The Minnesota Timberwolves will look much different when they take the floor in the 2026-27 season after losing two of their top six players.

Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the top two power forwards on the team are no longer there after Randle was salary-dumped to the Brooklyn Nets and Reid was moved to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for LaMelo Ball.

Ball will be the starting point guard next to Anthony Edwards, with the promise of being one of the best backcourts in the league. Jonathan Kuminga, who was signed late in free agency, will take over as the starting power forward.

Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert return as starters while Ayo Dosumu, Bones Hyland, Terrence Shannon Jr, Jaylen Clark, and Joan Beringer all return as bench options. Donte DiVincenzo will miss the start of the season after suffering an Achilles injury in the first round of the playoffs, but will add bench depth later in the season.

Trey Lyles and Cody Williams also added to the bench.

On paper, this team should finish no worse than sixth in the West. That’s where they were last season, but they were a couple of games from being the third seed as well. There is a pretty clear second tier that the Timberwolves find themselves in with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets.

There is also a clear third tier with the teams below them like the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers. It’s possible the Blazers surprise people with a healthy Damian Lillard and a rejuvenated Ja Morant. If that happens, the Timberwolves could fall to the Play-In spot depending on how healthy they can stay.

They lack frontcourt depth, which will cost them games throughout the season, but the duo of Ball and Edwards, combined with the supporting players like Gobert, McDaniels, and Kuminga, is too much talent not to win 49+ games again.

This team is good enough to make the Western Conference Finals. The playoff matchups will play a big role in determining that, as will health, but the defensive scheme is proven under Chris Finch, and the offense should find new life with Ball as a true secondary playmaker.

They’ll have to get through the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, which is no easy task, but maybe they can catch a break in that series that swings their way.

Beating both teams will be a tough task, but they have the right mix of talent and playstyle to make a true run in the Western Conference.