The Minnesota Timberwolves, after a 3-1 start to the season that showed that the backcourt connection of guards Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball was going to be as thrilling and productive as believed, have just received some devastating news about their franchise's biggest star. 

Per a report from ESPN's Shams Charania, Edwards will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee that could keep him sidelined for up to two months. 

Edwards' right knee has been bothering him since last season, with inflammation in the right knee being a recurring reason that contributed to keeping Edwards sidelined for 21 games last season and leading him to miss the 65-game requirement for end of season awards. 

After a seemingly healthy start to the season, Edwards' knee pain reared it's ugly head once again, though it didn't seem to hold him back after a 47-point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it was clear that something wasn't right. 

Edwards looked to be in pain in between steps and for a player whose explosiveness has been such a feature, he seemed hesitant at times to launch as readily as he has in the past. Head coach Chris Finch was asked about the state of Edwards' knee after the game and described it as a "daily situation" and he didn't think there was "any long time concern."

That concern has clearly changed and now the Timberwolves are taking a preventative measure that sacrifices time for now, as well as serious momentum at the start of a very promising season, in the hope that it prevents any future lingering issues or even worse, structural knee injuries that could keep Edwards off the court far longer than two months.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, an arthroscopic knee procedure is a "surgical procedure used to diagnose and treat structural problems in your joints... it uses a tool called an arthroscope, which is a long, thin tube that transmits light and video."

The arthroscope is then used to inspect a joint through a small incision and guided by the arthroscope, a surgeon can then perform additional, minimally invasive procedures. 

The delicate nature of this procedure means that Edwards should have a speedy recovery, at least as far as knee injuries go, and if it as able to address Edwards' lingering knee pain and prevent future injuries to one of the NBA's brightest stars, it is a smart investment by Minnesota into Edwards' future.

But the future benefits are hard to see in the face of the crushing disappointment of the situations at all.

One of the most entertaining duos in the NBA are being separated, albeit temporarily, just four game into their time together, and now Minnesota's attention turns to players like Ball, forward Jaden McDaniels and guard Ayo Dosunmu to see if they can fill the void.