The word out of the Western Conference is that the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are the teams to beat for the 2026-27 season. After their run to the Conference Finals, with that kind of roster continuity, who can blame anyone for putting them at the top? Well, Anthony Edwards is apparently not like “anyone.” He’s coming for that top spot, and he isn’t afraid to say it out loud. Despite everyone else crowning the Thunder and Spurs, Edwards is confident his Minnesota Timberwolves can challenge them for the number one spot in the West. That’s a massive expectation, but Edwards is ready to cement himself and his team as the absolute best.
The Ant-Man’s Offseason Grind and New Firepower
This offseason has been wild for Edwards and the Timberwolves, no doubt about it. They absolutely blew up the headlines when LaMelo Ball got traded to Minnesota, immediately forming what people are calling one of the best backcourts in the league alongside Edwards. You can practically feel the excitement around the Timberwolves because of that move alone. And get this, they even took a swing at signing LeBron James! It didn’t pan out, with the Philadelphia 76ers swooping in to sign him instead, but that near-miss clearly hasn’t slowed Edwards’ fire. In fact, he’s straight-up motivated to beat LeBron James now that he chose the 76ers over the Timberwolves.
‘We’re Going to Beat Them’: A Challenge Laid Bare
The Wolves aren’t just making moves on paper, either. Their players already went to France to work out and bond together, which is a huge deal for a team looking to build chemistry early. Edwards himself has been on tour with Adidas in Manila in the Philippines, and he’s been incredibly vocal about his goals for the 2026-27 season. He wasn’t shy about it, stating, “Against those two teams, I think we’re going to beat them,” referring to the Spurs and the Thunder. Talk about fighting words! Everyone can see he means every single one of them. That’s the sign of a true competitor ready to embrace the underdog role once more. Most people are still going to pick the Spurs and Thunder as favorites, but with this revitalized backcourt, the Timberwolves are right on their heels. Get ready, Western Conference. This is going to be good.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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