This summer will mark the Minnesota Timberwolves’ second time trying to rebuild around Anthony Edwards. They added Rudy Gobert and flipped Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle. That was the first try. Now, they are reportedly trying to shake things up again. It’s just like what happened with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavs tried to build around Doncic with Kristaps Porzingis. When that didn’t work, they reset and eventually traded for Kyrie Irving. That team made the NBA Finals but ultimately fell short. Then, the Mavs traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers not long after. A fate that could befall Edwards if the Wolves fail a second time.
Minus the Nico Harrison aspect of it all. (Likely via a trade request.)
Wolves' second chance to build around Anthony Edwards mirrors Luka Doncic
There are a lot of parallels to be found between the Edwards Wolves and the Doncic Mavericks. Two teams led by young guards with decent playoff successes under their belts.
Edwards’ Wolves have made two Western Conference finals appearances, and the Doncic-led Mavs also made two, including the aforementioned run to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Both Edwards and Doncic saw their squads make multiple attempts to build different, competitive rosters around them, none of which were quite good enough to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a championship.
So, both teams kept trying. Then, there was the splitting point. The point when the Mavs went one direction. A direction the Wolves have yet to be faced with.
See, the Timberwolves’ version of the Irving trade hasn’t happened yet. That’s what’s poised to happen this summer. Edwards will get a new co-star (in theory). A new team around him (if the Wolves actually make big changes).
From there, he will have a chance to win. Another chance to win a title in Minnesota. Another chance to be the 1A on a team that has yet to win an NBA Championship.
But if the Wolves fail to build a good enough team, he could meet the same fate as Doncic. Likely not in the same manner, but the same fate nonetheless.
Just, instead of the front office trading him without warning, an Edwards trade could come by way of a personal request or the Wolves needing to go in a new direction some odd years down the line.
The point is, this is the Wolves’ second chance at building around Edwards. And based on Doncic’s path, who knows how many more they’ll get.
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