Timberwolves Coach Reveals Real Reason Why They Traded For LaMelo Ball

The Minnesota Timberwolves made a massive swing this offseason, pulling off a trade for LaMelo Ball to pair up with Anthony Edwards to create one of the most dynamic backcourts in the Western Conference. 

On Thursday, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch revealed the real reason why they traded for Ball and it mainly revolved around Edwards.

According to Finch, the team felt that they did Edwards dirty in the NBA playoffs for putting him in the point guard position, leading them to deal with the Charlotte Hornets to get Ball. 

Real Reason For LaMelo Ball Trade Revealed By Timberwolves Head Coach

GettyFormer Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball.

“In the playoffs it was just double team after double team. We got to get him back to his natural position off the ball,” Finch said. “We didn’t create enough catch-and-shoot threes for [Edwards] and when you look at the numbers with LaMelo on the floor with his teammates and the efficiency and the production, I mean Kon Knueppel shot 7% higher from the three-point line with LaMelo on the floor than he did without. I mean that’s a massive stat for a great shooter and that’s a big bump for a great shooter.”

The Timberwolves lost in the second round to the San Antonio Spurs to miss out on a Western Conference Finals berth. Before this season, the Timberwolves advanced to the conference finals for two straight years, albeit both ending in losses.

In their series versus the Spurs, Edwards was met with double teams against San Antonio’s perennial perimeter defenders such as Stephon Castle, Carter Bryant, and Dylan Harper.

Playing as the team’s point guard for most stretches, Edwards averaged 21.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game across 10 postseason appearances this year. He also normed 2.5 turnovers per game in the playoffs. 

On the other hand, Ball was one of the best facilitators last season, putting up 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game for the Hornets across 72 games played.

He helped the Hornets reach the play-in tournament, only to lose in the second game against the Orlando Magic. 

The two are expected to be the Timberwolves’ go-to guys for next season, with Ball being the team’s primary point guard while Edwards returns to his natural shooting guard position.

Anthony Edwards Tempers Expectations in First Year With LaMelo Ball

GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MAY 12: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves warms up before Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Anthony Edwards knows it will be a rocky road for him and Ball in their first season together next season. 

“It’s definitely going to be ups and downs,” Edwards said in Fanatics Fest last month. “First year together, maybe a lot of downs. We’ll celebrate both of them. Celebrate the ups, celebrate the downs.”

Adding Ball increased the team’s ceiling, but health and availability remain concerns, especially for Ball, who has a history of injuries. 

The team’s supporting cast remains solid, with Rudy Gobert as the starting center and Jalen McDaniels as a reliable wing.

Minnesota is still a dark-horse contender no matter how stacked the Western Conference is with the likes of the Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

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