Over the last few years, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch described his team as “moody” on multiple occasions. When things were going well, the vibes were great. When adversity hit, the team had a tendency to sulk, which could have a carryover effect at times.
This year’s Wolves do not have that problem. Part of that is because the season hasn’t started, so there hasn’t been any adversity. Another big reason has to do with the major changes to the roster that were made this offseason.
Julius Randle — who was, quite frankly, the face of the Wolves’ moodiness problem — was traded to the Nets in a salary dump. Naz Reid, who was truly beloved in Minnesota but undeniably had some sulkiness to him, was dealt to the Hornets for LaMelo Ball.
The Timberwolves had been trying to acquire Ball for a while and are thrilled to have him. The excitement starts with his basketball abilities as a true point guard and high-level shooter who should fit perfectly alongside Anthony Edwards, as we’ve already seen in preseason action. Ball’s personality has been a welcome addition, as well. He is all joy, all the time. Much like Edwards, he lights up rooms with an authentic exuberance.
When discussing Ball prior to Monday night’s preseason game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Finch threw some not-very-subtle shade at Randle and Reid, even if he probably wasn’t thinking about it that way in the moment.
“We referred to ourselves as a moody team in the last couple of years at times, and it’s probably gotten in our way,” Finch said, via The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov. “We’ve traded moodiness for giddiness, so we’ve got to kind of get back to some sort of equilibrium. But it’s been fun to go to work every day so far.”
Again, Finch likely wasn’t intending to throw Randle and Reid under the bus with that comment. But it’s hard to read it any other way, especially with the use of the word “traded.”
“He’s always in a great mood,” Finch said of Ball. “Always comes in smiling. He and Anthony have a shared quality: They’re really hard to stay mad at. And they do some things that you want to get mad at. They have a reflective joy, and I think that’s important. They tease the joy out of each other as practice goes along. So, that kind of adds to the overall spirit of the group, which we really needed.”
About a week away from the start of the regular season, the vibes around the Timberwolves are as positive as they’ve been in a long time. Ball is the single biggest reason for that, because of both his basketball fit and the joy he carries himself with.
The question, of course, is how Ball and Edwards and the Wolves will handle the inevitable tough stretches that come in an NBA season. But for now, everything is good. The Wolves have traded moodiness for giddiness, and they believe that can boost their on-court performance as much as ball movement or defensive activity or anything else.
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Oct 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Timberwolves section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.