Minnesota Timberwolves' new point guard LaMelo Ball is one of the premier playmakers and, frankly, offensive players in the league. Still, Ball has detractors, and many people still doubt the trade from Minnesota's perspective. At the center of these concerns is his decision-making abilities and, thus, whether he can contribute to winning basketball.
After the season he had in Charlotte, I think these concerns are a bit overblown, as he showed significant strides in this regard. It's not a secret, though, that Ball still fairly regularly takes ill-advised shots and makes overly daring passes. Here are two plays that demonstrate this.
The Timberwolves are banking on Ball being the final piece of their championship hopes and an ideal co-star alongside Anthony Edwards. They are also counting on him to help stabilize their offense in big moments, whether that's the playoffs or clutch games.
While I'm on board with this vision, especially after some of the improvements he displayed last season, Ball will need to further iron out this part of his game and cut back on plays like the ones we highlighted above.
LaMelo Ball's decision-making is still a concern despite an encouraging 2025-26 season
Ball will likely always have an audacious side to his game. That's partly what makes him great.
Nevertheless, this has to be controlled chaos. Despite showing flashes of this balance, Ball's decision-making both as a passer and scorer needs to improve further. Since the Timberwolves have championship aspirations, every moment has more weight, and wasting possessions becomes truly detrimental.
Late in games, LaMelo will have the rock a lot. The Wolves will be trusting him to make decisions and run the offense. His talent as both a playmaker and creator is undeniable. Still, he needs to prove he can, more often than not, make the right reads in high-leverage moments. And since Ball has no playoff experience, this concern is more significant.
The good news is that Ball's 2.8 turnovers per game were the lowest mark since his rookie year. He also took a backseat as a scorer to empower Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. More importantly, he was the driving force behind the Hornets' offensive success; they ranked first in offensive rating after the turn of the calendar. The Hornets' offense was also an absurd 11.6 points per 100 possessions with Ball on the court.
Edwards has never played with another guard who possesses this same blend of scoring and playmaking gravity.
All of this bodes well for him to thrive as a co-star alongside Ant. Yet the question remains: Can Ball be truly trusted as a decision-maker in high-leverage moments? Even if he shows more strides in the regular season, the rubber will truly meet the road in the playoffs.
At the end of the day, I'm optimistic about Ball's fit with the Timberwolves. However, there's no denying that some of the concerns regarding his decision-making are valid, and that he has plenty to prove.
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