The Minnesota Timberwolves already gave themselves a monster season in 2023-24. They reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004, Rudy Gobert picked up his fifth Defensive Player of the Year award, Naz Reid took home his first Sixth Man of the Year honor, and Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns both made the All-Star team.
Now the case for this season is pretty simple: there’s plenty on this roster to keep the award chatter going. After an offseason that brought in two new starters, the Wolves have enough talent to put multiple players into the league-wide conversation again.
Anthony Edwards looks built for a massive year. He has raised his numbers every season, and now he finally has a true point guard beside him in LaMelo Ball.
That should make life easier for Edwards, who has spent his entire career having to create tougher looks than most stars. A 30-point average is in play, and if that happens, he’ll be right in the hunt for the scoring title.
If Minnesota also pushes toward the top of the Western Conference and Edwards is sitting near the top of the scoring race, MVP talk would be there too. The article also places him in the mix for All-Star and All-NBA honors.
Ball has his own clear path to recognition. In a Wolves uniform, he’d be working with the most talented group he’s ever had around him, and that should make the playmaking come easier than it did with the Charlotte Hornets.
He should have plenty of chances to rack up assists through lobs and kick-outs, and the spacing around him should also help his scoring efficiency. If he lands around 22 points and nine assists while Minnesota is one of the league’s best teams, he can absolutely enter All-Star and All-NBA Third-Team territory.
He’s also listed as a candidate to lead the league in assists.
Rudy Gobert remains the anchor on the back line, and the All-Defensive Team feels like a lock as long as he stays healthy. The bigger debate is Defensive Player of the Year, where the source points to Victor Wembanyama’s 65-game requirement as the key wrinkle.
If Wembanyama falls short of that mark, Gobert’s fifth DPOY would be back within reach. He’s also going to need to do more on the glass after Minnesota lost size over the offseason, which puts the rebounds title in play as well.
Jaden McDaniels is another name who should keep popping up in award discussions. He already made one All-Defensive Team, landing on the Second Team in 2023-24, but the write-up argues he deserves more recognition for the way he handles elite wings.
There’s also a path to Most Improved Player if his offense takes the next step. He scored 14.8 points per game last season, and with a bigger role and better setup around him, climbing into the 18-19 range isn’t far-fetched.
Ayo Dosunmu rounds out the list as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The piece points to his 14.8 points and 3.6 assists last season, along with his efficient shooting and his half-season in Minnesota that included membership in the 50/40/90 club. Dylan Harper is described as the preseason favorite, but Dosunmu is expected to be in the mix, and a strong regular season from the Wolves could only help his case.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Need Joan Beringer To Answer One Growing Roster Problem
The Timberwolves have spent enough of their future to make every internal development story matter a little more, and Joan Beringer is suddenly one of the most important ones on the roster. With future draft capital pared down after the LaMelo Ball trade, Minnesota cannot count on a steady stream of rookie reinforcements to keep the pipeline moving, so the growth of a young, athletic second-year big carries unusual weight for a contender trying to stay ahead of time.
Beringer is expected to be Rudy Goberts primary backup this season, which puts him in position to absorb real minutes and real responsibility right away. If his game keeps progressing, he could eventually become more than just the next man up and help ease the transition as Gobert ages, giving the Timberwolves a homegrown answer to a roster problem they may not be able to solve any other way. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Fans May Not Like What This Missed Reunion Suggests
Ben Simmons is headed back to the NBA after spending last season away from the league to focus on his mental health, and his return comes on a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings. The guards workout for Sacramento general manager Scott Perry reportedly left the team and Australian officials encouraged by his health and readiness, and the move gives the Kings a low-cost chance to see what Simmons can still bring.
Along the way, there were other teams watching, including the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks, but none put a contract on the table. For the Timberwolves, it is another reminder of how narrow the margin can be when a veteran with name value and some upside hits the market, especially once one club decides the fit is worth the gamble. [Read more 🡒]
LaMelo Ball Gives Wolves One Huge Playoff Concern They Can't Ignore
LaMelo Ball brings the kind of offensive imagination the Timberwolves have long wanted, which is why a move for him makes sense even with the risk attached. His playmaking can bend a defense, and his talent as a scorer gives Minnesota another creator who can lighten the load in a postseason race that demands more than one source of offense.
The concern is whether that skill set will hold up when the games turn into playoff-style punishment. Ball has dealt with injuries throughout his career, and his lean build has raised questions about how well he can absorb contact from bigger, more physical defenders while still finishing at the rim and staying available deep into a series. For Minnesota, the upside is obvious, but so is the unresolved issue that could define how far this pairing can really go. [Read more 🡒]