The Minnesota Timberwolves have locked up a core piece of their future, coming to terms with Anthony Edwards on a five-year designated rookie maximum contract extension. The deal could potentially be worth up to $260M if Edwards hits all his incentives.
Selected as the top overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Edwards has quickly established himself as one of the league’s most electrifying and talented young players. Now entering his third season, the explosive guard has grown each year, averaging 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 2022-23.
At just 22 years old, Edwards has already become the cornerstone of the Timberwolves’ franchise, a feeling which is shared by the team’s front office as they continue to build around the young prodigy, recognizing his immense potential and impact on the court. Last season, Edwards earned his first All-Star Game nod and showcased his scoring prowess by averaging a remarkable 31.6 points in the Timberwolves’ playoff series against the eventual champion Denver Nuggets. A series in which he erupted for 41pts on 14 for 23 shooting from the field in game 4.
But Edwards’ on-court brilliance isn’t limited to just scoring. In fact, he’s achieved the unique distinction as the only player in the NBA to record 1,500 points and 100 steals in each of the past two seasons. This speaks volumes about his ability to contribute on both ends of the floor and showcases his dedication to excelling in all facets of the game.
“I’m humbled, appreciative and excited to remain in Minnesota as part of this incredible Timberwolves organization,” Edwards said in a statement. “It’s amazing to see where hard work can take you.”
With his contract extension, Edwards joins a select group of his draft class peers who have secured max contracts. Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets, and Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies being the other three.
The Timberwolves now find themselves in the company of the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns as the only three teams boasting three max contracts on their rosters for the 2024-25 season. However, while one is the reigning NBA champion and the other is one of the betting favourites to win it all next year, such expectations aren’t being floated around Minnesota these days.
In fact, this season could be largely viewed as a make or break campaign for the current T-Wolves roster. Rudy Gobert has two years remaining on his current deal, with a player option for the 2025-26 season, while Karl-Anthony Towns is in the final season of a 5yr/$158M deal inked back in 2019.
Should the Timberwolves fail to go on a deep postseason run, it’s hard to see the club’s front office being overly keen on running it back with the same core in place. Perhaps even more pressing, is the need to take a long hard look in the mirror at themselves as the team approaches the 2024 trade deadline.
If Minnesota isn’t squarely in the playoff mix, they’ll need to seriously consider trading Towns to recoup assets, rather than risk seeing him leave for nothing in the summer.
While Towns and Gobert’s futures remain unclear, the same can’t be said about Edwards. As a 19 & 20 year old, the former Georgia Bulldog dazzled, but largely deferred to his more experienced teammates. However in 2022-23 it was evident that “Ant Man” had grown comfortable with the role of being “the man” in Minnesota.
With his new contract and recently announced philanthropic undertakings, Anthony Edwards is now poised to make a lasting impact both on and off the basketball court for years to come. As he continues to elevate his game and uplift his community, the sky’s the limit for this talented young star.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.