Anthony Edwards has spent enough time being labeled a two-way star to know the standard that comes with it. The offense has always been there. The defense, not nearly as much.
That gap was hard to miss last season. Edwards’ off-ball focus came and went, and even his work guarding the ball shifted from possession to possession. The numbers backed up the eye test: Minnesota’s defense was 5.7 points per 100 possessions worse with Edwards on the floor, which placed him in the 12th percentile per Cleaning the Glass.
For a while, there was at least a workable excuse. Edwards was carrying a heavy load as both a creator and playmaker, and the roster around him didn’t exactly lighten that burden.
But that argument doesn’t carry the same weight now. With LaMelo Ball in the mix, Edwards doesn’t have to do quite so much offensively, and the Timberwolves have also built a defensive cast that should make life easier on that end.
Rudy Gobert remains an elite rim protector. Jaden McDaniels gives Minnesota a top-tier defender at the point of attack.
Jonathan Kuminga adds another layer as a stopper against forwards and a strong rebounder, even if he still has room to grow off the ball. Compared with Julius Randle, Kuminga brings more switchability and a better defensive fit.
That’s the setup Edwards has been waiting for. The Wolves have the kind of structure that should let him lean into his upside instead of hiding from it. At this point, there really isn’t much of an excuse left.
The tools are obvious. Edwards is a 6-foot-4 guard with athleticism, length and strength, and when he’s locked in, he can be a disruptive defender on the ball. He won’t shut down every star he sees, but there are stretches when he looks like an elite point-of-attack presence.
The issue is consistency, and it starts with attention. In the biggest moments, Edwards has shown he can be a strong defender, especially when the game tightens.
The challenge now is carrying that level of engagement through the regular season. He has to stay connected on the ball, but the bigger concern is what happens away from it.
Last season, he was too often out of position, got beat on back cuts, showed little interest in working through screens and was slow to get out to shooters.
That has to change in year seven, especially with a better team around him. If Edwards keeps his focus and stays active off the ball, he has the ability to become a high-end defender and one of the league’s best two-way players.
The athletic gifts are already there. It’s about engagement.
Minnesota’s regular season struggles were tied in part to its best player leaving too many defensive plays on the table. Nobody is saying Edwards has to make an All-Defensive team, but he does need to be a clear positive.
The Wolves already have a high defensive floor because of Gobert and McDaniels. If Edwards gives them more on that end, their ceiling rises with it.
And with his offense already at such a high level, turning the defensive side into a real strength could push him into the top-five player conversation. That possibility is right there for him now, and this season is the time to put it together.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Just Made Their Bench Bet Clear
The Timberwolves kept reshaping the back end of their roster after signing Jonathan Kuminga, sending Josh Green to Utah in a move designed to clear room and bring back a little more flexibility. Minnesota came out of the deal with Cody Williams and John Konchar, but the real value of the transaction was always going to be what it created around the edges of the roster rather than the names involved.
Williams gives the Wolves a young piece to stash and develop while the club keeps an open roster spot and added cap room to work with. Konchar was moved on from almost immediately, a sign Minnesota is still trying to balance present-day depth with long-term optionality as it decides whether to add another player or simply keep the financial breathing room. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Still Have One Frontcourt Question Before Camp Opens
Joan Beringer is suddenly in the middle of a much clearer path than he might have expected heading into camp. After a busy roster overhaul that brought in LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga and Cody Williams, the Timberwolves are viewing the second-year big man as an important backup behind Rudy Gobert, which puts a spotlight on how the frontcourt will look once the season starts.
Even with Beringer penciled into a larger role, Minnesota still has some work to do before camp opens. The Wolves have one open roster spot and enough room to add another player, and the remaining question is whether they want to use it on a veteran who can steady the rotation and bring some experience to the bench. A few names make sense on paper for that kind of job, but the final choice could say plenty about how the team wants to balance development with immediate depth. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Still Have One Roster Question They Can't Ignore
The Timberwolves still have some housekeeping left after reshaping the frontcourt, and the final open roster spot is starting to look like more than a footnote. With 14 players on standard contracts and room under the second apron, Minnesota can afford to be patient, but the teams center depth now leans heavily on Rudy Gobert, Joan Beringer and Trey Lyles, with Rocco Zikarsky on a two-way deal.
Josh Greens departure helped clarify the roster picture, yet it also sharpened the question of who backs up the bigs if the Wolves want another veteran presence. A minimum contract would be the likeliest path, and the market includes familiar stopgaps at center, along with a possible reunion in Kevin Love, whose NBA career began in Minnesota more than a dozen years ago. [Read more 🡒]