After back-to-back conference finals appearances, the Minnesota Timberwolves are on the brink of winning a championship. While multiple factors influence the Wolves' title chances, Anthony Edwards reaching another level could be the biggest factor. Edwards is a clear top 10 player in the league, and a fringe top-five player.
However, Edwards needs to be a clear top-five player for the Wolves to reach their championship aspirations. Notably, since the 2004-05 season, every NBA champion has had an All-NBA first team player. Edwards has made two consecutive All-NBA second teams but has been just short of All-NBA first team.
Ant has reportedly said that he still needs to improve to reach the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-Luka Dončić tier. Playmaking is a clear area of improvement for Edwards, which could take his game to the next level. At 24, improving as a playmaker and overall player is a fair expectation for Edwards.
With improvements from Edwards, the Wolves could win their first championship in franchise history. However, if Edwards remains relatively the same (albeit still an elite player), the Wolves will be a notch below clear contention.
Edwards' playmaking has never been more important to the Timberwolves
Edwards has made improvements throughout his career. The most notable improvement for Ant so far has been his 3-point shooting. This culminated in him leading the league in total made 3s last year while shooting a career-high 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. Given how Edwards has routinely added different elements to his game, taking a leap as a playmaker is a real possibility.
With Mike Conley turning 38 in October, the loss of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Rob Dillingham possibly not being fully prepared for a significant role, Edwards' impact as a playmaker will be crucial. Playmaking was already a key need for the Wolves, and after this offseason, it became even more glaring.
Last season, the Wolves used Edwards more in that lead guard role, and it yielded mixed results. In the regular season, Edwards averaged 4.5 assists and 3.2 turnovers. He has never had an assist-to-turnover ratio above 2. Undoubtedly, this must change for Edwards and the Wolves to reach their full potential.
In the playoffs, Edwards showed his upside as a playmaker, averaging 5.9 assists to 2.3 turnovers in the first two rounds. However, the Western Conference finals showed that Edwards still has plenty of room to grow as a playmaker, as he averaged 4.6 assists and 3.2 turnovers. The Oklahoma City Thunder's stifling defense often collapsed on Edwards, and he struggled to consistently make the right reads.
Currently, opposing teams' game plan against Edwards is to double-team and trap him as much as possible. He's an elite scorer but just an average playmaker. To reach the next level as a player and to help the Wolves reach the next level as a team overall, Edwards must improve his decision-making, especially when he's double-teamed.
Regardless, Edwards feels primed to take strides as a playmaker given his age and constant improvements. If Edwards can make these improvements, the Wolves could absolutely shock the NBA world and win a championship.