Anthony Edwards sounds ready for another heavy lift in Minnesota, and the Timberwolves are leaning into that reality with a roster built to win now.
After the team’s run to the Conference Semifinals in May, the front office added LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga, signaling that the Wolves are not interested in easing into anything. Edwards will be the face of it all, steering the group on and off the floor as Minnesota tries to turn a promising core into something bigger.
“I’m super excited. It’s going to sound like I say it every year, but I haven’t been more excited for a season to come,” said Edwards, via Andrew Dukowitz. “I mean, obviously, because we haven’t played basketball in months, but I think just us being young, man, playing with our hair on fire, and like I said, defensively, just having that edge.”
That kind of confidence fits Edwards, who entered the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 and has done more than meet the hype. Through six NBA seasons, he’s averaging 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. He has also been at the center of Minnesota’s playoff climb, including trips to the Western Finals in 2024 and 2025.
The Wolves still haven’t gotten past the third round, but this group looks built to push harder than before. The biggest obstacle is the one every contender fears: injuries. Edwards dealt with a knee issue last season and missed several games, but he says the recovery is behind him now.
“After the season, I needed like 2 months. I took really like 2 months off to really let my knee heal… after doing all the treatments with Hines and Javair, I got back right, so I feel great… but it was super tough,” said Edwards in a chat with the media.
“I put on a lot of weight, and now I’ve lost it, so I’m good. I just play the game, and be a dad, that’s it.
Be a husband, be a dad, and play the game, all I do is play the game. Wake up, 6:30 in the morning, with my baby girl, do whatever she wants to do.
Go back to sleep a little bit, get some treatment, and then just play the game.”
Edwards said he’s cleared for full basketball activity, which is exactly what Minnesota needs if it’s going to keep pace in a loaded Western Conference. The Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Lakers, and Rockets are all in the mix near the top, and the Timberwolves are expected to be right there too.
For Minnesota, it all comes back to Edwards. If the Wolves are going to make the jump from contender to champion, he’ll have to be the engine. And judging by the way he’s talking, he’s more than ready to get rolling.
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Anthony Edwards Sounds Sure About One Wolves Risk Fans Cant Ignore
Anthony Edwards is sounding upbeat about the Timberwolves chances of staying elite on defense even after a potential shakeup that would bring LaMelo Ball into the mix. Minnesota has built its identity around high-end defenders, with Rudy Gobert anchoring the paint and Jaden McDaniels handling tough perimeter assignments, so the question is not whether the team has defensive talent. It is whether adding a gifted but imperfect defender changes the balance enough to matter.
Balls offensive creativity would give Minnesota another layer, but his defense is the part that could keep opposing teams hunting for openings. The Wolves would likely need their existing stoppers to do extra work around him, especially in the kinds of lineups that can be exposed over long stretches. Edwards sounds convinced the team can absorb it, but it is the sort of roster gamble that will have fans watching every matchup possession a little closer. [Read more 🡒]
LaMelo Ball Could Change Everything About The Wolves Offense
LaMelo Ball has already started settling in with the Timberwolves after arriving in late June, and the early signs around the group suggest Minnesota believes it added more than just another talented guard. Ball is expected to function as a primary offensive option and facilitator, giving the Wolves a different kind of pressure point alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert while the team continues to sort out how its offense can look with another high-end creator in the mix.
What stands out so far is how naturally Ball has begun fitting into the room, with teammates sounding encouraged by the way he has blended into the group in the opening stages. Chris Finch has also pointed to the positive effect Ball has had on the team, a promising development for a club that needs its new pieces to click quickly if it wants this move to change the shape of its offense. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Edwards Finally Sounds Past A Wolves Concern Fans Felt All Summer
Anthony Edwards spent the summer answering the same concern Wolves fans kept circling back to after last season: how his body would bounce back after the knee issues that slowed him down. Edwards said he needed about two months to fully recover from the runners knee and the playoff hyperextension with the bone bruise, and he acknowledged that the layoff led to some weight gain before he worked his way back into shape.
That update matters because Minnesota is finally moving from recovery talk to basketball again, with the preseason opener now on deck and the team still sorting out its early camp tone. Chris Finch also noted rookie Isaiah Evans progress, while former coach Tom Thibodeau made a visit to training camp, a reminder that there is plenty of attention around the Wolves even before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]