Anthony Edwards has spent the last couple of seasons carrying more than his share for the Timberwolves, and that load has shown up in the way he has had to play. Since Minnesota moved Karl-Anthony Towns, Edwards has been asked to be the team’s leading scorer, its primary creator and, on the other end, the guy chasing the opponent’s second-best perimeter threat.
That’s a heavy assignment for anybody. His scoring has climbed every year he’s been in the league, but the extra responsibility has come with a cost.
The playmaking has slipped a bit. The perimeter defense has, too.
It’s a lot to ask one player to do all of that at once.
LaMelo Ball could change that in a major way.
For Edwards, the biggest difference is simple: he wouldn’t have to wear the point guard hat so often. Too often in his career, he has shared the backcourt with either another combo guard or a traditional point guard who wasn’t a real creation threat. That’s been the case with players like Donte DiVincenzo, Patrick Beverley and D'Angelo Russell in one bucket, and Mike Conley and Ricky Rubio in the other.
Now, for the first time, Edwards would be playing next to a guard who can score and make plays at a high level. That matters. It means Ant can lean harder into what he does best - getting buckets - while Ball handles the ball-handling and setup work that has been forced onto Edwards in recent seasons.
Ball also gives Edwards something he’s needed when defenses load up on him: a real release valve. In the past, when teams doubled Edwards, the ball often had to go to Conley, who could do certain things well but wasn’t much of an offensive threat. Edwards even said after the playoff loss to the San Antonio Spurs that he missed having DiVincenzo next to him because he knew DiVincenzo was always a shooting threat.
Ball is that kind of outlet, only with more. Think DiVincenzo’s shooting, but with elite dribbling, elite playmaking and a 6-foot-7 frame. That’s a different level of pressure relief for Edwards, and it could open the door to the kind of jump Timberwolves fans have been waiting for.
The ceiling here is obvious. With Ball helping create easier looks, Edwards could make a real push toward 30 points per game for the first time. If that comes with high efficiency, he starts looking like one of the league’s best three-level scorers.
And there’s another layer to it. If Edwards isn’t carrying so much of the offense, that could free him up to be the elite defender people know he can be.
From there, the path gets interesting fast. If Ball stays healthy and Minnesota turns into a top-three team in the West - maybe even top two - Edwards would have a serious MVP case.
That’s the version of Ant the Timberwolves have been chasing: huge scoring, big-time efficiency, elite defense and a team record strong enough to put him right in the middle of the award race. In that scenario, he wouldn’t just be in the conversation. He’d have a real shot at winning it.
In Other News...
Joan Beringer Must Prove One Thing Before Wolves Can Trust Him
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Chris Finch has made the assignment clear: Beringer has to stay disciplined defensively and avoid getting bogged down by fouls. His summer league showing suggested he is already taking a step in that direction, with strong production at both ends and a cleaner approach on the defensive side, but the Wolves still need to know that the aggression can be controlled when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Joan Beringer Just Gave Wolves Fans Real Hope For Next Season
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What stood out just as much was the way Beringer handled the details. He stayed on the floor with better discipline, committed only two fouls, and showed a more comfortable touch when putting the ball on the deck and attacking the rim. It was only one summer league game, but for a player whose path to a larger role is still being sorted out, it was the sort of performance that can make a team and its fans start imagining what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Suddenly Have A Summer League Guard They Can't Ignore
Zyon Pullin wasted no time making himself part of the conversation in the Timberwolves Las Vegas Summer League opener, logging 31 minutes and filling up the box score in a way that naturally turns heads. The two-way guard, who has also spent time with the Heat and Grizzlies, looked like a player comfortable running an offense and impacting the game in more than one way, which matters for a Minnesota team always hunting for useful backcourt depth.
For Pullin, the performance only sharpens the stakes of a summer that could change his career path. He is still working from a two-way deal and trying to turn strong flashes into something more permanent, and nights like this are the kind that force a front office to take a closer look. Even with the Wolves roster picture still taking shape, he has made it harder to treat him like just another camp body. [Read more 🡒]