Anthony Edwards has a reputation for being a two-way star. While his offense is obviously great, anyone who has closely watched the Minnesota Timberwolves in recent years knows that Edwards' defense isn't up to snuff. Last season, in particular, Ant's off-ball engagement was lackluster, and even his on-ball defense fluctuated mightily. Notably, the Wolves' defense was 5.7 points per 100 possessions worse with Edwards on the court, a number that ranked in the 12th percentile per Cleaning the Glass.
As frustrating as this was to watch at times, Edwards could always fall back on the excuse that the Wolves' roster around him wasn't good. He was overtaxed on offense as both a playmaker and creator. In turn, he didn't have enough energy for the defensive side of the floor. With LaMelo Ball, now in the mix, though, Edwards doesn't have this same excuse.
Furthermore, while Ball isn't a positive defender, the Wolves' defense overall remains stellar. Rudy Gobert is an elite rim protector, and Jaden McDaniels is an elite point-of-attack defender. The addition of Jonathan Kuminga gives the Wolves a stopper against forwards and a strong rebounder. Kuminga could improve off the ball, but he's still better than Julius Randle in this regard, while offering more switchability as well.
Between a high-level defensive squad around him and a legitimate second option in the backcourt, Edwards has everything he needs to fulfill his two-way upside. Simply put, he has no excuse not to.
The Timberwolves' new-look roster can help Edwards become a two-way monster
Ant has all the tools to be a high-level defender. He is an athletic 6-foot-4 guard with a ton of length and strength. Right now, Edwards' main defensive strength is that he can be a disruptive on-ball stopper. He won't lock up your best player or anything, but in flashes, Edwards can look like an elite point-of-attack defender.
In meaningful situations, Ant has shown to be a high-quality defender, especially on-ball. Edwards needs to continue this trend throughout the regular season (not just in big games) while being more consistent on the ball. More importantly, though, he must be more engaged off the ball. Last season, Edwards was often found out of position, and back cut as a result. He also showed an apathy to navigating screens and was slow to close out shots.
As he enters year seven with a better roster around him, these habits must improve, and there's no excuse for them not to. The bright side is that if Edwards can consistently remain engaged off the ball, he can be a high-end defender and one of the league's best two-way players. He has the length and athleticism to be a ferocious defensive playmaker. It's all tied to engagement.
The Timberwolves' rocky regular season could partially be attributed to their best player constantly taking plays off on defense.
I'm not saying he'll make an All-Defensive team or anything, but Ant must be a clear positive on defense. The Timberwolves' defense has a high floor with Gobert and McDaniels. To reach their absolute ceiling, though, they'll need more from Edwards than they've gotten in recent years.
Given how elite he is on offense, if Edwards can fulfill his defensive upside, he could establish himself as a clear-cut top-five player, a conversation he's currently on the edge of. The bigger picture is that Edwards fully buying into the defensive side of the ball can help Minnesota reach its ceiling, and there's no reason why he can't put it all together this season.
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