Anthony Edwards Still Can Take Another Leap Next Season

Anthony Edwards is already one of basketball’s most devastating perimeter scorers, but LaMelo Ball’s arrival gives the Minnesota Timberwolves a chance to reshape how Edwards generates offense. Instead of asking Edwards to initiate nearly every possession, Minnesota can increasingly use him as a dynamic off-ball weapon. That adjustment could produce his most efficient and complete season yet.

For too long, Anthony Edwards has had to carry two demanding jobs: Be Minnesota’s primary scorer and their most reliable late-clock creator. He has handled that responsibility admirably, developing into an MVP-level talent capable of beating switches, attacking the rim, and creating shots against packed defenses. But the workload has also occasionally made Minnesota predictable. Opponents could load up on Edwards, blitz his pick-and-rolls, and force him to make difficult reads through multiple defenders. Ball changes that equation.

LaMelo is not merely another guard who can bring the ball up the floor. He is a high-usage, high-level creator with rare passing vision, the confidence to make difficult reads, and the ability to generate offense in transition or the halfcourt.

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His presence means Edwards no longer needs to begin every possession with the ball in his hands just to ensure Minnesota gets organized. That should allow Chris Finch to deploy Edwards in ways that take advantage of his athleticism and scoring instincts. Picture Edwards sprinting out of corner actions, curling around screens, cutting behind ball-watching defenders, or catching the ball on the move rather than from a standstill 30 feet from the rim. A defense is far more vulnerable when it has to track Edwards before he receives the ball.

The greatest benefit may be the quality of Edwards’ three-point opportunities. He has become a capable volume shooter from deep, but many of his attempts have come after he has had to create separation himself. Ball’s penetration and passing flair should create more catch-and-shoot looks for Edwards, especially when defenses collapse toward the lane or commit extra attention to Ball in ball-screen actions. Minnesota’s coaching staff has emphasized the need to create more catch-and-shoot threes for Edwards.

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That doesn’t mean Edwards should become a passive player. The Timberwolves still need his isolation scoring, his devastating first step, and his ability to close games with the ball. The difference is that isolation can become a selective weapon rather than Minnesota’s default answer. If Ball initiates the action and Edwards catches against a scrambling defense, Ant can attack a tilted floor, often with one defender rather than two waiting for him.

Ball also can make Edwards more dangerous in transition. Both players thrive in open space, but Ball’s advanced passing could turn Edwards into one of the league’s most explosive finishers on the run. Few wings can match Edwards’ blend of speed, strength, vertical pop, and body control once he has a runway to the basket. When Ball pushes the pace and delivers the ball ahead, Edwards may not have to manufacture as many difficult halfcourt possessions.

There’s also an endurance component to this change. Minnesota has acknowledged the need to take some of the playmaking burden off Edwards so he can be fresher when the playoffs arrive. The Wolves relied heavily on him to solve double teams and create offense last postseason; reducing those repetitive on-ball responsibilities during the regular season could preserve more of his energy for the games that define the franchise’s season.

The fit will require sacrifice and patience. Ball and Edwards are accustomed to having the ball, and their first season together will naturally include turnovers, awkward possessions, and growing pains. Edwards himself has acknowledged that there could be “ups and downs” as the pair learns to play together.

Still, the upside is obvious. LaMelo Ball gives Anthony Edwards the elite table-setter he has lacked, while Edwards complements Ball as a premier finisher and movement scorer. If Minnesota embraces a more varied offense, one that lets Ball orchestrate and lets Edwards hunt openings, he can become a more efficient, less burdened, and even more lethal version of himself.