Anthony Edwards is failing to improve in key area that the Wolves desperately lack

Anthony Edwards has been absolutely fantastic this season. There's no understating that, and frankly, the Minnesota Timberwolves would be lost without him. Already one of the league's most dominant scorers, Ant has leveled up again this season, averaging 29.7 points and growing immensely as a mid-range scorer.

Nevertheless, the 24-year-old isn't perfect, nor should he be immune to criticism.

There are two clear areas of improvement for Edwards: defense and playmaking. I've written about his lack of attention to detail as a defender, especially off-ball. However, today I'm going to focus on Edwards' playmaking. Notably, Ant-Man is averaging just 3.6 assists and 2.8 turnovers per game. His 1.32 assist-to-turnover ratio is well below average and has declined from last season.

Edwards' playmaking is arguably a bigger problem than his defense, as the Wolves lack a high-quality point guard and playmaker. A trade at the deadline can change things -- but thus far, it's clear that Edwards hasn't taken the playmaking leap that the Wolves have needed him to.

Edwards hasn't leveled up as a playmaker

Amid a five-game losing streak and the Wolves falling down to the Play-In Tournament, some fans have started to blame Tim Connelly for constructing this roster with such a poor point guard room.

To defend, though, Connelly, seeing what you have with a second-year Rob Dillingham, made sense. Of course, this hasn't worked out. Furthermore, the Wolves were counting on Edwards to develop into a true lead guard.

Given Edwards' track record of constant improvements, this seemed like a reasonable bet. Unfortunately, this hasn't worked out as the Wolves have been forced to adopt a point guard by committee approach. The results have been mixed, but in some games, the Wolves' lack of a true point guard manifests itself in the worst way. A trade deadline now move feels inevitable, and it's connected to Edwards not leveling up as a playmaker.

During a recent blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors, Edwards had his worst playmaking game of the season, recording eight turnovers and just two assists. Edwards was a key part in the Wolves racking up an absurd 25 turnovers.

Ant has done a much better job of dealing with double teams, and his handle has been tighter. However, there are some games like this where Edwards relapses. In general, he isn't a very versatile passer, and he's far from a natural facilitator.

Edwards has an absurd 31.8 usage rate, and for as great as his scoring is, it would be helpful if he could run the offense more as a real floor general. Notably, per Cleaning the Glass, Edwards ranks in the 6th percentile for assist-to-usage rate, which is the lowest mark of his career. Additionally, Ant has zero games where he's notched double-digit assists this season.

At this point, it's undeniable that the Wolves need to trade for a point guard to take the pressure off Ant in the backcourt. Edwards is still 24 and could very well blossom into a true lead guard. Still, as of now, it's clear that he needs a high-quality creator and playmaker alongside him in the backcourt to maximize his skill set.

If Edwards had taken a sizable leap as a playmaker, though, this need wouldn't be nearly as pressing.