The Minnesota Timberwolves shook up their roster in a major way this offseason amid their pursuit of a championship. With so much excitement yet so much uncertainty, each player, from stars to end-of-bench players, has questions hanging over them this season, which can determine their role and the team's overall success.
As such, here is a pressing question for each Timberwolves player on a standard contract as we slowly wait for October to roll around. Let's dive in, shall we?
(Note: players are organized by position in a depth chart-like format.)
LaMelo Ball: Can he stay healthy?
I'm all in on the LaMelo Ball trade; the Timberwolves needed more playmaking and creation. Furthermore, the price was palatable. Ball doesn't come without his risks, though. Some might be concerned with his ability to contribute to winning basketball, but for me, the major risk comes in the form of injuries, as he disproved this winning basketball narrative last season.
While he did appear in 72 games last season, it was just the second time in his career that he's played in more than 55 games. With Ball, the Wolves have championship upside. But without him, they are a frisky playoff team at best.
Anthony Edwards: Can he fulfill his two-way potential?
Anthony Edwards has somewhat falsely earned the label of a two-way superstar. The truth is that while he is an elite offensive player, his commitment to defense wavers on a nightly basis. Relevantly, the Wolves' defense was 5.7 points per 100 possessions worse with Ant on the court last season, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Still, at his best, Edwards can be a disruptive on-ball defender. Ball should make Edwards' life easier on offense, but his arrival will force him to cover more ground on defense. This is especially the case if Jaden McDaniels takes on a role guarding forwards (more on that in a bit).
Ayo Dosunmu: Is being an undersized wing his ideal role?
Ayo Dosunmu's versatility helped him make his mark with the Timberwolves after being traded to Minnesota at the deadline. Still, Ayo was mainly a combo guard, and with the arrival of Ball, he'll play more of a wing role this season.
Dosunmu's playmaking isn't good enough for him to function as a lead guard. Regardless, his defense, strength, length, shooting, and downhill scoring could allow him to thrive as a smaller wing. And as a wing, his connective playmaking is a clear plus. We haven't fully seen Ayo in this role, though, so the proof will be in the pudding.
Jaden McDaniels: What's his role on defense?
After the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid, it was widely expected that Jaden McDaniels would shift over to the power forward position. However, Chris Finch poured water on this idea when he said that he doesn't envision McDaniels starting at the four.
As currently constructed, McDaniels is the Wolves' best in-house PF option; he doesn't have an ideal frame, but he has a ton of length and is an exceptional defensive playmaker. The risk of losing his elite point-of-attack defense is significant, though. McDaniels should be able to excel in any role, but how his defensive role affects those around him will be crucial to watch.
Rudy Gobert: Are they asking too much of him defensively?
Rudy Gobert's life should be made a lot easier thanks to LaMelo on offense. Nonetheless, with Ball and a lack of genuine forwards, Gobert will have more defensive duties. Even last year, the Wolves' defense was heavily dependent on Gobert. Minnesota's defense was notably 11.8 points per 100 possessions better with Gobert on the court last year.
Although Gobert remains one of the league's top defenders, it's a lot to ask for him to shut down offenses at the rim and cover up for the deficiencies of a smaller team at 34 years old.
Bones Hyland: Can he be a consistent bench scorer?
Earning the Timberwolves' last standard roster spot in September, Bones Hyland remarkably became a mainstay in Minnesota's rotation -- a feel-good story without a doubt. While Hyland is a solid microwave scorer who can inject pace, he's also super inconsistent and not a good defender.
Unfortunately, this combination played him out of the Timberwolves' postseason rotation. Now, the Timberwolves might not have as many productive bench players to cut his minutes if he struggles. As such, Hyland has never been more important to the team.
Terrence Shannon Jr.: Can/should he play off the ball?
The Timberwolves unlocked Terrence Shannon Jr. toward the end of the regular season and into the playoffs by empowering him on the ball. So this trend should continue, right? Well maybe. Truth be told, Shannon had some big scoring nights, but he also had some inefficient ones.
More importantly, empowering Shannon on the ball could take away from the Wolves' established talent, whether that be Edwards, Ball, McDaniels, or Ayo. Unless he can justify these responsibilities with good efficiency, it's hard to rationalize giving him a ton of on-ball duties. And if he can't, it remains to be seen if he can thrive in a complementary off-ball role; last season didn't bode well for his off-ball projection.
Jaylen Clark: Will he grow offensively?
Jaylen Clark has proven to be a tenacious on-ball defender. Yet his offensive limitations have stunted his playability. Clark becoming a plus creator or playmaker isn't necessary, but if he can simply knock down open 3-pointers, he'll earn a role.
He doesn't have to shoot 43.1 percent as he did in 2024-25, but he needs to shoot a lot better than 32.7 percent as he did last season. It's simple: if Clark can hit open 3-pointers, he'll be a linchpin of the Wolves' rotation; if not, he won't have a consistent role.
Josh Green: Is he the left-field power forward option?
Tim Connelly recently outlined that the Timberwolves have some internal left-field-ish options for their power forward void. I suppose Shannon or Clark could be in play here (my original thought was Shannon), but why not Josh Green?
Throughout his six-year career, Green has proven to be a quality wing defender. At 6-foot-6, 200 pounds with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Green wouldn't be totally out of place against fours either. It's unlikely that Green will be the Timberwolves' permanent solution to their PF dilemma, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see Green get some serious minutes at the four.
Joan Beringer: Is he truly ready to be unleashed?
Given the Timberwolves' lack of frontcourt depth, it's fair to label Joan Beringer as the team's most important reserve. There's an understandable amount of excitement for him. At the same time, it's fair to wonder if the 19-year-old is truly ready for the amount of responsibility he'll have as Gobert's backup.
Averaging 5.4 fouls per 36 minutes, Beringer needs to improve his discipline. Whether he can be a consistent lob threat is a fair question after he played in just 314 minutes last year. Even if he crushes it in the regular season, there will be reasonable questions surrounding his playoff viability.
Donte DiVincenzo: Will he return to the court?
I don't want to put any pressure or expectations on Donte DiVincenzo as he recovers from one of the toughest injuries in the sport. Regardless, his possible return will be a talking point. Much like Jayson Tatum, DiVincenzo got surgery less than 24 hours after tearing his Achilles, which gives him a shot to return at some point in the season.
Without a doubt, the Timberwolves could benefit from DiVincenzo's blend of shooting and connectivity, but it will be more than understandable if he isn't ready to return.
Isaiah Evans: What's his realistic path to minutes?
When Isaiah Evans got drafted with the 33rd pick, it looked like he'd have a chance to break into the rotation... and then the Wolves traded for Ball less than 24 hours later. Now, it's hard to see who Evans would play over, unless the Timberwolves are dealing with injuries.
Even if Evans' shooting bounces back from a poor summer league showing, it's tough to find minutes for him in the Timberwolves' rotation. Nevertheless, surprises always happen, and he still has potential to be a long-term contributor for this team.
Trey Lyles: Does he have anything left in the tank?
Trey Lyles didn't play in the NBA last season, making the Timberwolves signing him a bit surprising. On the bright side, he was a solid NBA contributor for 10 years as a stretch four. The Timberwolves could use a guy like that. But can he hold up on defense, and is he truly a positive offensive player?
Despite the Timberwolves' need for a power forward, it feels more likely that Lyles is an end-of-the-bench veteran ala Joe Ingles.
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