Entering his sixth season in the NBA, many are expecting Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards to make another leap. Ant is already a superstar and a top-10 level player who has had a considerable amount of playoff success. However, Edwards still has another level to reach. According to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, Edwards has been "locked in" on taking another step this summer.
“He has been off of the social media grid and working on his game, Krawczynski said on a recent appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio. He hasn’t had any international play this summer for the first time in a couple of years, which I think has allowed him to buckle down. He was pretty forthright after the loss to the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals that he’s still got a big step to make to get to the level of a Shai, or a Luka.”
Edwards' mindset has always been admirable, and it has helped him constantly improve each year. Most recently, Edwards became one of the NBA's best 3-point shooters. At 24, Edwards still has another level to reach, and the good news is he seems focused on it. Staying off social media and solely focusing on developing his game could help him reach another level. This growth would benefit both Edwards and the Wolves as a team.
Edwards is elite but he still has another level to reach
Edwards' self-awareness really sticks out with this quote. Given what Edwards has accomplished in the playoffs, he could easily feel like he's at the same level as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Dončić. However, Edwards realizes he is still slightly below this tier. Both SGA and Luka are clear top-five players, with Shai being a top-three player in most people's eyes.
Some people consider Edwards a top-five player, but he is the league's fifth-best player, at the highest, and is largely viewed as a fringe top-five player. Still, Edwards isn't far off from either player, and with some improvements, especially as a playmaker, the Georgia product could reach this level.
Playmaking is the most logical area of improvement for Edwards, as he averaged 4.5 assists to 3.2 turnovers last season. Edwards still needs to get used to handling double teams and making the right reads when the defense collapses on him.
Edwards' need to improve as a playmaker was clear in the Western Conference finals series against the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and it seems like Edwards is aware of this. Regardless, given his age and history of steady improvements, Edwards feels poised to make these necessary improvements as a playmaker.
While playmaking is the main area of growth for Edwards, utilizing the mid-range game more could help him become a more well-rounded scorer. Notably, Ant shot 37.6 percent from the mid-range in the regular season and 30 percent in the playoffs. Developing a mid-range jumper will be especially beneficial in playoff settings, as we again saw in the Western Conference.
Considering Shai was mentioned and his mid-range dominance, it's fair to expect this to be another area of his game that Edwards is focusing on this summer. Chris Finch has also challenged Edwards to work on his mid-ranger jumper.
Defensively, while Edwards is impactful, he must remain engaged off the ball. These are all somewhat subtle improvements, but they would make a big difference. If Edwards improves his game, it's not far-fetched to believe that he could be a dark-horse MVP candidate.
Edwards' development could help the Timberwolves win a championship
From a team perspective, Edwards' growth could lead the Wolves to new heights. Back-to-back conference finals appearances are nothing to scoff at. However, the Wolves are focused on winning their first NBA championship. Edwards reaching another level could help them get there.
Of course, they have a lot of competition in a loaded Western Conference. However, with an experienced core and Ant reaching another level, the Wolves can't be counted out as contenders. Notably, each championship winner since 2004 has had at least one All-NBA first-team player. While Edwards has made back-to-back All-NBA second-teams, he's been short of first-team honors. If Edwards improves, that's likely to change this season.
With Edwards possibly reaching another level and a well-rounded core, the Wolves certainly have a shot at a title run. Julius Randle is a championship-level second option. Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels are elite defenders. Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo are stellar bench players. Overall, the Timberwolves check a lot of the boxes as title contenders, and Edwards taking another step could help them reach this goal.