Anthony Edwards is seen by many as the top prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft. Should the Minnesota Timberwolves take him No. 1 overall?
The Minnesota Timberwolves have the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and Georgia wing Anthony Edwards is one of three players often mentioned as prospects worthy of the No. 1 pick.
The argument to be made for Edwards is a fairly simple one when it comes to the Wolves: he’s the best positional fit among the trio of players in the top tier.
LaMelo Ball is a lead guard who needs the ball in his hands to be successful. His lack of a consistent jump shot makes him somewhat of a tenuous fit playing off the ball, and the Timberwolves already have D’Angelo Russell.
James Wiseman is a 7-footer who is best cast as a center. He doesn’t yet have 3-point range and his fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns would be far from perfect. It doesn’t make sense to draft a center first overall and put him on the bench behind Towns, so Wiseman isn’t going to be the selection.
That leaves Edwards, who has elite size and athleticism but plenty of question marks to go along with his prospect profile — namely, offensive efficiency and defensive effort. Teams considering drafting Edwards also have to parse what role a poor Bulldogs team played in his performance at the University of Georgia.
What we do know is that Edwards’ size and athleticism would slot in nicely on the wing between Russell and Towns and has the upside to develop into a legitimate two-way player at the NBA level.
After all, that’s what teams typically draft for at No. 1: upside and a lofty ceiling.
Let’s break down his strengths and weaknesses and a verdict on whether or not he’s a realistic option for the Wolves.