Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards for MVP?
The Minnesota Timberwolves put together arguably their best season in franchise history, last year. That was aided by Anthony Edwards taking another significant step forward in his development. Then, over the summer, he won a Gold Medal with Team USA in the Paris Olympics. Now, expectations have reached an even higher level.
Just a few months ago, Anthony Edwards was named All-NBA (2nd team) for the 2023-24 season. It was his first time receiving the contractually important honor. Earlier that season, he was also picked for his second-straight All-Star Game. This season, though, the Wolves need more out of their young superstar.
Kendrick Perkins all in on Minnesota Timberwolves Anthony Edwards
After finishing seventh in NBA MVP voting, Kendrick Perkins believes he’ll take home the award following the 2024-25 season. When asked who has the best chance to win their first MVP, Perkins knew exactly who he was going with.
.@KendrickPerkins believes Ant will win his first NBA MVP next season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JIwNzmDwH8
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 16, 2024
“The young man that we’ve been comparing to Michael Jordan. The young man that actually took his team to the Western Conference Finals. The young man that knocked off the defending champs out of the postseason. His name is Anthony Edwards. I think right now, from watching what I saw last year, especially in the Olympics, Anthony Edwards is out to go get his. He wants to win.
This year I wouldn’t be surprised if he leads the league in scoring, to be honest with you. He is not waiting on anyone. And again, I know he wants to win a championship. He has said that time and time again. Anthony Edwards also wants to stack up those individual accolades. Anthony Edwards also wants to be the future face of the NBA. In order to get to that route, he knows just like everybody else, you’ve got to go get that MVP.”
Kendrick Perkins on Anthony Edwards this season
At just 23 years old this season will already be Edwards’ fifth in the NBA. He established a new career-high in scoring last year with 25.9 points per game. That ranked 13th in NBA, tied with the Sixers Tyrese Maxey. Philadelphia teammate Joel Embiid paced all scorers with 34.7 points per game.
If Ant is to add that many points to his average, he’ll need to be completely locked in, on a nightly basis. Can our favorite NBA superstar challenge for a scoring title? I’m not convinced. But if he can, at least, get close and the Wolves remain one of the top teams in the West… he’d certainly be among the top considerations for 2024-25 NBA MVP.
Can Anthony Edwards take Timberwolves to the top?
Last season the Minnesota Timberwolves put together an incredible series against the Denver Nuggets before being run out of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert looked undermanned against the Mavericks big men, something that should never happen with a team built like this one.
Related: Photo Evidence Confirms Justin Jefferson and Anthony Edwards Historic Reshoot
Edwards led the team in scoring averaging 24.6 points per game. Not only is that not good enough, for a superstar like Ant, but he would oftentimes completely disappear for quarters, halves, even full games. Once again, if he wants to challenge for MVP or “face of the league” considerations, that shit can’t happen.
“We never clicked all together as a team in this series. Not even one game.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 31, 2024
Anthony Edwards discusses what went wrong for the Timberwolves during the Western Conference Finals against the Mavericks 🗣
(via @Sportsnet)
pic.twitter.com/BgjqDpl9KP
But if we do get an MVP-caliber Anthony Edwards this season, forget what else the Wolves need on their roster. That would be the difference, in being an NBA Finals caliber team, vs not. Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. are nice rookie additions.
Joe Ingles should help to space the floor and bring in more of a three point threat than what they got in recent seasons, with Kyle Anderson. And no two players on the team have more to prove to their NBA constituents than Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.
Related: Timberwolves Anthony Edwards Puts Michael Jordan on a Pedestal
The greatest asset that Chris Finch’s team has for the year ahead is another step forward by Edwards. He is among the most talented players in the NBA, and his development is truly limitless. If Perkins is correct, than Edwards will be everything the Timberwolves need to play in the final series of the season.
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