After bowing out of the playoffs at the Western Conference Finals stage twice in the last three years, the Minnesota Timberwolves will hope they have finally given Anthony Edwards a worthy running mate to help him get over the hump.

The Wolves traded for guard LaMelo Ball in the offseason, moving on from former Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid and three-time All-Star Julius Randle.

Uniting Edwards and Ball means bringing together the No. 1 and No. 3 picks from the 2020 NBA Draft, respectively —a prospect that, on paper, should excite the entire city of Minnesota, not just its biggest star.

"I'm super excited," Edwards said. "It's going to sound like I say it every year. I haven't been more excited for a season to come.

"I mean, obviously, because we haven't played basketball in months, but I just think us being young, man, playing with our hair on fire and, like I said, defensively, just having that edge."

It would simply be unfair to put a ceiling on what this dynamic duo could achieve in Minnesota.

If Edwards and Ball mesh on the court as well as they do off it, the Timberwolves are in for a wild, exciting ride.

Pairing Edwards — an ambitious, hungry winner — with Ball, who has never had an opportunity to win consistently, could be a masterstroke by the Wolves' front office.

Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game last season, adding five rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per tilt.

He has gotten fans around the league used to a certain level of performance, impressing even on bad nights. However, when those rare nights do happen, it feels as though he has lacked someone by his side to pick up the slack.

That's where Ball could slot in seamlessly. At 6-foot-7, he is a do-it-all guard who can heat up and start scoring in a flash. He averages north of 20 points per game in his career, but his biggest qualities are playmaking and ball-handling, duties that Edwards has in the past complained about having to do too much of.

Giving Edwards a true point guard and letting him play off the ball more—as a traditional two-guard—while preserving energy wherever he can for defense could be what turns the Wolves from a conference contender into a championship favorite.

Edwards also said he's excited about the Timberwolves' defensive edge this year, and that's important.

No championship run happens without defensive buy-in, and it starts with the leader.

Edwards taking pride in his defense could motivate Ball to improve, given that Ball has been criticized for being a liability on that end in the past. Ball's 1.2 steals per game last term are promising and a foundation he can build on in Minnesota.

The Timberwolves have the luxury of having not one but two elite defenders in their starting five. Anchored by four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, wing Jaden McDaniels is also in the running for the award every campaign.

This means that Minnesota has two things taken care of before the season even starts. The Wolves have an elite rim protector and an athletic forward who can guard the other team's best player—and one through four—any given night.

All that remains is for the rest of the roster to lock in and put them in positions where they can flourish. That will set the tone. On the other end, Edwards and Ball will inherit a blank canvas to lead the team to victory, however they and head coach Chris Finch see fit.