For the last couple of years, specifically after the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns, it's been clear that Anthony Edwards has had too much on his plate. He's been burdened not only with being the top scorer on the team but also the top playmaker. Then on the other side of the ball, he's expected to guard the other team's second-best perimeter player.
That's too much weight on his shoulders. While his scoring has impressively gone up every season he's been in the league, his playmaking and his perimeter defense have seen a slight dip due to being overtaxed.
But with LaMelo Ball in the mix, I have a feeling that next season, that is going to change, and it will set Ant up for his best season yet, which could result in an MVP leap.
Timberwolves fans and members of the media have been waiting for Ant to reach this MVP level. However, Minnesota's roster around him has limited this possibility. LaMelo can change this in a big way.
LaMelo Ball will take so much pressure off of Anthony Edwards
For too long, Ant has shared the backcourt with either another combo guard or a true point guard who isn't much of a creation threat. Whether it is Donte DiVincenzo, Patrick Beverley, or D'Angelo Russell in the combo guard category, or Mike Conley or Ricky Rubio in the other category.
Throughout his career, Ant has never shared the floor with another guard who is a dynamic playmaker and a scorer, and now he finally has that. He can now focus on what he does best: putting the ball in the basket. Ball can handle all of the point guard duties that were forced upon Ant these last few years, making for a perfect tandem.
Not only will Ball take the playmaking pressure off Edwards, but when other teams decide to double-team him, Ball now gives him a dangerous outlet to swing the ball to. In past seasons, Edwards would have to swing the ball to Mike Conley, who was good at certain things but not much of a threat offensively.
After the playoff loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Ant said that he missed having DiVincenzo beside him to swing the ball to when he was doubled because he knew that DiVincenzo was always a shooting threat.
Well, think of Ball as having DiVincenzo's shooting, plus an elite dribbling package and elite playmaking, while being 6-foot-7. Ball will surely help Edwards level up, and that's a scary thought for the rest of the league.
This change could set Ant up for a true run at an MVP
With the addition of Ball, I could easily see Edwards averaging 30 points per game for the first time in his career. Combine that 30 a game with high efficiency, given that Ball will likely create a lot of open looks for him, and you're looking at potentially the best three-level scorer in the NBA.
Not to mention, having less of a playmaking burden might unleash the elite defensive player that everyone knows Ant can be. The final domino probably hinges on Ball's health, and that's how good a regular-season team the Wolves are. If they can be a top-three seed in the West, potentially even top two, I think Ant would be clearly in the running for MVP.
Edwards would be arguably the best scorer in the world with absurd efficiency, elite defense, and on one of the best teams in the league. He would certainly have my vote.
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