Published for Wolves fans — October 2026
By Toxlay Sports Editorial Team · Last updated October 19, 2026
The Club
The Minnesota Timberwolves are the team that turned a cursed franchise into a contender. Founded in 1989 and based in Minneapolis, the Wolves play at Target Center in navy, blue, green and white — and they’ve lived by “Wolves Run Deep” through the best run in franchise history: three straight 49-win seasons, back-to-back Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025. The one thing missing: an NBA title. The Wolves have never won it. After a summer that reshuffled the roster around Anthony Edwards, the pack is betting this is finally the group.
Last Season (2025-26): Short of the Finals — Again
It looked like the leap year. The Timberwolves went 49-33 — third in the Northwest, sixth in the West — then did what contenders do: they beat the Denver Nuggets 4-2 in the first round, winning Game 6 in Denver 110-98. But the second round brought the San Antonio Spurs, and the Wolves fell 2-4 — their first season in three years without a Western Conference Finals appearance. Anthony Edwards played only 61 games, Minnesota’s top-five defense couldn’t close out Wemby’s Spurs, and by June the front office decided the supporting cast around Ant needed a rethink. So they made the biggest gamble of the summer.
Best Players Right Now (2026-27 Roster)
Anthony Edwards, 25, Guard (#5) — The franchise. A four-time All-Star, the 2026 All-Star Game MVP (Kobe Bryant Trophy, 32 points in the new USA-vs-World tournament), and the third-youngest player ever to 10,000 career points. Averaged around 29 a night when healthy. Everything the Wolves are, and everything they want to be.
LaMelo Ball, 25, Guard (#1) — The blockbuster. Acquired June 25 from Charlotte in a four-team deal, Melo finally has a real co-star. Career 20.8/7.3/5.7; last season’s 20.1 points and 7.1 assists came in the best year of his career. His job: take the playmaking load off Ant.
Rudy Gobert, 34, Center (#27) — The anchor. Four-time Defensive Player of the Year, still the defensive system in a body. The only true big left after the summer moves — and he’s fine with that.
Jaden McDaniels, 26, Forward (#3) — The lockdown wing. Elite point-of-attack defense, a developing jumper, and the guy every star in the West hates to see.
Jonathan Kuminga, 24, Forward — The new starter at power forward. Signed for two years and $12.4 million in August after Naz Reid’s departure opened the spot; the former No. 7 pick brings athleticism this rotation was missing.
Donte DiVincenzo, 30, Guard (#0) — The glue. Movement shooting, toughness, and the connective tissue between the stars and the bench.
Ayo Dosunmu, 27, Guard — The two-way combo guard; steady minutes and secondary creation off the bench.
Terrence Shannon Jr., 26, Forward — The athlete. Slashing, energy, and a leap candidate in year three.
Trey Lyles, 31, Forward — The veteran stretch big; shooting and smarts in the frontcourt rotation.
Bones Hyland, 26, Guard — The instant offense. Microwave scoring whenever the second unit stalls.
Joan Beringer, 20, Center — The young big learning behind Gobert; the future of the five.
Head coach: Chris Finch — The architect of the best era in franchise history. Now he has to make the highest-usage backcourt in the league work on both ends.
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Star Spotlight: Stories You Should Know
Ant’s All-Star coronation. February 2026: the NBA switched the All-Star Game to a USA-vs-World tournament format, and Anthony Edwards owned it — 32 points across three mini-games, 10 of 14 MVP votes, and the Kobe Bryant Trophy. He said beating Team World felt best: “They say they’re the best players in the world. So beating them is the best feeling in the world.” At 24, he also became the third-youngest player in league history to reach 10,000 career points.
The LaMelo gamble. Minnesota had been pursuing LaMelo Ball for two years before the deal finally landed in less than 12 hours on June 25. To get him, the Wolves gave up Julius Randle (to Brooklyn), Naz Reid (to Charlotte), and a 2033 unprotected first plus swaps and seconds — their two starting forwards and serious draft capital. It’s the boldest move of Tim Connelly’s tenure: the franchise’s best-ever run of seasons, and they still tore it up to pair a true point guard with Ant.
The ghosts they keep beating. The Wolves ended Denver’s season in the first round — 4-2, finished in Ball Arena — the second time in three years Minnesota has knocked out the Nuggets. But the conference finals remain the wall: 2024 (Mavericks), 2025 (Thunder), and now a second-round exit to the Spurs. The 2004 Kevin Garnett Western Conference Finals run is still the franchise’s high-water mark. Ant and Melo are here to finally break through it.
This Season (2026-27): The Highest Ceiling in Franchise History
Vegas set the win total at 48.5 — right at last season’s 49 — with title odds around +3000. The ceiling is real: an MVP candidate (Edwards), an All-Star point guard (Ball), the game’s best rim protector (Gobert), and a 23-year-old forward (Kuminga) starting fresh. The questions are just as real: health (Ant played 61 games last year), frontcourt depth after trading both starting forwards, and whether a LaMelo-Edwards backcourt defends enough. But this is the best top-end talent Minnesota has ever had. The West runs through Oklahoma City — and the Wolves get them at home on Christmas.
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Games to Watch
Wondering when the Timberwolves play? The Timberwolves schedule opens with a statement week — grab your Timberwolves tickets early:
- October 21 — at Miami Heat (7:30 PM ET, ESPN): Season opener at Kaseya Center — LaMelo’s Wolves debut AND Giannis’s Heat debut, on national TV.
- October 23 — at Orlando Magic (7:00 PM): Second night of a Florida back-to-back; the new starting five gets its first road test.
- December 25 — vs Oklahoma City Thunder (home, 8:00 PM ET, ABC): CHRISTMAS. The Thunder visit Target Center — Minnesota’s first-ever Christmas Day home game.
- December 31 — vs Denver Nuggets (home): New Year’s Eve against the team the Wolves ended last spring. The rivalry is real now.
Biggest Rivalries — The Wars
1. Denver Nuggets — THE war. Minnesota has ended Denver’s season twice in three years, including the 4-2 first-round win last spring. Jokić vs. Gobert, Murray vs. Ant — the West’s most personal matchup. December 31 at Target Center.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder — The champs. The Thunder ended Minnesota’s 2025 playoff run in the conference finals. Now they’re the West’s team to beat, and they come to Target Center on Christmas Day.
3. Los Angeles Lakers — The spotlight games. Two rosters built for national TV — every Wolves-Lakers game is a spotlight game.
4. Golden State Warriors — The Bay Area clash. The Warriors were a playoff speed bump in 2025 (Wolves beat them in five). The Bay never forgets — and Ant never turns down the stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did LaMelo Ball get traded to the Timberwolves?
Yes. Minnesota acquired LaMelo Ball from Charlotte on June 25 in a four-team deal, sending out Julius Randle, Naz Reid and draft capital.
When the Timberwolves play the Thunder in 2026-27?
The Thunder visit Target Center on Christmas Day, December 25 — Minnesota's first-ever Christmas Day home game.
Who are the best Timberwolves players right now?
Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels.
How many times have the Wolves ended Denver's season?
Twice in three years, including last spring's 4-2 first-round win sealed 110-98 in Game 6 in Denver.
Show Your Colors
Wolves Run Deep — at Target Center or watching from home, true fans wear it. Gear up with quality fan sportswear — jerseys, tees and athletic wear built for real supporters:
Shop Fan Sportswear at Toxlay Sports →
Sources & official links: Minnesota Timberwolves official site · Minnesota Timberwolves tickets
Wolves Run Deep — Ant and Melo are coming for the West.
