The Minnesota Timberwolves have built something that looks dangerous on paper, but recent NBA history says a title in the first year of this version might be asking a lot.
They’ve kept plenty from last season’s roster, yet this is clearly not the same group. To get the star lead guard they’ve chased for years, they had to give up some size.
Julius Randle and Naz Reid are out, and LaMelo Ball is in. That one move alone changes the feel of everything, especially for a team that has leaned on frontcourt depth in recent seasons.
The Timberwolves also signed Jonathan Kuminga, which means they could be rolling out two new starters from last year if everyone is healthy. That kind of turnover is worth watching because the most recent champions have usually had a lot more familiarity.
The Knicks ended their 53-year championship drought last season by bringing back the same starting lineup from the year before. Their core was already in place, and Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart also had that Villanova connection working for them.
The 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder made just one change to their starting group, adding Isaiah Hartenstein. The other four starters had already been with the team for at least three years, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort were both in their sixth season with OKC.
The 2023-24 Boston Celtics had two new starters, but their foundation was still deeply established. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were in their seventh year together, Kristaps Porzingis missed a big chunk of time, including the playoffs, and Al Horford filled in. Horford was in his third year with Boston, not counting his earlier run with the team from 2016-17 through 2018-19.
The 2022-23 Denver Nuggets also leaned on continuity, even with Jamal Murray having missed the previous season because of a torn ACL. And the 2021-22 Golden State Warriors kept the same starting five from 2020-21, even though Jordan Poole spent most of that earlier season coming off the bench before moving into a bigger starting role.
If you want to find a team that made changes as dramatic as Minnesota’s, you have to go back to the 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers, who added Anthony Davis, a player who was at least a top-ten guy at the time. Ball is not Davis, even if the two play different positions.
Timberwolves fans want the obvious prize: the franchise’s first NBA championship and its first trip to the NBA Finals. There’s a real chance that happens as soon as next season. Still, if the roster mostly stays together, 2027-28 may be the better window, especially if they can get through the 2027 postseason without an early collapse.
In Other News...
Rudy Gobert Trade Looks Different As Wolves Dream Even Bigger
Rudy Gobert arrived in Minnesota with the kind of price tag that usually gets judged in years, not weeks, and the early reaction around the deal was plenty loud. Now, after the Timberwolves have reached two conference finals and spent the last few seasons building something sturdier around Anthony Edwards and Gobert, the trade looks less like an isolated gamble and more like the move that helped define the franchises direction.
Minnesota is not just trying to stay relevant, either. With a young core still taking shape and other contributors pushing into larger roles, the Wolves have reason to believe their window can stretch beyond one strong run. Goberts presence still anchors the conversation, but the bigger question now is how far this group can go while the roster keeps getting younger, deeper, and more capable around its stars. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Set A Massive Price For Jaylen Brown And Minnesota Walked Away
Minnesota spent part of the summer exploring a swing for Jaylen Brown, a sign the Timberwolves were at least willing to think big if the right star became available. Brown eventually landed with the Philadelphia 76ers, but before that, the Wolves had discussions with Boston about what it would take to pry him loose, and the framework quickly showed just how steep the Celtics were setting the bar.
The asking price was more than Minnesota was prepared to meet, and the talks never moved forward. Instead, the Timberwolves chose a different path and brought in LaMelo Ball, opting for a fit that better matched what they wanted around the rest of the roster rather than emptying the cupboard for a deal that never got close to the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Just Turned One Move Into A Fascinating Cody Williams Bet
The Timberwolves kept the more interesting piece of their swap with Utah, landing Cody Williams in a deal that sent Josh Green and cash the other way and then moving quickly to waive and stretch John Konchar to open up financial flexibility. It was a tidy bit of roster housekeeping, but the bigger point was what Minnesota chose to preserve: a young wing with real pedigree who still has plenty to prove.
Williams arrives with a different kind of opportunity than he had before, because the Timberwolves are not a rebuilding team handing out empty minutes. They have a strong roster and championship expectations, which makes his path more defined and the pressure more immediate. For a former top draft pick who has had a hard time getting traction early in his career, this looks less like a flyer and more like a calculated bet on whether a change of scenery can unlock something the Jazz never quite got to see. [Read more 🡒]