Tracy McGrady gets honest about how the Timberwolves can be the dark horse in the West originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, two teams stand out in the Western Conference. Those are the two Western Conference Finals teams: the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. That feels unanimous to a lot of people, but other teams seem to be looking to pull off surprises.
Multiple teams made some big changes in the offseason, including the Minnesota Timberwolves. With the addition of LaMelo Ball in the backcourt, they could be one of the most dangerous teams in the league, as that offensive boost is a big deal.
Tracy McGrady lauds the Timberwolves' potential to upset the West favorites
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has plenty of weapons in his arsenal now. In the past, he had to work with a limited backcourt that was spearheaded by Anthony Edwards. Mike Conley was a tremendous player, but he was struggling to keep up with his younger counterpart.
Now, Edwards has a more dynamic partner in LaMelo Ball. Not only are they the top players from the 2020 Draft, but they also have a similar attitude about them that makes them such a fun fit alongside each other. While it is a fun duo, the jury is still out on whether it can work out in the long term.
MORE: Chris Finch sees the Timberwolves as a much more exciting team with LaMelo Ball
If someone asks NBA legend Tracy McGrady about this team, he will say that he is extremely high on them. In fact, he has picked them as the team that could disrupt that Thunder and Spurs duo at the top of the Western Conference in the 2026-27 season.
"I'm putting some stock in that right there. Reason being, I think this is the first time LaMelo has played in meaningful games. He's playing with a team that has been to the Western Conference Finals, guys that are serious about winning ball games," McGrady said on NBA on NBC about the Western Conference's dark horse.
"What he's going to unlock for that team offensively is not having that pressure on Ant Man to score when it's late in the games. The pace is going to be up and down. I think he's going to unlock Rudy Gobert with some lob threats."
McGrady is bringing up some valid points that make the Timberwolves such a dangerous team. Ball is such a dynamic addition that the rest of the NBA has to be wary because they are ready to make some noise and disrupt what people have projected.
More NBA news:
- Anthony Edwards sends a warning to the NBA after the Knicks' preseason loss
- LaMelo Ball's fashion brand has become an official TNA Wrestling partner
- Bam Adebayo reveals he won't forget what LaMelo Ball did to him
- Anthony Edwards speaks on why he took time off in the 2026 offseason
- Anthony Edwards has stepped up as the Timberwolves' leader in the locker room culture