Timberwolves Roll Out Chaotic New Starting Lineup Featuring LaMelo Ball and Rudy Gobert
The Minnesota Timberwolves are debuting a new starting five of LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Rudy Gobert on Friday night.
HotTakes Editorial TeamUpdated 1 min read
Finding live odds…

The Minnesota Timberwolves are rolling out a starting five on Friday night that looks like a 2K MyLeague simulation with the trade override left on. Underdog NBA confirmed the new-look lineup will feature LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Rudy Gobert.
Seeing Ball and Gobert share a starting floor is objectively hilarious. One guy wants to throw 40-foot behind-the-back lobs in transition, and the other treats catching a standard bounce pass like defusing a bomb.
"Underdog NBA tweeted: 'Lineup alert: Wolves will start Ball, Dosunmu, McDaniels, Kuminga, Gobert on Friday.'"
Minnesota needs this chaotic collection of talent to gel immediately after dropping a tight 119-114 game to the Golden State Warriors earlier this week. They are leaning heavily on McDaniels to be the glue guy, especially since he proved he can handle a massive workload by averaging 16.6 points and nearly 33 minutes a night during a crucial stretch last spring.
For anyone staring at the prop markets, this rotation shift completely scrambles the math. Dosunmu brings a serious offensive ceiling to the backcourt, having flashed a 29-point, nine-assist game in the past, which means the usage rate is going to be a battle every single possession.
The real variable holding this entire experiment together is Ball and his notoriously fragile lower half. His ankle injury history reads like a CVS receipt, making every minute he spends on the floor a high-wire act for the coaching staff.
We are about to find out exactly what this roster is made of. The Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night before immediately turning around to face the San Antonio Spurs, giving us 48 hours to see if this is a playoff-caliber core or just a really expensive social experiment.
Key stats
Minnesota lost to Golden State 119-114 on October 29.
Jaden McDaniels averaged 16.6 points and 32.9 minutes over a 10-game stretch last spring.
Ayo Dosunmu previously recorded a 29-point, nine-assist game.
What's next
The Timberwolves will test this new starting five against the Clippers on Friday night, followed by a matchup with the Spurs.

Key stats



