"Anthony Edwards Will Bring Joy": NBA Champion Makes LeBron James Plea to Rich Paul

A massive shadow continues to loom over the NBA in the form of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James’ free agency. As anticipation over his next destination builds, former Boston Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins has stepped in with his own pitch, urging Rich Paul to steer James toward the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Although Perkins did not speak with James directly, he shared his pitch for where the 41-year-old legend should go next on the 'Game Over' podcast.

"The best fit for Bron is Minnesota. Basketball wise, if you're talking about plugging him into a space where he could go now and compete for a title," Perkins said.

"I'm not saying he's going to be happy. But Anthony Edwards will bring you joy, LaMelo Ball will bring you joy," he continued. "But if you look at what they're missing, all they're missing is 'somewhat power-small forward to fill the void of Julius Randle.'"

Perkins bypassed the Warriors, Heat, 76ers, and Cavaliers, the teams often mentioned in the LeBron sweepstakes. He instead backed Minnesota as a sleeper contender.

He feels that James could elevate the Timberwolves into the same tier as the Thunder and Spurs, who are widely considered the Western Conference’s top teams.

Paul himself has mentioned the Timberwolves as one of the teams that could realistically land James. However, they appear to have lagged in the race as the Warriors leaped forward following some developments involving Draymond Green.

With James' mindset being kept as a closely guarded secret, though, there's no telling which teams he's actually considering right now.

How Will LeBron James Fit In With the Timberwolves?

Before the summer, there were reports that the Timberwolves were considering a drastic roster overhaul. When the offseason finally rolled around, the front office did not waste any time in implementing those changes.

They traded away fan-favorite Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets to acquire LaMelo Ball, creating a new dynamic backcourt. In that same deal, Julius Randle was sent to the Brooklyn Nets.

Arguably, this will unleash Anthony Edwards since defenses can't just focus on him. Instead, they have to mind everyone on the court since Ball can just zip the perfect passes that make all his teammates contributors.

Should LeBron James join this lineup, he wouldn't have to worry about being the man to run the offense all the time. He could benefit from the occasional cut where he'll be fed lobs and drop passes by Ball.

Alternatively, when he takes matters into his hands, he can easily feed Edwards or even Rudy Gobert on pick-and-rolls.

There's also the matter of defense. With Gobert patrolling the lanes and Jaden McDaniels' defensive prowess, James wouldn't have to worry about the same defensive lapses that plagued the Los Angeles Lakers this past season.

The Timberwolves finished both the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons with identical 49–33 records, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2025 and the Conference Semifinals in 2026. If they somehow can land James, they would feel confident about crossing the tougher playoff battles in the coming season.