The Minnesota Timberwolves are fine-tuning a significantly altered roster during the 2026 preseason, splitting their first two exhibition games with a 116-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on October 5 and a 123-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers on October 7. Head coach Chris Finch is overseeing a team that traded for star guard LaMelo Ball and signed forward Jonathan Kuminga, moving forward without veterans like Mike Conley. The central question is who will lead this young group on and off the court.
Leadership is falling squarely on the shoulders of Anthony Edwards. The All-Star guard is embracing a more mature role, shifting his focus from pure scoring to overall impact. "When I was younger, it used to be how many points I have," Edwards said. "Now I look at the plus/minus when I was on the floor, and just about how good I was playing defense that night." Teammates are looking to him for guidance, with guard Bones Hyland stating the locker room expects Ant to lead them through tough stretches. President of basketball operations Tim Connelly noted Edwards was excited about the offseason moves and believes the team is ready to make another jump.
Edwards has also prioritized building team chemistry. He organized offseason workouts and supported a team trip to Paris coordinated by center Rudy Gobert. This marks a change from previous summers where players spent less time together. For Edwards, leadership is straightforward. "Speak up when I see something… When I see something wrong, just speak up," he explained.
The blockbuster trade for LaMelo Ball provides a seismic shift. Ball gives Minnesota an elite playmaker and true point guard, a role Edwards had to fill at times in recent years. Edwards is thrilled about the change, noting it will free him up defensively. "I feel like the last couple years, I couldn't play defense as good as I wanted to because I was bringing the ball up," Edwards said. "At times I had to score all the time, I was super tired, but now I got LaMelo."
While Ball has presented a relaxed face to the media, his teammates describe him as a vocal leader behind the scenes. His presence, alongside the athleticism of Jonathan Kuminga, reshapes the Wolves' offensive identity and backcourt dynamics. The preseason games against the Bucks and Pacers offered the first glimpses of this new backcourt partnership in action.
The immediate focus is the final preseason tune-up, an away game against the Miami Heat on October 10. After that, the real work begins as the regular season schedule kicks off. The team's full slate of matchups is available on our schedule page. The preseason results-a strong win and a loss-highlight both the potential and the work remaining for this group.
Integrating Ball's creativity with Edwards' scoring and the defensive anchor of Rudy Gobert will define their early season. The development of Jaden McDaniels and the bench unit, including Bones Hyland, will be important. Coach Finch has welcomed the challenge of molding this new roster, and the players are confident their offseason bonding will translate to wins. Their progress will be one of the NBA's most watched stories this year.
