Ayo Dosunmu didn’t just join the Timberwolves and settle in quietly. He’s already making an impact on the floor, and he’s also giving fans a sharper picture of what Anthony Edwards is like behind the scenes.
Minnesota has managed to stay afloat without Edwards, who is expected to miss about two months after knee surgery. Dosunmu has helped steady things in his absence, scoring efficiently and coming close to a triple-double against the Bucks. That kind of production has gone a long way toward justifying the contract the Timberwolves handed him in the summer.
But the most revealing part of Dosunmu’s recent Players’ Tribune letter on Thursday wasn’t about his own game. It was the way he described Edwards, and how quickly the Timberwolves star left an impression on him.
“He’s special. As a trash talker, he’s like what you hear about with the Kobe stories, the MJ stories, the KG stories,” Dosunmu wrote. “No, really I think a better comparison is like the Ali stories.”
That’s a pretty high bar, and Dosunmu wasn’t throwing the comparison around lightly. In his view, Edwards fits the mold of the old-school NBA edge, even as the league has changed and newer personalities have taken over.
Dosunmu said Edwards is a “great white shark” and added that the trash talk doesn’t stop once the games do. It shows up in practice, too.
“Ant goes to the hoop like, 'MFer you too little!' Dosunmu said, adding that he “can see [Edwards is] going up a level” in practice when the playoffs start.
For Minnesota, that mix of chemistry and talent is the real draw. Once Edwards is back from knee surgery, the Timberwolves could be in position to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the West.
In Other News...
Pelicans Injury Report Could Change Minnesotas Next Test
The Timberwolves next matchup could look a little different depending on how New Orleans sorts through its injury report. The Pelicans have already listed Trey Murphy III as day-to-day with a patellar injury, while Yves Missi is out with a knee injury, two absences that could affect how the game is played on both ends when Minnesota gets back on the floor.
For a Wolves team trying to keep its own rhythm against a Western Conference opponent, the availability of key Pelicans pieces matters more than just the names on the report. New Orleans still has enough talent to make this a useful test, but the uncertainty around Murphy and the absence of Missi add another layer to a game Minnesota will be watching closely before tipoff. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Defense Is Giving This Team A Real Title Case
The early-season case for Minnesota has been built less on flash than on resistance. Through nine games, the Timberwolves have stayed near the top of the league in defensive rating, and the groups identity is already looking familiar: Rudy Gobert anchoring the paint, Jaden McDaniels hounding wings, and a supporting cast that has kept opponents from getting comfortable. It is the kind of foundation that travels, and it showed up again in a recent win over Houston, a game that asked Minnesota to deal with one of the better offenses in the league.
What stood out in that matchup was how little the Rockets were allowed to breathe. Minnesotas length and discipline made every possession feel crowded, and the Wolves were able to keep the game on their terms against a team that had been rolling. For a roster still sorting out its broader ceiling, that kind of defensive consistency is the clearest sign that the floor is high, and maybe even higher than some expected this early. [Read more 🡒]
LaMelo Ball Trade Already Looks Better For The Timberwolves
Minnesotas offense has looked noticeably sharper since LaMelo Ball arrived, and the early returns fit the profile that made him such an appealing target in the first place. He has a way of creating clean looks, pushing the pace and making the players around him easier to fit into the flow, which is exactly the kind of lift the Timberwolves were hoping for when they made the move.
The deal was costly, with Naz Reid and a package of future picks heading to Charlotte, but the immediate on-court payoff is hard to ignore. For Minnesota, the question now is less about whether Ball can elevate the group and more about how high the offense can climb if this level of efficiency holds. [Read more 🡒]