The Minnesota Timberwolves will only go as far as Anthony Edwards can take them
Despite the big move that the Minnesota Timberwolves made during the offseason, their ceiling will be determined by Anthony Edwards.
By the end of the 2021-22 NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves had quickly become a lovable underdog, led by their fearless sophomore Anthony Edwards. He was rising up toward stardom and with Wolves back in the postseason for just the second time in nearly two decades, all eyes were blasted on a talented young team that could be “next.”
After holding a series lead in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies (another young upstart team), the Wolves eventually lost. But the seed was planted. The Wolves were an up-and-coming team and were officially announced to the rest of the Western Conference.
The Minnesota Timberwolves clearly wanted to improve the roster during the offseason
It was clear that the front office wanted to keep their momentum from on the court to carry in the offseason. And that’s exactly what took place when they made arguably the splash of the summer by acquiring Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz.
The Wolves gave up historic compensation (Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler (No. 22 pick in 2022 Draft), Jarred Vanderbilt, four first-round picks, and one pick swap) for Gobert, but they believe he is a player that could help them take another step in their progression as a franchise.
Though, I’d argue that the biggest factor in the Wolves’ chances of taking another step forward in the West falls on the shoulders of Edwards and not on the acquisition of Gobert.
Edwards is the ultimate game-changer for the Wolves in the West. At just 21 years old, Edwards is the one player on the team that has the swagger, confidence, and talent that it takes to be a superstar in the NBA. And he has flashed that throughout the first two years of his career in Minnesota.
During his second season in the league, Edwards averaged 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game on 44 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range.
In the postseason, he took his game to the next level. And that, at times, is the ultimate sign of a potential star – the ability to raise their game when it matters most. That’s exactly what Edwards did last season.
In the six games against Memphis in the first round of the playoffs, Edwards averaged 25 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 45 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range. At times, he looked like the best player on the floor.
Considering he was playing against a team with Ja Morant, that says something.
But the question heading into this next season is whether or not he has another level. Does Edwards have another gear he can shift to in an attempt to help the Wolves take another step forward in a deep, competitive conference?
In a vacuum, Gobert is absolutely the addition that should help the Wolves – assuming he could be a fit next to Karl-Anthony Towns.
Next. Trade noise aside, Brooklyn Nets should be excited about Ben Simmons. dark
There will be plenty of intrigue surrounding the Wolves for the first time in a while. And as talented as their roster may be on paper, you can’t help but feel as if their ceiling will be determined by how far Edwards can take them.