Minnesota rebuilt its roster around its star guard, and now the last step belongs to him.
Anthony Edwards has never lacked confidence, and this summer he has the roster to back it up.
The Minnesota Timberwolves traded for LaMelo Ball, moved on from veterans Julius Randle and Mike Conley, and handed their franchise player the most talented backcourt partner he has ever had.
Edwards responded by organizing a team trip to France so the whole group could train together before camp, then told ESPN exactly how he sees the season going.
"Against those two teams, I think we're going to beat them," Edwards said of the Thunder and the Spurs.
The Bar Is Higher Than Ever
Talk like that comes with a bill attached.
Minnesota went 49-33 last season, beat Denver in six games in the first round and then lost to San Antonio in the conference semifinals.
Edwards was spectacular along the way, averaging 28.8 points on 48.9 percent shooting while winning All-Star Game MVP, but a second-round loss is still a second-round loss.
The Thunder and the Spurs sit together at the very top of the West, and Edwards just publicly guaranteed wins against both.
He has said where he believes this team stands, so the follow-through has to match.
Nobody doubts the belief, but belief alone did not get them past San Antonio last season.
Make the Ball Partnership Work
The first job is fitting next to Ball.
Minnesota's new point guard averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists last season, and he needs the ball in his hands to be at his best.
Edwards has spent his career as the engine of every lineup he plays in, so the adjustment falls on both stars to trade possessions without losing rhythm.
If Edwards commits to playing off the catch more, attacking closeouts and letting Ball run the offense in stretches, Minnesota becomes much harder to guard.
The projected opening night rotation only works if the two guards make each other better instead of taking turns.
Plenty of star pairings have fizzled for exactly that reason, because sharing the ball in a playoff series is harder than promising to share it in August.
Defend Like the Best Player
The other half is effort on the other end.
Ball has never been a strong defender, and with Randle and Conley gone, the locker room now belongs fully to Edwards.
He has the physical tools to guard the best perimeter player every night, and this team will need him to do it, because the departures stripped out much of the veteran defensive structure, so the tone on that end has to come from him.
A heavy national TV schedule means the whole league will be watching how he handles it.
Edwards wanted this roster, this spotlight and this responsibility, and the France trip shows he understands what leading actually requires.
Getting over the hump now means beating Oklahoma City or San Antonio in a playoff series, and that only happens if the very best version of Edwards shows up on both ends for seven straight months.
