Timberwolves offseason recap and early season preview: How will Edwards, Ball mesh?

The Minnesota Timberwolves got a makeover this offseason, in part thanks to a trade that shipped Naz Reid and a slew of draft picks to the Charlotte Hornets for LaMelo Ball and Josh Green. In theory, the superstar backcourt tandem of franchise cornerstone Anthony Edwards and Ball makes for must-watch TV. However, in practice, how impactful will it make the Timberwolves in the arms race for the West? There are other factors set to impact Minnesota, too, thanks to an aggressive summer from its front office. ESPN's staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the 2026-27 season for all 30 teams, with 30 pieces -- one for every team -- rolling out each weekday through Sept. 18. We're answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more for all 30 teams. Let's dive into the Timberwolves, who made a big move to kick off the summer: Quick links: Roster | Depth chart | Transactions More Timberwolves coverage | More NBA Offseason at a glance Key additions: G LaMelo Ball, G Josh Green, G Isaiah Evans Key subtractions: F Julius Randle, C Naz Reid Key retentions: G Ayo Dosunmu, G Bones Hyland, G Jaylen Clark Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly continued to show his aggression, orchestrating a four-team trade with the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets that sent out three-time All-Star Randle and the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year, Reid, and a future first-round pick to bring in the talented -- but polarizing -- Ball. That move followed Connelly inking 6-foot-4 guard Dosunmu to a five-year, $112 million extension in June, following his acquisition at the deadline. Minnesota also re-signed wing Clark and guard Hyland and acquired the 6-foot-6 Evans out of Duke with the No. 33 pick in the draft. Coach Chris Finch also lost his top lieutenant on the bench, Micah Nori, who left to coach the Portland Trail Blazers. -- Dave McMenamin Zach Kram's offseason grade: C+ Last summer, the Timberwolves prioritized size, as they gave Randle and Reid new contracts and let guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker walk in free agency. But they reversed course this summer by trading away Randle and Reid, re-signing Dosunmu and bringing in Ball. That strategic shift is a big gamble, and the Timberwolves have almost no flexibility left to make further adjustments after they dealt an unprotected first-round pick and three swaps for Ball. I understand the rationale for Minnesota's big swing -- particularly the team's desire to ensure Edwards' happiness -- but I'm skeptical that it will prove successful. Last season was Ball's first with more than 47 games played since 2021-22, and Minnesota now has no reliable forwards on its roster beyond Jaden McDaniels. -- Kram What we learned this offseason From Ben Golliver's offseason lessons piece: Connelly is fearless. When Connelly traded for Rudy Gobert in 2022, he sacrificed a pile of draft picks because he needed a better backline anchor. And when he traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Randle in 2024, his goal was creating more salary cap flexibility and adding depth. Those deals were both criticized at the time, but they had a clear purpose and worked out well, all things considered. Rising star Edwards benefited from playing with his veteran teammates, and the Timberwolves reached the Western Conference finals in 2024 and 2025. Connelly's latest trade is harder to understand: The Timberwolves sent Randle to the Nets and packaged Reid and a bunch of draft assets to acquire Ball from the Hornets. While the deal will give Edwards a star-level backcourt partner, the frontcourt losses are bound to alter Minnesota's physical identity. Edwards and Ball have the potential to be the NBA's most electric guard tandem, but Ball's lack of playoff experience, injury history and sometimes careless style of play combine to make this a huge gamble. How many executives would be willing to bet multiple years of Edwards' prime on a player with as many questions as Ball? And how many would do so after the longest stretch of sustained success in their franchise's history? Connelly's willingness to buck conventional wisdom has been one of his biggest strengths. Will it come back to bite him this time? -- Golliver The big question: How will Ball and Edwards mesh? TBD. But adjustments will need to be made. Edwards ranked No. 7 in usage rate among players to appear in at least 60 games last season (30.9%) and Ball was No. 9 (30.6%). It's the classic only-one-ball conundrum, but the Wolves' scenario is particularly intriguing, with Edwards only 25 years old and Ball just 24. After winning Rookie of the Year and being named to the All-Star team his second season, Ball has not progressed the way Edwards has (four straight All-Star nods, a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics) and now, after being the face of the franchise in Charlotte, he comes to Minnesota, where he will be the second option. -- McMenamin Basketball Power Index rank: No. 8 Here are the predicted Net Points per 100 possessions for the Wolves' top seven players for the 2026-27 season: Edwards' Net Points per 100 possessions in passing was +0.1 last year, which was in the 27th percentile across the league and one of his worst categories. Now welcome Ball, whose passing number was +1.7, in the 98th percentile. That's what the Wolves wanted -- more and better passing. On the other hand, these two were both in the top five of off-dribble three-point attempts last year, too (Genius IQ). -- Dean Oliver Read about how Net Points works here. Biggest X factor this season Reorienting their team around the backcourt has left the Timberwolves nearly devoid of depth at the forward spots, which are now filled with McDaniels and a whole lot of question marks. The 6-foot-6 Shannon doesn't have the same size or experience as the departed Randle and Reid, but he could still help -- if only he can finally turn his flashes of playoff excellence into sustained regular-season production. More was expected of Shannon last season, but he played only 538 minutes before being pressed into postseason service due to all of Minnesota's injuries. But now he has moved up on the depth chart, and it's all but imperative that he provide more consistent minutes throughout the 2026-27 campaign. -- Kram Betting insight from our experts Bet to make ahead of the season: Ball to record 5-plus triple-doubles in the 2026-27 regular season (+900) Ball has a real path to five triple-doubles in Minnesota. He averaged 7.1 APG last season and should handle most of the playmaking. Edwards should boost his assist opportunities, while Ball's size gives him a better chance than most guards to reach double-digit rebounds. The supporting cast should keep him aggressive without forcing him to carry the offense. He won't need a major jump for this bet to cash.. -- Eric Moody Odds by DraftKings at time of publication.