One of the best parts of LaMelo Ball's game is his ability to make those around him better. The Minnesota Timberwolves have a talented team, but still, there are players whose potential hasn't been utilized in part due to the lack of high-end playmaking.
During a recent appearance on Bleacher Report's NBA Insider Notebook with Jake Fischer and Marc Stein, Chris Finch spoke about how LaMelo can help unlock Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.Â
“He's a guy (LaMelo) that can help unlock Rudy a little bit more, Jaden McDaniels, continue to help him take that next step," Finch said.Â
How LaMelo's presence will benefit Anthony Edwards is something that has rightfully been discussed a ton. At the same time, what's gone a bit underrated (including by me) is that Ball is going to make everyone better. To Finch's point, McDaniels and Gobert will be two of the biggest beneficiaries of Ball's presence.
With the Charlotte Hornets, nearly every player's stats were better playing alongside LaMelo -- it's because he is always looking for his teammates, and he has a ton of gravity as a scorer.
How LaMelo Ball can make everyone on the Timberwolves better
For Gobert, this simply means ensuring that he's involved in the offense an appropriate amount and giving him some easy looks around the rim. Since he arrived in Minnesota, Gobert has often been ignored by opposing defenses, and he still wouldn't get the ball.Â
Now, though, LaMelo will involve Gobert, which, in turn, will give the Wolves' offense some extra versatility and will make defenses respect Gobert more. Will there be some growing pains? Sure, but in the long run, getting a revitalized version of Gobert will reap benefits for the Wolves.Â
McDaniels, on the other hand, has continually leveled up, culminating in a career-best 2025-26 season in which he averaged 14.8 points per game. Nevertheless, he's long been underutilized in the offense; LaMelo can feed him some easy shots, and his gravity off the ball can open up things for McDaniels to create for himself. Â
Other players such as Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. can also benefit from the open shots that LaMelo can create.Â
There are two main aspects of playmaking to me. Firstly, there's the traditional table setting, where players organize the offense and involve their teammates. Mike Conley, even at an advanced age, excelled at this.
Secondly, however, the best playmakers also open up opportunities for players with their scoring gravity and ability to create for themselves. This is where Conley's impact as a playmaker (and overall player) was affected as he aged, and where Ball can truly be a game-changer.Â
LaMelo's combination of scoring and playmaking prowess makes him one of the more impactful offensive players in the league. Without a doubt, this will make life easier for the entire team.Â
Last season, the Timberwolves ranked 14th in offensive rating per Cleaning the Glass. For a team of their talent level and championship aspirations, this is disappointing. There's no doubt, though, that Ball will get them back to the top-10 range -- and he'll make everyone better in the process.Â
It's worth noting that the Hornets' offense was 11.6 points per 100 possessions better with Ball on the court last season.Â
A key reason why the Wolves offense underperformed is that Edwards was overtaxed as a playmaker, which isn't his natural role. Now, this won't be the case with LaMelo in the mix, which will help Ant and everyone else improve.
The ability to have a more versatile offensive attack, whether it be LaMelo, Ant, Jaden, Ayo, or a bit more of Rudy, can help the Wolves' offense reach an elite level -- and it will largely be thanks to Ball's ability to elevate players around him.Â
When it's all said and done, LaMelo can help the Timberwolves reach new heights in part due to his playmaking -- this has to be considered when discussing the trade.
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