When you’re the employee and your employers are at their throats, it kind of makes you think twice about your workplace. Anthony Edwards and his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates are probably having the same thought with Alex Rodriguez, and Marc Lore facing off against Glen Taylor in court.

The story started back in 2021 when A-Rod planned to pay $1.5bn to Taylor in his bid to take over the franchise. Trouble began in March when Glen Taylor claimed the window for the buyer’s group to complete the takeover expired. Things understandably went to the court and currently are locked in a stalemate, which could only make things a bit more concerning. That concern was one of the focus in the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast.

When Brian Windhorst named the Timberwolves for his Buy or Sell segment, Tim Bontemps saw nothing but red flags surrounding the franchise. “I have a lot of concerns about the overall state of the wolves,” Bontemps said, after professing his love for Anthony Edwards. “There currently is a outright legal fight over who’s going to own the team. It’s kind of a significant problem for the long-term direction of a team when the three principal owners are in court with each other…I would bet on Glenn Taylor retaining control of the team over time, but it is not a good thing that they are fighting over it.”

He also highlighted how Tim Connelly, the president of basketball operations for the team, was set to leave this year. But since there’s this takeover saga going on, he extended his stay for another year, which signals the ongoing uncertainty. This is also a case for the team-building effort. In April, Adrian Wojnarowski stated that A-Rod and Lore were in favor of cutting the salary bill which Taylor opposed.

Anthony Edwards is the centerpiece of the Timberwolves’ success, so he is safe from the proverbial axe. His current $244,623,120 contract runs through 2029 and by then he’ll be eligible for a supermax contract. In 2030, that could start with a $503 million contract due to the NBA’s new TV deal. So to fund him, the franchise will have to make significant chops in the roster, something that A-Rod is already anticipating. And doing that will not only hurt the franchise’s championship bid but also might see Ant-Man taking a pay cut just like Jalen Brunson took with the Knicks.

The T’Wolves have their core team locked in long-term contracts barring Rudy Gobert, who’ll have his fate decided soon. But with the Collective Bargaining Agreement in play and the Minnesota franchise having the fourth-highest payroll, things could go south at any given moment with the time bomb in the ownership battle.

Anthony Edwards and Timberwolves’ future hinges on A-Rod’s legal battle

The Timberwolves had their best finish to a campaign with Anthony Edwards last season. The ascending star in Minnesota is the exact piece the franchise will be built around over the next years and the time is on their side with a strong roster around him. Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid are also in their prime years, but time is of the essence. As mentioned previously, if A-Rod wins his legal fight, he’ll chop the squad, keeping in mind the CBA constraints.

That means the current squad will have next season or so to win the big one. Mike Conley is 36, Rudy Gobert is 32 and failed to shine in the playoffs. So the former MLB star’s disapproval of spending might hinge on the chances of the Timberwolves winning the championship. “There’s just a ton of uncertainty here. And so I would sell, especially given how deep the West is,” Bontemps reiterated his concern about the franchise.

The only shining light in all this is Anthony Edwards, who’ll only get better with time. But how much do the Timberwolves have of it? We’ll find out only after the legal battle subsides.