3 Minnesota Timberwolves futures bets: Anthony Edwards to win ROY
Anthony Edwards to win Rookie of the Year stands at +450
The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards with the first pick in 2020 NBA Draft, which oftentimes is a ticket to being the clear favorite win the Rookie of the Year award.
Though he wasn’t unanimously considered the best player in the draft, Edwards inarguably has one of the highest ceilings in the 2020-2021 rookie class, which has led him to become one of Vegas’ top candidates for the Rookie of the Year (ROTY) award.
Per Action Network, Edwards currently has the second-best odds to win the award at +450, meaning that a $100 bet would win $450. Edwards has the second-best odds to win the award behind LaMelo Ball, who is the current favorite at +400. Other candidates with the best odds for ROTY include James Wiseman (+500), Obi Toppin (+600), and Killian Hayes (+800).
Looking at Vegas’ top five candidates for ROTY, Edwards has one of the least clear pathways to playing time, which will certainly be a key to who wins the award. More playing time means more opportunities to put up numbers that will certainly be put under the microscope by the award voters.
Among this list, Wiseman and Hayes are the most likely to start immediately. Edwards is unlikely to start on day one and LaMelo Ball will likely have to share time at point guard throughout the year with Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham. Toppin will likely compete with Julius Randle at his position.
Although Edwards’ path to playing time is unclear at this moment, there is still a good chance that Edwards will play his way into the lineup. Listed as a shooting guard, Edwards finds himself in a deep backcourt with the likes of De’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Ricky Rubio, Josh Okogie, Jarrett Culver, and potentially Jordan McLaughlin, all of which are players deserving of NBA minutes.
Despite this, the Wolves are thin at both forward spots, and evidence suggests that this roster structure was at least somewhat intentional. Along with increasing speculation that Josh Okogie will spend time at the 4, Dane Moore reported that head coach Ryan Saunders, big man Jared Vanderbilt, and forward Jake Layman all made statements in the past week on the fluidity of positions in the Wolves’ system, indicating that the deep backcourt of the Wolves will be used at multiple positions.
Asked Jarred Vanderbilt about playing the 4 or 5 more this season, and, like Jake Layman said about the 3/4, Vanderbilt said the 4 and 5 are "interchangeable".
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) December 10, 2020
"We're just basketball players running to spots on the floor."
Gonna be difficult to distinguish positions this year.
Because the Wolves will have their guards playing multiple positions, the likelihood that Edwards finds a starting role, whether it be at the 2, 3, or 4 position, is high. Officially listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Edwards has tremendous defensive upside. That, paired with his tremendous athleticism gives him versatility in the Wolves system, which increases his chances of getting significant minutes.
Fit aside, the Wolves front office will definitely be looking to give Edwards significant minutes in order to evaluate his long term future with the Wolves. As the No. 1 pick, the Wolves would be naive to limit his playing time for an entire season. More than anything, Edwards needs playing time to develop, and if Edwards turns out not to be a fit, the Wolves could always quickly trade him before his value depreciates.
Playing time is a significant factor in the ROTY award, but it’s not the only factor. Edwards not only has to get playing time, but he has to perform well in his minutes. The lack of a ’surefire star’ in this draft class gives Edwards an advantage over the field.
Edwards was the No. 1 pick for a reason, and if he makes significant steps towards reaching his high ceiling, he will make himself a strong, bet-worthy candidate for ROTY. Anthony Edwards for ROTY is a bet worth taking at +450.