Миннесота Тимберволвс баг 41 настай домогт тоглогч Леброн Жэймсийг Энтони Эдвардс, Ламело Болл, Жэйден Макдэниелс, Руди Гобер нарын бүрэлдэхүүнд нэгтгэхээр идэвхтэй ажиллаж байна.
Миннесота Тимберволвс баг Леброн Жэймсийг багийнхаа гарааны тавт болон хувцас солих өрөөний удирдагчаар харах хүсэлтэй байгаагаа илэрхийлжээ. Тэд Энтони Эдвардс, Ламело Болл, Жэйден Макдэниелс, Руди Гобер нараар хүрээлүүлсэн нөхцөл нь Жэймсийн хувьд аваргын цом хүртэх хамгийн оновчтой хувилбар хэмээн үзэж байна. Тус баг нь одоогоор ямар нэгэн аварга цолгүй байгаа бөгөөд Жэймс тэдэнд нэгдсэнээр түүхэн амжилт бүтээх боломжтой гэж үзжээ.
Жэймсийн агент Рич Пол тус багийн удирдлагууд болон дасгалжуулагч Крис Финчийн ур чадварыг онцлон дурдсан байна. Тимберволвс баг сүүлийн жилүүдэд плэй-оффт тогтмол шалгардаг хүчирхэг баг болж чадсан тул Жэймсийн туршлага, манлайлал тэдэнд нэн шаардлагатай байгаа юм. Жэймс өнгөрсөн улиралд 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds дунджилсан үзүүлэлттэй байсан нь түүнийг дээд түвшинд тоглосоор байгааг харуулж байна.
Миннесота Тимберволвс баг хүчирхэг бүрэлдэхүүнээ улам бэхжүүлж, аваргын цомд хүрэхийн тулд ийнхүү томоохон алхам хийж байна. Жэймс сонголтоо хийхдээ өөрийн карьерын түүхэн дэх дараагийн томоохон амжилтыг хаана бүтээхээ шийдэх болно. Тэдний хувьд Жэймс нь зүгээр нэг тоглогч бус, багийг оргилд хүргэх гол хүн байх болно гэдэгт итгэлтэй байна.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have ramped up their push for LeBron James, with full belief that they are very much in the hunt to land one of the greatest players in NBA history, league sources told The Athletic.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations, said the Timberwolves have been in contact with James’ representatives with a bold pitch: team up with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert to go after the kind of championship that could end any discussion about who is the greatest player of all time.
The Wolves firmly believe they have the best situation for the 41-year-old James as he prepares for his 24th season. They have a core headlined by Edwards, Ball and McDaniels that can take a lot of the offensive pressure off James’ shoulders. They have McDaniels and Gobert to help ease James’ workload on defense, as well.
Most importantly, they have a story for James to tell. Unlike several of the other options on the table for him, including the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and James’ hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, the Timberwolves have never won a championship. The Vikings and Wild are title-less as well. The Twins’ World Series win in 1991 marks the last time a Minnesota men’s professional sports franchise won it all, the longest drought among U.S. markets with all four major sports. The people of Minnesota are desperate for a championship.
The Wolves think if James picks them over all the other suitors — cold weather and lack of spending power be damned — it would be the biggest possible statement he could make in the long-running greatest player of all time debate between him and Michael Jordan.
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On the most recent “Game Over” podcast, Rich Paul, James’ longtime agent and close friend, laid out all of the options with co-host Max Kellerman. The Timberwolves were among the teams most prominently featured in the debate, along with the Cavaliers, Heat, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets. The Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks were also mentioned, but the Wolves were one of the five teams in the middle of Paul’s whiteboard, with Edwards, Ball, McDaniels and Gobert listed by name.
Paul also shouted out Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, coach Chris Finch and the Wolves’ ownership group, helmed by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.
“You remember when Ant said, ‘It’s OK, we’ve got Jaden McDaniels?’” Paul said, referring to an interview Edwards did several years ago shrugging off the Phoenix Suns’ addition of Kevin Durant. “It’s OK. We’ve got Jaden McDaniels. Then you have Gobert. Plus Tim Connelly and that ownership group.”
Kellerman told Paul that he felt the Timberwolves were “the most interesting” option because of what McDaniels did to Jamal Murray in the Wolves’ first-round win over Denver, Gobert’s rim protection, Edwards’ star power and the way James could mentor the newly acquired Ball.
Kellerman also echoed something the Wolves have told James’ camp: all of these teams in the running for James’ services need him in the locker room as well as on the court. The Wolves have made huge strides as an organization over the last five years, rising up from being one of sports’ most dysfunctional franchises to become a perennial playoff team. With Edwards leading the way, the Wolves advanced to back-to-back Western Conference finals in 2024 and 2025, and reached the second round this season before being eliminated by San Antonio.
Minnesota would not be a blatant ring chase for James. He would be coming to a team that needs his talent, basketball IQ and leadership. The Wolves believe they have all of the pieces to put around James to give him the best chance to win, and they have a clear need for him in the starting lineup after trading power forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid earlier this summer. (Minnesota did reach an agreement on a one-year deal with Trey Lyles on Friday, but he is considered a depth piece at the position.)
While Edwards has taken strides as a leader, the Wolves said goodbye to Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson and Joe Ingles this offseason, three of their most important locker-room voices. There is arguably no bigger voice in the NBA than James. He could be the perfect person to help lead a talented roster that has not yet climbed the mountaintop.
Paul spoke about that dynamic on the podcast.
“You know what the dinners look like going forward in Minnesota? The plane rides, the practice?” Paul said. “You know what he does for Coach Finch and that group? Coach Finch, I guarantee you, Coach Finch will have an edible arrangement every day in his locker.”
Most importantly, the Wolves would not be pushing so hard if James couldn’t still bring it on the court at age 41. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, and Minnesota believes it has more talent that can help him get the most out of his twilight years in the league.
Paul’s discussion with Kellerman is only part of what has convinced the Timberwolves that they are very much in the hunt. But it has only emboldened them to keep pushing to see if they can convince James, who has made all kinds of history in his decorated career, to try to make a little bit more in Minnesota.
