Anthony Edwards brought plenty of personality to Fanatics Fest on Friday, even if the biggest Timberwolves storyline hanging over the day never really got a real answer.
The Minnesota star was on stage at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan, while LeBron James made his own separate appearance and once again offered nothing that pointed to where he might play next season. That silence came after reports in the past 24 hours suggested Edwards had, in fact, reached out to his Olympic teammate and pitched him on joining Minnesota, despite earlier reporting that the two had not spoken.
One post shared the claim this way: “They telling you, Ant Edwards never reached out to him. That’s a lie… He did.
He reached out to him and it was received.”
When Edwards spoke with ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi, the Timberwolves angle didn’t exactly sound like a lock. Asked, “What’s your reaction to the idea that the Timberwolves are on [LeBron’s] shortlist every time it’s discussed?” Edwards didn’t turn that into a recruiting pitch on stage.
Most of the conversation, though, centered on Edwards’ own world, and one of the most notable details was his new teammate LaMelo Ball staying at his house. Edwards said Ball has been at his place the last couple of days, and the two even talked about cutting back on profanity during postgame interviews. Ball, who averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 72 games last season, was drafted No. 2 overall in 2020, one spot behind Edwards, who went No. 1 and averaged 28.8 points, 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 61 games last season.
Edwards and Ball go way back to their AAU days, and Edwards said he’s trying to get back to the Twin Cities so they can spend more time together. What they’re talking about right now isn’t just basketball, either. Edwards said professionalism with the media has come up during their time together.
He also spent part of the day talking about Karl-Anthony Towns, saying the two spoke before every game during the NBA Finals. Edwards said he even gave Towns the cheat codes for guarding Victor Wembanyama.
Another clip making the rounds showed Edwards calling Jalen Brunson the face of the NBA and saying he can’t be in that conversation until he wins a title.
But the loudest reaction may have come when Edwards unveiled his finalists for “White Boy of the Year” at the “Believe That Awards.” The list included Justin Bieber, Tom Holland, Matt Damon, Erling Haaland, Rory McIlroy, Travis Kelce, Sam Darnold, Ernie Johnson and Jacob Elordi. Edwards said the winner “gotta have swag.”
He also revealed his finalists for “OG’s of the Year.”
In Other News...
Timberwolves Solved One Problem And Created A Bigger One
LaMelo Ball and Josh Green have changed the Timberwolves look in a hurry, giving Minnesota a real upgrade at point guard after the roster-shaping trades that sent Naz Reid, Julius Randle and draft capital out the door. It is the kind of move that can make a team feel more dynamic overnight, and for a club trying to stay in the Western Conference mix, the appeal is obvious.
The catch is that the Wolves did not just solve one problem, they also thinned out a frontcourt that already needed attention and pushed the front office into a tighter financial corner. Tim Connelly has already acknowledged the need for creativity at power forward, and Minnesota still has work to do just to get to a 14-man roster while staying close to the second apron, so the next move may say as much about the teams flexibility as the first one did about its ambition. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves May Be Running Out Of Time With This Core
The Timberwolves have spent the last few seasons building around a young core that looks good on paper and, at least for now, is locked in through 2029. Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and Jaden McDaniels give Minnesota the kind of talent base most teams would love to protect, but the problem is the price tag that comes with keeping a contender intact in the NBAs new financial climate.
The second tax apron has a way of turning long-term optimism into immediate roster math, and Minnesota is headed toward those same decisions. Edwards is likely to wait until next summer for his supermax, Balls next deal should land well north of $40 million a year, and McDaniels is also in line for a major payday, which means the Wolves may have only a narrow window to keep this group together before the pressure starts forcing harder choices about who stays and how much flexibility remains. [Read more 🡒]
Wolves Fans Are Split On What Ayo Dosunmu Will Be Worth
Ayo Dosunmus place in Minnesota has become one of those roster questions that says as much about team-building as it does about one player. Once the Timberwolves added LaMelo Ball, Dosunmus value shifted from standalone scorer to complementary piece, the kind of versatile guard who can slot next to Ball and Anthony Edwards without needing the ball to define his night.
That is why the reaction around his contract has been so divided. Some fans see a player whose all-around game fits the profile of the useful pieces that tend to show up on championship teams, while others focus on the price tag and wonder whether Minnesota is paying for a ceiling that still needs proving. The broader market view is more forgiving, with Dosunmu expected to land well below the leagues highest-paid names, which only sharpens the debate over whether the Wolves found a bargain or simply committed early to a role player whose value will be judged by what happens around him. [Read more 🡒]