It’s hard to expect instant chemistry when one ball-dominant player joins another. Even the 2010–11 Heat started their season a middling 9–8 in the first year LeBron James joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
So expecting Minnesota Timberwolves teammates LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards to click on all cylinders and play at their peak to begin next season is probably unrealistic. Edwards basically went all of last season without a true lead guard in the starting lineup, so adding Ball to the equation is a seismic change.
Still, this quote from Edwards, when speaking to Taylor Rooks at Fanatics Fest, about what the first season with LaMelo will look like, seems a bit odd:
“It’s definitely going to be ups and downs." Edwards said, "The first year together may have a lot of downs. We’ll celebrate both of them. Celebrate the ups, celebrate the downs.”
In the end, this quote probably won’t matter much. However, it has some questioning whether Ant-Man has the championship mentality.
Just win and it will be forgotten
Nobody would blink an eye if Edwards stated that it might take a little time for him and Ball to jell on the court. That’s pretty much what everyone expects, but once they click, the possibilities on offense can be endless.
Edwards has shown a desire to win before. Still, it would be strange to hear Michael Jordan or reigning champion Jalen Brunson state that they’ll “celebrate the downs” or that there will be “a lot of downs.”
If the Timberwolves do go through a lot of downs next season, it could cost both Chris Finch and Tim Connelly their jobs. There were many fans who wanted to see Finch go after last season, as unfair as that would be after he previously guided Minnesota to back-to-back conference finals. Connelly used the majority of their available draft capital to acquire Ball, so if it doesn't work out, he may have to take the fall.
Unfortunately, there will probably be those who point to this quote and Edwards dapping up the Spurs in Game 6 with half the fourth quarter remaining and claim that he doesn’t have the alpha mentality needed to lead. He’s also just 24 years old, though, and turns 25 on August 5, so his mentality could always change.
Again, I don’t think this quote means all that much, even if I did find it to be a tad strange. Of course, it will be forgotten rather quickly once the Timberwolves are winning games and Edwards is dropping 30-plus points on a near-nightly basis.
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