Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are not waiting until training camp to begin building chemistry with the new-look Minnesota Timberwolves.
The two guards reportedly helped organize an offseason trip to Paris for Minnesota’s players, with Edwards and Ball even offering to cover the costs for the team. The idea centered on bringing the group together in France to spend time and work out with longtime Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who was already in his home country for the summer.
The trip ultimately became reality, with Edwards, Ball and multiple Timberwolves teammates joining Gobert in Paris. Images from the gathering surfaced over the weekend, providing an early look at Minnesota’s reshaped roster spending time together well before the beginning of the 2026-27 season.
For Edwards, the initiative represents another sign of his growing influence within the franchise. The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski previously reported that Edwards had taken a leading role in organizing the gathering and making sure Ball felt welcomed after arriving in Minnesota. Edwards has also spoken publicly about his belief that strong personal relationships between teammates can translate into greater success on the court.
Ball is one of the biggest additions to the Timberwolves this offseason. Minnesota acquired him from Charlotte in June in a major trade that sent Naz Reid and significant draft compensation to the Hornets. The deal paired two members of the 2020 draft class who now enter the season as Minnesota’s high-profile backcourt combination.
The Paris trip was not designed strictly as a vacation. Minnesota’s players were expected to work with Gobert as part of the gathering, giving Ball in particular an opportunity to begin developing the timing required to play alongside one of the NBA’s most established screen-and-roll centers. That relationship could become important as the Timberwolves attempt to integrate Ball’s passing and creativity into their offense.
There is also a larger purpose behind the gesture. Minnesota has undergone significant roster changes, and chemistry cannot simply be assumed because talented players have been placed together. Getting teammates into the same gym, and the same city, months before opening night gives the group an opportunity to establish relationships away from the pressures of the regular season.
