The Minnesota Timberwolves' offseason was highly polarizing. They leaned into a perimeter-centric identity by giving up Julius Randle and Naz Reid to land LaMelo Ball. Signing Jonathan Kuminga to fill their subsequent power forward void only added to the controversy.
Honestly, I feel like the detractors overthought it—the Timberwolves sorely needed a high-level secondary creator and playmaker alongside Anthony Edwards. Ball filled that void. As for Kuminga, they needed a starting-level power forward—given the market and their cap constraints, he was the best player they could've signed.
In any event, 11 games into the regular season, it's safe to say that the Timberwolves' offseason is aging like fine wine. The Wolves are 8-3, including 5-2 without Edwards. Ball has transformed the Wolves' offense with his playmaking and 3-point shooting. Kuminga has thrived on both ends of the floor in a complementary role.
Even if you were always a fan of the Timberwolves' offseason (I was), there's no denying it was a bold pivot. Parting ways with an unprotected first-round pick and three pick swaps (even though they aren't super valuable) made the LaMelo trade risky. So far, it's clearly paid off, though.
LaMelo Ball has been a massive boost to the Timberwolves' offense
Now, the true success of the Timberwolves' offseason moves will be judged in the playoffs. Ultimately, they made these aggressive moves to win a championship. Regardless, 11 games into the season, these moves have gone as well as the Wolves could've hoped for. Likewise, it's easy to believe that this success is translatable to playoff basketball.
Ball's playmaking has made everyone around him better, and the Wolves' offense more free-flowing overall. It's not just his passing—it's his ability to command attention from a defense that makes life easier for everyone else. During the four games with Edwards, the Wolves' offense looked unstoppable. And despite his injury, Ball has kept them afloat.
Outside of his playmaking, LaMelo's elite 3-point shooting has uplifted the Wolves' offense. This allows him to function as a number-one option or thrive as a co-star. Whether it's his ability to thrive without the ball or his ability to create for others, LaMelo is a seamless fit alongside any player. All of this has led to Minnesota ranking seventh in offensive rating per Cleaning the Glass, which is tied for the best number of the Edwards era.
In the playoffs, Minnesota's offense outside of Edwards has routinely dried up. With Ball, this won't be an issue. He gives Edwards the relief that he needs as a scorer and playmaker. Ball's lack of physicality is the one possible concern that could be mentioned. Otherwise, the LaMelo experience has gone incredibly well.
Jonathan Kuminga has been an ideal complementary forward
While I was always in on LaMelo's fit, I considered myself cautiously optimistic about Kuminga. Could Kuminga buy into a complementary role on offense, and what level would his defense be at? These were two central questions. So far, though, Kuminga has been straight-up incredible.
He has been an elite forward stopper, giving the Timberwolves an element they sorely lacked. According to NBA.com, opposing players are shooting just 38.3 percent from the field when Kuminga is the primary defender. Furthermore, Kuminga has been stout on the glass, averaging 5.5 rebounds.
Offensively, Kuminga has been a super dependable spot-up shooter, netting 40.8 percent of his 3-pointers. He hasn't disrupted the offense with bad shots, as many people feared. Kuminga's playmaking and ability to move without the ball have also stood out.
Simply put, Kuminga has excelled in a complementary role, and it's safe to say that this signing has paid off. In the playoffs, having a versatile forward like Kuminga will be highly beneficial.
The Wolves have championship upside
During Tim Connelly's tenure with the Timberwolves, he's never been afraid to take risks. This offseason was the clearest example of his affinity for big moves. Not all of them have worked out, but trading for Rudy Gobert in 2022 clearly did. And the risks that he took this summer are quickly paying off.
The Timberwolves' old roster was good, but they weren't legitimate title contenders due to their playmaking and secondary creation flaws. Now, they have the most balanced and talented roster of the Edwards era thanks to the aggressive moves they made this offseason.
Again, we'll need to see how these moves work in the playoffs. Still, there's no denying that this team has more championship equity than ever before, and we are already seeing these big moves pay off.
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