Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) drives past Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the second half at the Spectrum Center
Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves believe their offseason addition of LaMelo Ball can unlock a new level for franchise star Anthony Edwards, and head coach Chris Finch admitted the team relied too heavily on Edwards as a primary ball-handler last season.
Speaking during NBA Summer League on the latest episode of The Road Trippin' Show, Finch explained why Minnesota felt acquiring Ball was the right move as it prepares for the 2026-27 season.
“We’re very excited. We really are excited for a lot of reasons,” Finch said. “The more we studied this move, the more it made sense for us. It’s about making your best players better and we probably did Anthony a disservice last year at times playing him as a point guard. It caught up to us and he did a really great job but in the playoffs, it was just double-team after double-team after double-team. We got to get him back to his natural position off the ball. We didn’t create enough catch and shoot threes for him.”
Finch believes Ball's playmaking can solve several issues that surfaced during Minnesota's postseason run, particularly by creating easier scoring opportunities for Edwards and maximizing the roster around him.
“When you look at the numbers with LaMelo on the floor with his teammates and the efficiency and the production… I mean Kon Knuppel shot 7% higher from the three-point line with LaMelo on the floor than he did without. That’s a massive stat for a great shooter.”
Chris Finch explains LaMelo Ball's fit alongside Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert
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The Timberwolves acquired Ball earlier this offseason in one of the NBA's biggest blockbuster trades, pairing the former All-Star point guard with Edwards in hopes of keeping the franchise among the Western Conference contenders after several consecutive playoff appearances.
Finch also pointed to Ball's size, rebounding and passing ability as reasons the organization believes the partnership will thrive.
“Obviously, LaMelo is a phenomenal talent all by himself. We needed the connective tissue, we needed the point guard play. In the West, you need big guards right now and we need rebounding. He’s never played with a guy like Rudy [Gobert]. We’ve never really been able to unlock Rudy as a lob threat. We just haven’t had that type of passer with the ball in his hands that much.”
Ball's arrival gives Minnesota a traditional lead guard capable of orchestrating the offense while allowing Edwards to spend more time attacking defenses as a scorer. Finch's comments also suggest the Timberwolves expect Gobert to become a more prominent offensive weapon through Ball's ability to create easy looks around the rim.
With training camp approaching, Minnesota enters the 2026-27 season expecting Ball's addition to reshape its offense and help Edwards return to a role that better suits his strengths.