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Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards welcome LaMelo Ball to the roster this season.<\/p>\n
Offseason Recap<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022 Last Season: 49-33 (6th in West, lost in conference semifinals) Season Outlook<\/p>\n If desperation and boldness were a sure-fire formula for winning, Minnesota would rank at or near the top of title contenders in 2026-27. After winning just two playoff series in the franchise\u2019s first 34 years, they have won five in the past three. And in Tim Connelly, the team\u2019s president of basketball operations, the Timberwolves have an executive willing to swing from the heels to serve his vision. After trying the twin-tower concept by acquiring Rudy Gobert in 2022 to team with Karl-Anthony Towns, he went big again this offseason, trading Naz Reid and Julius Randle<\/a> in a 5-team deal for polarizing point guard LaMelo Ball.<\/p>\n Ball is a professional playmaker who stayed healthy and helped Charlotte to a breakthrough season, and in terms of career sweet spots, he is perfectly in sync with star Anthony Edwards. Both are 25, in their early primes, to keep hope alive that the Wolves can break through one postseason soon. Beginning next spring.<\/p>\n Connelly tried to top himself by wooing LeBron James, but had to settle for plugging the power forward spot with Jonathan Kuminga. He had touted Jaden McDaniels\u2019 on-ball defense and Gobert\u2019s rim protection as attributes to ease James\u2019 workload. The veteran didn\u2019t bite, but those two remain, allowing coach Chris Finch to sleep most nights.<\/p>\n Breakout Candidate: Jonathan Kuminga<\/p>\n Kuminga, believe it or not, is already a five-year veteran, but he\u2019s still searching for a comfortable NBA home and a true identity as a pro. He struggled to find a consistent role in Golden State, and he didn\u2019t get much traction in Atlanta last season either (the Hawks declined their team option). His skills are obvious \u2013 he has averaged 12.5 points in 22.1 minutes, so he\u2019s at 20.3 points per 36. But the Wolves mostly want him to rebound and defend in plugging their considerable need at power forward. Kuminga, effectively playing for his next contract after turning down the Lakers\u2019 three-year offer, faces a decision: keep trying to showcase his individual talents or do what Minnesota needs for the best team result to boost his reputation.<\/p>\n 1 Number To Know<\/p>\n 49.6% \u2014 Edwards shot 69-for-139 (49.6%) on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, the best mark among 308 players with at least 75 catch-and-shoot attempts last season and much better than he shot (35.3%) on pull-up 3s.<\/p>\n But only 27% of Edwards\u2019 3-point attempts were off the catch, with that being the fourth-lowest rate among 307 players with at least 100 total attempts. Edwards has seen a jump in his time of possession every year he\u2019s been in the league, with the jump from 2024-25 (16% of his time on the floor) to \u201925-26 (20%) being the largest he\u2019s seen. The ball has increasingly been in his hands and he\u2019s increasingly shot more off the dribble.<\/p>\n Ball is here to reverse that trend, have Edwards shooting more off the catch, and make the Wolves\u2019 star a more efficient scorer.<\/p>\n \u2014 John Schuhmann<\/p>\n 5 Must-See Matchups<\/p>\n \u2022 Oct. 21: Timberwolves vs. Heat \u2014 It\u2019s opening night for teams with two of the biggest offseason acquisitions (outside of Philadelphia). Giannis Antetokounmpo makes his Miami debut, while Minnesota counters with Ball.<\/p>\n \u2022 Oct. 31: Timberwolves vs. Spurs \u2014 The sting of last spring\u2019s elimination in six games<\/a> remains \u2013 three of those defeats were decided by 29+ points \u2013 and it\u2019s never too early to face the reality that where Minnesota wants to go, it will need to go through San Antonio.<\/p>\n \u2022 Dec. 27: Timberwolves vs. Golden State \u2014 The first clash comes Oct. 28, too soon to know Kuminga\u2019s place in the Wolves\u2019 eventual pecking order. But this one back in the Warriors\u2019 building could give him a chance for a little payback to his original team.<\/p>\n \u2022 Dec. 31: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves \u2014 The two nemeses meet on Dec. 28 in Denver, but that\u2019s the tail end of back-to-backs for both teams. This late-afternoon game before a feisty Minnesota crowd should be more raucous.<\/p>\n \u2022 Jan. 29: Hornets vs. Timberwolves \u2014 More than three months will have passed before Ball gets to face the team that traded him. Reid will get a video tribute, so Ball will be in the spotlight for turning the night in Minnesota\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n > Complete Regular Season Schedule<\/a><\/p>\n Preseason Storylines<\/p>\n Ball\u2019s arrival gives the Timberwolves one of the NBA\u2019s most exciting backcourts, teaming him with fellow Class of 2020<\/a> All-Star Edwards. Ball is a highlight-reel passer and a daring shot-taker when he seeks out his own offense, while Edwards should thrive in getting off the ball after covering for Minnesota\u2019s thin point guard options. Slipping back into his potent scoring guard role could make him a favorite to chase his first scoring title.<\/p>\n More of Jaden McDaniels\u2019 game emerges every season, and a concerted effort to have him flourish offensively should get a boost from Ball\u2019s delivery of the basketball. The lanky, laconic defensive specialist continues as the choice against high-scoring opponents.<\/p>\n Donte DiVincenzo\u2019s Achilles absence opens minutes for a variety of reserves, from Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. to Jaylen Clark and former lottery pick Cody Williams.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Key Additions: LaMelo Ball, Isaiah Evans, Jonathan Kuminga, Trey Lyles, Cody Williams
\u2022 Every Timberwolves move this offseason<\/a><\/p>\n