Anthony Edwards has become a bona fide superstar over the past few years. In the past two seasons, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard has finished seventh in MVP voting and made All-NBA second team. However, entering his age-24 season, it's clear Edwards can make another leap.
Seemingly, every year, Edwards adds something to his game. Last season, we saw Edwards miraculously become one of the NBA's best shooters, netting the league's most triples. Playmaking is a clear area of growth for Edwards this season. With that in mind and a possible jump in the standings for the Wolves, Edwards can unquestionably become a legitimate MVP candidate.
Edwards is primed to improve as a playmaker
As discussed earlier, Edwards feels poised to improve his playmaking this season. Last season, the Georgia product averaged 4.5 assists and 3.2 turnovers. However, he showed flashes of improvement as a playmaker, including averaging 5.5 assists in the playoffs. As Edwards ages and gets more comfortable handling double teams, a playmaking jump is likely. With growth as a playmaker, Edwards could become a legit top-three offensive player in the league.
Undoubtedly, this could lead to a first-team All-NBA appearance and possibly even more. In my eyes, Edwards is a clear dark horse in MVP talks. Edwards currently has the fifth shortest odds at +1000, but he could certainly shake things up in the MVP race.
Team success will play a big role in Edwards' MVP case
Fair or not, team success plays a significant role in MVP voting. So even if Edwards takes a jump as a playmaker and remains an elite scorer, it's not guaranteed that he will be top-three in MVP voting. Without a doubt, it must be connected with team success. After seeing the Wolves make another conference finals run and finishing the season with a 16-4 record, this feels likely.
Even though the Wolves were a No. 3 seed back in the 2023-24 season, Edwards' MVP case was somewhat hindered by the surrounding talent of his team. If the Wolves are a top-three seed in an improved Western Conference, Edwards will largely be credited for this jump, as they were the No. 6 seed last season.
Currently, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets are considered the favorites for the top three seeds. If the Wolves can crack this top three, it's not far-fetched to say that Edwards will have a legit MVP case.
Unsurprisingly, the last two MVPs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+250) and Nikola Jokić (+200), are currently the odds-on favorites. However, voter fatigue could be a factor, opening the door for Ant to be a true MVP candidate. Giannis Antetokounmpo has the third-shortest odds, but his lack of team success could hurt him. Luka Dončić is slightly ahead of Edwards in MVP odds. Still, if the Wolves have a better record than the Los Angeles Lakers (which feels likely), Edwards will undoubtedly have a stronger case than Luka.
While a few things will need to fall into place for Edwards and the Timberwolves, he certainly has a path to make an MVP push and perhaps even win the award.