The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to a strong start this season, but if there’s one area that still feels like a missing puzzle piece, it’s the point guard spot. Even with Bones Hyland showing flashes and Mike Conley shifting into a reduced role, the Wolves’ backcourt rotation isn’t quite settled-and that uncertainty could become a real issue as the postseason approaches.
The conversation around Minnesota’s trade deadline priorities has naturally zeroed in on that position. ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently highlighted the Timberwolves’ point guard situation as their main storyline heading into February, posing the key question: Do the Wolves have enough to trade for a starting-caliber point guard, or are they content with Anthony Edwards continuing to shoulder lead playmaking duties?
Right now, Edwards is doing a little bit of everything-and doing it at an elite level. He’s averaging 28.7 points per game on highly efficient shooting splits (50% from the field, 41.6% from deep, and 83.3% from the line).
He’s scoring at all three levels, finishing strong at the rim, and torching defenders from the mid-range. Statistically, he ranks in the 96th percentile for points per shot attempt, which speaks to just how dominant he’s been offensively.
But here’s the thing: while Edwards is thriving as a scorer, the added playmaking burden hasn’t exactly unlocked a new level in that part of his game. Despite a career-high 30.8% usage rate, he’s averaging just 3.8 assists per game-his lowest mark since his rookie season. That’s a red flag, especially when you consider his assist-to-usage ratio ranks in just the 12th percentile, and his assist-to-turnover ratio sits at 196th among all NBA guards.
So, while the Wolves have been effective with Edwards running the show-posting a 126.4 offensive rating when he’s slotted at point guard-there’s a strong case to be made that he’d be even more dangerous if he could slide back into his natural off-guard role. That’s where he’s historically been most comfortable, and where the Wolves have seen their best overall net rating with him on the floor.
Bones Hyland has emerged as a promising piece in the rotation, and his recent play has certainly helped stabilize the backcourt. But the jury’s still out on whether he can sustain that level of production deep into the season-especially when the pressure ramps up in the playoffs. Mike Conley, now coming off the bench, and rookie Rob Dillingham haven’t shown enough to suggest they’re ready for major minutes in high-leverage situations either.
That puts the Wolves in an interesting spot. They’re good-very good, in fact-but if they want to be great, if they want to make a real run in the Western Conference, adding a true point guard could be the move that unlocks their full potential.
It’s not just about giving Edwards some help. It’s about optimizing everything around him-spacing, tempo, late-game execution-and giving the offense another reliable initiator who can handle traps and blitzes when defenses inevitably key in on Ant during the playoffs.
Tim Connelly, Minnesota’s President of Basketball Operations, isn’t known for standing still. If the right opportunity presents itself, don’t be surprised to see the Wolves make a move. And if they do, it won’t just be about adding talent-it’ll be about putting Edwards, their franchise cornerstone, in the best possible position to lead this team deep into the postseason.