The Minnesota Timberwolves have appeared close to a championship in recent seasons, making the Western Conference Finals in two of the last three years and going six games with the San Antonio Spurs in the second round this past season.

But have they been close? They lost in five games both times in the Western Conference Finals, first to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 and then to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025. Though they went six games against the Spurs, the losses weren’t all that competitive.

No matter how close the team was under their previous construction, the Timberwolves changed things up this offseason, going away from size in the frontcourt and moving towards speed in the backcourt.

The Timberwolves were previously defined by Anthony Edwards and his bigs, either Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle and Gobert, with Naz Reid coming off the bench.

Gobert remains, but the supporting cast is now LaMelo Ball and Jaden McDaniels.

Defensively, the team should still be a top-ten squad with Jonathan Kuminga rounding out the starting lineup. But offensively, they are going to play a much different style, one that should benefit Edwards and unlock him to his fullest potential.

Edwards’ skills are well-defined as an athletic freak who puts pressure on the rim and shoots the ball deep at an effecient level.

To maximize those strengths, playmaking and space is what is needed around him, along with guys that can keep up.

The Timberwolves went out and got those guys in the offseason as he has never been next to a playmaker on the level of Ball. Kuminga might hurt the spacing, but Randle’s lack of spacing didn’t slow him down in the past two seasons, and Kuminga plays the type of transition game that should open things up more for Edwards than Randle did.

McDaniels will be the key piece who keeps everything together as he provides spacing and connectivity of his own. If he takes the leap that he’s expected to take on the offensive end, Edwards doesn’t have to do quite as much, opening him up even more for his offensive explosions.

The one area that the Timberwolves may have felt short is with their bench. With the injury to Donte DiVincenzo, there might be a lack of shooting and frontcourt depth to call the Timberwolves a true contender when the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder will be playing eight to nine players in the playoffs, keeping their stars fresh.

But the Timberwolves took a step in the right direction in building a team that should maximize Edwards this season and beyond.