Anthony Edwards is on the mend after undergoing a successful arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Thursday, according to Timberwolves team officials. The team says he is expected to make a full recovery, but there is still no timetable for when he’ll be back on the floor.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Craig Bennett and was described as a debridement.
Earlier reports on Tuesday said Edwards would need the operation and could miss up to two months, a timeline that team officials have not changed publicly. Tim Connelly said at the team’s shootaround Wednesday morning that after reviewing recent imaging, Edwards needed a "cleanup."
Connelly also said the organization’s focus is on Edwards’ long-term health, and added that the issue was not related to a meniscus.
Edwards’ absence was felt immediately. Minnesota dropped its first game without him Wednesday night, falling 119-114 to the Golden State Warriors after battling back from a double-digit deficit for much of the night. The loss sent the Timberwolves to 3-2 on the season after their 3-0 start.
Before the knee issue, Edwards was off to a blistering start. Through four games, he was averaging 33.3 points on 48.1% shooting, along with 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals in 33.8 minutes per game.
His return matters for more than just the next game on the schedule. Edwards will be pushing to get back as soon as possible, both for end-of-season award eligibility and for potential future supermax contract extension considerations.
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