Anthony Edwards has never looked better set up for a run at the top of the West.
The Minnesota Timberwolves spent the offseason reshaping the roster around their star, and the new version looks built to take pressure off him in all the right places. LaMelo Ball gives Edwards a second high-level creator in the backcourt, while Jonathan Kuminga plugs the last obvious hole at power forward. Put it together, and the Wolves suddenly look like a team that can make life easier on Ant instead of asking him to carry everything.
That matters because Edwards has spent too much of his career as the one doing the heavy lifting. Last season especially, he was overtaxed as a creator.
Minnesota had a star, but not enough around him in terms of playmaking and scoring gravity. Ball changes that.
He brings the kind of perimeter scoring and creation that should let Edwards breathe a little more on offense.
The fit with Julius Randle never really got there in the way Minnesota needed. His isolation-heavy style and uneven production as both a scorer and playmaker made him a clunky co-star for Edwards, and the Wolves also never found a true two-man rhythm between Ant and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Ball is cleaner. He’s a better match for what Edwards needs next to him, especially when the goal is to reach championship level.
Kuminga fills another important gap. He adds athleticism, gives Minnesota a useful play-finisher, and brings quality defense against opposing forwards.
He should also help on the glass, which was one of the team’s concerns before his signing. Even if his shot creation doesn’t get featured often, it gives the offense another option when it needs a different look.
The bigger picture is hard to miss: this is now a roster with a lot of scoring threats around Edwards. That should make Minnesota a much tougher problem for opposing defenses. It also gives the Timberwolves a style that makes sense - faster, more athletic, more versatile, and better suited to Ant’s game.
Edwards was “over the moon” after the LaMelo trade, and there’s reason to believe he had a hand in helping it happen. He also actively recruited Kuminga, and according to Jon Krawczynski, played a significant role in convincing him to take less money. So yes, he has every reason to be pleased with how the summer went.
Minnesota has already made two conference finals in the past three years, so this is not a team that has failed to build around its star. But the Wolves still hadn’t quite reached the level of support needed to maximize him for a title push.
Now they’re closer. Ball and Kuminga make the roster more complete, and they do it in ways that fit Edwards naturally.
The defense should still hold up, too. With Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, an engaged Kuminga, and Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota should remain a top-10 defensive team. At the same time, the improved offense should help Edwards conserve energy for the other end, where his two-way upside still matters.
There are still questions to answer, especially about how the pieces will mesh and whether the frontcourt depth is good enough. But the Wolves have a much clearer identity now.
They want to play fast, attack the rim, space the floor, and lean on multiple scorers. That kind of setup looks tailor-made for Edwards.
For the first time in a while, Minnesota’s roster feels like a smoother fit around its best player. And that’s why Anthony Edwards stands as the biggest winner of the Timberwolves’ new look.
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Minnesota added another notable piece to its frontcourt mix when Jonathan Kuminga agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Timberwolves, including a player option, according to his agent. For a team that has spent much of the offseason shaping its roster around size, athleticism and flexibility, the move gives Minnesota another name to work with while also closing the door on a player the Lakers had targeted for a more specific role.
Los Angeles had pursued Kuminga as a potential starting power forward, but the chance to fill that spot slipped away, and the Lakers are still left sorting out how to address the hole. One avenue they may have to consider is using Dalton Knecht in a trade, which would be a significant decision for a team still trying to balance immediate needs with the rest of its roster construction. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Missed On Jonathan Kuminga For A Reason Fans Will Debate
Jonathan Kumingas move to Minnesota gives the Timberwolves another intriguing piece at a time when the roster already looks built to compete deep into the postseason. For a player still trying to define his next step, landing in a situation with playoff expectations and established talent can matter as much as dollars, especially when the fit is as important as the opportunity.
The agreement adds another layer of interest because Kumingas camp viewed this as the best basketball setting for him, a sign he is betting on role and development as much as immediate security. For Minnesota, it is the sort of addition that can sharpen an already ambitious group, while for everyone else it becomes another reminder that sometimes the destination says as much as the contract. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Just Opened The Door To A Bigger Roster Move
The Timberwolves made a quiet but meaningful roster shuffle by sending Josh Green and cash considerations to the Jazz in exchange for Cody Williams and John Konchar. On the surface, it looks like a simple two-for-two swap, but the real significance is what it does for Minnesotas books as the front office continues to tinker with the edges of the roster.
What matters next is the flexibility the deal is meant to create. Minnesota has been working to keep its options open as the salary cap gets tighter, and this move gives the team a little more breathing room to keep exploring upgrades. Williams gives the Wolves another young piece to evaluate, while the financial side of the deal is what could shape the next step in the offseason. [Read more 🡒]