LaMelo Ball didn’t exactly give a straight answer when a reporter asked whether he has helped the Timberwolves recruit LeBron James.
Instead, the newly acquired Minnesota guard kept it light and had the room laughing with a four-word reply: “Yeah, whatever you're thinking,” Ball said when asked if he has helped the Timberwolves recruit James.
Ball, 24, was speaking with media members on Tuesday, and his response came off as a joke more than anything else. Still, it fit the moment, with Minnesota suddenly sitting in the middle of the LeBron conversation.
"Yeah, whatever you're thinking."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 14, 2026
LaMelo Ball when asked if he's made a pitch to LeBron James to join him on the Timberwolves 😅
(via @SneakerReporter)pic.twitter.com/2Ut852SZVl
The Timberwolves are one of several teams rumored to be in the mix for James, who is 41 and entering his 23rd season. Minnesota’s appeal is easy to see on paper: Ball and Anthony Edwards would give the backcourt plenty of firepower. But the roster has a clear hole at power forward after the team dealt away both Naz Reid to the Hornets and Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets this offseason.
That opening is part of why James has been linked to Minnesota as a possible fit. For now, Jaden McDaniels appears to be the leading option to move from small forward to power forward, though Timberwolves coach Chris Finch recently said he does not see McDaniels automatically taking on that role next season.
Minnesota is hardly alone in the chase. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat are also rumored to be pursuing the four-time MVP.
A decision from James could be coming soon, but the offseason is still in its early stretch, with summer only at its midpoint.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Fans Just Got A Glimpse Of A Very Different Era
LaMelo Ball is wasting no time making Minnesota feel like his own, and the first signs have come off the court. As he settles in, the guard has been showing off a pair of customized rides that lean hard into his personal branding, including a Tesla Cybertruck and a Mercedes-AMG G-Wagon, a flashy introduction that fits the kind of player who tends to arrive with his own style already fully formed.
For Timberwolves fans, the bigger picture is what Ball represents on the floor after a major roster shakeup and a fresh start in a new backcourt. His latest season also reminded everyone how productive he can be when healthy, and now the intrigue is whether that same mix of scoring, playmaking and star power can translate into something bigger in Minnesota while the details of this new era keep coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Just Made Their Boldest Case Yet To LeBron James
The Timberwolves used a recent introduction of LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to make a broader point about where the roster stands now, and Gersson Rosas did not shy away from selling the teams direction. Minnesotas front office has been leaning into the idea that the group around its core is deeper and more appealing than it has been in years, with recent success giving the organization a stronger voice as it tries to attract established talent and the next wave of free agents.
LeBron James is the biggest name in that conversation, and Minnesotas pitch has been aimed at showing that this is no longer a franchise simply hoping to be taken seriously. The Wolves are presenting themselves as a team with real momentum and a legitimate path forward, while James weighs his next move and other contenders continue to circle. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Are Making A Franchise-Altering Push For LeBron James
Tim Connellys latest comments put a little more shape around Minnesotas pursuit of LeBron James, and they also showed how the Timberwolves are trying to sell the idea of coming to the Twin Cities. The front office leader said the pitch centers on a fun environment and the chance to pile up wins, which is the kind of message a team with bigger ambitions than its recent history has to make when it reaches for a player of James stature.
Minnesota is reportedly one of five teams in the mix, with Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Cleveland also mentioned, but the broader picture still feels unsettled. There is no timeline on James decision and no real indication yet of which club sits closest to the finish line, leaving the Wolves in the familiar position of waiting to see whether an aggressive recruitment effort turns into something far more franchise-altering. [Read more 🡒]