Anthony Edwards is embracing the spotlight in Minnesota, but he’s also making it clear that the next step for him and LaMelo Ball goes beyond highlights and talent.
With Ball now in the mix, the Timberwolves are looking at a new backcourt pairing and, in Edwards’ words, a more polished version of themselves off the floor. He said the two have already talked about cleaning up how they carry themselves publicly.
“We were already talking about it like ‘We gotta cut our cussing back and be a little more professional.’ So, we’re trying to get it together before they get on us,” said Edwards.
That message matters because Edwards isn’t just one of the faces of the roster - he’s the tone-setter. The source of the story makes that point plainly: his voice carries in the locker room, and the Wolves are asking more of him as the franchise tries to build something bigger around its new-look core.
Edwards also showed he’s not ready to crown himself the league’s face just yet. Even with his status rising, he pointed to Jalen Brunson instead after Brunson led the Knicks to the NBA championship and won Finals MVP.
“I haven’t done that (win a championship) yet. So, maybe Jalen Brunson, or one of those guys,” Edwards added.
Those comments came at Fanatics Fest in New York City, where Edwards was also on stage with LeBron James. The setting doubled as a chance for Minnesota to make its case to James in free agency, with the two stars appearing comfortable together in front of the crowd. The article notes that the Wolves had not yet connected with James since 2026 free agency opened.
Minnesota is still viewed as the underdog in that sweepstakes. James is said to prefer the Heat and 76ers, and the piece says it would be a major surprise if he picked the Wolves over the field, even if Minnesota is considered the cleaner basketball fit. Still, the team remains in the mix as it waits for a decision.
Whether James ends up there or not, the Wolves are expected to be in the hunt next season. Ball joins a group that already includes Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Ayo Dosunmu, giving Minnesota what the article describes as one of the best starting lineups in the league. The team won 49 games last season, and the expectation is that this group can take another step.
At the center of it all is Edwards. His production already speaks loudly enough - 28,8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game on 48.9% shooting and 39.9% from three. The question now is less about what he can do with the ball and more about what he can bring as a leader: the maturity, the professionalism, and the standard that can pull the whole group up with him.
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 🡒]