MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 1 -- The night Anthony Edwards' season ended in San Antonio, he spent the final quarter forcing plays for teammates who could not finish them, the most visible expression of a problem Minnesota's front office had been hearing about for months. The Timberwolves finished 49-33 and never cleared the play-in round. They were a good team running into the same wall: one creator, no one capable of sharing the weight of the offense.

Five weeks after that loss, the front office announced a solution that cost more than it first appeared.

On June 25, Minnesota sent Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three second-round selections, and three first-round pick swaps to Charlotte in exchange for LaMelo Ball and Josh Green....