The D’Angelo Russell saga from was pretty involved beginning to end. Regardless of how you feel about the Russell trade, it is evident is that the Minnesota Timberwolves are focused on guiding Anthony Edwards to be the best possible version of himself. While DLo and Ant had some great moments together, especially this past January when they were playing well off each other at incredible efficiency. But looking into the future with DLo’s contract status and Ant’s impressive third year, it made sense to move on go all-in on maximizing Edwards’ untapped potential.
Ant has improved across the board statistically this year. He has taken a leap in points, assists, rebounds, steals, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and free-throws made this season. As a result, opponents are devoting more attention to him, which puts weight on his difficult shot-making skills.
DLo had had low usage this season compared to his career numbers, dropping from his typical 30%-ish to 25% this season. However, it was clear that when Karl-Anthony Towns returns, matching DLo’s usage with what Ant has put together this year could get a bit messy. Additionally, Mike Conley’s low usage and ability to space the floor will benefit Ant, creating a launching pad for his improved game.
As soon as the Wolves traded for Rudy Gobert, everyone wondered how his presence would affect Ant’s development. However, many of those fears were unfounded, and they have coexisted this season. Ant has still been able to find his way to the rim despite the screening chemistry with Rudy taking more time to develop.
Ant’s launching point of growth is only looking more substantial, considering KAT’s timeline is still uncertain. To illustrate this, let’s use Minnesota’s Jan. 2 matchup with the a full-strength Denver Nuggets team. DLo was out due to illness, and KAT had his calf injury, but the Wolves won by 13 because they put up an impressive 124 points.
It was a second half of a back-to-back for Denver, but it put the Wolves up against a great team that is first in the West and can challenge Ant. He delivered with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists on 41.7/27.3/100 splits. That was not an incredibly efficient line, but he made an impact while carrying a 35.7% usage percentage.
Moments like this are only going to refine Ant’s skill and offensive ceiling. Opportunity is one of the most vital things for young player who is taking that next step.
There are going to be bumps in the road. Ant is only 21 and has his fair share of miscues. His turnovers can get out of hand with errant passes that are a result of his still-developing decision-making as a playmaker. Edwards is also figuring out how to be a closer when the team needs him to be. These are issues that all younger scorers have as they develop. Still, finding that healthy balance of mistakes and Ant’s growth will allow Ant to take the next step.
There are holes that Ant still needs to fill. However, he is already showing incredible scoring promise across the floor that opens up an incredible amount of opportunity for his teammates. That will only be more evident when they add KAT, a three-point and driving threat, back into the lineup.
We still have no timeline regarding for Towns. Ideally, we’ll know more after the All-Star break so that he can get back into the flow for the playoff push. He recently traveled with the team and did an on-court workout, which is good news. However, Ant seems to still be pressed into this high-pressure offensive role for another handful of games. We already saw how is can get chaotic in games like at Memphis, where he had a tough time getting in the offensive flow. That made it made it even more difficult for the team to overcome this challenge against a great Memphis Grizzlies defense.
It will be nice to see a massive increase in Ant’s role, the potential for development in chemistry with backcourt partner Conley, and more than enough shots. But ultimately, the end of the season is nearing. With how hectic the West is, the Wolves can only tinker with their shiny toy for so long before they need to start playing their best basketball.
