The Minnesota Timberwolves’ preseason might not be making headlines just yet, but Anthony Edwards sure is, and not for the reasons you’d expect. Being 24 and on a five-year, $244.6 million max deal, the NBA is starting to realize that Ant is not just another feel-good sports story. Last season, Edwards averaged 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across 79 games. Those numbers have made sure Minnesota has a player who knows his worth, and he’s not one to let others decide the story for him.

During a recent conversation with Shams Charania, revolving around the Luka Doncic trade to LA, the Timberwolves guard didn’t hold back when addressing his own trade stories. “If I’m going to get traded, you better fu—– text me. Don’t leak that sh-t on Twitter — or X, or whatever. Send me a message. Let me know,” he said. The statement turned heads, because he’s neither demanded a trade nor is it possible to picture Minnesota parting ways with Edwards— especially under Tim Connelly.

Since arriving in 2022, Connelly has doubled down on surrounding Edwards with the right pieces. Just weeks after joining from Denver, he executed a blockbuster trade for All-Star center Rudy Gobert, sending five players and multiple draft picks to Utah to pair Gobert with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels. In February 2023, Connelly added veteran point guard Mike Conley via a three-team deal, giving Edwards a steady distributor and perimeter threat to run the offense. Ahead of the 2024‑25 season, Connelly traded Towns to the Knicks for forward Julius Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo. By 2025, after another deep playoff run, he focused on retaining key contributors with contract extensions for Randle and Naz Reid while preserving the core roster. Now, rumors are that he could consider or at least be tempted to bring in Giannis Antetokounmpo, for Edwards, who’s ranked at 4th in PPG in the league. But again, the reaction is fair, and here’s why:

Our Ant-Man is in a league where even franchise stars have been blindsided by trade news, only finding out through social media or late-night calls. These are just a few examples:

• Blake Griffin (2018)–  Once the face of the Clippers, Griffin discovered he was traded to the Detroit Pistons the same way fans did: through Adrian Wojnarowski’s tweet.
• Robert Covington (2018)– After four seasons with Philadelphia, Covington woke up in his hotel room to dozens of notifications saying he’d been traded to Minnesota as part of the Jimmy Butler deal. Even his agent didn’t know beforehand; social media told him first.
• DeMar DeRozan (2018)– After nine seasons in Toronto, DeRozan learned he’d been traded to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green while sitting in a Jack in the Box parking lot around midnight, and the calls started coming in. 
• Lonzo Ball (2019)– After two disappointing seasons, the former Lakers guard found out about his trade to the New Orleans Pelicans on Twitter while riding in a car with his family. “We had just left my grandfather’s house,” Ball said. “My business manager asked, ‘You seen Twitter?’ and then told me, ‘We just got traded.’”
• Jrue Holiday (2025)– The two-time All-Star, who helped Milwaukee win its 2021 title, said he was napping when he was traded to Portland in the Damian Lillard blockbuster. “For me, it was just a shock because at least let me know 24 hours in advance, not five minutes,” he said. “Maybe I’m asking for too much. I won there.”
• Luka Dončić (2025)– Dončić said he was nearly asleep when his phone buzzed with the stunning news that Dallas had traded him to the Lakers. “You can imagine how surprised I was,” he said. “I had to check if it was April 1.”

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But to further reassure Edwards, his teammate Reid added another layer to the story, revealing a shift in Ant’s mindset heading into the 2025-26 season.

Anthony Edwards and changing the Wolves’ narrative ahead of the 2025-26 season

“The mentality shift is completely different. I think the winning mentality, the way he strives for greatness, obviously, the way he works. He has younger guys in the gym following suit,” the 6-year veteran said to the media during the recent training day. “He’s ready to win.”

Off the court, Edwards has invested in his growth like few do. After stints with the US national team for the World Cup and the Olympics, he returned to Minnesota this summer, focused on refining his craft. “I feel like I was able to actually work on my game,” he said, nodding to the countless hours in the gym.

In 2024, he became the second-youngest player ever to record 400+ points, 100+ rebounds, and 100+ assists in a playoff run, following only LeBron James. That same year, he set the Timberwolves’ franchise playoff record with a 44-point game against Denver. Add three 40+ point playoff games by age 22, and you get a glimpse of just how special Edwards is. 

Looking at his contract now, the $244.6 million max deal is about expectations. Edwards is now an All-Star for the third time, second-team All-NBA, and in the preseason survey of NBA GMs, he earned a 70 percent share for best shooting guard. The league knows his name, but Edwards is determined to make sure his legacy isn’t only limited to scoring.

On the court, Edwards can create his own shot and has improved consistency from deep. But beyond stats and skill that have put him into MVP conversations again, it’s his aura that makes him a player to watch. It is fairly apparent that Edwards is adamant in Minnesota, unless, of course, the rare NBA alignment takes place. And if that happens, we already know Shams Charania will get the first text.