Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: Marc Lore, Towns, and Edwards

As the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to take a step forward and two small steps backward, there are plenty of things to talk about surrounding the franchise.

From the pending sale of the franchise to Anthony Edwards‘ case for Rookie of the Year to Karl-Anthony Towns‘ role in Edwards’ development and his own growth as a leader, it’s been a busy month.

Future owner Marc Lore attends Minnesota Timberwolves game in Sacramento

The exclusive negotiating window for current Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and the potential new owners, former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez and tech billionaire Marc Lore is nearly two weeks old.

Lore and Rodriguez were expected to attend the game between the Timberwolves and the Brooklyn Nets on the Monday after the new group was announced as the prospective new owners, but that game was postponed following the death of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center on Sunday.

Instead, Lore visited the Wolves at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wednesday evening.

Lore doesn’t have a background in the league, and part of the process of taking over the Wolves no doubt includes getting to know some of his soon-to-be colleagues and the inner workings of both the business and the basketball sides of the business.

Growth of Karl-Anthony Towns as a leader, mentor to Anthony Edwards

Ramona Shelbourne penned a piece for ESPN Plus (subscription required) that focused largely on Wolves rookie Anthony Edwards and his growth to this point, a little more than three-quarters of the way through the season.

Shelbourne covers the draft process, including Gersson Rosas’s three-hour dinner meeting with Edwards, and the mentality that Wolves brass loved when they were weighing the merits of drafting the 19-year-old with the No. 1 overall pick in November’s draft.

She also has some interesting quotes from head coach Chris Finch regarding the instruction he’s given Edwards. Basically, he’s told him to do what he’s good at: getting to the rim and knocking down open catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.

It’s true, when Edwards focuses his offensive game on those things, he’s dynamic. It’s when he’s shooting pull-up jumpers and overthinking trying to create for others that the rookie struggles the most on that end of the floor.

The article also covers Towns’ relationship with the young rookie, including how much KAT has stressed the importance of family in the wake of a devastating last 12 months for the two-time All-Star.

It’s a fantastic read, and a solid peek inside how much Towns is trying to do to improve as a leader both on and off the floor.

Stay tuned to Dunking With Wolves, as we’ll be making the case for (and against) Edwards for Rookie of the Year in the coming days and weeks.