As soon as you get a Christmas task, you have the velvet rope behind you.

NBA fans have shown interest in the Wolves, and Anthony Edwards' rise to stardom is a good reason why. Edwards spent the offseason helping Team USA win an Olympic gold medal. And he listened and learned as James, Steph Curry and other future Hall of Famers offered advice. It will undoubtedly help a still-developing Edwards improve his game even more, which is scary when you think about it. After Karl-Anthony Towns moved to the Knicks, it's now definitely Ant's team.

Unlike the Twins, who won a playoff series in 2023 and then failed to expand the roster the following offseason, the Wolves spent their time continually adding new players.

“We're at the big table, so now is not the time to be afraid,” President of Basketball Operations Tim Connolly said after a draft in which the Wolves selected point guard prospect Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. got a guard and is already driving and reaching the NBA level. Just before the three-minute mark of the second quarter Thursday, his teammates jumped off the bench as Shannon crossed the lane and slammed a basket into the net.

Connolly then shocked the league just over two weeks ago by trading Towns for a package that included Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. We don't know exactly how they will fit in since the preseason games mean little and teams need about 20 games to figure out who they are.

“Where we are now, it feels like we’re in a really, really good place,” coach Chris Finch said before the game. “It feels like it’s ahead of its time. But I say that with some caution because when the next week comes and they start to really count the stats, the ball tends to get a little sticky at times. Hopefully that’s not the case.”