Anthony Edwards' growth might not jump out next season

Anthony Edwards has established himself as a legitimate superstar, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances. At 23 years old (24 before the start of this upcoming season), Edwards can still reach another level. However, this won’t come in the form of a major statistical jump or a sudden change in play style. With averages of 27.6 points, 5.7, and 4.5 assists, a statistical leap isn't likely.

This past season, Edwards transformed his game a bit, becoming one of the league’s best 3-point shooters and a more well-rounded scorer. Playmaking is the main area of improvement for Ant’s game. Still, this won’t come in the form of a drastic statistical improvement, but rather subtle yet significant improvements. 

Edwards' playmaking

Edwards averaged 4.5 assists to 3.2 turnovers this past season. He won’t have to average 6 to 7 assists per game for this improvement to be impactful. However, Edwards does need to cut back on the turnovers and make better reads. Edwards has made progress as a playmaker, which was evident in the early playoffs. However, he still has some room to grow as a playmaker.

He will be constantly double-teamed, especially in playoff settings. Facing more defensive pressure has made some of Edwards’ playmaking strides less easy to see. With Mike Conley aging, the Wolves have been using Edwards as a primary initiator more often. While Edwards will never be a true point guard, getting more responsibilities as a playmaker could help him reach another level.

Being able to make the right reads out of these double-teams will be crucial for Ant. Similarly, finding the open man off drive-and-kick plays is another way in which Edwards can make a bigger impact as a playmaker. These improvements won’t jump off the screen; however, they’ll take Edwards’ game to the next level and greatly benefit the Timberwolves as a whole, especially in the biggest moments.

Edwards could also add a mid-range game

Another subtle area of improvement for Edwards is developing more of a consistent mid-range game. Notably, he shot just 37.6 percent on mid-range shots in the regular season and 30 percent in the playoffs. As a gifted isolation scorer, Edwards can certainly add a mid-range shot to his arsenal. 

Adding a mid-range jumper would perfect Edwards’ elite scoring. While it may not result in a significant scoring jump, Edwards would be a more complete player and scorer. Becoming more of a mid-range threat would also help open up the game for Ant as a playmaker. Ultimately, these improvement areas would quietly take Edwards to another level, which could help the Wolves break through to make a Finals run.