NBA Season Preview: Five Wolves Lineups We Want to See

Training camp is here, and the Minnesota Timberwolves have reported. The starting lineup looks to be locked up with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Jonathan Kuminga.

Level of play, injuries, and selective rest will shift that lineup as the season goes on, but those starters are more vital than ever. In past seasons, Coach Chris Finch has been near dogmatic about sticking with his rotation and playing sparingly with players on the far end of it. With 14 players rostered and 3 players signed to two-way contracts, there are over 6,000 potential combinations for Finch and the coaching staff to play with.

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(Side note: how many players on two-way contracts would be considered two-way players, as in productive on both sides of the ball?)

With that in mind, I wanted to play with some lineups that, while unlikely, we could potentially see.

The Jaden Show

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 23: Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Vision: I want to see Jaden run the show. In this lineup, McDaniels is the primary dude in half-court sets with some additional ball-handling from Ayo as needed. I see him getting the action going, driving off a Rudy pick to the hoop for a pull-up middy or finding Rudy with a lob or a bounce pass. If the defense collapses, the ball springs out to Evans, Ayo, or Lyles on the wings for an open three.

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Some Data: McDaniels USG% has risen each of the past three seasons from 15.7% in 2024, to 16.4% in 2025 and finishing last season with 18.5%. His points per game have increased roughly 40% in that time, and his assists per game have nearly doubled from 1.4 to 2.7 per…

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Publish date : 2026-09-22 12:00:00

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