The Minnesota Timberwolves swung for the fences in an effort to keep their franchise player happy, acquiring LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033), and first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030.
The Timberwolves dealt Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in an effort to clear enough cap space to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu and avoid facing harsher financial penalties for bringing in Ball, but their ultimate objective is to undeniably stay afloat in an increasingly competitive Western Conference.
For the first time in his career, Anthony Edwards will have a legitimate playmaker by his side, which should help open up his game in a variety of ways we have never seen before. Edwards has been tasked with creating his own looks from all three levels and getting downhill at will, but now he could channel that energy into making better cuts and freeing himself off the ball behind the 3-point line.
Ball could also spend a considerable amount of his energy creating plays for Rudy Gobert, especially on the pick-and-roll, and creating open looks for Jaden McDaniels to feast behind the arc.
This newly formed backcourt should also break social media nightly, especially with many well-executed alley oops. The magic the two create could resemble a lot of what NBA fans used to see when Jason Kidd and Vince Carter teamed up for the New Jersey Nets.
Ball should be well insulated with a host of solid wing defenders as well, with Edwards, McDaniels, and Gobert alongside him.
The time for the Timberwolves to win is simply now. The franchise wanted to avoid the harshest penalties under the second apron a couple of years ago when it decided to trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, which resulted in a championship for the Knicks.
Given how instrumental Towns was to Minnesota’s turnaround, it’s hard not to imagine that the Timberwolves could’ve experienced the same success had they decided to keep Towns in the fold.
Ball is of a similar age to Edwards, so this could end up being a better long-term fit. However, Ball needs to prove he can stay consistently healthy, cut down on the turnovers, and be content with sacrificing some shot attempts if he hopes to help bring the Timberwolves closer to a title and make this a successful situation.
