Lakers vs. Timberwolves Preview: Potential First Co- Appearance of James Father and Son, Debut of Timberwolves’ New Lineup

On October 5th, the NBA preseason will see the Lakers host their first preseason game against the Timberwolves.

The Lakers finished last season with a record of 47 wins and 35 losses, ranking 8th in the West, but were eliminated in the first round by the Nuggets with a score of 1-4. During the off-season, the Lakers’ recruitment efforts could be considered a failure. Although they renewed James’ contract, and he was willing to take a pay cut to recruit players, no well-known players joined. Instead, the biggest highlight for the Lakers has become James’ son, Bronny. Additionally, the team selected Knicht with the 17th pick, which is also one of the bigger gains for the Lakers this summer.

The Lakers experienced a change in coaching during the off-season, surprisingly appointing Redick as head coach, who has never had any experience as a coach or even an assistant coach. For the Lakers, this is a hard-to-predict coaching change, and only when the season begins can we see the results of this move. Redick has already announced the starting lineup for the new season, which includes Russell, Reeves, Hachimura, James, and Davis.

The Timberwolves won 56 games and lost 26 last season, ranking third in the West. In the playoffs, the Timberwolves advanced all the way, even toppling the defending champion Nuggets, reaching the Western Conference Finals. Unfortunately, they fell short in the Western Conference Finals, losing to the Mavericks and missing out on the Finals. However, for the young Timberwolves, such a performance was already impressive enough.

However, during the off-season, the Timberwolves underwent significant changes. The team traded Towns, bringing in DiVincenzo and Randle. This move also firmly established Edwards as the core player while alleviating future salary pressures. Although they lost Towns, with players like Edwards, Conley, Gobert, Randle, DiVincenzo, and Reed, the Timberwolves still have formidable strength on paper.

This preseason game’s outcome may not be crucial for both teams. Main players may only appear for half the game before ending early. There will be many opportunities for young players, such as the Lakers’ Bronny and Knicht. The Timberwolves’ new signings have only just arrived, making the preseason a key period for their integration. Of course, the biggest highlight of this game is the potential first co-appearance of the James father and son, which will be the most anticipated point.

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