The 2026 NBA offseason has been nothing short of extraordinary. LeBron James heading to Philadelphia, Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to Miami, and several other major moves have completely changed the championship landscape. However, one of the most fascinating moves of the offseason might be LaMelo Ball joining Anthony Edwards on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On paper, this is one of the most exciting backcourts in basketball. LaMelo is an exceptional passer with tremendous creativity, while Edwards is an explosive scorer capable of taking over games with his athleticism, shooting, and defensive ability. Regardless of how successful Minnesota ultimately becomes, I believe this team will be incredibly entertaining to watch.
But there’s an important distinction between being entertaining, being a good regular-season team, and being a championship contender. I believe LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards will work together during the regular season. However, I don’t believe these two players form a championship-winning duo. Not this season, and not in the long term.
Two Exceptional Talents, One Basketball
LaMelo Ball is one of the most naturally gifted playmakers in the NBA. During the 2025–26 season, he averaged 7.1 assists per game, demonstrating his ability to consistently create opportunities for teammates. His court vision is exceptional, his passing is creative, and his smooth offensive game allows him to generate scoring opportunities in ways few point guards can replicate.
Then there’s Anthony Edwards. Edwards has established himself as one of the NBA’s premier shooting guards, combining remarkable athleticism with an increasingly polished offensive game. He shot 40% from three-point range last season, and whether he’s attacking the basket, elevating above defenders, or knocking down perimeter shots, Edwards possesses the ability to completely change a game. He’s also a capable and physical defender when fully engaged, giving Minnesota a valuable two-way presence.
Individually, these are two outstanding basketball players. Together, they have the potential to become one of the league’s most entertaining offensive combinations. However, there’s one major issue: both players are accustomed to having the basketball in their hands.
The Usage Rate Problem
This is where my concerns begin. During the 2025–26 season, LaMelo Ball ranked 7th in the NBA in usage rate, while Anthony Edwards ranked 8th. Both were accustomed to being central figures in their teams’ offenses, taking a significant share of shots and finishing possessions. Now they’re sharing the same backcourt.
Usage rate isn’t a direct measurement of how long a player holds the basketball. It measures the proportion of team possessions a player finishes through shots, free throws, or turnovers while on the floor. Nevertheless, those numbers demonstrate just how heavily both players have been relied upon offensively.
Minnesota cannot simply combine their previous roles and expect everything to work perfectly. Someone will have to adjust. And while I believe they’ll eventually establish a productive offensive partnership, I question whether either possesses the qualities necessary to make this combination a championship-winning one.
The Knicks Preseason Game Showed Us a Possible Solution
We received an early glimpse of how this partnership could function during Minnesota’s preseason game against the New York Knicks. The Timberwolves won 122–104, with LaMelo finishing with 10 points and seven assists in 22 minutes, while Edwards scored 26 points in approximately 25 minutes.
What interested me wasn’t simply their individual performances. It was the difference in their responsibilities. LaMelo operated primarily as the distributor and traditional point guard, creating opportunities for teammates and helping organize Minnesota’s offense. Edwards, meanwhile, embraced the responsibility of being the team’s primary scorer.
One player facilitated while the other took charge of putting points on the board. That’s exactly the kind of arrangement I believe Minnesota needs. LaMelo doesn’t have to stop scoring, and Edwards doesn’t have to abandon his playmaking responsibilities, but they need clearly defined roles.
If Ball becomes the primary offensive organizer while Edwards serves as the team’s leading scoring option, the Timberwolves could become a very effective regular-season team. However, that doesn’t automatically make them championship material. The playoffs demand considerably more than simply figuring out who scores and who passes.
We’ve Seen This Before With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade
The challenge of combining two ball-dominant stars is nothing new. One of the best examples came when LeBron James joined Dwyane Wade in Miami in 2010. Both players were accustomed to being the unquestioned leaders of their respective teams, and despite reaching the 2011 NBA Finals, the Heat ultimately fell short against the Dallas Mavericks.
During that 2010–11 season, Wade averaged 25.5 points and 4.6 assists per game. However, when Miami won its first championship with LeBron in 2011–12, Wade’s scoring dropped to 22.1 points per game, while his assists remained at 4.6. The following championship season, Wade averaged just 21.2 points and 5.1 assists.
That’s a decline of 4.3 points per game over two seasons, but it wasn’t because Wade suddenly forgot how to score. He increasingly accepted that LeBron was the team’s primary offensive force and adjusted his responsibilities accordingly.
The adjustment became even more apparent during the postseason. Wade averaged 24.5 points during Miami’s unsuccessful 2011 playoff run, compared with 22.8 in 2012 and 15.9 in 2013, when the Heat captured consecutive championships.
Now, those declining numbers weren’t entirely about sacrifice. Wade was also dealing with physical limitations as his career progressed. Nevertheless, his willingness to accept a different role helped Miami establish a more effective offensive hierarchy.
That’s the lesson LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards need to understand. Two talented players cannot always approach every possession as though they’re the unquestioned number-one option. Sometimes winning requires one player to take a step back so the other can lead.
Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry Proved the Same Point
Another example came when Kevin Durant joined Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Curry had already won two MVP awards and led Golden State to an NBA championship, while Durant was one of the greatest scorers in basketball history. Combining those two talents could have created significant offensive friction.
Instead, the Warriors became arguably the most talented team the NBA has ever seen. Durant frequently became Golden State’s primary scoring weapon in crucial moments, while Curry’s movement, shooting gravity, and willingness to operate without the basketball made the entire offense nearly impossible to defend.
Curry didn’t stop being a superstar. He simply demonstrated that individual greatness and team sacrifice can coexist. The result was consecutive championships in 2017 and 2018, with Durant winning Finals MVP both years.
Now, let me make something absolutely clear. I am not comparing LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, or Stephen Curry in terms of historical greatness. Those four players belong among the greatest basketball players of all time, and Ball and Edwards have a tremendous amount to accomplish before entering that conversation.
My comparison is strictly about the challenge of combining talented offensive players who are accustomed to being focal points. And there’s an important difference between those championship partnerships and Minnesota’s current backcourt. LeBron, Wade, Durant, and Curry weren’t simply gifted scorers. They possessed the experience, discipline, and basketball intelligence necessary to make sacrifices at the highest level.
I haven’t seen enough from LaMelo and Edwards to believe they can replicate that championship dynamic.
Why This Isn’t a Championship-Winning Duo
This is where my biggest disagreement with the excitement surrounding Minnesota comes into play. I believe the Timberwolves will win plenty of regular-season games. LaMelo and Edwards have enough talent to overwhelm opponents offensively, produce spectacular highlights, and potentially lead Minnesota to one of the stronger records in the Western Conference.
But I don’t believe that success will translate into an NBA championship. And I’m not simply saying they won’t win it this season because their chemistry needs time to develop. I fundamentally don’t believe LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards are the type of duo that leads a team to an NBA title.
The Western Conference is incredibly deep, with talented teams capable of exposing weaknesses over a seven-game series. More importantly, playoff basketball demands qualities that go beyond individual offensive ability. The game slows down, defensive intensity increases, opponents study tendencies and exploit weaknesses, and every possession becomes more important.
That’s when leadership, defensive discipline, smart shot selection, patience, and the willingness to sacrifice individual opportunities become essential. Both LaMelo and Edwards are spectacular talents, but I have concerns about their ability to consistently deliver those qualities together when the stakes are highest.
Can LaMelo remain effective when the defense takes away his passing options? Can Edwards consistently make the right decision rather than relying on difficult individual shots? Can both players maintain defensive focus and offensive discipline through an entire playoff series? And perhaps most importantly, who becomes the unquestioned leader when things aren’t going well?
These aren’t questions that can be answered simply by pointing to their scoring averages or regular-season record. Championship basketball requires a different level of maturity, leadership, and execution. That’s why I can envision Minnesota winning 50 or more games while still falling short when the postseason arrives.
Chemistry Will Improve, but That Doesn’t Change My Prediction
I also wouldn’t be surprised if Minnesota experiences some early struggles. LaMelo and Edwards have spent years developing their games as central offensive figures. There will likely be possessions where both players want the basketball, games where one player dominates while the other struggles to find his rhythm, and frustrating stretches as Minnesota experiments with different offensive arrangements.
That doesn’t mean the partnership is failing. It means two talented players are learning how to coexist, and I expect their chemistry to improve as they become more familiar with each other’s tendencies.
But improving chemistry and becoming a championship-winning duo are two different things. I believe they’ll figure out how to play together. I don’t believe they’ll figure out how to win a championship together.
Final Thoughts
LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards have the potential to form one of the most exciting backcourts in the NBA. Ball’s creativity and passing ability, combined with Edwards’ explosive scoring and two-way talent, should make the Timberwolves appointment viewing throughout the 2026–27 season.
I expect them to win plenty of games, produce spectacular highlights, and establish themselves as a dangerous regular-season team. However, I don’t believe this partnership will ultimately deliver an NBA championship.
Both players are accustomed to dominating the basketball, and while they can adjust their roles to become effective teammates, that alone doesn’t guarantee postseason success. The Western Conference is too competitive, and the demands of championship basketball extend far beyond individual talent.
The comparisons to LeBron and Wade or Durant and Curry demonstrate what successful sacrifice can accomplish, but those players also possessed a level of championship-caliber leadership and execution that Minnesota’s new duo has yet to demonstrate.
My prediction is simple: LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards will be great entertainment, they’ll win plenty of regular-season games, but they will not win an NBA championship together. And I’m not changing that prediction simply because they might start the season 15–3 or produce a few spectacular highlights.
The regular season and the playoffs are two different worlds.
Do you believe LaMelo and Edwards can prove me wrong and win a championship together, or will Minnesota ultimately fall short despite all its offensive talent?
Let us know in the comments, and remember to like, share, and subscribe to Ethical Sports Takes for more NBA analysis, predictions, and coverage.
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