Minnesota does is easy. It’s the theme of the 2024-25 Timberwolves campaign.

The story was the same even in a 19-point victory.

Chicago was on the second half of a back to back and didn’t dress any of the players it received after trading Zach LaVine to Sacramento. Half of the Bulls’ current roster could be moved by Thursday’s trade deadline. Lonzo Ball was out with injury management.

The Bulls looked like a team out of the gates that had no interest in joining the fight. Minnesota led by 21 in the opening stanza at Target Center.

And then it allowed Chicago to roar all the way back to take a lead in the second quarter after Chicago scored 56 points in a 15-minute span.

Minnesota recovered, eventually exploiting Chicago’s non-existent defense en route to a 127-108 victory on a night where Anthony Edwards scored 49 points after numerous attempts to get to 50 in the closing minutes.

And yet it certainly wasn’t an inspiring performance for the Wolves.

That’s the conundrum with this team on the eve of Thursday’s trade deadline. There are plenty of bright games in which Minnesota looks tantalizingly good. The Wolves team that beat Phoenix and Utah in succession looks like a Western Conference Finals contender.

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The one that sleep walks defensively through an entire week of home games looks like a play-in team.

So what’s the truth? That’s a question Minnesota’s front office must answer prior to 2 p.m. Thursday.

The reality is there has been enough good to want to see where the Wolves ultimately wind up, especially when Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo return from injury. Pair that with Minnesota’s general trade constraints given their financial situation, and Minnesota seems likely to stand pat.