The NBA season has arrived and allow me to be the first to tell you that the Western Conference isn’t all about the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Those who exclude the Minnesota Timberwolves are in for a rude awakening.
With that, here are five bold and realistic predictions for the 2026-27 Wolves.
1. LaMelo Ball leads the NBA in assists
Minnesota and the rest of the NBA are about to find out how dangerous Ball is when he’s teamed with a roster filled with shooters and slashers.
Ball has in Minnesota what he never had in Charlotte: a functioning franchise that is sturdy from top to bottom. Man, it actually feels crazy saying that out loud after three decades under the iron fist of Glen Taylor, but the new ownership regime, coupled with the ascension of Anthony Edwards, has the Timberwolves positioned to once again be a true contender in the Western Conference.
With all due respect, Ball’s 2025-26 teammates in Charlotte, Brandon Miller, Kon Knuepple, Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate, and Ryan Kalkbrenner aren’t on the same planet as Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Ayo Dosunmu, T.J. Shannon and the other intriguing pieces he’ll play with in Minnesota.
If Ball averaged 20 points and seven assists with that group, he’ll finish with 10+ assists per game with the Timberwolves. That should have him contending with Nikola Jokic, Tyrese Haliburton, and Trae Young for the most in the league.
2. Jaden McDaniels is the second-leading scorer
Edwards is the top dog again, but Julius Randle’s departure, coupled with the arrival of a pass-first point guard in Ball, opens the door for McDaniels to increase his scoring.
Think about it this way: McDaniels averaged 14.8 points on about 11 shots per game last season. He’ll probably take 15+ shots per game this season, and if he maintains his shooting splits (51.% overall and 41.2% from three), he has a chance to score somewhere close to 20 points per game.
The Wolves will also play at a faster pace, which means more shots. On top of that, McDaniels could play in the frontcourt quite a bit, which means more looks close to the basket. He shot 61.9% on shots within eight feet of the basket last season.
3. Ayo Dosunmu and TJ Shannon form elite backup backcourt
All the talk is rightfully focused on Ball and Edwards forming the starting backcourt, but we’re going to see a ton of Shannon and Dosunmu together. I firmly believe head coach Chris Finch plans to give Shannon a big opportunity as a primary ball-handler when Ball is out of the game, with Dosunmu frequently operating as his two-guard.
Shannon is explosive with the ball in his hands, and Dosunmu is terrific on catch-and-shoot threes. Can you imagine a world where defenses have to consider doubling Shannon just to avoid him getting downhill, where he can attack the rim or drive-and-kick? It’s going to be a loud wake-up call to the league when opposing coaches realize they might have to do that to avoid getting pounded by a backup guard who was never supposed to be a point guard in the first place.
4. Fight for the No. 1 seed goes down to the wire
It’s not a two-team race between the Spurs and Thunder; it’s a three-team race that also includes Minnesota. Yes, the Spurs and Thunder are juggernauts with insane talent and depth, but the Wolves are right there with them.
I’ve said for months that the best way to compete in the West is by mimicking what the Spurs and Thunder do with 7-8 quality guards and wings, and that’s exactly what the Wolves have with Ball, Edwards, McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, Dosunmu, Shannon, Bones Hyland, and eventually Donte DiVincenzo.
The West isn’t as deep most years, which is why I think the Spurs, Thunder, and Wolves could all win 60 games. I can’t predict that Minnesota gets the No. 1 seed, but I do believe they will have a shot at earning it as the regular season comes to a close in April.
1. Wolves win the NBA Finals
You wanted bold, right? If the Wolves secure the top seed, they’ll find themselves on the opposite side of the bracket from Oklahoma City and San Antonio. And while Minnesota cooks weaker teams en route to the conference finals, the Thunder-Spurs survivor will be out of gas, giving the Wolves an edge that they’ll take advantage of en route to the NBA Finals.
In the Finals, Minnesota will meet the New York Knicks, who return with a chance to repeat as champions. They won’t. The Wolves will overpower Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks, winning the series in six games and delivering the first men’s professional championship trophy to Minnesota since 1991.
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Oct 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Timberwolves section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.