The Minnesota Timberwolves are finally set to take the floor after an offseason that saw a number of changes.

The Timberwolves will have their first preseason game on Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Fans will finally get to see their first taste of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball together as they try to establish themselves as the best backcourt in the league and come into the season with expectations on the offensive end.

They will be flanked by Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Jonathan Kuminga in the starting lineup.

With the offseason changes, which saw the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid, expectations are high in Minnesota as they look to get back to the Conference Finals.

Speaking ahead of their preseason opener, Edwards said about the new team around him, “I like it, sharing the ball a lot. I think defensively we can really be a super team on that end, so I like it.”

While the Timberwolves offense is going to bring the excitement with the new pieces, the team has hung its hat on the defensive end over the last few seasons.

They’ve been top ten in defense in the last four seasons, including having the best defense in the league in 2023-24 when they made the Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. They finished eighth in defense last year.

Edwards is one of the best superstar defenders in the league with room to grow; McDaniels has established himself as one of the best perimeter defenders; and Gobert remains one of the best anchors and shot blockers in the league.

Kuminga is a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and create turnovers.

Ball is the weak link on that end of the floor, and he will have to prove he can hold up at the position to keep the defense from breaking down. He’s decent at creating deflections, but not elite.

Chris Finch has proven that he can create a strong defensive scheme that highlights the strengths and hides the weaknesses of players. Figuring out where Ball is going to be hidden might be his toughest task to date.

The Timberwolves should be a top ten offense and defense. They have been in the top half of the league in offense, but now have the firepower on that end to leap into the top ten.

Though Ball is a concern, the defense is still better than it’s been in recent seasons with the addition of Kuminga and the improvements of Edwards and McDaniels.