Anthony Edwards can score. He can handle the ball, too. But if you ask him, he’s a shooting guard, and he’s glad the Timberwolves brought in LaMelo Ball to run the offense.
“I feel like I’m a natural two guard at heart,” Edwards said Monday at media day, via Jamal Collier of ESPN. “I know [coach Chris Finch] harps on me passing the ball, but now we got LaMelo, so I’m happy.”
Minnesota acquired Ball from the Hornets this summer after trading Naz Reid and Julius Randle. Edwards said he’ll miss Reid, whom he called his brother, but likes what he has seen from the new group.
“I’m super happy about the changes in the locker room,” he said. “Just a bunch of different mentalities, personalities. I think it’s going to mesh well together.”
Edwards believes having Ball beside him will free up some energy for defense. He said bringing the ball up and carrying the scoring load had left him tired at times over the past two seasons.
“Now I got LaMelo, I got point guards,” Edwards said. “So, I don’t really got to bring it up at all. I can go to the corner for three, four plays in a row and just guard the best players.”
Ball sounds comfortable with the pairing already.
“Really, we got the same personality,” he said. “Cool, confident, outgoing. That’s my brother and I think we’re going to be straight.”
Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points last season. If Ball can take some of the work off his hands, the Wolves may get more from Edwards at both ends.
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