LaMelo Ball is a perfect fit with the Minnesota Timberwolves—I've said this from the moment he was traded to Minnesota. Ball being a perfect fit largely comes down to his elite playmaking. He can take the pressure off Anthony Edwards and make everyone around him better.
During media day, Ball explained why his game will help him naturally connect with his teammates.
"Honestly, with my game, it kinda just happens for real," Ball said after being asked if there were any teammates he tried to create an early connection with. "Just me playing basketball every day and then when we're running fives and everything, you just see who you mention with and then it just honestly just connects itself."
Ball is spot on with this assignment. By every statistical measure and the eye test, LaMelo is a transcendent playmaker. In turn, he can elevate everyone on the team and naturally connect with his new teammates.
LaMelo Ball's playmaking will transform the Timberwolves from the jump
Crucially, Ball's style of play fits perfectly alongside a variety of players. Whether it's pushing the pace in transition, kicking it out to shooters, throwing lobs, finding cutters, or simply making the extra pass, Ball does it all. Getting back to the original question, and Ball's point, this skill set will allow LaMelo to quickly build chemistry with his new teammates.
Just look at what he did with the Charlotte Hornets. He thrived alongside a sharpshooter in Kon Knueppel. Just imagine how he'll fit with Anthony Edwards, who is an equally elite shooter with more creation juice. Likewise, he elevated versatile wings in Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, which will help him mesh with Jaden McDaniels and Jonathan Kuminga. Finally, Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer have similarities to Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner.
It's no coincidence that the Hornets' offense was 11.6 points better per 100 possessions with Ball on the court last season, per Cleaning the Glass. Furthermore, several key Hornets players saw sizable statistical increases sharing the floor with Ball. According to Databallr, Diabate's true shooting percentage was 8.1 percent higher with LaMelo on the court, Kon's was 8.2 percent higher, and Bridges' was 9.1 percent higher.
It's fair to expect this trend to translate to the Wolves. As a result, we should see Ant level up further as a scorer, Gobert become more involved in the offense, McDaniels move closer to his offensive ceiling, and many other things. Simply put, LaMelo can uplift every single player on the Wolves.
For years, the Timberwolves' offense has lacked this playmaking element, and it's held them back. Now, with the Wolves addressing this flaw, it's not far-fetched to say that Ball will transform the team's offense and help them reach new heights.
While there will always be some sort of acclimation process when you add a star player, Ball's playmaking will help speed this up. As such, the Wolves will hopefully get off to a quick start, despite overhauling their roster this summer.
Regardless, the sky is the limit for this new Timberwolves team with Ball in the mix.
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