Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: Anthony Edwards, G League Draft

John Hollinger took a look at Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards’ first 10 games of his career. Also, the Iowa Wolves drafted former New York Knicks guard Allonzo Trier.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have the league’s leading rookie scorer in Anthony Edwards. Unfortunately, that isn’t the only metric that players are judged by.

The Athletic’s John Hollinger broke down Edwards’ season so far, examining both the good and not-so-good that the former Georgia Bulldog has put on tape to this point.

Also, the Iowa Wolves selected No. 4 in this year’s G League Draft and picked a recent member of the New York Knicks.

John Hollinger on Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards

Until this past weekend, Anthony Edwards was widely seen as the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award. Yes, we’re talking about barely more than 10 percent of the season, but Edwards’ per-game average of 15.4 points per game over his first eight games was exactly what ROY voters are looking for.

Then, Edwards scored 13 points in Saturday’s loss to the Spurs before making a key late-game error, turning the ball over in transition with seconds on the clock and the Wolves trailing by three points.

On Sunday, Edwards went scoreless for the first time in his young career, missing all eight of his field goal attempts.

Monday, The Athletic’s John Hollinger released a column that included a full section on Edwards’ season to this point (subscription required). It’s a fantastic, level-headed breakdown of both the good and the bad of Edwards’ season to this point.

Hollinger points out the impressive explosiveness that Edwards has displayed, including a pair of clips from Saturday’s loss to the Spurs that showcase his ability to score in the paint and distribute when the defense is keyed in on stopping him.

On the one hand, the ability to both handle the ball and distribute the ball to his teammates are skills that Andrew Wiggins never possessed.

On the other hand, as Hollinger points out, his tendency to stand still and ball-watch when he isn’t the one initiating offense is frighteningly similar to what Wiggins did for five-plus seasons in Minnesota.

Let’s check back in on the progression of Edwards’ rookie season after another 10 games or so.

Iowa Wolves select former New York Knicks guard Allonzo Trier

The Iowa Wolves held the No. 4 pick in Monday’s G League Draft, and selected a player with 88 games of NBA experience to his credit.

That player was former Arizona Wildcat Allonzo Trier, a 6-foot-4 guard who played in 64 games for the 2018-19 Knicks, shooting 39.4 percent on 132 3-point attempts that season and demonstrating some defensive promise.

Trier was a five-star high school recruit who went undrafted in 2018 and signed a two-way deal with the Knicks. He never appeared in the G League, instead becoming a rotation player for the big club.

While his offensive talent and ability to score in isolation is clear, Trier’s shortcomings are a lack of shot creation for others and defensive inconsistencies. His wingspan of 6-foot-6 is far from impactful, but he has NBA-caliber athleticism.

Trier should be able to score at will against G League competition. For the Timberwolves, it allows them to get a look at a score-first guard who could be a depth option down the road.

We’ll keep an eye on what Trier is able to do for the Iowa Wolves in the upcoming G League bubble.