What's the next step for Anthony Edwards? Despite the impressive level that the 25-year-old has already reached, that's a question on everyone's mind each season. In the past two offseasons in particular, Edwards has gotten plenty of MVP buzz. Nevertheless, he "only" made All-NBA Second Team in the 2024-25 season, and he wasn't award-eligible last season.
Even still, Ant likely would've made another All-NBA Second Team appearance. That's no small feat, of course, but it's clear Edwards has MVP upside. And the Minnesota Timberwolves' revamped roster puts him in a better position to do so than ever before.
LaMelo Ball will help Anthony Edwards level up
In the past two seasons, Edwards has been overtaxed as both a shot creator and playmaker. Now, with LaMelo Ball in the mix, the game will open up for him. Ant is an elite catch-and-shoot threat. Notably, last season, he shot 47.8 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, but he only took 2.3 attempts per game. Heck Julius Randle took more catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season.
By ramping up his catch-and-shoot triples, Edwards could reach another level as a scorer, possibly cracking that 30 points per game threshold and leading the league in PPG. That would certainly make an enticing MVP case if paired with ample team success.
Furthermore, LaMelo's presence will allow Edwards to conserve more energy on the defensive side of the ball. While being overtaxed offensively, Ant-Man's defense took a step back, with last season arguably being the worst defensive season of his career.
Thankfully, he has all of the physical tools to be a defensive menace. He has already shown flashes of brilliance as a point-of-attack defender. If Ant can reach another level as an on-ball stopper, remain more engaged off the ball, and crash the glass at a higher rate, that would be a massive boost to his MVP case.
For as great a scorer as Edwards is, he needs to find more ways to impact the game to truly be an MVP candidate.
The Timberwolves should jump up the standings
Throughout the history of the league, a top-three seed is almost always vital to a player's MVP case. Russell Westbrook in 2016-17 and Nikola Jokic in 2021-22 are the only exceptions in the past 40 years. And most of the time, you need to be a top-two seed.
Edwards met this top-three seed threshold in the 2023-24 season, but the Wolves were the sixth seed in the past two seasons. I'm penciling the Wolves in as the third seed. Obviously, there are the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, but outside of those juggernauts, I like Minnesota's chances.
They've already had an impressive amount of success, despite not having a point guard who can create for himself and others at an elite rate. Ball fills this void, and he could transform the Wolves' offense. Likewise, he fits alongside Ant far better than Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle did.
With Ball, an actualized version of Jaden McDaniels, a (hopefully) bought-in Jonathan Kuminga, the ageless wonder Rudy Gobert, and a super-sub in Ayo Dosunmu, this is the most talented supporting cast of Ant's career. It's also one that will have a fast-paced playstyle and identity.
Now, one could argue that having more talent around him could hurt Edwards' case. However, team success is something voters tend to preview. We just saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander win two MVPs despite being surrounded by an elite roster.
For what it's worth, I think SGA was a deserving MVP; he was still the driving force of the Thunder's success. And despite the Wolves' upgraded roster, Edwards will be the engine of Minnesota's success.
Make no mistake: Edwards' competition is stiff
Of course, Edwards won't walk into winning MVP. The competition is stiff. Frankly, if Victor Wembanyama plays 65-plus games, I think he'd be the clear front-runner. I would never wish for an injury, but given his abnormal frame, that's not a certainty. Plus, who knows, made Ant is so good that he has a case over Wemby.
SGA and Jokic will always be threats. Regardless, voter fatigue is a real factor, and one that could tilt in Edwards' favor, particularly if the Wolves sit above the Denver Nuggets and/or close the gap between them and OKC.
Luka Doncic is the other possible first-time MVP who could be a major hurdle for Edwards. Still, I believe that the Wolves have a better roster than the Los Angeles Lakers, and Ant's two-way abilities could give him the edge. Jayson Tatum, Cade Cunningham, and Jalen Brunson are all possible dark horses, but there's more volatility in the Eastern Conference, and if Edwards can level up, he'll separate himself from this group.
All of this is to say that while Edwards might not win MVP, he's never been better equipped to do so.
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