On the surface, this comparison might scare some people, considering the Charlotte Hornets couldn't make it out of the play-in last season, but I'm merely talking about roster formula. Despite the end result being underwhelming for the Hornets, they were the No. 1 offense in all of basketball from the start of the calendar year till the end of the season.
This is the type of offensive production the Minnesota Timberwolves are hoping to squeeze out of this new roster, and they have the defensive infrastructure, depth, and all-around talent to be a much more dangerous version of that Hornets team. In fact, the comparisons are eerily accurate.
Both teams obviously started/will be starting LaMelo Ball at point guard, but let's look at the rest of the roster to see how similar the archetypes are.
Anthony Edwards vs. Kon Knueppel
Before Wolves fans come at my throat, I am not even one bit saying that Edwards and Knueppel are close to the same level. Edwards is one of the five to seven best players in the world, and Knueppel was a rookie who showed a lot of promise.
But they are similar-caliber three-point shooters, with both being able to spray it from the perimeter with high efficiency and volume. Edwards obviously has the stronger ability to create his own looks, whereas Knueppel is more of a catch-and-shoot threat. But I like to think of Edwards as if you took Knueppel's shooting and combined it with Dwyane Wade's skill set. Not a bad player, right?
Jaden McDaniels vs. Brandon Miller
This is probably the least accurate comparison in the starting five, but there are some similarities. Both of them love to create their own looks in the mid-range and are effective at doing so. Miller is a better 3-point shooter than McDaniels, but McDaniels has him beat when it comes to rim finishing.
Where it isn't much of a comparison is on defense. McDaniels is an All-Defense-caliber wing, and while Miller isn't a complete slouch on that end, he certainly leaves a little bit to be desired at times, given his natural tools and athleticism. McDaniels being a better defender will only benefit Ball more, too.
Jonathan Kuminga vs. Miles Bridges
I've made this comparison before, as I think Kuminga's ideal role in Minnesota is a scaled-down version of what Bridges was in Charlotte. Both are freak above-the-rim athletes who excel in transition. However, both are inconsistent 3-point shooters at times.
Ball and Bridges have had elite chemistry for a few years, and I'm optimistic in thinking that the same will happen with Kuminga. Bridges took more pride in on-ball defense last season, and that's something Kuminga will need to do here as well.
Rudy Gobert vs. Moussa Diabate
Similar to the Edwards-Knueppel comparison, obviously, the difference between these two as players is stark, but the archetype is similar. Both are non-shooting bigs who excel on the glass and at screening for their teammates.
Where Gobert has Diabate beat by a long shot is on the defensive end. While Diabate isn't a bad defender by any stretch of the imagination, Gobert is a four-time DPOY winner and still one of the five best defenders in the league.
If the Hornets had gotten off to a better start last season, they would have been a tough out in the playoffs due to their sheer firepower on offense. The Wolves have the capability to reach even higher offensive levels while having a steady defense, more depth, and a playoff-tested team. That's a scary sight for the rest of the league if things click.
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