The Minnesota Timberwolves are confident Anthony Edwards will make a full recovery from his upcoming right knee surgery, although the team remains uncertain about when its superstar guard will return.
Edwards is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on Thursday after an MRI revealed new damage to his right knee, according to ESPN.
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly believes Edwards will be “good as new” following the procedure, with a clearer recovery timeline expected afterward.
Despite the injury, Edwards has been in outstanding form to begin the season, averaging 33.3 points through four games, including a 47-point performance against Cleveland on Monday.
“He wants to play tonight. He looked pretty good the other night, having the 47,” Connelly said. “We’re just concerned about his long-term health. We want to make sure we’re putting him in the best position he can be so he can be the best version he’s going to be for a long time.”
The 25-year-old reportedly wasn’t thrilled about undergoing surgery, with Connelly revealing Edwards agreed to the procedure “kicking and screaming.”
“He’s bummed, but Anthony is such a naturally positive and upbeat guy,” Connelly said. “He’s hit all his teammates quickly and said, ‘You guys got it,’ and we’ll roll from there.”
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch admitted the news came as “a bit of a shock to everybody,” but remains confident the Timberwolves can manage without their leading scorer.
“We’ll have to kind of fill that scoring void by committee,” Finch said. “Certainly, spreading more shots around the team, everybody likes that. Obviously they’ve got to go in to make up the point difference.”
The Timberwolves are already without Donte DiVincenzo, who suffered a torn Achilles during last season’s playoffs.
However, the addition of LaMelo Ball, alongside backcourt options Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland, gives Minnesota several players capable of taking on additional responsibilities.
For now, the priority remains Edwards’ long-term health, with the Timberwolves unwilling to rush their franchise star back onto the court.