The Timberwolves star explained at media day how having a true point guard next to him will change his game.
Guard Anthony Edwards has carried a lot for the Minnesota Timberwolves the last few seasons, and at media day on Monday he explained why he thinks that load is about to get lighter.
The reason is guard LaMelo Ball, who came to Minnesota in a four-team trade in July, and Edwards sounded very happy about sharing the backcourt with him.
Edwards Is Ready to Move Off the Ball
Edwards told reporters that he sees himself as a natural shooting guard at heart and never thought he could develop point guard skills, and he added that head coach Chris Finch has pushed him to pass more.
Now he does not have to do all of that himself, and he said the biggest change will show up on defense.
"The last couple years I couldn't play defense as well as I wanted to because I was bringing the ball up," Edwards said, according to ESPN. "At times, I had to score all the time. I was super tired, but now I got LaMelo, I got point guards. So, I don't really got to bring it up at all. I can go to the corner for three, four plays in a row and just guard the best players."
Ball said the two of them have the same personality and called Edwards his brother, per ESPN.
Finch also said, per KSTP, that the move gives Edwards a chance to get back to what he called his natural elite role, which is mostly off the ball, and he said there might not be a guard in the league who creates more efficient offense for his teammates than Ball.
Why the Fit Makes Sense
Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game last season while shooting 48.9% from the field, and Ball averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists for the Charlotte Hornets.
Finch has already said Ball can make things easier for Edwards, and now Edwards is saying the same thing.
The defense is the most interesting part.
A rested Edwards who can chase the other team's best scorer makes Minnesota a lot harder to play against, and Finch said the team needs to get back to being a top five defense, according to the Pioneer Press.
Some people still have questions about the trade, and one scout cast doubt on the Ball addition before camp, but hearing Edwards talk this way is a good sign for how the two stars will work together.
What Comes Next
The price was steep, as the Wolves sent center Naz Reid to Charlotte and forward Julius Randle to Brooklyn in the deal, along with a lot of draft capital, and Edwards said he will miss Reid.
Minnesota went 49-33 last season, beat Denver in the first round and lost to San Antonio in the second, so this group is expected to take the next step.
The Wolves hold their first practice of training camp on Tuesday at Mayo Clinic Square, open the preseason at Milwaukee on Oct. 5 and start the regular season at Miami on Oct. 21.
If Edwards gets his wish and spends more time guarding the best players, the Ball trade could look like the best move of the summer.
