LeBron James is on the move, and the ripple effect could work out nicely for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James has told the Lakers he plans to keep playing in the 2026-27 season, but he also informed the team “that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere.”
Minnesota fans may immediately wonder if that opens the door for James to land in the Twin Cities, but that path looks unlikely given the Wolves’ current salary situation. Even so, the news can still play right into Minnesota’s hands. If James ends up with the Golden State Warriors, as Charania reported they plan to pursue him in free agency, the Lakers take a real hit.
Los Angeles still has Luka Doncic, and that matters. Doncic led the NBA with 33.5 points per game and added 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds. But James leaving strips away a major piece of the Lakers’ attack and leaves Austin Reaves with a much bigger burden as the second star.
Reaves put together a breakout season, averaging 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 51 games, and that performance helped him land a four-year, $185 million maximum deal before free agency. Still, there’s a fair question about how much more he can give after turning 28 last season.
James was still giving the Lakers plenty last year, too. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 games, and even at 42 in December, he remained a matchup problem at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds. Beyond the box score, his size and basketball IQ helped open things up for Doncic, Reaves and the rest of the roster.
Without him, the Lakers will be counting on Doncic to keep everything afloat. That might not be enough in a crowded Western Conference, and it may not be enough to stay ahead of Minnesota either.
The Wolves still have work to do, starting with the need for a power forward. James is out of their price range, but president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has a track record of finding value in free agency.
Minnesota also has Anthony Edwards in his prime, along with a deeper supporting cast that includes LaMelo Ball and the possibility of Jaden McDaniels taking on a larger offensive role this season.
The Lakers aren’t finished building, and neither are the Timberwolves. But if Minnesota lands the right pieces, the gap can widen. And if James heads to an Eastern Conference team such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, who NBA insider Chris Haynes of Prime Video reported have shown interest in a reunion, or the Miami Heat, as Jake Fischer reported, the outcome could be even better for the Wolves.
No matter where James lands - the Warriors, Cavaliers, Heat, or some surprise team - his exit from Los Angeles gives Timberwolves fans something to smile about. It also leaves the Lakers with a much tougher road in their next push for a championship.
In Other News...
Tim Connellys Risky Wolves Vision Might Be Exactly What Ant Needs
Tim Connelly has never operated like a front office lifer content to sit on his hands. Since taking over basketball operations for Minnesota, he has kept swinging on major roster decisions, from the Rudy Gobert gamble to the later Karl-Anthony Towns trade, moves that have invited plenty of second-guessing even as they showed a clear belief that the Wolves needed more than incremental fixes. For a team built around Anthony Edwards, that matters because the organization has been searching for the kind of bold, talent-chasing vision that can push it from good to truly dangerous.
The latest twist only adds to the sense that Connelly is still willing to lean into risk rather than retreat from it. The Wolves have already rerouted key pieces to address their point guard situation and keep reshaping the roster around Edwards, and now there is another layer to the long-running question of how far this front office should go to maximize the window in front of it. Marc Stein has noted Connelly has one year left on his deal and that Minnesota wants to extend him, which only heightens the stakes around whether his aggressive style is a bug or a feature in this era of Wolves basketball. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Still Have One Major Roster Problem After LaMelo Trade
The LaMelo Ball trade gives Minnesota a big new piece to build around, but it does not solve everything. Even with the deal set to become official at the start of the new league year, the Timberwolves still have a glaring need at starting power forward, and their salary-cap situation makes that spot harder to fill than it should be for a team trying to push forward.
Minnesota has already trimmed salary by declining Julian Phillips team option, and the front office may have to keep hunting for value rather than splash. A veteran on a minimum deal is one path, especially if playing time can do more selling than money, but another trade could wind up being the cleaner answer if the right starting-caliber forward shakes loose and ownership is willing to spend to make it happen. [Read more 🡒]