Anthony Edwards Thrilled With LaMelo Ball in Minnesota

Anthony Edwards did not bother hiding his excitement at Minnesota Timberwolves media day on Monday. Again and again, the franchise's cornerstone returned to the same theme: he likes this team, he likes the new faces in the locker room, and he is especially eager to share the backcourt with LaMelo Ball.

A Tough Goodbye

The hardest part of the offseason for Edwards was watching Naz Reid leave. Reid had been a fixture in Minnesota for years, a versatile big man and one of Edwards' closest friends on the roster.

"I'm going to miss Naz for sure, that's my brother," Edwards said. "But I'm super happy about the changes in the locker room. Just a bunch of different mentalities, personalities. I think it's going to mesh well together."

Why Minnesota Changed Course

The Timberwolves had built a strong run of success, reaching the Western Conference finals in consecutive seasons. But a second-round exit in the 2026 playoffs convinced the front office that incremental tweaks would not be enough to get over the hump.

The result was an aggressive summer. Minnesota shipped Reid and forward Julius Randleout in the deal that landed Ball from the Charlotte Hornets. The Wolves then added Jonathan Kuminga in free agency. The goal was clear: get younger, get more athletic and give the offense more creative dimensions around its franchise star.

Back to Shooting Guard

Perhaps no one benefits more from Ball's arrival than Edwards himself. Over the past few seasons, he was often asked to act as the team's primary initiator, a role he never felt fully suited him.

"I feel like I'm a natural two guard at heart," Edwards said. "I never thought I could develop any point guard skills. I know [coach Chris Finch] harps on me passing the ball, but now we got LaMelo, so I'm happy."

With a gifted playmaker now running the offense, Edwards can focus on what he does best: attacking closeouts, hunting mismatches and finishing plays rather than constantly starting them.

A Renewed Focus on Defense

Edwards also believes the new setup will unlock a better version of him on the other end of the floor. Carrying the ball up the court and shouldering a massive scoring load, he said, left him drained by the time he needed to defend.

"The last couple years I couldn't play defense as well as I wanted to because I was bringing the ball up," he explained.

With Ball and other point guards handling those duties, Edwards envisions spending possessions spotted up in the corner, conserving energy so he can take on the opponent's top scorer.

Kindred Spirits in the Backcourt

Ball arrives after six seasons in Charlotte, where he was coming off one of the finest years of his career. He averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists across 72 games and helped power the Hornets to one of the league's best records after the All-Star break.

Asked about being traded after such a productive campaign, Ballshrugged off any sense of shock, saying he never really does surprises. Instead, he preferred to talk about his fast-forming connection with Edwards.

"Really, we got the same personality," Ball said. "Cool, confident, outgoing. That's my brother and I think we're going to be straight."

A Star Who Doesn't Feel Like One

Edwards is coming off a career year of his own, averaging a personal-best 28.8 points on 48% shooting over 61 regular-season games. Still, the constant double-teams he faced, particularly in the postseason, clearly wore on him, and Ball's presence should make those traps far more costly for opponents.

The lighter side of Edwardsalso surfaced when a reporter suggested the Wolves had only a short window to keep their superstar content. He seemed genuinely puzzled by the premise.

"Who the superstar?" Edwards asked. "Me? I didn't know nothing about that. I'm happy."

For a franchise that just bet big on change, those last two words might be the most encouraging sign of all heading into the new season.