Anthony Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game through 61 regular-season games in 2025-26. The two prior seasons, the Minnesota Timberwolves guard finished seventh in NBA MVP voting. This coming season, Edwards will take the court with a new-look Timberwolves team.
The franchise acquired LaMelo Ball in a blockbuster trade earlier this offseason, giving Minnesota another primary ball handler to take some pressure off Edwards at the guard position. With Ball now on the roster, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch thinks Edwards can improve his productivity on the defensive end of the court. During a recent interview with the MinnPost, Finch identified defense as the one facet holding Edwards back from true MVP contention.
"I think we are going to need him to get back to being a more high-leverage defender for us. His on-ball handling duties (on offense) will be reduced, which was probably the most taxing thing for him last year. I also feel that for him to have an MVP season, he has to have more of a defensive component," Finch said, via reporter Britt Robson.
Finch feels it's time for Edwards to make a significant step forward as a two-way player this coming season. "[Edwards] has also been on record every season talking about it. And now — you have to take ownership over various things in various seasons as you go through your career.
I think it is time for him," Finch added. The Timberwolves will open up their regular-season schedule with a matchup against the Miami Heat on Oct. 21.
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