Anthony Edwards enters the new season with expectations that are already high. But the Minnesota Timberwolves could be heading into something bigger than another year of relying on their franchise star. The arrival of LaMelo Ball has changed the shape of the backcourt and opened the possibility of a different role for Edwards.
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One NBA legend now believes that combination could turn Minnesota into one of the league’s biggest surprises.
“I’m gonna go with the Minnesota Timberwolves,” Jamal Crawford said, speaking on the “Straight Game” Podcast, picking the Timberwolves when asked which team he would identify as a sleeper.
He then focused on what LaMelo’s arrival could mean for Edwards, comparing the two guards in a way that goes beyond their playing styles.
“Anthony has found his spirit animal. He’s found somebody that’s just like him, gonna have this much fun, but got just as much game as well,” Crawford said. “He ain’t gotta make every single play. Yeah, I can go chill on the corner. You got it. You got it. He’s gonna bring a fearlessness, a swag.”
This observation does bring a lot of attention to the Wolves. Anthony Edwards has carried a major portion of Minnesota’s offense creation over the last few years. The team expected him to initiate possessions, generate shots, and make plays late in the clock.
LaMelo Ball’s presence gives the team another high-level creator who can take the ball out of Ant-Man’s hands without removing him from the offense.
Edwards himself has acknowledged that playing point guard has never felt natural to him. Speaking about the Timberwolves’ offseason changes, he said, “I feel like I’m a natural two-guard at heart. I never thought I could develop any point guard skills. I know Finchy (Chris Finch) harps on me passing the ball, but now we got LaMelo, so I’m happy.”
That change could affect more than Anthony Edwards’ workload.
LaMelo Ball can handle more of the initiating duties while Edwards attacks from the wing, moves without the ball, and receives possessions in situations where he can focus on scoring. It also gives Minnesota another player capable of creating offense when Ant-Man is being pressured or trapped.
At the same time, it gives Edwards the opportunity to work on his defensive capabilities.
The rest of the roster gives that backcourt pairing room to function. Rudy Gobert remains a major target around the rim, while Jaden McDaniels can defend on the wing and contribute without needing heavy offensive usage.
Jonathan Kuminga adds another athletic option who can run in transition and put pressure on defenses. Those pieces allow Minnesota to build possessions around multiple actions instead of asking Anthony Edwards to solve every problem himself.
Anthony Edwards has welcomed the broader changes around the team.
He said he was “super happy about changes in the locker room,” pointing to the different “mentalities” and “personalities” now around him and believing they will mesh well together. That matters because Crawford’s prediction depends partly on whether the new personalities can share the floor without taking away from each other.
Crawford was not finished with the praise.
He compared the excitement around Minnesota to the city’s Prince era, saying, “Minnesota ain’t been this hot since Prince was here when he was doing Party Like It’s 1999.” He later added, “With Melo and Ant-Man, everybody else, it’s about to be crazy out there.”
The prediction will ultimately be tested by how the pairing works over an entire season. Ball gives Minnesota another primary creator, while Edwards can move closer to the two-guard role he has always preferred. If those responsibilities settle naturally, the Timberwolves could give Anthony Edwards a different kind of offensive environment without taking away the freedom that made him their franchise centerpiece.