The Minnesota Timberwolves made it official that it’s Anthony Edwards‘ team now after trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks.
But his long-term future in Minnesota could become the subject of endless speculation following his interaction with a Knicks fan after he swapped jerseys with Towns in their first meeting — a 115-110 loss to the Knicks — since the blockbuster trade.
The Knicks fan yelled at Edwards, “Hey, Ant! Once that rookie [extension] contract is up, New York baby, New York!”
“I’d definitely want to be reunited with KAT,” Edwards replied, which caught some fans by surprise in the video shared by the Timberwolves X account.
“Hold up,” a fan commented on the post. “What did he say back to that fan?
“LMAO, Ant said he would love to be reunited with KAT to that fan,” another fan replied.
One more fan chimed, “Ant to the Knicks confirmed.”
But if there is one thing going for the Timberwolves, it is the fact that they have locked up Edwards until the 2028-29 season and they have a contending team in the Western Conference Finals.
The final year is fully guaranteed, with no player or team option.
Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Gives Timberwolves Long Runway
The Timberwolves just have to sustain the winning environment they have created, which will be tested this season in their first season without Towns.
They created a long runway in terms of financial flexibility to build around Edwards by unloading Towns’ four-year, $220.4 million contract and getting two players on value contract.
They made the trade with Edwards in mind.
“The Wolves made the deal to maximize Edwards’ window for the long haul,” The Athletic’s Jon Krawczysnki reported. “The Wolves wanted to make sure Edwards could be on a competitive playoff team for much longer than just the next two years and believe the flexibility this move provides will aid that pursuit.”
Timberwolves’ New-Found Flexibility
The players — Donte DiVincenzo and three-time NBA All-Star Julius Randle — they got in return gave them an almost equal value in terms of Towns’ production in the short term and future cap relief in the long term to avoid the dreaded second apron.
DiVincenzo, who shot 40% from the 3-point line over the last two seasons, has one of the best bargain contracts in the NBA with his annual salary only eating up about eight percent of their cap room over the next three seasons.
They could also clear $30.9 million in cap room next offseason if Randle declines his player option and enters free agency.
When Randle returns from his shoulder injury and things do not go as planned, there is also the optionality of flipping him at the February trade deadline for the draft asset or a better-suited role player.
But things quickly change in the NBA.
One wrong move could alter the course of a franchise with a budding star like Edwards, who could become a bigger star in a big market team.
Timberwolves president Tim Connelly is a proven decision-maker who’s up to the task. However, his future in Minnesota is also clouded by uncertainty in the ownership dispute between Glen Taylor and the group of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.
Anthony Edwards Planned the Jersey Swap
Krawczysnki reported that it was Edwards who planned the jersey swap with Towns, Minnesota’s former franchise player.
“We were together for a couple hours yesterday,” Edwards said on October 13. “I told him I don’t care who you already told you’re giving your jersey to, I gotta have it. He pretty much just moved everybody else out of the way and let me get the jersey.”
Edwards and Towns spent four seasons together in Minnesota, with their partnership culminating in a Western Conference Finals trip last season.
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Anthony Edwards’ Comment Causes Stir After Jersey Swap With Karl-Anthony Towns