The Minnesota Timberwolves have been one of the best teams in the Western Conference for the past four years. This summer, they shook things up. They made a big-swing trade for LaMelo Ball, and now they’re going to try to win with a more beefed-up offense. But Anthony Edwards doesn’t think their defense is going to take a big hit… That’s a lofty goal.
At a recent Wolves practice, Edwards said that the Wolves still have what it takes to be a super team on the defensive end. “I think defensively we can really be a super team on that end,” he said via TalkBasket. For years, the Wolves have been an elite defensive force. But the inclusion of Ball in the lineup will make that reality a tough one to live up to.
Edwards still thinks the Timberwolves can be one of the best defensive teams in the league. And maybe that could be true. But calling any team with Ball in the lineup a defensive super team just isn’t realistic.
LaMelo Ball might hurt the Wolves' defense more than people realize
When you look up and down the Timberwolves’ roster, there are a ton of elite defenders. Rudy Gobert is one of the best defenders in NBA history. Jaden McDaniels is one of the best forward defenders in the league.
Ayo Dosunmu holds up well on that side of the ball. Edwards can hang on defense, especially at the point of attack. Jaylen Clark can guard. Even Jonathan Kuminga should be able to hold up because of his athleticism.
Unfortunately for the Wolves, they are going to have a gaping defensive hole on almost every possession. Ball just isn’t good enough to carry his weight on that end of the court.
Teams are going to relentlessly attack Ball on defense. Obviously, over the years, the Wolves have had some guys who aren’t great defenders. They’ve had to cover them up.
But nothing like this. Ball is going to be playing 30-35 minutes a night. That’s a lot of minutes to worry about. And it’s going to be up to guys like Gobert and McDaniels to pick up the slack.
That’s a lot to ask from players, even if one of the players is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner. Teams are going to go right at Ball, and Gobert will have to clean up the mess once they get past him.
So, Edwards is right to be confident about the Wolves. They’ve been one of the best defensive teams in the league for a long time now. But he might be underestimating the impact of having one bad defender in the starting lineup.
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