JULY 8: The extension is official, the Wolves confirmed on Twitter (video link).
JULY 3: The Timberwolves and rising star Anthony Edwards have reached an agreement on a five-year, designated rookie extension that will pay him the maximum salary, agents Bill Duffy and Joe Branch tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Wojnarowski reports that the deal can be worth up to $260MM, though that would hinge on Edwards making an All-NBA team in 2024 and the salary cap rising by the maximum 10% for the 2024/25 league year. With a 10% cap increase and no All-NBA spot for Edwards, the five-year extension would be worth $217MM.
It will be a straight five-year contract with no player or team option, reports Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).
“I’m humbled, appreciative and excited to remain in Minnesota as a part of this incredible Timberwolves organization,” Edwards said in a statement to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). “It’s amazing to see where hard work can take you.”
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Edwards has increased his scoring average and efficiency in each of his NBA seasons to date. He averaged 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals with a .459/.369/.756 shooting line in 79 games (36.0 MPG) in 2022/23, earning his first All-Star nod.
Even though the Wolves also have Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert on maximum-salary contracts, there was a strong belief entering this offseason that Edwards, the player the franchise will likely build around for years to come, would get a max deal of his own. He looks poised to officially sign it as soon as he becomes eligible to do so later this week.
Edwards will play one more season on his rookie scale contract, which will pay him in $13.5MM in 2023/24, before he receives a massive raise. If the cap increases by 10% to $149.6MM in ’24/25 and Edwards makes an All-NBA team, he, Towns, and Gobert would earn a combined $141MM that season, and that number would only increase further in ’25/26.
While those three max deals – and a potential extension for Jaden McDaniels – figure to hamper the Timberwolves’ financial flexibility going forward, any eventual moves made to address that issue are more likely to involve Towns or Gobert than Edwards.
Edwards is the third 2020 first-rounder to agree to a “Rose Rule” rookie scale extension that can start at up to 30% of the cap instead of 25%. Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers and LaMelo Ball of the Hornets will also reportedly sign those deals, while Desmond Bane of the Grizzlies is getting a rookie scale extension worth the standard 25% max.
So now they have 3 players making all the payroll. If one player goes down for a year they are out of the playoffs.
If? Are you not familiar with the wolves?
My bad. Can Towns or Edwards stay healthy all year long.
No, Towns was out most of last season and the Wolves still made the playoffs.
Edwards has missed 13 games in his 3 seasons.
So he will most likely be healthy all year long.
Yup…
Both KAT and Ant have an injury history that can easily lead to another lottery run…
Ant played through their injuries and with their poor diet that could lead to a Kawhi situation…
He deserves it
Say your goodbyes to Gobert now. He’s a cinch to land in Atlanta.
Atlanta? The team that has 2 really good centers? Man you are so off today this and the harden to the rockets trade. Go get some fresh air or something hour basketball takes are really bad
Yea they need trade Gobert ridiculous contract
The NBA needs to trade the Wolves franchise to Europe.
Let’s revisit this post when Steph retires with 3 rings and the Warriors fade into obscurity again.
wait…steph has to give a ring back? oh no! why?
You’re right, cause the franchise makes no money or anything like that which the league would care about…
There’s too many teams in California…
Send one of them to Europe… Or better yet to Mexico…
Parcel that soft kat some time in the short future fir a mid level pay ldawg and the future looks bright for Minny
The wolves imo should gear towards ant McDaniels and Naz woth Rudy as an ( overpaid ) stabilizer in the middle that expires 2 years after next
Can this be translated in English? What in the blue hell are you trying to say?
Edwards is a durable max player, worth every dime. No load management here.
I don’t think you’ve been paying attention…
Kid eats a lot of junk food and has bad knees…
He’ll be a Kawhi in no time…
Did you happen notice Kawhi played in the finals 3 times before his body started to give. If that’s all the wolves get out of Ant the max would be more than worth it.
Now trade KAT.
You should read that Lillard article. Clearly mentions Portland asked Minnesota for Kat and they were quickly told he’s not available
Probably to lazy so here you go
“ The Timberwolves, Pelicans, and Celtics are among the other teams who “reached out to see what it would take” to land Lillard, Haynes reports. A deal with Minnesota would have had to involve Karl-Anthony Towns, according to Haynes, who says that idea was “quickly eliminated.”
I’d trade KAT right now for Dame. Lillard is the leader Minnesota needs. And Portland need a center badly
They want KAT in Portland but the wolves would not get Dame they just wanted to include the Wolves as a third team not a straight up trade Dame for KAT. He is worth more than KAT.
Why would Dame go to Minny . The man on the moon wants to know ????
Another player wasting his career in Minnesota.
It only takes one guy to turn a franchise around I think Ant has it. Look at his 3rd year stats compared to Kobe’s 4th year (since he didn’t go to college for a year) he is doing quite well for himself.
That’s a lot of fried chicken…
As a season ticket holder, I’m pumped for the team this year. They’ll be top 4,warriors will be in play-in
Ant will be the mvp in ’25
Is Edwards 6’6 or 6’4 or 6’3?
Although LaMelo has won me over ……
I still take Edwards over him. He’s a beast
Now I’m not going to claim I know what athletes eat. But at this level. The Team should make sure they are on healthy diets. And all stars should be watching what they eat for next 15 yrs, really for life.
Unless your name is Zion …