ESPN’s latest top-100 list does a nice job of putting the Timberwolves’ offseason bet into perspective. Julius Randle came in at No.
- LaMelo Ball landed at No.
- That 19-spot gap says plenty about why Minnesota chose Ball as Anthony Edwards’ new running mate.
The Wolves gave up Randle, Naz Reid and several future draft picks, most of them protected, to bring in Ball this offseason. On talent alone, that move already looked like a major swing. ESPN’s ranking only sharpens the point: Minnesota didn’t just swap one second option for another, it moved up into a different tier.
Ball’s case starts with production. Last season, he was the driving force behind a Charlotte Hornets offense that ranked first in offensive rating since the turn of the calendar.
Charlotte was 11.6 points per 100 possessions better with Ball on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass. He also sat in the 99th percentile for estimated offensive plus-minus, per Dunks and Threes, and the 97th percentile for overall gravity, per Basketball Index.
That’s the profile of a player who bends a defense every time he touches the ball. Add in his perimeter scoring and playmaking, and it’s easy to see why Ball looks like a high-end second option.
Randle’s numbers were solid, but they don’t quite reach that level. He finished in the 83rd percentile for overall gravity and the 82nd percentile for estimated offensive plus-minus.
Useful? Absolutely.
But Ball brings a higher ceiling and a more dangerous offensive shape.
Fit matters here, too, and this is where Ball really pulls away. He can operate on the ball or without it because he can both create and shoot.
That gives Edwards a true floor general and a cleaner offensive partner. Randle, by contrast, is much more of a ball stopper who doesn’t do enough away from the ball because of his poor shooting and heliocentric style.
Even with the ball in his hands, he isn’t consistent enough as a one-on-one scorer to profile as a championship-level No. 2.
There are still obvious questions with Ball. His injury history is a real concern, and he has never played in the playoffs. But if the discussion is strictly about talent and fit, he gives Minnesota something better than what it had before: a legitimate co-star who complements Edwards instead of crowding him.
That’s the key for a team with title aspirations. The Wolves were already able to win with a flawed second option in Randle. If Ball holds up and proves himself in a winning setting, the No. 35 ranking may end up looking low.
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The challenge, of course, is that a better environment does not automatically change the job description. Kuminga still has to prove he can thrive as a complementary piece while building toward a bigger payday, and Minnesota will want to see how his energy, versatility and downhill style translate in a role that may ask for more discipline than freedom at times. For a player still searching for the right next step, this is the kind of opportunity that can matter as much for the long run as it does for the current season. [Read more 🡒]