Anthony Edwards has established himself as an elite star in recent years, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to two straight Western Conference Finals appearances. He has also embraced the city of Minnesota and is already an all-time Timberwolves great. However, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins shockingly predicted that Edwards would request a trade next summer if the Wolves don’t reach the Finals, citing his contract as a reason why.
“If Anthony Edwards don’t reach the NBA Finals, he’s going to request a trade,” Perkins said on ESPN. “$45M ain’t top-of-the-top. Bradley Beal’s making $52M.”
This is an absurd take from Perkins, considering both what he implied about the Wolves' title chances and his salary point.
Edwards is set to become the highest paid player in league history
Perkins’ salary point is simply misleading. Timberwolves insider Dane Moore correctly pointed out that Edwards has made the most money possible thus far in his career, and he is eligible to sign the richest contract in league history next summer.
With a possible extension in 2026, Edwards could earn around $80 million annually. Perhaps Edwards waits until 2027, with the idea of possibly earning even more. The point is, he is due for a massive pay day and has already maxed out his earnings.
Perkins completely missed the bar by comparing him to Beal (who was just bought out). Crucially, Beal was being paid more than Edwards because he had more experience and was thus eligible for more money. This is the same for players like Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Jamal Murray.
The Wolves offer Edwards a clear chance to win a title
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and making back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances is nothing to scoff at. There are only a few teams that can offer Edwards the same chance to compete for a title, and those teams would have to gut their core and assets to trade for him.
The Boston Celtics, who won the title in 2024, offer a clear blueprint for the Wolves. They made four Conference Finals and one NBA Finals before winning it all. This gave Jayson Tatum a ton of playoff experience from a young age. The Wolves' vision with the Rudy Gobert trade was to give Anthony Edwards as much playoff experience as possible, and it’s worked out wonderfully. Making two Conference Finals at 23 is an impressive and rare accomplishment.
The Wolves are perfectly positioned to compete for the title this upcoming season, with a loaded roster, and in years to come with a talented young core around Edwards. The idea that it’s NBA Finals or bust for Edwards, who will turn 24 before the season starts, is beyond laughable. It’s illogical that Edwards would request a trade out of this incredible situation.
Ultimately, from both a financial and basketball standpoint, Edwards' asking out doesn't make sense. It’s safe to jot this one down as yet another horrible Kendrick Perkins take.