Timberwolves Are Looking for Anthony Edwards' Backcourt Partner This Offseason

Anthony Edwards is doing everything the Minnesota Timberwolves could ask of their franchise cornerstone.

The problem is that nobody else in the backcourt is doing enough to help him.

Minnesota finished 49-33 this season and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference, only to fall to the San Antonio Spurs in six games during the conference semifinals.

It was the third straight year the Wolves had their playoff run end short of the Finals, and president Tim Connelly acknowledged afterward that "everything is on the table" heading into the summer. The need is obvious, and the league has taken notice.

Edwards put up career-best numbers, averaging 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting .489 from the field and .399 from three across 61 games.

But he also missed a career-high 21 games with hamstring, foot and knee injuries, a sign that the offensive workload is starting to wear on him.

Then things got worse in the postseason.

Donte DiVincenzo, who started all 82 regular-season games and averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 assists, tore his Achilles in Game 4 of the first-round series against Denver.

He is expected to miss most or all of next season. Mike Conley and Rob Dillingham were both traded at the deadline, and Bones Hyland is heading into free agency.

That leaves a massive gap next to Edwards.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Minnesota is not the only team hunting for backcourt help, but they are one of the most aggressive.

"The Pistons, Timberwolves and Nets are all teams that rival front office executives and agents have described as highly interested in adding some of that off-the-dribble playmaking this offseason," Fischer wrote.

Head coach Chris Finch backed that up on KFAN, saying the team "definitely" needs another ball handler and playmaker who can take some of the creation load off of Edwards.

Minnesota played most of this past season without a traditional point guard in the starting lineup, which is a large part of why they finished 20th in assist-to-turnover ratio.

The biggest name linked to the Wolves is Kyrie Irving, and Edwards himself has reportedly pushed the front office to go after the nine-time All-Star.

But Dallas has told interested teams that Irving is not currently available via trade.

Ja Morant has surfaced in league conversations as well, though his own history of availability concerns makes that a complicated pursuit.

Perhaps the most important move is retaining Ayo Dosunmu, who averaged 14.4 points on 52.1 percent shooting in 24 games after coming over from Chicago at the deadline.

He is an unrestricted free agent with several teams already circling.

Between DiVincenzo's rehab, Dosunmu's free agency and a draft class that probably won't solve everything on its own, the trade market is where this offseason gets defined.

Edwards has proven he is a franchise-level scorer.

Finding the right person to run the offense alongside him is the next step.