Timberwolves Nightly

Ball is the biggest addition. Last season he averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 72 games. He shot 36.8 percent from three. His plus-minus of 5.8 was the best among the players on this roster. He wears No. 1 and is 25, the same age as Edwards. With Conley gone, Ball takes over as the primary playmaker. Dosunmu brings scoring and spacing. He averaged 14.8 points last season and shot 43.9 percent from three, the best mark of anyone listed here. Bones Hyland is also back after averaging 8.5 points in 16.6 minutes over 71 games. Zyon Pullin and Jaylen Clark round out the guard group. Clark played 68 games last season at 4.0 points per game.

The one name on the injury report hurts. Donte DiVincenzo is out with a right Achilles injury. His estimated return date is April 2, 2027, which puts him on track to miss most of the regular season. Last season he was the most durable player on the team. He played all 82 games, averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 30.4 minutes. He shot 37.9 percent from three, and his plus-minus of 4.1 was among the best on the roster. Without him, more minutes go to Hyland, Clark and Terrence Shannon Jr. Shannon is 26 and in his second season. Losing DiVincenzo also takes away a guard who could play on or off the ball, at a time when the backcourt is already learning to play together.

Per reports, the Timberwolves and Jaden McDaniels agreed to a one-year extension on Oct. 20. McDaniels is coming off one of his best seasons. He averaged 14.8 points and 4.2 rebounds and shot 41.2 percent from three in 73 games. Kuminga joins him on the wing. He played only 36 games last season, averaging 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23.1 minutes. Gobert averaged 10.9 points and 11.5 rebounds in 76 games. With Reid gone, the backup big minutes are open. Trey Lyles, 30 and in his 10th season, has the most experience. Behind him is a young group: Joan Beringer is 19, Rocco Zikarsky is 20 and rookie Isaiah Evans is 20. Cody Williams, 21, is also back after averaging 8.8 points in 67 games.

Minnesota went 49-33 last season. The team posted an offensive rating of 115.6 and a defensive rating of 112.5, for a net rating of 3.1. It played at a pace of 101.5 and scored 118.0 points per game. It shot an effective field goal percentage of 55.9 and a true shooting percentage of 59.2. Those numbers came with Randle, Reid and Conley in the rotation, so they are only a starting point. The question is whether Ball's playmaking and Dosunmu's shooting make up for what left. The defense still has Gobert and McDaniels. The roster also changed at the edges. Reports on Oct. 17 said the Wolves waived five players and opened up a two-way slot.

The regular season opens on Oct. 23 at Orlando. The first week is busy. Toronto visits on Oct. 25 in a game on NBA TV. The team plays at Cleveland the next night, Oct. 26, which makes it a back-to-back. Golden State comes to Target Center on Oct. 28. The Clippers visit on Oct. 30 in an Emirates NBA Cup game. Minnesota will play 33 games on national TV this season, a sign of how much interest there is in Edwards and Ball together. The regular season schedule lists 80 games. The Wolves play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. In the five most recent games, they beat Miami twice and won at New York, and lost to Detroit and at Chicago.