On July 10, Minnesota traded Naz Reid and Mouhamadou Gueye to Charlotte for LaMelo Ball and Josh Green. It was a bet that a team built on defense could absorb a guard built to create. Anthony Edwards is now sidelined by his right knee until an estimated December 21, and that bet carries the season.
The case for Ball
Edwards was the offense. He averaged 33.3 points in his four games and scored 47 at Cleveland on October 26. Without him, Minnesota lost 119-114 to Golden State, fell to 3-2 and slipped to eighth. Somebody has to organize what is left, and Ball is the only one built for it. His 6.6 assists across five games lead the team, well ahead of Dosunmu's 4.0, and he had eight more against the Warriors. At $40.8 million, only Edwards earns more. Minnesota did not acquire him to stand in the corner while others create.
The case against
The Warriors game showed the cost. Ball shot 3 of 11, went 2 of 8 from deep and committed six turnovers in 28 minutes, the most of anyone in a Minnesota uniform. Eamon Cassels of Dunking with Wolves argued that his "lack of rim pressure" will keep causing problems. Jon Krawczynski, writing for The Athletic during the game, said Shannon's drives to the rim were the only offense Minnesota had. The box score agrees: Shannon made 8 of 10 free throws and finished plus-7. A team that wins with its defense cannot hand away possessions, and Golden State led 64-48 at the half and by as many as 24.
Where it lands
Ball fits, but only as a distributor, not as the replacement scorer. The blame for the Warriors loss does not belong to him alone: Ball was minus-2, while Gobert and McDaniels were each minus-11, and Curry made all 16 of his free throws. The front office also has no easy way out. Payroll is $215.3 million, above the first apron, and the 2027 and 2028 firsts are tied up in swaps. So the answer is to use Ball for what he does well. He should feed Shannon and Kuminga going downhill and let Gobert anchor the other end. The number that decides it is turnovers, not points. The Clippers arrive Friday at 1-3 with Bradley Beal, Brandon Ingram and Max Strus out. That is a fair first test of nearly eight weeks without Edwards.
When will Anthony Edwards return for the Timberwolves?
Edwards is sidelined by his right knee, and his estimated return date is December 21, 2026.
How did the Timberwolves get LaMelo Ball?
Minnesota acquired Ball and Josh Green from Charlotte on July 10, 2026, and sent Naz Reid and Mouhamadou Gueye the other way.
