The ceiling for the Minnesota Timberwolves is as high as it has ever been. Pairing LaMelo Ball with Anthony Edwards gives the franchise its seemingly best backcourt ever and arguably the best starting set of guards in the league right now. They are joined by two all-world defensive players in Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels. It is easy to see why the fan base is brimming with excitement.
It is quite possible, though, that Minnesota’s floor might be lower than in recent years. They have become a smaller team. Julius Randle and Naz Reid rarely missed games. Ball had a relatively healthy 2025–26 season, but he has already experienced a lot of missed time due to injury, particularly involving his ankles.
It feels like a pivotal year for the Timberwolves. They didn’t trade for Ball just to get eliminated in the second round again. A disappointing end to the year might mean bad things for both Tim Connelly and Chris Finch.
Can’t take another step back
The Timberwolves looked to be on the precipice of their first NBA Finals appearance and, subsequently, their first championship. Back-to-back conference finals appearances in 2024 and 2025 had the Wolves right on the doorstep, and those teams were led by Edwards, who is currently only turning 25 years old on August 5.
Last season was a step back, as they were eliminated in the conference semifinals. While Minnesota took two games from the San Antonio Spurs, the series wasn’t all that close. Three of the losses were by at least 29 points. The Timberwolves essentially went all in this offseason by trading for Ball. They also received Josh Green in the deal in exchange for Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks. That has nearly left the cupboard bare of future draft capital.
You can like Ball a lot as a player, but it must be admitted that there is a lot of risk involved when acquiring someone with his injury history. Of course, there is a lot of potential reward as well.
An extension has been rumored for Connelly, but nothing on that front has occurred yet. His contract only runs through the upcoming season.
Finch has a case as the team’s most successful head coach ever, with the best winning percentage and the most playoff wins. Still, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore have made it evident how much they want to win since joining the team as owners. A quick exit could see Finch become one of the scapegoats. His contract has just one year left after next season, and coaches don’t normally enter a year with lame-duck status.
Now, none of this will occur if the Timberwolves do reach their ceiling and go deep into the playoffs. Sweeping changes could be made if that doesn’t happen, though.
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