The NBA rumor mill is always looking for its next star to take over news cycles, and with Giannis Antetokounmpo off the board, Anthony Edwards might've looked like a good candidate to some to take his place, at least at the start of the summer. The Minnesota Timberwolves were coming off a second-round exit after back-to-back conference finals runs, with questions swirling about whether they could do what they needed this offseason to get back there.
It will be months before we learn whether they will make another deep playoff run, but we do know Tim Connelly has put Minnesota in a pretty good position to do just that. As a result, the rumor mill should be scratching Edwards' name off the list, moving on to someone else.
Brian Windhorst said on Friday's episode of the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast that based on his understanding, Edwards is happy with how the offseason has gone.
"From what I understand, Ant was very excited. Ant, from what I am told, is very pleased by the Wolves' offseason. Going to get LaMelo, making this deal happen for Kuminga."
Windhorst also pointed out that Edwards isn't the type of player who "stews in his anger," but the last time we saw the guard, he walked over to the Spurs' bench and congratulated them on winning the series with eight minutes left in Game 6. He didn't say anything after the loss about wanting to leave Minnesota, but the loss, coupled with his actions, was enough to make people wonder.
Then, in early June, Windhorst reported on ESPN that the Timberwolves' future was in "question" because of Edwards' feelings about the roster. That only sparked more speculation.
Connelly put that flame out before it could even light. He's good like that.
Edwards is reportedly happy with Timberwolves' offseason
Edwards has only ever had good things to say about Minnesota, expressing his love for the city and its fans. As a small-market team, the Timberwolves aren't a star destination, so it took landing the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft to land their eventual face of the franchise. It's no exaggeration to say his arrival transformed the organization.
Leading the Timberwolves back to the conference finals for the first time in 20 years was a feat in itself, something he did alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. And then Edwards turned around and helped Minnesota get right back to the WCF, without KAT this time, something that had never been done in franchise history.
That's not where Edwards wants to be, though. He wants more, as does the rest of Minnesota. And after the Timberwolves failed to build off their playoff success from the previous two seasons, it had people wondering if he'd make a push to go to greener pastures. That's not the kind of player that Ant is, but Connelly did his part to make sure that never crossed the star's mind.
Edwards has his new backcourt running mate in LaMelo, giving him what is the ideal co-star, at least on paper, as Ball will take a lot of pressure off Ant's shoulders offensively. He'll still be the driving force behind the Timberwolves, but in a way that can benefit not just him, but the team as a whole.
And then there's Kuminga, who, if he's as ready to buy into his role (subscription required) in Minnesota as his agent, Aaron Turner, says he is, will give the Timberwolves another edge.
Entering the new season, Minnesota is in the best position it has ever been in, and if the offseason hype translates to on-court success, this Timberwolves team could be scary. And winning cures all, right? As for Edwards' future (he's signed through 2028-29), it certainly should.
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