One Timberwolves Newcomer Earns Special Praise From Anthony Edwards in Training Camp

Guard Anthony Edwards had plenty of new Minnesota Timberwolves teammates to choose from when he was asked who had impressed him in training camp, but he barely had to think about it.

After practice on Saturday, Edwards answered right away with forward Cody Williams, and then he spent a good amount of time explaining why.

That is a big deal for a 21-year-old who came over in a late August trade that did not get many headlines.

Edwards started with Williams' defense.

"I just love his defensive instincts. I think he could be really good in the NBA," Edwards said in a video posted by Andrew Dukowitz.

Edwards did add one thing he wants to see, as he said Williams' care factor has to show more, and that everyone knows he cares but he needs to let teammates know about it when he gets a stop.

Other than that, Edwards said Williams brings intensity every day and called his defense incredible, which is a great review to get from the face of the franchise.

Edwards likes the new-look roster as a whole, but Williams is the one he picked out by name.

Minnesota acquired Williams and forward John Konchar from the Utah Jazz in late August for guard Josh Green and cash, and then waived Konchar.

Utah took Williams with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and last season he averaged 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 67 games with 41 starts.

The weak spot was his shooting from deep, where he made just 21.4 percent of his threes.

That shooting is the reason he is not a lock for minutes.

Williams will likely not have a steady role this season because of Minnesota's depth on the wing and the shooting questions from his time in Utah.

The Timberwolves added point guard LaMelo Ball in a trade and forward Jonathan Kuminga in free agency, and Kuminga has already accepted a new role on this deeper team.

Williams got his first look on Monday in a 116-97 preseason win at Milwaukee, and he made the most of it.

He did not check in until late in the third quarter, but he finished with five points, four assists and two rebounds in 10 minutes, and Minnesota was nine points better with him on the floor.

There is room for a defender like him to earn minutes, because guard Donte DiVincenzo is out after Achilles surgery, so the rotation behind the starters is not fully set.

Minnesota went 49-33 last season and reached the Western Conference semifinals before losing to San Antonio, and teams that want to go further need wings who can guard.

Williams does not have to become a big scorer, and if he keeps defending the way Edwards described and makes a few more open shots, he will be hard to leave out.

The Wolves face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at Hilton Coliseum, and the regular season opens Oct. 21 at Miami.