The Minnesota Timberwolves have spent the last few years cycling through explanations for why things haven’t quite clicked around Anthony Edwards. First it was the fit with Karl-Anthony Towns.
Then Julius Randle took plenty of the blame. Now the franchise has made its latest swing, landing LaMelo Ball to run the offense, and that leaves Minnesota with one clear reality: there isn’t another convenient excuse waiting in the wings.
That’s what makes this move so loaded. Edwards is still the centerpiece, but the Wolves have finally given him the kind of lead playmaker they’ve been chasing.
Ball is supposed to handle the creation, while Edwards does what he does best and finishes as the team’s top scorer. If that partnership works, Minnesota gets the version of Ant Man it has been trying to unlock.
If it doesn’t, the noise around the roster and the front office is only going to get louder.
Chris Finch already acknowledged the mistake of putting Edwards on the ball too much. He’s also the kind of coach who doesn’t shy away from calling out his star, which only matters more because of how close the two are.
That dynamic now sits right at the center of the Wolves’ hopes. Ball is expected to make plays, and the ripple effect should give Edwards more catch-and-shoot chances while also freeing him up to bring more energy on defense.
There’s no denying the talent Minnesota has put around him. Ball is an All-Star point guard with no playoff games on his resume, but plenty of flashy production and eye-catching numbers. The debate over how much his game translates to winning will continue, but he’s the player Tim Connelly and the Wolves chose to pair with Edwards.
And that choice comes with real stakes. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon noted that other teams are already watching Edwards as a superstar target if things go sideways.
He’s under contract through 2029, but that kind of situation can get messy fast if the player wants out. Minnesota also doesn’t have a first-round pick to trade, which makes pivoting much harder if this gamble misses.
The broader issue is that the Wolves have already gone all-in on their big swings. Rudy Gobert.
Julius Randle. Now LaMelo Ball.
Connelly has been aggressive, and there’s no question he’s tried to build a winner around Edwards. But the margin for error is gone.
The team has reached the conference finals in two of the last three years, and now it has doubled down on Ball as the answer to its point guard problems.
That’s why this season feels different. The Wolves are out of cover, out of easy answers, and out of moves that can be sold as “just one piece away.”
If this doesn’t work, the questions about Edwards’ future will only grow louder. Minnesota got the guard it thought it needed.
Soon enough, everyone will find out whether that bet was the right one.
In Other News...
Rudy Gobert Gave Timberwolves Fans A Reason To Feel Good Again
Rudy Gobert offered Timberwolves fans a fresh look at the groups offseason work this week, sharing a social media video from Minnesotas team-building trip to France. The getaway, organized and funded by Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, mixed workouts with other activities as the Wolves tried to strengthen their bond away from the normal NBA grind.
For a team coming off a playoff appearance, the trip was a reminder that chemistry matters as much as talent. Minnesota has plenty of reasons to believe in its core, but the bigger question now is whether that tighter feel translates once the season starts and the games begin to count again. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Simmons Gives The Wolves A Fit Question Fans Cant Ignore
Ben Simmons is still a free agent, but his next basketball step is starting to come into focus as he prepares to fully take part in an Australian national team mini-camp beginning Monday after sitting out last season to recover from injuries. For a Timberwolves team that has been looking for more answers at power forward, his name naturally enters the conversation because the attraction has always been the same: defense, playmaking and enough versatility to cover multiple lineup needs.
Minnesotas issue, though, is less about what Simmons can do in a vacuum and more about how he would fit into what already exists. The Wolves already have size concerns and spacing questions to sort through, and any serious look at Simmons has to account for where he would play if Jaden McDaniels or Joan Beringer run into foul trouble, or how awkward the alignment can get when Rudy Gobert is on the floor at the same time. That is the kind of roster puzzle that makes this possibility feel intriguing and tricky all at once. [Read more 🡒]