Marc Spears Chooses The Minnesota Timberwolves As Damian Lillard's Next Team

The Timberwolves have a significant lack of dynamism in the backcourt alongside Anthony Edwards. They have a young superstar who can score over anyone and defend at a high level.

However, he does not have the dynamic backcourt he needs to give him some time to rest and space. With an All-Star like Lillard, Edwards could pair up with an explosive scorer and a fantastic playmaker at the same time. That is what ESPN's Marc Spears is arguing with his proposal for Lillard to join Minnesota.

Lillard Could Be A Game Changer For The Timberwolves

As one of the guards who can hold a candle to Stephen Curry in the past generation of point guards, Lillard is one of the very best in his position. He might have been struggling with the Milwaukee Bucks, but he was still scoring nearly 25 points per game in the 2024-25 season.

At the same time, Lillard is a willing playmaker, as he loves creating for his teammates. In Minnesota, he will have plenty of partners, including Rudy Gobert, in the pick-and-roll. 

Spears brought up a valid point regarding Lillard and his fit in Minnesota.

"If they brought him in running point next to Ant, imagine the shooting in that backcourt. Imagine the boost Minnesota will get," Spears said on NBA Today. "Imagine Mike coming in behind him. He and Ant-Man have a relationship. Minnesota, they were in the West Finals."

The ceiling is high with a Lillard and Edwards backcourt. However, there will be some pushback against this potential partnership.

The Downsides Of Lillard Possibly Joining Minnesota

Despite the ceiling Minnesota could get with Lillard joining the Timberwolves, there are also some problems with signing him. 

He will be coming off an Achilles injury at 36 when he returns in the 2026-27 season. He will still be a fantastic player, but he will be a step slower than he was before the injury.

Defensively, Lillard does not solve any problems because he is always struggling on that end of the floor. He will get covered with Jaden McDaniels, Gobert, and Edwards. However, he will get hunted on switches, which cannot be avoided all the time.

It is a potential signing with pros and cons, but the ceiling is truly high with another superstar alongside Edwards. He might be an older guard like Conley, but Lillard is a different beast due to his ceiling as an offensive player compared to Mike Conley Jr., who has been struggling.