Most of the trade targets currently being discussed by Minnesota Timberwolves fans are lead guards. Anthony Edwards was overtaxed as a ball handler, playmaker, and creator this past season. The Wolves can't afford for this to happen again, as Edwards will soon enter his true prime at 25.
Not only would trading for a lead guard make life easier for Ant, but it could strengthen a crucial part of his game: off-ball scoring.
Of course, Edwards is a gifted isolation scorer and self-creator; this will always be a key part of the Wolves' offense. However, he has made sizable improvements as an off-ball scorer and 3-point shooter in the past two seasons.
Trading for a true lead guard would further bring these improvements to light.
Trading for a lead guard would highlight Edwards' growth as a shooter
Edwards' massive 3-point shooting growth was first seen in the 2024-25 season when he led the league in total 3-pointers made. While Ant played in fewer games and had a reduction in his 3-point volume due to his growth as a mid-range scorer, he still ranked sixth in 3-pointers made per game, and netted 39.9 percent of his triples.
Edwards specifically netted 49.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s. Yet he only averaged 2.3 catch-and-shoot attempts. For reference, Julius Randle had more catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts per game than Ant.
This is a reflection of how overtaxed Edwards was as a self-creator, and this issue hit its breaking point in the second-round against the San Antonio Spurs.
Undoubtedly, Ant would be able to ramp up his catch-and-shoot volume if he played alongside a high-end creator in the backcourt.
With the addition of a lead guard, Minnesota's offense would be less predictable, and teams wouldn't be able to double Edwards as much. In turn, this would lead to Edwards and the Wolves reaching another level on offense.
With all due respect to Mike Conley, who is a fantastic playmaker, Edwards has never played with a lead guard who draws attention away from him. If the Wolves trade for a star guard like Kyrie Irving or Dejounte Murray, that would change.
Of course, Ant would still receive the lion's share of attention from opposing defenses, but having a guard who can break down a defense and get to the rim would undoubtedly create more open assisted shots for him. Plus, with more dependable ball handling around him, the Wolves could use Ant in more off-ball situations, particularly coming off screens.
Even if the Wolves don't land a star, a guard who possesses solid self-creation chops and dependable ball handling would help him.
Edwards is already one of the most prolific all-around scorers in the league. The addition of a true lead guard won't result in a significant statistical leap. Nevertheless, it would make life a heck of a lot easier for Ant and would make game-planning against the Wolves all the more difficult.
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