Anthony Edwards is gearing up for a season that will be very different. The Timberwolves have made radical changes to the roster in an effort to raise their ceiling after several years of coming up short against the West’s best, and the shooting guard could not be more upbeat about it. Specifically, because one of the changes will allow him to develop his game more naturally.
“I think I’ve always been a two, and I never thought I could develop true ball-handling skills as a point guard. I know Finch keeps pressing me to move the ball, but now we have LaMelo to do that, so I’m happy,” Edwards said, excited about the arrival of the Hornets’ alumnus.
The addition of Ball won’t just let Ant return to what he considers his natural position; it will also let him focus on tasks he had to set aside. After several seasons where he had to be the hub of everything and when his usage rate climbed above 31%, this year he hopes to delegate many of those responsibilities, freeing up energy for the areas in which he can truly shine. And one of those areas will be defense.
“In recent years I haven’t been able to defend as well as I wanted because I had to be the one bringing the ball up. At times I had to score all the time and I was very tired. But now with LaMelo I’ve got a point guard by my side, so I don’t have to keep bringing it up. I can stay three or four consecutive plays in the corner and then guard the opponent’s best player. This year I’m going to perform exceptionally, but in a very different way.”
Happy in Minnesota
Edwards also wanted to make clear how content he is in Minnesota, and he even joked about the suggestion that he could ask for a trade. When asked if the franchise’s window to keep their superstar happy was closing, his response was a skeptical laugh and a short but direct remark.
“What superstar? Me? I had no idea about that. I’m already happy.”
