The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to strike while the iron’s hot, realizing that 2020 No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards’s rapid ascension has put them in title contention. Edwards is even considered to be one of the faces of the NBA’s new generation. That being said, the Timberwolves likely want to hold onto the 23-year-old as long as they can.
The feeling appears to be mutual, as Edwards recently told Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson that he’d like to stay with the franchise for his entire career.
“If I can, I’m trying to be here for my whole career,” Edwards tells Jefferson, per ESPN’s Jamal Collier.
“I ain’t trying to go nowhere.”
Anthony Edwards Wants To Spend Career With Timberwolves
Edwards has teased a split with the Timberwolves a couple of times this offseason.
First, he replied to a fan that said he should play for the New York Knicks. In response, Edwards said that he would love to reunite with former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, who the Knicks recently traded for.
After that, ESPN teased a clip of Edwards saying that he’ll go play in the NFL if he wins a championship within the next few years.
“If I win a ring in the next 3-4 years, I’m going to play football.”
Anthony Edwards says he could play in the NFL if he wins a ring in the next few years 👀
The full ESPN Cover Story launches Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/dMHVzAbxeA
— ESPN (@espn) October 20, 2024
Both of those comments seemed to be made in jest.
No Reason To Believe Otherwise
It wouldn’t make sense for Edwards to be seriously considering a Knicks trade right now. Though New York has built a championship-contender, the Timberwolves are fresh off of a run to the Western Conference Finals. In addition, the likelihood that he would confide in a random fan is pretty low.
That isn’t to say that Edwards would be against playing for the Knicks or alongside Towns again. However, the Edwards seemed to be exchanging niceties rather than secrets.
So far as whether he’d walk away from the NBA prematurely, it’s a bit more dicey. He was a standout football player in high school and seems to genuinely love the sport. In staying true to the Michael Jordan comparisons that follow him around like a shadow, His Airness famously left the league while at the height of his powers to pursue a baseball career.
That being said, Jordan came back to his senses pretty quickly. Furthermore, when taking the situation and Edwards’s personality into account, he may not have been serious. The charismatic Atlanta native is so confident and competitive that he believes he can dominate at any sport.
The matchup we didn’t know we needed! 😂
It’s @theantedwards_ vs. @usatabletennis.
📺: @NBCOlympics & @peacock#ParisOlympics | #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/ucZQY1oUhF
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 27, 2024
There are NBA insiders who believe that Edwards could request a trade as part of a domino effect involving Glen Taylor retaining control of the team. Still, even those rumors seem to be a bit far-fetched.
Never say never, especially in the world of sports. However, there aren’t any serious indications from Edwards has been thinking about leaving the Timberwolves.
