The Minnesota sports calendar is about to speed up. MLB is the only one of the four major North American men’s leagues in season right now, but the Vikings and Timberwolves are both close enough to make the summer feel like a countdown. The Vikings get there first, and both fan bases have a fresh jolt of optimism thanks to a new quarterback on one side and a new point guard on the other.
That makes for a natural game of cross-sport comparisons, even if the fit is never exact. Still, the parallels are easy to spot when you look at the Wolves and Vikings side by side.
Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson sit at the top of the list. They’re the face of their teams, the most recognizable stars in the building, and the guys who can flip a game with one explosive play.
Edwards is a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA selection. Jefferson has four Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro nods.
Both are heading into their seventh professional seasons, and both have a way of turning routine possessions into the kind of highlights people remember.
LaMelo Ball and Kyler Murray bring a different kind of buzz. Each is new to his team, and each arrives with the same conversation hanging over him: can he help change the story about winning?
Ball never made the playoffs in six seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. Murray spent seven seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and his only playoff game ended in a 34-11 loss.
Ball is set to run the Wolves’ offense, while Murray will be the Vikings’ field general if he beats out J.J. McCarthy for the starting job.
The talent has never been the issue. For long stretches, the supporting cast around both players simply wasn’t enough.
On the defensive side, Jaden McDaniels and Eric Wilson fit neatly together. Neither one is the headline-grabber on his team, but both do work that matters and can get overlooked by people who are mostly locked in on the stars.
They also each turned in the best season of their careers last year. McDaniels, in his sixth season, posted a career-high scoring average along with career-best shooting splits.
Wilson, in his ninth year, logged a career-best 6.5 sacks and forced four fumbles after managing just three total over his first eight seasons.
Ayo Dosunmu and Jordan Mason share a similar kind of value. Neither one is a sure thing to start, though Mason may have the edge there after his only starts at running back last year came when Aaron Jones was out.
Even so, both should see plenty of snaps and plenty of chances to make an impact. Minnesota is the second stop for each player.
Dosunmu came from the Chicago Bulls, while Mason began with the San Francisco 49ers. Neither was projected to become this useful this quickly, with Dosunmu entering the league as a second-round pick and Mason arriving as an undrafted player.
Then there’s Rudy Gobert and Brian O’Neill, a pairing built around importance that doesn’t always show up cleanly in the box score. If Harrison Smith were still on the Vikings, he might have been the cleaner match for Gobert, but Smith remains unsigned and could retire.
O’Neill ends up as the better fit. He and Gobert are both the kind of players teams lean on heavily even when their numbers don’t scream for attention.
Gobert isn’t an elite scorer, and offensive linemen don’t exactly live in the stat sheet. Yet both matter.
O’Neill ranked 12th among all offensive tackles in Pro Football Focus’ grades, and Gobert made yet another All-Defensive First Team last season. Both are in their 30s, and neither is showing signs of backing off.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Get A Christmas Test That Will Reveal Their Ceiling
The Timberwolves will get one of the leagues biggest stage spots when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day, a matchup that says plenty about where Minnesota wants to be. After an offseason trade for LaMelo Ball was meant to sharpen the point guard spot and help the Wolves keep pace with rising Western Conference powers like Oklahoma City and San Antonio, this is the kind of game that can give early shape to the seasons bigger questions.
Christmas games have a way of turning regular-season meetings into measuring sticks, and this one should serve that purpose for Minnesota. If the Timberwolves want to be taken seriously as a playoff team with title aspirations, they will need to show they can match the Thunders energy and execution in a spotlight game that many fans will view as a preview of the Wests top tier. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Face One Big Jonathan Kuminga Question This Offseason
Jonathan Kumingas offseason market is already taking shape, and the Timberwolves are at least in the conversation as one of the teams that has checked in on the restricted free agent. Minnesota is among the clubs showing interest alongside Cleveland and Sacramento, which is no small detail for a player who still carries real upside and would fit a lot of lineups with his athleticism and defensive tools.
The catch is the kind that can shape the whole chase: Kuminga is not looking to settle for a veteran-minimum type of deal, which helps explain why the Lakers have moved into the pole position. A sign-and-trade remains part of the discussion, and Los Angeles believes the chance to play next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves could help him grow on offense, leaving Minnesota to weigh whether this is a swing worth taking or a price tag that keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Have Two Real Options To Replace Naz Reids Bench Scoring
Minnesotas bench has a real scoring question to answer after Naz Reids departure, and the answer is likely to come from one of two players already on the roster. Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. stand out as the clearest internal options, each bringing a different kind of offensive spark to a second unit that will need punch when the starters sit.
Hyland showed more life last season and is the kind of guard who can create his own looks if his role grows, while Shannon gave the Timberwolves a jolt in the playoffs and looks ready for a larger share of the offense. The club does not need a perfect replica of Reids production, but it does need someone who can carry the scoring load off the bench, and figuring out which player takes that step will be one of the more interesting roster storylines before opening night. [Read more 🡒]