No Minnesota Timberwolves player should be happier about the arrival of LaMelo Ball than Anthony Edwards. With all due respect to D'Angelo Russell, Mike Conley, and Ayo Dosunmu (who is a combo guard), Edwards has never played with a high-end point guard like Ball.
The Wolves' lack of a lead guard alongside Ant-Man has been a problem for years, and this issue hit a breaking point in the second-round of the playoffs this past season. Frankly, I was doubtful the Wolves would be able to pull off a trade for a star-level guard given their limited assets, but this is certainly the ideal outcome.
Few players offer the same blend of shot-making and playmaking that LaMelo does. Without a doubt, Edwards has never played with someone who offers this offensive skill set, and it's going to make his life a whole lot easier.
In the modern NBA, you can never have too much perimeter creation. To this end, an elite advantage creator is the exact archetype you'd want as a co-star alongside Edwards.
That's not to say Ball is a perfect player; his decision-making needs some refinement, and his injury concerns are severe. In terms of finding a high-end backcourt mate for Edwards, though, Ball's offensive profile makes him perfect, and for the price, it's hard to complain.
Ball will be a game-changer for Edwards and the Timberwolves
Ball's arrival will make the Wolves less dependent on Ant-Man and in turn, this will help solve some of the major problems we saw last season.
As hinted at earlier, Edwards was overtaxed as a ball-handler and self-creator this past season. These problems reached a breaking point against the San Antonio Spurs in the second-round. Edwards was playing on two bad knees and was constantly getting double-teamed by the Spurs' elite perimeter defense.
Without a high-end guard to take the pressure off Edwards as a playmaker and creator, it was easy for the Spurs to stick to this strategy. And while the Spurs' series is the most severe example of this, it was a common theme for the Wolves throughout the season. Edwards became frustrated by how he was being defended at various points this season.
Now, with Ball in the mix, opposing defenses won't be able to double-team Ant nearly as much, since the Wolves now have another dependable source of perimeter creation. Furthermore, LaMelo's playmaking can open up opportunities for Edwards as an off-ball threat. Overall, this will give the Wolves' offense some much-needed versatility, but again, nobody will benefit from LaMelo more than Ant.
Kyle Theige reported that Edwards is over the moon about the opportunity to play with LaMelo, and it's easy to see why. For the first time in his career, Edwards will have someone in the backcourt who will make life easier for him both as a creator and playmaker.
Considering what Edwards has been able to accomplish with a roster that has never fully maximized him, it's hard not to be bullish on what he can do with an ideal backcourt partner.
