The Ringer: Anthony Edwards has all the talent in the world, but no space to utilize it. Can he overcome his surroundings to become Minnesota’s version of Luka? @MichaelVPina examines this year’s growing pains:
by Huge-Smoke2973
@Minnesota Timberwolves
16 Comments
Link [here](https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/1/27/23573183/anthony-edwards-minnesota-timberwolves)
Surprisingly even keeled and well informed take. Don’t let the title fool you.
The headline is bit inflammatory, but the article is a very nuanced take.
I think the criticisms here are a very fair look at where Ant is now, as a playmaker and efficient offensive player.
The only quibble I have is that I don’t think it fully contextualizes how far he’s come on a lot of the elements highlighted here, particularly his play making and defense. Does that mean it’s inevitable Ant will turn into Luka, of course not, but I think the real playmaking instincts and flashes this year are happening so much more often this year then they ever did compared to his rookie and 2nd year and that trajectory bodes well for the future.
Very weird to write this article now. Does Ant need to improve? Obviously. But this article gives no indication that Ant is in the middle of a career best, 2-month stretch. Or that the Wolves have improved a lot in 2023. This take would make way more sense in early December. Hard not to view it as a hit job, especially when Ant is making his last All-Star push
I want Ant to improve his reads and passing and continue to evolve.
However, I’m not sure I want a heliocentric offense of Ant with the ball and four guys standing around.
You can win a lot with that style, but until it happens, you can’t win a title with it.
Park kat on the 3 point line when he comes back and they’re both in the game. KAT can create a ton of space as an elite 3 point shooting big.
Ant, somewhat low key, reminds me of KG at the same age. Both with physical advantages that they can rely on early in their careers but everyone waiting to see how the more nuanced parts of their games develop.
Luka‘s team has literally 1 more in the win column
ANT and KAT need to realize they can just win games by themselves and start doing it. I think by the end of the season you’ll see them takeover.
ANT and KAT need to realize they can just win games by themselves and start doing it. I think by the end of the season you’ll see them takeover.
If anything I think the way Ant’s progression as a player has been handled by the Wolves is actually one of the better things they’ve done in the past few years. Especially compared to how KAT’s development was jostled around – every coach who came in played him differently and wanted him to focus on different things to the point where his game varied from year to year. But with Ant, the progress has been much more linear and I think the org actually somewhat deserves some credit for both not putting too much pressure on him to succeed, but at the same time it’s obvious they have clear faith in him to be that guy someday. Just handing Ant free reign of the offense isn’t a solution to anything. At the end of the day it’s a team game. Besides as Wolves fans how many times have we seen guys get handed the keys to the kingdom too quick and they wilt? When you’re as organizationally dysfunctional as the Timberwolves that’s not a logical solution to winning at any level. That being said as a team, they have also surrounded him with quality vets, had clear goals from him from the start that I don’t think they’ve deviated from, and it’s obvious the impact Finch as a coach has had on him. Finch has his flaws but his strength does seem to be player dev I think(?).
I disagree with the premise and outcome of the article. Only focusing on the offense in limited lineup data, the main conceit being Wolves/Ant aren’t playing like this dork and NBA twitter/blogosphere want basketball to be played like.
Pina frequently writes great stuff. Looking forward to diving into this.
Dlo and Gobert taking strays damn.
I agree with his main points, ANT needs to become a more willing passer in the pick and roll if he is ever to become an elite playmaker and effect winning more than a Mitchell type.
ANT operates best with shooters and spacing around him, and the current roster construction does not do him any favors. KAT being out Hurts, but the entire advantage of KAT at the five was that he dragged the center/shot-blocker out of the paint towards the three pt line. With Gobert, that is just not the case. ANT needs to develop chemistry with Gobert or that trade will not work long term.
This current roster construction does not maximize his talents which worries me moving forward but also makes me hopeful because he’s doing this with a less than optimal roster around him.
Great article.
I think at minimum we have to move on from two of KAT, Gobert, and DLo. This needs to be Ant’s team, and I’m tired of moves made without his development in mind.
Kat being hurt has helped Ant kind of ascend recently. I do wish Towns hadn’t been sick and Gobert hadn’t played ball in the Summer keeping both players severely limited in the pre-season when we should have been building chemistry and worked on making this experiment work.
Who has won using the rockets/harden model? I just feel like a two pointer is so valuable in the playoffs and having four three point shooters is boring to them. If Luka goes cold, the others look lost.