Anthony Edwards has spent his career doing something most stars never manage: getting better every year without backsliding. That steady climb has pushed him right up against the top tier of the NBA, and the real question now is where he fits among the league’s elite.
The easy answer is that a few names still sit above him. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is fresh off back-to-back MVPs.
Nikola Jokic owns three MVPs and remains one of the greatest offensive players ever. Victor Wembanyama brings a level of defensive talent the league may never have seen, while still scoring 25 a game.
After that, the conversation gets crowded. Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, Cade Cunningham, and maybe even Tyrese Haliburton all enter the mix. Among that group, Edwards has a legitimate argument to be right near the top.
For me, that argument lands him at No. 4.
I’d leave the top three out of it and focus on the rest. Edwards has not yet reached the level where he belongs in the best-player-in-the-world debate, but against the next wave of stars, he stacks up extremely well.
My eighth, ninth, and tenth best players, in order, would be Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Steph Curry. Two of those players are returning from Achilles injuries, and Tatum, even though he looked fine, did not have the same gear that once put him in MVP conversations before the injury. That can still come back with a full offseason, but it remains part of the discussion.
Haliburton is in a similar spot, since we still have not seen how he looks after his injury. Cunningham has his own issues, especially turnovers and the lack of proven playoff success.
The tougher calls are Giannis, Luka, and Brunson. Brunson just helped lead his team to an NBA championship, but the Knicks also built a roster that fits him almost perfectly and helps mask his flaws, especially on defense. Luka’s numbers are huge, but conditioning, defense, and nagging injuries have all gotten in the way in big moments lately.
Giannis is probably better than Edwards when he’s healthy. The problem is the “when healthy” part. Availability has become a real concern, and that matters when sorting through the league’s very best.
Edwards, meanwhile, brings a strong package. He’s the best three-level scorer in the sport.
He has also gone head-to-head with and knocked out players like Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Devin Booker in the playoffs. On top of that, he’s one of the most durable players in this group, and one of the best playoff risers in the league.
There’s still more room for him to grow, too. The addition of LaMelo Ball should take his game to another level, and a scoring title would become realistic. If that happens, Edwards could be pushing into the top three as soon as next season.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards Is Setting A Different Tone For The Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have spent the offseason projecting a more connected, more settled group, with the kind of low-key bonding that can matter once the games start counting. The roster has been active away from the floor, from players keeping up with one another on social media to the team documenting Donte DiVincenzos rehab from an Achilles injury, all of it feeding the sense that Minnesota is trying to build continuity as much as talent.
Anthony Edwards is also sounding and acting like a player ready to carry more of the tone-setting load. For a team that already knows what it looks like to win in spurts, the bigger question is how that energy translates when the rotation settles and the new pieces are asked to fit quickly into a group that expects to contend again. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Still Have One Roster Problem They Can't Ignore
Jonathan Kumingas decision to land with the Timberwolves on a two-year deal leaves the Lakers still staring at the same basic problem that has hung over their roster for most of the offseason. They need more help on the wing, especially with players who can bring size and versatility, but their options are shaped less by wish list than by cap math and the reality of a crowded payroll.
Los Angeles remains boxed in by the limits of its financial situation, which means any meaningful addition likely requires another move first. That is why the names floating around the market are the sort of lower-cost pieces that can still matter, with Bruce Brown and Cam Whitmore among the wings the Lakers could examine as they try to patch the roster without further tying their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Still Have A Chance To Turn These Misses Into A Win
The Timberwolves added another young wing piece in Jonathan Kuminga on a two-year contract, a move that fits their broader effort to stay competitive while keeping their roster in motion. Around the league, Bennedict Mathurin landed in New Orleans on a similar two-year deal, and the Bulls were notable for what they did not do, passing on a more aggressive push for either player despite having an open roster spot.
Chicagos decision was about preserving roster and financial flexibility, even as both players came in at a price that some teams could have justified. For Minnesota, the signing gives the front office another option to sort through, but it also tightens the cap picture enough that every follow-up move matters, especially with the roster still needing room for one more body and the ripple effects of any additional transaction likely to shape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]