THE WOLVES JUST TRADED FOR LAMELO BALL 🤯

The Minnesota Timberwolves finally fixed their point guard problem since it’s felt like YEARS they have been looking for a 1B to Anthony Edwards 1A. Now, with Lamelo Ball, someone that can dish the ball and hit the 3, they get one of the best in the game.

On paper, it makes sense; LaMelo can run the offense, push the pace, create easy looks for teammates, and take some pressure off Edwards from having to initiate everything. Minnesota gets another star, and Anthony Edwards gets a running mate that can actually set him up.

But no one is talking about the glaring problem; it feels like the Timberwolves completely flipped their roster construction overnight. When you look back to just a couple weeks ago, Minnesota was a team built around size. They had Julius Randle and Naz Reid. They had multiple frontcourt players who could score and stretch the floor. This would work exceptionally well since whenever a defense wanted to key in on Ant, they had other options.

Now with back-to-back trades, both Randle and Reid are gone.

The Wolves basically solved their guard issues by loading up on even more guards and that's what makes this trade so fascinating.

Ayo Dosunmu just got paid, LaMelo is now in town, and Anthony Edwards is obviously going nowhere. Minnesota suddenly has a ton of ball handlers and perimeter players, but the roster looks a lot thinner when you start looking at the front court and I’d argue that spacing is the biggest concern.

Naz Reid wasn't just a fan favorite, he was one of the few bigs on the roster that could consistently stretch defenses. He forced opposing centers out of the paint and opened driving lanes for Edwards. And we’re not even going to talk about being one of the best sixth-mans in recent years. Without him, things look very different.

Minnesota is going from a team that could beat you with size and physicality to a team that wants to beat you with speed, playmaking, and shot creation, which is basically a complete 180 in terms of game planning. This raises another question: what position is Anthony Edwards going to play?

With LaMelo handling point guard duties and Dosunmu expected to play a major role, Ant could find himself spending a lot more time at the three. The shift in small-ball offense with Rudy down in the paint could be a good thing offensively. Imagine LaMelo throwing lobs in transition, finding Ant on cuts, and creating easier scoring opportunities. Edwards won't have to create every shot himself anymore which is exactly why in the playoffs they crash out every year. The upside of that partnership is obvious, but still widely unknown.

But there are still plenty of concerns, LaMelo has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. Minnesota also gave up a lot to make this move happen, and now they're putting a lot of faith in a smaller, guard-heavy roster working in a loaded Western Conference. When compared to the teams like; Oklahoma City, Denver, and San Antonio, they still have plenty of size. Minnesota is betting that talent and playmaking can outweigh some of those matchup disadvantages.

At the end of the day, I understand why they made the trade. LaMelo solves a real problem. The Timberwolves needed another creator, and there aren't many players in the league with his passing ability. I just can't stop looking at the roster and thinking how different it suddenly is, a month ago the conversation was about Minnesota's depth and size and now the conversation is whether they have enough spacing and frontcourt presence.

The Timberwolves fixed one problem, but they may have created an entirely new one. We'll find out pretty quickly whether this new version of Minnesota can work.