{"id":2060131,"date":"2026-07-24T16:15:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T13:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2060131"},"modified":"2026-07-24T16:15:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T13:15:35","slug":"timberwolves-lebron-pursuit-falls-short-now-they-move-forward-with-new-look-roster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2060131","title":{"rendered":"Timberwolves\u2019 LeBron pursuit falls short. Now they move forward with new-look roster"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"Article_ContentContainer__jBNW3 article-content-container bodytext1\">\n<p>The Minnesota Timberwolves threw everything they possibly could at LeBron James to try to persuade him to chase a championship with them.<\/p>\n<p>Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball got on the phone with him. Alex Rodriguez led ownership\u2019s pitch given their common ground as superstar athletes who have become business moguls. Tim Connelly\u2019s longstanding working relationship with Rich Paul helped the two have extended conversations on the fit for James in Minnesota.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid1\" data-position=\"mid1\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Throughout the process, team sources said, the Timberwolves felt like James and his camp were giving them full consideration for his 24th season. Those sources spoke on condition of anonymity to be able to speak candidly about private negotiations. They always knew it was a long shot, but the prospect of putting James in a starting lineup alongside Edwards, Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert was something they had to pursue all the way to the end.<\/p>\n<p>James ultimately decided on Friday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7417464\/2026\/07\/24\/lebron-james-contract-76ers-free-agency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>, ending a free-agency sweepstakes that lasted for nearly a month. Now that the dream is over for the Timberwolves, they will move ahead with a clearer picture of exactly how the roster will look entering training camp.<\/p>\n<div data-ath-video-stream=\"IoCmxvlZ6XzF9i2\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_Root__QeM_i\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_VideoWidth__XjNKI VideoHost_Portrait__XBaJC\">\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Root__AGckL\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Title__npf3B\">Top 5 LeBron Lakers Moments<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_VideoWrapper__Xgp47\">{&#8220;@context&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/schema.org&#8221;,&#8221;@type&#8221;:&#8221;VideoObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/IoCmxvlZ6XzF9i2\/&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/IoCmxvlZ6XzF9i2\/&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Top 5 LeBron Lakers Moments&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;From winning a title to becoming the NBA&#8217;s all-time leading scorer, these are the five moments that defined LeBron James&#8217; Lakers career.&#8221;,&#8221;uploadDate&#8221;:&#8221;2026-07-02T01:11:06.420Z&#8221;,&#8221;duration&#8221;:&#8221;PT1M3S&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnailUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/cdn-media.theathletic.com\/video-stream\/auto-thumbnail\/IoCmxvlZ6XzF9i2\/8wqFD4M58UuE.0000000.jpg&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/video.nyt.com\/athletic\/streams\/IoCmxvlZ6XzF9i2\/8wqFD4M58UuE\/8wqFD4M58UuE.m3u8&#8243;,&#8221;transcript&#8221;:&#8221;Together in an NBA game. quarter James goes to the rim once again, lays it up. James drives. James finishes 16 and 5. They beat Portland, Houston, and Denver all in 5 games, and that&#8217;s it. It&#8217;s over. This historic 2020 NBA championship belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers.&#8221;,&#8221;ineligibleRegion&#8221;:[&#8220;BI&#8221;,&#8221;BY&#8221;,&#8221;CD&#8221;,&#8221;CF&#8221;,&#8221;CU&#8221;,&#8221;IQ&#8221;,&#8221;IR&#8221;,&#8221;KP&#8221;,&#8221;LB&#8221;,&#8221;LY&#8221;,&#8221;ML&#8221;,&#8221;NI&#8221;,&#8221;RU&#8221;,&#8221;SD&#8221;,&#8221;SO&#8221;,&#8221;SS&#8221;,&#8221;SY&#8221;,&#8221;UA&#8221;,&#8221;VE&#8221;,&#8221;YE&#8221;,&#8221;ZW&#8221;],&#8221;publisher&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;NewsMediaOrganization&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/#publisher&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/&#8221;,&#8221;foundingDate&#8221;:&#8221;2016-01-25&#8243;,&#8221;logo&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ImageObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;creditText&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;height&#8221;:&#8221;60&#8243;,&#8221;width&#8221;:&#8221;435&#8243;},&#8221;publishingPrinciples&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/edit-guidelines\/&#8221;,&#8221;sameAs&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Athletic&#8221;},&#8221;author&#8221;:[{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Person&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic Staff&#8221;}]}<\/p>\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_root__AKv5b\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16;max-height:min(100%)\">\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_inner__86C_2\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16\">\n<div class=\"VideoStreamPlayer_GridStack__2H0p2\"><video preload=\"metadata\"><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Timberwolves were recruiting James hard for several reasons, not the least of which were his ability to impact winning even at 41 and the belief that his vast experience competing for titles would be highly valuable to a young team that has yet to reach the mountaintop. But they also had a natural hole in their roster that James would have perfectly fit.<\/p>\n<p>To land Ball, the Wolves had to liquidate their depth at power forward, sending Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets and Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets. Adding Ball\u2019s $41 million salary put Minnesota right up against the second-apron payroll threshold of $221.7 million for this upcoming season, leaving Connelly with little ammunition to address the lack of depth at the four. Had James decided to come and play in Minnesota for the league minimum, it would have been an incredible stroke of good fortune and removed any worries about the roster construction heading into Edwards\u2019 seventh season in the league.<\/p>\n<p>While observers of the roster have expressed serious concern about the lack of size up front next to Gobert, Connelly and coach Chris Finch do not seem as bothered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid2\" data-position=\"mid2\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cC<span>ertainly it\u2019s going to be a new-look roster,\u201d Connelly said. \u201cAnd all credit to Coach Finch\u2019s willingness to consistently evolve and coach what\u2019s put in front of him. There\u2019s not a more creative coach in the world, so we have full faith that whatever we put out there is going to be successful. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt might look different, but we\u2019re excited about it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>The Timberwolves have been here before. When Connelly traded for Gobert in 2022, many across the league were convinced that pairing him with Karl-Anthony Towns was a fool\u2019s errand. They would go on to reach the Western Conference finals in 2024 and, in some ways, help usher in a new era of supersized ball.<\/p>\n<p>When Connelly traded Towns to New York, many assumed that a frontcourt with one non-shooter in Gobert and another mediocre one in Randle would be doomed. While Minnesota did not reach the NBA Finals with that pairing, the Wolves advanced to another conference finals in 2025 and reached the second round last season.<\/p>\n<p id=\"article-pickem\">\n<p>After losing to the San Antonio Spurs in May, the Wolves are pivoting again. This time, they are prioritizing a big, dynamic backcourt with Ball and Edwards over the frontcourt bully ball they have played the last three years.<\/p>\n<div id=\"top-league-content-root\"><\/div>\n<p>    {&#8220;endpoint&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/api-prd-nyt.theathletic.com\/graphql&#8221;}<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverybody has a slightly different approach on what they\u2019re comfortable with,\u201d Finch said. \u201cBut this is our third big swing in five years, and I think we\u2019ve given ourselves great confidence that we can navigate these things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Timberwolves could afford to wait out James\u2019 decision because there weren\u2019t exactly a lot of great options available upon which to miss out. With only minimum contracts available, they signed Trey Lyles, who played for Connelly in Denver, after he spent last season in Europe. But other bigger names such as Rui Hachimura, Sandro Mamukelashvili and John Collins all signed deals for far more than the Wolves could offer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid3\" data-position=\"mid3\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Conventional wisdom would then lead to the assumption that, given his 6-foot-10 frame and rim-protecting abilities, McDaniels would slide to power forward in the starting lineup. But Finch made it clear to <em>The Athletic\u00a0<\/em>that he is not thinking that way at the moment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI see Jaden playing largely the same role he\u2019s always played,\u201d Finch said.<em> \u201c<\/em>But of course he can slide over to play four, and you get a chance to get other guys on the floor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf that\u2019s what we feel at the end of training camp is the best thing for us, then of course we\u2019ll do it,\u201d Finch said of more power forward minutes for McDaniels. \u201cBut that\u2019s not necessarily my mindset going in. My mindset going here right now is way more open and lean into other things, whether it be creativity or finding a guy or the right guys across both lineups, first and second, that unlock it.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7459318\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption-image-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-7459318 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2026\/07\/20155651\/USATSI_28686875-1024x683.jpg\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"427\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline-credits\">\n<div class=\"inline-credits-container\">\n      <span class=\"credits-text\">Jaden McDaniels had a career season in 2025-26. (Mike Watters \/ Imagn Images)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Finch also wants McDaniels at small forward so they can better use the improved shot creation he showed last season when he averaged career highs in points (14.8), 3-point percentage (41.2) and field goal attempts (11.1). With a pass-first player like Ball now at point guard, Finch believes McDaniels\u2019 role in the offense can get even larger.<\/p>\n<p>The coach also discussed adopting a more flexible approach to the starting lineup night in and night out next season, depending on the matchup.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI see the opportunity to be creative with that, maybe, every night,\u201d Finch said. \u201cMaybe it\u2019s a different person starting at the four based on who we\u2019re playing. Why not?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lyles is listed at 6-9 and is the closest to a traditional power forward frame. He can stretch the floor from 3, which is important when sharing the frontcourt with Gobert. When he was discussing his <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Amberoyalty1\/status\/2077390220945756163?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">decision on a vlog<\/a>, Lyles indicated that the team at least mentioned the possibility of earning a big role next season.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid4\" data-position=\"mid4\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cOpportunity to be a starter on an NBA team after being out for a year,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat, am I gonna say no?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It would seem more likely that the Wolves give a longer look to some of their incumbents, including defensive specialist Jaylen Clark, offensive spark plug Terrence Shannon Jr. and the recently acquired Josh Green. All are 6-6 or under, which would potentially leave the Wolves a little vulnerable on the glass. The Wolves also experimented with 6-11 center Joan Beringer at power forward in summer league, though it would present major spacing concerns when sharing the court with Gobert.<\/p>\n<p>The Wolves may just have to be unconventional, at least in the early going. Finch said that also meant Edwards could see time guarding some of the more physically imposing power forwards in the league, like Zion Williamson or Jaren Jackson Jr. It also means that the Wolves will likely lean on Ball, one of the better rebounding point guards in the league, to help them on the glass.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt about it that being big at the four or five has been a large part of our identity,\u201d Finch said. \u201cBut I\u2019ve never been a believer that you replace one with one. If you lose a player, going out and trying to find his replacement straight up, (you\u2019ll probably) only ever get 80 cents on the dollar at best. You might as well just lean into your best players, whatever that looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If there is a benefit to playing smaller, it could be to build a lineup that is better at using Gobert on offense. That may sound counterintuitive given his clear limitations, but he was at his best from an offensive impact standpoint when he was in Utah and surrounded by shooting and playmaking. Ball\u2019s ability to throw the lob pass should help, and if there is less traffic around the rim with a group that stretches the defense out more, it could make things easier for Gobert.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span>Rudy\u2019s done an incredible job over the last couple years learning how to play off another big, whether it be KAT, Julius or Naz,\u201d Finch said. \u201cAll of those guys had different spacing requirements. Rudy\u2019s done a really good job of adding that component to his game. I can now envision lineup constructs that get him back to being \u2014 he\u2019s always been a great roller \u2014 with better space around him and things he does more naturally.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Maximizing Gobert\u2019s offense by no means will be a priority, not with Edwards and Ball leading the way. But a more involved Gobert could translate to even more effort from him on defense.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid5\" data-position=\"mid5\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<p>As it stands, this is an imperfect roster. But the opportunities to address it have not ended. In the summer of 2022, most expected Connelly to trade D\u2019Angelo Russell for a different point guard before the season began. With no takers, Connelly just waited for the market to come around again, ultimately shipping Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers and getting Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Utah in the three-team deal.<\/p>\n<p>It stands to reason that the ultra-aggressive Connelly will continue to monitor the market well into next season if need be to see if there is an upgrade that becomes available. The Wolves still have a roster spot to be filled. Now that we know that player is not James, the likelihood of a minimum player signed in late July being a true difference-maker is small.<\/p>\n<p>None of what has transpired has dulled the Wolves\u2019 enthusiasm for next season, nor has it made them rethink doing the trade for Ball. They discussed the pros and cons of the move before making it, Finch said, including understanding the holes in the roster it would create in the immediate aftermath. It didn\u2019t scare them one bit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that\u2019s the fun part about working,\u201d Finch said. \u201cWe don\u2019t look at those things as obstacles to not do something, but things that we\u2019ll figure out as we move through it. Even if we don\u2019t have great clarity on what it is, I think we trust each other to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re thinking Edwards is crestfallen by James\u2019 decision, think again.<\/p>\n<p>During one of several conversations he had with James, Edwards playfully told him if he didn\u2019t make a decision soon, he would tear James\u2019 head off, according to league sources briefed on the conversation. James laughed and asked Edwards what would happen if he chose another team.<\/p>\n<p>Edwards didn\u2019t hesitate, telling him that would be OK, because that just meant he could tear James\u2019s head off on the court when their two teams met.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Minnesota Timberwolves threw everything they possibly could at LeBron James to try to persuade him to chase a championship with them. Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball got on the phone with him. Alex Rodriguez led ownership\u2019s pitch given their common ground as superstar athletes who have become business moguls. Tim Connelly\u2019s longstanding working relationship [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,241],"class_list":["post-2060131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nytimes-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2060131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2060131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2060131\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2060131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2060131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2060131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}