Timberwolves 2024–2025 preview: Ant chases a title
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Anthony Edwards and the Wolves have their sights on a title. Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Tonight's Wolves season opener will pit LeBron James against Anthony Edwards, or put another way, the longtime face of the NBA versus the Minnesota guard who could take his place.
Why it matters: Hope is at an all-time high for Wolves fans after Ant led them on an improbable run to the Western Conference Finals last spring.
Yes, but: A lot has happened since then.
- In case you've spent the last five months soaking up the nice weather, this is your guide to faking it as a Wolves pro this season.
🐈 The trade: Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns' nine-year tenure in Minnesota is over after the team traded him to the New York Knicks in exchange for another all-NBA level power forward, Julius Randle, as well as Donte DiVincenzo, a sharpshooter and aggressive defender.
- This was certainly intended to make the Wolves better in the long term, but it's a matter of hot debate whether it will make them better this season.
- Randle might not be quite as good as KAT, but he could be just the vital second offensive playmaker the team badly needed during a season-ending series loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
🐜 Ant's trajectory: Edwards was the talk of the NBA last spring when he powered the Wolves' playoff run. It's easy to forget he just turned 23 and hasn't reached the prime age for most players.
- He spent the summer playing with, and learning from, James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry on Team USA.
- The idea of Ant getting better should scare the rest of the NBA.
🎯 Target Center will be buzzing: The days of $5 tickets and beer promotions are long gone.
- The lower bowl of Target Center is sold out for season tickets and prices on the secondary market have increased to an average of $187 per ticket, 83% more than last season, according to SeatGeek.
💰 The ownership battle: The good vibes on the floor don't reach into the ownership suite. Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore's three-year process of buying the team hit a wall last spring when Glen Taylor called off the sale.
- The two sides will go to arbitration in November, a process expected to settle the dispute.
The bottom line: The Wolves have the fifth-best odds of winning the NBA title this year.
- Such lofty preseason expectations are rare for a Minnesota sports team.