Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has quickly cemented himself as one of the best players in the NBA.
Over the past couple of seasons, the dynamic guard has shot up the league's rankings, capturing the attention of both fans and the media.
While many have remained optimistic about his trajectory, some are critical of the three-time All-Star after falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Western Conference Finals.
On a recent episode of Time Out, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade offered his thoughts on Edwards' development and what the Timberwolves need to do moving forward.
"Minnesota, they were at a deficit when the series started because of who they were playing against," Wade said. "But you also went to the Western Conference finals last year. I need to see something better than the performance I see. Not saying y'all were going to beat this team, but you have experience in this.
he added,“We just watched this last year with Luka [Doncic]," Wade stated. "We just watched y'all lose in five. I don't want to see the same thing. So, hey, what y'all bringing back that's new, that's improved? I talked about this. The coach is going to have to go in the lab this summer.
He further elabortated, "Ant's going to have to go in the lab this summer," Wade said.. "And it's not just high pick-and-roll work. Ant gonna have to learn how to score all over the floor. He's going to have to get to that post. He's going to have to get off to that catch-and-shoot. He's going to get into screening more. He's going to have to get into opening up his package.
"And the coaching staff got to also get into opening up his package," Wade added. "Because leaving that young man out there at half court to come off those pick-and-rolls, taking those long a** strides, you going to wear him down. I don't care. I know he is 23. He's not gonna be as great as he can be. So, everybody need to go back to the lab and go back to the package."
Edwards has demonstrated his ability to compete with some of the best players in the NBA. Last season, he averaged 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while leading the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive year. This year, he fell to the eventual champs in the Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, as Wade emphasized h e needs to reach another level if he hopes to push the Timberwolves further.It remains to be seen if Edwards can make that leap, similar to others in the league, such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić. One thing is certain: he definitely carved out his own lane in the NBA as one of the league's brightest superstars.