Young stars don’t typically lead their teams to the NBA conference finals, and the fact that Anthony Edwards has brought the Wolves there in back-to-back seasons at age 22 and 23 is remarkable.
He has come so far, so fast that it feels like he is held to a higher and perhaps unfair standard — something a reader pointed out Wednesday after I wrote about Charles Barkley’s comments regarding ESPN and Ant.
OKC won 24 games when SGA was 23, but point taken.
Edwards has added elements to his game to make his arsenal even better. He led the league in three-pointers this season. He has evolved as a ball-handler and playmaker capable of making the right decision in critical moments instead of too often defaulting to hero ball.
That said, there are other steps he and the Wolves will need to take in future years if they are going to get past the conference finals.
For Edwards specifically, progress next season would look like this: more consistency with his effort on both ends of the floor and a better understanding of how to move without the ball. Those were his two most glaring shortcomings in a five-game series loss against Oklahoma City, though truth be told even Ant at the peak of his powers might not have been enough to beat this version of the Thunder.
Decisions the Wolves need to make, including some that have a direct impact on Ant, will dominate the rest of the 10 things you need to know Thursday in Minnesota sports.
- The Wolves need a dynamic backcourt running mate to pair with Ant. They had several capable players this season who filled valuable roles, including veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. and reserves Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo. But those are all role players, not current of future stars. Ant needs a backcourt co-star to relieve the pressure he faces, much like SGA has Jalen Williams. Do the Wolves have that player in-house already in current rookies Terrence Shannon Jr. and/or Rob Dillingham? If they don’t think either of those players is ready for a starring role, can they be patient next season as they make strides or will they look for a shortcut via a trade? Minnesota Star Tribune sports editor Ryan Kostecka and I fired up the trade machine during Wednesday’s postgame podcast and wondered if Cleveland’s Darius Garland might be a fit.
- Some of what the Wolves do (or are able to do) will be determined by finances. Julius Randle and Naz Reid have player options, so one, both or neither could be free agents. NAW is a free agent and could get a lucrative deal elsewhere, particularly if the Wolves have his minutes earmarked for Jaylen Clark. The Wolves roster might look considerably different next season, as Jim Souhan wrote.
- There is noted angst among Wolves fans over how Chris Finch coached in this series. Some of the criticism extends to a larger body of work. But let’s be real: While I think Finch could have pushed some different buttons against OKC, the Wolves were up against a juggernaut. Finch has still been the guiding force behind (by far) the best two-year run in franchise history, which has included four of the Wolves’ six playoff series wins ever. There might be a time to have a conversation about whether Finch is the right coach to get the Wolves to a championship, but now is not that time.
- This remix of the commercial featuring the split-up Villanova crew was both extremely hurtful and extremely well done.
- The Indiana Pacers, of course, still have work to do to close out the Knicks in the East. New York is a 4.5-point favorite at home Thursday, so this series is far from over. But if the Pacers are able to close things out at some point, it will be fascinating to watch their fast-paced style against the Thunder. It would also be instructive for the Wolves to watch and see how different approaches might yield different results vs. OKC in the future. For the record, I think the Thunder will handily beat either team that comes out of the East.
- Also, if Indiana does make the finals, don’t forget that Paul George has been instrumental in helping both the Pacers and Thunder get this far.
- OK, sure, a few non-basketball things before we go. La Velle E. Neal III and I talked about developments in the Twins sale process during Thursday’s Daily Delivery podcast, while Phil Miller — who wrote about that topic earlier this week — is expected to join me on Friday’s show.
- Minnesota United and first-place Vancouver played to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday, and Loons manager Eric Ramsay summed it up perfectly: “Whilst it certainly wasn’t a performance that I will be writing home about and in no way was it a statement, it’s a very good point on the road.” Paraphrasing: It was as boring as watching the grass on the pitch grow, but that was by design.
- ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote about the Vikings’ offseason overhaul on both lines of scrimmage, wondering if that will usher in a new play style. Meanwhile, we got our first glimpse of J.J. McCarthy during Wednesday’s OTAs. Does the way he hands the ball off here tell you all you need to know about his leadership? (No, but get ready for a steady stream of J.J. reports for the next several months).
