Timberwolves Add LaMelo Ball to Pair With Edwards in West Arms Race
Minnesota's ceiling just rose. But Anthony Edwards sits outside our top-10 at #15 after a down 2025-26 — here's the fantasy read.
New playmaker LaMelo should lift his efficiency after a cold close to 2025-26.
- Edwards: 28.8 pts, 44.1 FPTS/G in 2025-26 (actual)
- Edwards ranks #15 overall, #7 at guard in our model
- Last 5 games 2025-26: -10.8 FPTS vs his average
- Wolves added LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga
- Edwards played 61 games in 2025-26
The Timberwolves spent the offseason chasing a bigger ceiling, and the headline move was landing LaMelo Ball to run next to Anthony Edwards. Pair that backcourt with Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, add Jonathan Kuminga to the rotation, and Minnesota suddenly looks built to push the top of the Western Conference.
The fantasy question centers on Edwards, who sits at #15 overall and #7 among guards in our model after a season that didn't quite match the hype. He averaged 28.8 points, 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 61 games in 2025-26 (actual), good for 44.1 fantasy points per game — strong, but not elite-scorer territory, and he limped to the finish line with his last five games running 10.8 fantasy points below his own average.
Adding a primary playmaker in LaMelo changes the math. Edwards has spent chunks of his career carrying heavy creation duties; handing some of that load to Ball could tighten his shot selection and lift his efficiency. On paper, more easy looks for a guy who already clears 28 a night is exactly what a fantasy manager wants.
The Roster Context
Minnesota isn't the only team reshuffling. The Nuggets return a skilled starting five around Nikola Jokic but lack depth, with Aaron Gordon sitting at #105 overall after a modest 16.2-point, 28.8-fantasy-point 2025-26 (actual). Houston looks dangerous too — Alperen Sengun checks in at #14 overall and #3 at center off a 44.1 fantasy-point 2025-26 (actual), with Fred VanVleet back from a torn ACL and Kevin Durant still being Durant.
The Wolves' upside hinges on whether the LaMelo fit clicks quickly or takes a few months to gel. New pieces mean new touches to sort out, and early-season chemistry noise is real. But the talent floor here is high, and the long-term outlook for Edwards is the best it's been.
The Fantasy Takeaway
If you can pry Edwards loose at a discount built on his quiet finish to 2025-26, do it. The addition of a true setup man should raise his efficiency and keep his counting stats humming, and #15 feels like a floor rather than a ceiling. Buy low now, before a hot November reminds everyone he's a top-10 talent.
