The Minnesota Timberwolves will be in training camp soon, but in the build-up to next season, they’re hoping they’ve found the next great duo in franchise history. Anthony Edwards was a legitimate star on his own, but by trading for LaMelo Ball, they’ve given him a strong partner who can make him better and become another threat for the offense to worry about.
The NBA has responded to the Wolves’ new backcourt by scheduling 27 nationally-televised games for the upcoming season.
If the plan works, though, it will mimic another experiment happening in the Twin Cities as superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson acclimates to new quarterback Kyler Murray with the Minnesota Vikings.
Chris Finch sees a Vikings-like blueprint for Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball
During an appearance on KFXN’s Radio Show with Paul Allen last week, Chris Finch discussed this parallel between the Timberwolves' and Vikings' offseason.
“It’s all about how you change the geometry of the field or the floor. And you do that by putting out personnel more than you do scheme or a set or a play, and they might continue to load up your best talent,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said when made aware of the comparison during an interview with KFXN’s Paul Allen last week.
“You’ve probably heard me say this a million times…it’s about making your best players better. Like what can you do to make your best players better? And then it’s their job to make everyone else better and by going out and bringing in LaMelo, going out and bringing in Kyler, like, these are moves that make Justin a better player. Give him a chance to be a better player because he can now win his battles in a fair matchup. Same with Anthony. Anthony’s a phenomenal player, but it’s too much to ask him to be double teamed every single night and try to be his best self.”
The Timberwolves needed a partner for Edwards this season, but they also needed someone who could make him better. Edwards’ stats make it seem like a difficult task after he averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game while grabbing 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists a night. Still, Wolves fans can identify the problem with an eye test, as Edwards was getting double-teamed most nights and had to resort to “Hero Ball” in others.
Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels were viable second options at times last season, but neither of them generated the respect or attention that Edwards commanded while he was on the court, so teams allowed Minnesota’s supporting cast to try to beat them. In the case of the Denver Nuggets, the Wolves came out on top. But they couldn’t have the same success the following series against the San Antonio Spurs.
It’s why Edwards’ current situation links up with Jefferson’s. One of the top receivers in the NFL, Jefferson is a legitimate superstar. But J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings running game didn’t command enough attention to help put him in advantageous situations.
McCarthy’s accuracy issues also required Jefferson to reach the 1,000-yard mark in the final game of the regular season, but even Jefferson admitted he was trying to find the best version of himself that won the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year Award back in 2022.
With that, both teams took gambles to find a partner. The Wolves have landed Ball, whose style of play is fun to watch, but many don’t know if it’s conducive to winning. The Vikings believe they’ve found their guy in Murray, but he has his warts after the Arizona Cardinals paid $36.8 million in order to release him last spring.
For both players, the gamble is real. But they also have a similar payoff that could vault both teams into championship contention.
The Timberwolves and Vikings are betting on the same formula to unlock their stars
For Ball, it’s a matter of playing well enough to draw attention from Edwards but also make the rest of his teammates better. A player who's averaged 20.8 points per game over his career and 25.2 points per game during the 2024-25 season, Ball can contribute offensively. However, he can also play the facilitator role that Chris Finch is looking for, with 7.3 assists per game over his six years in the NBA.
If Ball can be a successful distributor, it could make McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and whoever the Wolves throw out at power forward more efficient, and it could create more ways to divert attention from Edwards.
When you look at the Vikings, you can see the same plan. Murray’s dual-threat ability is one thing defenses have to pay attention to, but so is a running game that has been revamped under new offensive line coach Keith Carter. If Murray plays well, he could also get the best out of fellow receiver Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson, all of which could give Jefferson more advantages that can get the best out of the team.
Whether the Wolves have that type of player in Ball remains to be seen. Regardless, the blueprint is there and could help Minnesota find another dynamic duo that helps the entire team reach a championship-level ceiling.
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