The Minnesota Timberwolves didn’t just have a busy offseason. They changed the shape of the roster around LaMelo Ball, and that shift has created a clear set of beneficiaries and a couple of players whose outlook suddenly looks a lot murkier.
Some of the same names are still in place, but their jobs are not. With the franchise trying to clear a path around a Western Conference that still runs through the Victor Wembanyama-sized hurdle, Minnesota’s summer moves reshuffled the pecking order in a big way.
A few players came out ahead. Others are staring at less secure roles than they had a few months ago.
Anthony Edwards is the biggest winner of the bunch. After the Timberwolves’ playoff run featured constant double teams aimed at him, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly made his aggressive move and brought in Ball from the Charlotte Hornets.
Ball’s fit is still a little foggy because of his injury history and his loose style of play, but Chris Finch has described him as a facilitator in the offense. He can also make shots himself, which should lighten the load on Edwards and open the door for an even bigger year.
Edwards has also taken on more leadership off the court, including organizing a team trip to France, so the setup points toward what could be his best season yet.
Rudy Gobert also landed in a far better spot. When the season ended, it was fair to wonder whether his Minnesota run might be nearing its end.
He has been a crucial part of the defense, but since arriving in the 2022 blockbuster trade he has often been a clunky offensive fit. That got even messier while he was sharing the floor with Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle.
Now Randle is gone to the Brooklyn Nets, and Ball’s arrival could make Gobert much easier to use. Ball is the kind of playmaker who can feed the pick-and-roll and throw lobs, which should give Gobert cleaner chances at the rim.
The Timberwolves still need help at power forward, but this setup is closer to the spacing Gobert had during his final years with the Utah Jazz, when the lack of a traditional four helped the offense.
Jaden McDaniels is in line to benefit too, and maybe more than anyone else outside the stars. For years, he has played a supporting role in Minnesota’s offense, but that may finally change.
Last season he showed real signs of growth, putting up a career-high 14.8 points per game while shooting 41.2 percent from three and 51.5 percent overall. He was also one of the players squeezed by Randle trying to force his way into the paint.
With Ball now in the mix, McDaniels should have a better chance to operate. He could even spend time at power forward to open the 2026-27 season now that Randle is in Brooklyn, and if that leads to more responsibility on offense, it could be the breakout Wolves fans have been waiting for.
On the other side of the ledger, Terrence Shannon Jr. took a hit. His sophomore season was already interrupted by a foot injury, but he seemed to be building momentum late in the year.
When Donte DiVincenzo tore his Achilles, Shannon picked up more on-ball work and averaged 11.8 points per game in the playoffs. Finch even said they needed to find more ways to empower him with the ball.
Then Minnesota added Ball and brought back Ayo Dosunmu in free agency, and that changed the equation fast. With Ball, Dosunmu and Bones Hyland all in the backcourt mix, Shannon’s clearest path to minutes may be as an undersized power forward.
Injuries could still open things up, but for a player who may be fighting for his future in Minnesota, a spot-up role heading into his third season is hardly ideal.
Bones Hyland is in a tricky spot too. He earned his way into the rotation early last season, but his scoring and defense faded in the second half, which pushed him closer to the bench and cost him a chance at a multi-year deal in free agency.
He did come back to the Wolves on a one-year contract, so at least he has stability to start the year. But the depth chart could get crowded in a hurry if DiVincenzo returns sooner than expected.
Minnesota has plenty of backcourt bodies, and that leaves Hyland vulnerable to becoming trade bait or simply a bench player as the season goes on. If the offseason plays out the way the Wolves want, Hyland may wind up as collateral damage.
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Jonathan Kumingas next stop may come down to opportunity as much as fit, and Minnesota has quietly emerged as a team worth watching. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Timberwolves have shown interest in signing the athletic forward, with the appeal tied to a roster picture that could give him a real chance to carve out a steady role and keep developing.
The financial side is more complicated, as the Timberwolves are operating with salary cap constraints and may not be able to sell much beyond a veteran-level deal. Even so, with other teams such as the Lakers and Cavaliers also looking for help on the wing, Minnesota could have an edge if Kuminga is focused on landing the kind of consistent minutes that let him settle into a rotation rather than chase the biggest offer. [Read more 🡒]
LaMelo Ball's Minnesota Arrival Just Sparked An Uncomfortable Privacy Debate
LaMelo Balls move from Charlotte to Minnesota has already become a talking point beyond basketball, with the Timberwolves guard settling into a new home as his belongings were transferred north. What should have been a routine relocation instead pulled attention toward the personal side of a high-profile arrival, after footage tied to the move began circulating and drew a mix of curiosity and concern from fans and observers.
The reaction also touched off a broader privacy debate, with former NBA player Michael Redd among those raising questions about how much of a players private life should end up online during a move like this. For Minnesota, the basketball fit is the headline, but the off-court noise has added an awkward layer to Balls first days with the franchise, especially with uncertainty still hanging over how the video came to be shared. [Read more 🡒]
Former Wolves Guard Rob Dillingham Is Running Out Of Time
Rob Dillingham entered the league as a high lottery pick for Minnesota, but his rookie year never really gave the Timberwolves a clear answer on what he could become. He struggled to carve out steady minutes or consistent production, and by the time the offseason arrived, it was apparent that his development had stalled enough to make his next stretch in the NBA especially important.
Now in Chicago, Dillingham has gotten more run and shown better numbers, but the larger question still hangs over him: can he grow into a meaningful rotation guard, not just a spark in short bursts? For Minnesota fans who watched the early promise get bogged down, this upcoming season feels like the kind that could finally clarify whether his game can catch up to his pedigree, especially with his shooting and playmaking still very much under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]