Losing your best player for any stretch of time is never an outright positive thing. Thus, it would be foolish to say this about the Minnesota Timberwolves losing Anthony Edwards for two weeks with a hamstring injury.
At the same time, there are clear benefits to learning how to play without your best player. As the Wolves try to make a championship leap, overcoming this unfortunate piece of adversity will help them in the long run.
Whether it's Jaden McDaniels continuing to get more involved in the offense, Rudy Gobert getting back on track, or seeing what they have with their three young players, this two-week stretch could ultimately help the Wolves.
Edwards' absence will empower McDaniels and Randle
The Wolves will be without Edwards for at least seven more games. They already played one full game without him (and 45 minutes without him in another). Minnesota split these games, beating the snake-bitten Indiana Pacers but falling short against the Denver Nuggets.
Sunday's game against the Pacers showed what the offense could look like with Julius Randle as the primary hub. Something that didn't quite work as well against Aaron Gordon and the Nuggets, Randle was still impactful as a creator, though, pouring in 24 points. McDaniels was the real highlight of the Nuggets game, posting a team-high 25 points and attacking the rim with extreme force.
While the Wolves' defense struggled mightily against the Nuggets, their offense looked surprisingly competent without Edwards. Minnesota even led by eight points at halftime.
Edwards had a +5.3 offensive on-off swing last year. An impressive number, no doubt, but one that also highlights how dependent on Edwards the Wolves were.
Getting Randle and, more importantly, McDaniels comfortable being creators will help Minnesota in the long run. Once Edwards returns, the Wolves will likely be more effective with him on the bench than in the past.
The Wolves young players are about to be unleashed
The other clear benefit is that it allows the Wolves to play Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, and Rob Dillingham more. Shannon thrived in the Wolves' season opener but has been fairly quiet since. Helping the second-year wing build some momentum will be advantageous for the team during this time without Ant.
Clark is a tenacious on-ball defender, but he's fairly limited offensively. Perhaps this stretch helps him find a more consistent offensive role.
Dillingham is the one who could benefit the most from this opportunity. He didn't play at all in the Wolves' first game and only received 30 seconds in the second game before leaving with an injury. During Monday's game with the Nuggets, he played 12 minutes. Dillingham is a talented point guard with the exact skill set the Wolves need. However, Dillingham needs to improve as a decision maker and find his jumper. This stretch is the perfect opportunity to do so.
Crucially, the New York Knicks are the only other elite team the Wolves play in this seven-game stint without Ant. The Wolves can't underestimate their opponents. However, there's no denying these games make surviving without Edwards easier and provide real opportunities for plenty of players.
As long as the original two-week timeline holds true and the Wolves don't plummet in the standings, they could benefit from this unfortunate injury.