The Minnesota Timberwolves were dealt a catastrophic blow early in the 2026–27 regular season, just as the retooled roster was gaining momentum. Their superstar guard Anthony Edwards will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his ailing right knee and is expected to miss up to two months, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania. The news rocked the franchise following a strong 3–1 start, threatening to stall Minnesota’s momentum in an unforgiving Western Conference.
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Reacting to the latest injury setback in the league after a cluster of early-season injuries, including those in Oklahoma City, 17-year NBA veteran and 1989 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Eddie A. Johnson issued a scathing critique of modern player conditioning and league trends.
“This is an Epidemic,” Johnson posted on X in response to Charania’s report. “Longer more intensive training camps please, to strengthen bodies for the rigors of an 82 game season. We played in canvas Chuck Taylor’s and never went down like our players are in today’s games. 🙏🏿💯”
Johnson had a durable 1,199-game career with the Kings, Suns, SuperSonics, Hornets, Pacers, and Rockets and has played multiple 80+ game seasons in his career. Known to engage fans, he responded to a few who got feisty in the comments about this.
When one fan said, “The pace of play is much different Eddie lol you guys were walking it up the floor,” he questioned, “How old are u Stoopy.”
Now back with the Phoenix Suns as a color analyst, he didn’t take kindly to the commenter who wrote, “The league fake anyway so for all we know this can be just another lie in another script for storylines down the future…NBA is WWE,” and only replied with an all-encompassing, “Ok.”
His comment highlights a stark generational divide, comparing the physical endurance required during his era to the rising frequency of soft-tissue and joint injuries among today’s elite stars.
Johnson’s public comments on conditioning and prior remarks about Edwards also add a footnote to a history of friction between the two. Remember when Ant said the only skilled player in the ‘80s and ‘90s was Michael Jordan? Johnson had something to say about that.
“Anthony Edwards, what comes out of his mouth… He thinks he is the new Charles Barkley. I think he is a good quote master; he’s funny. But I think he’s going overboard, and now his jokes and comments start to sound corny.”
Regardless of the generational divide, it doesn’t change that the Timberwolves are facing a critical situation. Ant could miss around 25 games while he recovers, ending any MVP contention without the 65-game minimum.
The injury to Edwards comes after a heroic effort in Cleveland. During the Wolves’ game against the Raptors on Sunday, Edwards grabbed his right knee which was the first sign of discomfort.
Despite initially being listed as questionable on Minnesota’s injury report with right knee injury maintenance, the same leg affected by runner’s knee last season, Ant cleared pregame warmups and logged a season-high 41 minutes on Monday.
He poured in 47 points in a narrow 127–125 overtime loss to the Cavaliers, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to record multiple 45-point games within his team’s first four contests of a season.
Through four games, Antman was having the career-best start of a season, averaging 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 48.1% from the field.
When he missed 21 games last season, the Wolves managed to stay afloat without him and reached a 12-9 record in that stretch. With Ant sidelined into December, head coach Chris Finch must retool Minnesota’s starting unit ahead of Wednesday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors.