Official Anthony Edwards Thread

[winforlose]

He's got competition in that arena, I don't mind saying. I don't think winforlose is hating at all. He's just wary given some of Ants antics if you will. Same as I do I would think.

He's already somewhat proven he might end up a person that never listens to anyone. They call that uncoachable and it's risky sinking all your eggs into a basket like that. Especially when he's shown gameIQ is where he needs instruction.

But of course I can't claim that's his future. He could yet become coachable. It's just that he keeps showing there is a risk there and too many just act like it's just a positive confidence. Talk is cheap man. When he starts to show us a 20 game average of >35% from 3 than maybe he can call himself an average shooter. Until then he's earning a chucker label from me already.

He's already learned that 29% in college was enough for a #1 overall pick. Which was enough for starting 16 games into his NBA career. He's just gotten himself up to 31% and that's apparently enough for confidently letting 14 3s fly a game. Who's to say he even knows how much he needs to improve yet?

His last 15 games he's shot 39% FG and 31.1% 3FG, with games of 3pA as high as 9,10,10,11,14. During the last 15 games, in the games where he attempted 6 or more 3s, he's averaged 32.9%.

I can see the possibility of the Coach's comparison to a mix of two players. Sure. I said he was Harden-lite long before the draft, and he shown he can bring real gravitas to driving the net. But if he thinks what he's been doing has been good enough to hog the ball that much I wouldn't mind the coach actually comparing his numbers to someone like Harden so he knows how much he's got to learn and improve yet to deserve such ball time. it can be argued that he's being developed just like Wiggins was, with red carpets and swooning over any cracked smiles. But at least we had a coach already call attention to something openly. That never happened with Wiggins. So maybe there is hope. Not sure.

One thing to add. There is difference between smiling because you love the game, and smiling when you should be mad as hell. It’s okay to smile after posterizing someone. It’s not okay to smile when you just blew another defensive assignment and your losing by 20. I want my stars to care about winning and have enough pride to get mad and fight harder. Wiggins was too disengaged, and Ant smiling and celebrating regardless of what is happening is not swagger, it’s just another form of disengagement. Beyond that point, I agree, he needs to be coachable, and he needs to want to get better not just get by.

Smiling doesn’t have to mean disengagement, it can mean being constructive about a loss and being able to learn from it while remaining positive. Players shouldn't have to be forced to try to look pissed because fans are pissed about a loss, they shouldn't submit to your immaturity.

Please stop with this, nobody’s buying that you’re sincere with your nit-picky criticism towards Edwards anymore. You're literally nit-picking guy's behavior and making dumb conclusions that portray him in negative light right after the guy had a 40+ point game on a decent efficiency in a close win against the 2nd team in the West, and all that while being 19. Zero sense in what you're doing.

I wasn’t sure where to start responding but I will start here. I wrote that before the 42 point game not after. If you read my postgame thoughts I was actually complimentary of Edwards. One of the things I praised was that he didn’t smile once when losing. It’s neither nitpicking nor unfair to say the time for bragging and celebrating is when your team is winning. When your losing by 20 and have a big old grin to me that is a sign of disengagement. I said the same thing about other Wolves laughing on the sidelines and having a great time while watching things go south fast. I want my team motivated to play it’s best basketball and with enough pride and engagement to be upset when they and there teammates are losing.

As for the rest of you, the reason I didn’t respond last night is I wanted the shot chart on BBR to be up so I could point some things out. Ant went 1-4 from outside the paint 2s. He went 4-13 from 3. What that tells me is from inside the paint 10-14. That is awesome. He finished through contact and got some “Ant 1s” and did a lot right. At the same time, it is not nit picking to point out that when you shoot 3s or long jumpers without ever having passed the ball or attempted to run an actual offense you are chucking. You get mad at Dlo but accept it from Ant and that is hypocritical. As much as I love the result I believe teaching the 19 year old the right way to do things matters. I also believe the key to Edwards becoming his best and most talented self is knowing how to get his points while being more efficient and getting his teammates going. Look at the stat line between KAT and Ant and ask one question, is the difference because KAT is simply better than Ant or because KAT made better choices than Ant?

I am not a bandwagon guy, nor do I demand perfection of a rookie. Notice above I make the case for him not having summerleague, or normal preseason, or normal amount of practices, or a good head coach the first half of this season (I really hate Ryan,) but none of that changes the basic premise that anyone from Megastars like Lebron to bottom dwellers like Johnny Flynn can be ruined by bad coaching and development. I want better for Ant and for all our rookies. I want them held accountable and learning from their mistakes, and yes they do make them. 13 3s is a mistake for a guy like Ant. His shooting percentage doesn’t support it this season. If you honestly cannot say you see merit in that then you need to take another look at why so few of our draft picks ever reached their true potential here.

[Baseline81]

You get mad at Dlo but accept it from Ant and that is hypocritical.

Edwards is a rookie. This is Russell's 6th year in the league. If, by then, Ant continues to take 10+ 3PA on his current percentage...

[winforlose]

You get mad at Dlo but accept it from Ant and that is hypocritical.

Edwards is a rookie. This is Russell's 6th year in the league. If, by then, Ant continues to take 10+ 3PA on his current percentage...

If you wait to teach him good judgement he won’t have it. Good is good at any age and bad is bad at any age. Stop making excuses and realize it’s never too early to teach the correct way to play.

[Baseline81]

If you wait to teach him good judgement he won’t have it. Good is good at any age and bad is bad at any age. Stop making excuses and realize it’s never too early to teach the correct way to play.

Point was people do not go from A to Z, skipping the other letters, which is what you're asking. If you look at the growth Edwards has made from the beginning of the year, he's clearing improving.

[winforlose]

If you wait to teach him good judgement he won’t have it. Good is good at any age and bad is bad at any age. Stop making excuses and realize it’s never too early to teach the correct way to play.

Point was people do not go from A to Z, skipping the other letters, which is what you're asking. If you look at the growth Edwards has made from the beginning of the year, he's clearing improving.

Of course it’s a process. Yet how long ago was it that Finch said 2/3 1/3. Even last night only 14 of 31 shots were in the paint. He hit 10 of them. Of the 17 outside the paint he hit 5. Tell me, am I nitpicking to say I want him shooting 10 more in the paint and 10 less out of the paint? Is it nitpicking to say I want him to follow his coaches instructions? Is it nitpicking to say passing is important when you are taking the ball up? You learn by doing, I don’t demand perfection but I am also not going to praise a bad shot simply because it goes in.

[Baseline81]

Of course it’s a process. Yet how long ago was it that Finch said 2/3 1/3. Even last night only 14 of 31 shots were in the paint. He hit 10 of them. Of the 17 outside the paint he hit 5. Tell me, am I nitpicking to say I want him shooting 10 more in the paint and 10 less out of the paint? Is it nitpicking to say I want him to follow his coaches instructions? Is it nitpicking to say passing is important when you are taking the ball up? You learn by doing, I don’t demand perfection but I am also not going to praise a bad shot simply because it goes in.

Yes, you are nitpicking.

Though Finch previously said that, he may have changed his tune for the time being, especially when you consider the team is without Russell and Beasley. Might as well add that the supporting cast couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Note Finch also stated he goes with the hot hand, which Ant showed early in the game (started 4-6 3PT).

[younggunsmn]

Its interesting the different approaches being taken by the Wolves, Warriors, and Hornets with their top draft picks.

While the Wolves and Hornets have essentially given their kids the keys and free reign to do whatever they want, the Warriors basically have hardcapped Wiseman's minutes around 20 per game and been very hard on him, not running plays for him and making him play just his role within the system. He has one of the most demanding teammates ever in draymond green in his ear constantly.
They are taking a long term approach with him, his stats look fine, they are working with him on all those important little things no amount of talent can simply give you. Wiseman is going to be fine, he's simply much too talented to not be.
Not coincidentally, Andrew Wiggins (gasp) is actually an efficient player for the first time in his career on the same team, up to 47% FG% and 37% 3 pt% on 14 FGA per game (which is about what he should be shooting on that team).

So who is right? The coach who took his team to the finals 6 years in a row or the POBO desperately trying to save his job?

I'm not impressed with Edwards 42 points on 31 FGA and 13 FTA.
This is the same tack we've been taking with rookies for years, on steroids.
I don't feel 30+ FGA (10+ of which are 3's) for any 19 year old not named Lebron is ever a good idea.

I don't feel Edwards will develop the touch to be an above average 3 point shooter, it was pretty apparent in the pre draft video and its strikingly obvious now. I hope I'm wrong. He's going to have to develop a Lebron-type efficiency at the rim and learn to live there if he's going to become an efficient player and a plus contributor to winning. The most important thing right now is teaching him what is a good shot, how to get those shots, and how to best get his teammates involved when the other team takes away those shots.

[winforlose]

Of course it’s a process. Yet how long ago was it that Finch said 2/3 1/3. Even last night only 14 of 31 shots were in the paint. He hit 10 of them. Of the 17 outside the paint he hit 5. Tell me, am I nitpicking to say I want him shooting 10 more in the paint and 10 less out of the paint? Is it nitpicking to say I want him to follow his coaches instructions? Is it nitpicking to say passing is important when you are taking the ball up? You learn by doing, I don’t demand perfection but I am also not going to praise a bad shot simply because it goes in.

Yes, you are nitpicking.

Though Finch previously said that, he may have changed his tune for the time being, especially when you consider the team is without Russell and Beasley. Might as well add that the supporting cast couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Note Finch also stated he goes with the hot hand, which Ant showed early in the game (started 4-6 3PT).

I actually quoted Finch saying he didn’t believe one shot influences the next. In other words he doesn’t believe in the hot hand. As for the retraction, that is 100% speculation and totally illogical. Pleas Ant don’t focus on shots where you hit 70+% focus on shots where you are in the low 30s. As for the point about the others not hitting the others were not shooting. If Ant Is taking 31 shots and KAT is taking 24 that means supporting cast doesn’t get a ton. Also, you never address my biggest issue which is how many of those 3s and mid range 2s came without a single pass? You want Ant to do whatever the hell he wants, I don’t, I want him to develop into the player he is capable of becoming.

[packforfreedom]

Edwards just scored 42 on 57% TS and y'all talking him down. What's wrong with you? He's 19 and his shot selection is already getting better. He's the reason this team still has some hope for the future. Unlike Wiggins, Edwards clearly has 'It' and will become a very good player in this league sooner than later.

[thinktank]

Edwards criticism right now is absurd.

My god.

Wolves fans have endured garbage for so long many of us don’t know how to appreciate stellar play or even recognize what it looks like.

[winforlose]

Edwards criticism right now is absurd.

My god.

Wolves fans have endured garbage for so long many of us don’t know how to appreciate stellar play or even recognize what it looks like.

Are you guys really so fragile you cannot separate the good from the bad. The dude just went 10-14 from the paint when the entire defense was trying to stop him. That is insanely good. The dude just hit several scoring milestones and sent a statement to the league that he is the real deal. But, at the same time the dude went 5-17 outside the paint, chucked some stupid shots and had defensive lapses. Is being honest about the warts and asking for improvement really such a sin? Is telling a guy who is excellent in the paint to shoot more in the paint really so absurd? I appreciate stellar play, but I also appreciate developing good habits and getting better as a player not just this year but for his whole career.

[jpatrick]

Does Edwards have a lot to learn? He still doesn’t know how to keep his teammates involved and becomes one-on-one guy too much instead of letting the offense flow. He’s also a disaster to team defense.

But come on, the guy just scored 42 in a win. Let’s ease up on him a bit. He’s only 19.

[Klomp]

Edwards criticism right now is absurd.

My god.

Wolves fans have endured garbage for so long many of us don’t know how to appreciate stellar play or even recognize what it looks like.

Are you guys really so fragile you cannot separate the good from the bad. The dude just went 10-14 from the paint when the entire defense was trying to stop him. That is insanely good. The dude just hit several scoring milestones and sent a statement to the league that he is the real deal. But, at the same time the dude went 5-17 outside the paint, chucked some stupid shots and had defensive lapses. Is being honest about the warts and asking for improvement really such a sin? Is telling a guy who is excellent in the paint to shoot more in the paint really so absurd? I appreciate stellar play, but I also appreciate developing good habits and getting better as a player not just this year but for his whole career.

So why aren't you focusing on that? I don't think anyone has said he had a perfect game. I don't think anyone has given him superstar status. We all recognize he has areas to improve. We just choose not to dwell on those areas after the best game of his career. It doesn't mean we're ignoring them or believing they don't exist. It's just not where we're focusing our attention 12 hours after the game.

[mplsfonz23]

So you choose to lose the 2022 pick instead.

Thanks to Rossas we are going to lose one anyway. So yes, I would rather keep 2021 pick in a loaded draft. Plus after this next season (21-22) if they don't or can't improve, then what's the point in drafting anyway?

Well, how exactly are we going to expect them to be better or when, when each year is spent getting a new highly drafted player his starts and 30 minutes and keep pushing more prepared players down or cutting them out? At some point it's a great question, why are they still drafting? They should be trading the pick away to better align the roster and trying to win. Otherwise you are just annually spending seasons developing and moving sideways.

You posed the question as if "after 21-22 season" if they don't or can't improve. I don't see how they can with this path except for the hope that a new pick is an instant young star improving everyone around him. But look at the names and positions they play that people are already talking about. They are talking about displacing players we already have in place. It's another sideways move that makes the team worse, not better, or only marginally better if that person is marginally better rook than we already have in Edwards, or somehow marginally better as a rook than say Beasley our young yet Vet, etc. With each high draft pick the team is likely looking at least at another 2-3 years of developing that player into a truly useful player even thinking positively. Most of these choices are decisions to move sideways and punt the problem again into the future.

I hear you.
But we don't have enough talent yet to warrant not caring about a draft talent like Cade or Suggs or Mobley.
It should be simple, as the players we have need to prove they can beat out a rookie. Not saying that rookie should start, but if they show they can play, then they should play. Again, if we miss out on this draft class, and we are still picking in the top lotto with those "prepared" players you think will get pushed down or cut out, then this team will never go anywhere.
My hope is, with this already lost season, we get the best case out of it, and then start to trend upward. My fear is, next year at this time, without high end talent, (lost draft pick) KAT will be tired of the losing, ask out, and then we will have to rebuild all over....Again.

With Edwards, Cade/Suggs etc. at least we will have a pipeline already started. And who knows, those rookies may push the prepared players to step up, and at this time next year we won't even care about the 22 draft pick.

[winforlose]

Edwards criticism right now is absurd.

My god.

Wolves fans have endured garbage for so long many of us don’t know how to appreciate stellar play or even recognize what it looks like.

Are you guys really so fragile you cannot separate the good from the bad. The dude just went 10-14 from the paint when the entire defense was trying to stop him. That is insanely good. The dude just hit several scoring milestones and sent a statement to the league that he is the real deal. But, at the same time the dude went 5-17 outside the paint, chucked some stupid shots and had defensive lapses. Is being honest about the warts and asking for improvement really such a sin? Is telling a guy who is excellent in the paint to shoot more in the paint really so absurd? I appreciate stellar play, but I also appreciate developing good habits and getting better as a player not just this year but for his whole career.

So why aren't you focusing on that? I don't think anyone has said he had a perfect game. I don't think anyone has given him superstar status. We all recognize he has areas to improve. We just choose not to dwell on those areas after the best game of his career. It doesn't mean we're ignoring them or believing they don't exist. It's just not where we're focusing our attention 12 hours after the game.

Read my post after the game but in the game thread. I talked about my mixed feelings watching him and my concern that his style of play might be contributing to his teammates struggles. The bottom line is these games aren’t that important. We are not making the play in tournament and will actually be in better shape by staying near the bottom of the league. What these games are great for is development. Not just individual player development, but development of the offensive and defensive systems and the rotations going forward. With that in mind, this is the time to hold Ant accountable. This is the time to tell him knock off the chucking. How is his development improved by his teammates, coaches, or fans giving him a pass on the bad because there was plenty of good to go along with it. 5-17 from outside the paint is alarming. Why aren’t you alarmed? The coach tells him to shoot 2/3s off the drive he shot less than half off the drive. Accountability matters.

[Baseline81]

I actually quoted Finch saying he didn’t believe one shot influences the next. In other words he doesn’t believe in the hot hand. As for the retraction, that is 100% speculation and totally illogical. Pleas Ant don’t focus on shots where you hit 70+% focus on shots where you are in the low 30s. As for the point about the others not hitting the others were not shooting. If Ant Is taking 31 shots and KAT is taking 24 that means supporting cast doesn’t get a ton. Also, you never address my biggest issue which is how many of those 3s and mid range 2s came without a single pass? You want Ant to do whatever the hell he wants, I don’t, I want him to develop into the player he is capable of becoming.

I apologize if Finch didn't say that. I must have read that wrong then.

Regarding your question, it's not that I don't care, but it's less important to me than improving his defense. Think I saw somewhere Edwards' mid-range shot attempts have come down. Again, he's a 19-year old rookie. You keep claiming you don't demand perfection, yet, expecting him to already know the intricacies of star scorers.

I am curious to see how the likes of Russell, Beasley, Edwards and Towns will mesh on the court together in a few weeks. It's very likely Any will not be shooting the amount 3PA he currently has been with those two players out.

[winforlose]

I actually quoted Finch saying he didn’t believe one shot influences the next. In other words he doesn’t believe in the hot hand. As for the retraction, that is 100% speculation and totally illogical. Pleas Ant don’t focus on shots where you hit 70+% focus on shots where you are in the low 30s. As for the point about the others not hitting the others were not shooting. If Ant Is taking 31 shots and KAT is taking 24 that means supporting cast doesn’t get a ton. Also, you never address my biggest issue which is how many of those 3s and mid range 2s came without a single pass? You want Ant to do whatever the hell he wants, I don’t, I want him to develop into the player he is capable of becoming.

I apologize if Finch didn't say that. I must have read that wrong then.

Regarding your question, it's not that I don't care, but it's less important to me than improving his defense. Think I saw somewhere Edwards' mid-range shot attempts have come down. Again, he's a 19-year old rookie. You keep claiming you don't demand perfection, yet, expecting him to already know the intricacies of star scorers.

I am curious to see how the likes of Russell, Beasley, Edwards and Towns will mesh on the court together in a few weeks. It's very likely Any will not be shooting the amount 3PA he currently has been with those two players out.

Beasley and Dlo will feast off Finch ball. KAT will draw doubles or triples and kick to them for open 3s. Regarding Ant, intricacies of star scoring has nothing to do with anything. Taking 13 3s is a choice. Not passing before shooting is a choice. Ignoring the coaches ratio is a choice. I agree his defense needs to improve, but it’s the repeated mental errors and bad decisions I want him to correct.

[Klomp]

With that in mind, this is the time to hold Ant accountable. This is the time to tell him knock off the chucking. How is his development improved by his teammates, coaches, or fans giving him a pass on the bad because there was plenty of good to go along with it. 5-17 from outside the paint is alarming. Why aren’t you alarmed? The coach tells him to shoot 2/3s off the drive he shot less than half off the drive. Accountability matters.

I think you're taking that one comment Finch said and making it a hard-fast rule, as if it's a Randy Ratio. All I believe Finch was trying to say is that he wants Edwards to drive more....which he has been doing. Finch has also said he doesn't mind the 3-pointers from Edwards and it's more about removing the long 2s, yet you seem to ignore that comment from him. Accountability matters.

[winforlose]

With that in mind, this is the time to hold Ant accountable. This is the time to tell him knock off the chucking. How is his development improved by his teammates, coaches, or fans giving him a pass on the bad because there was plenty of good to go along with it. 5-17 from outside the paint is alarming. Why aren’t you alarmed? The coach tells him to shoot 2/3s off the drive he shot less than half off the drive. Accountability matters.

I think you're taking that one comment Finch said and making it a hard-fast rule, as if it's a Randy Ratio. All I believe Finch was trying to say is that he wants Edwards to drive more....which he has been doing. Finch has also said he doesn't mind the 3-pointers from Edwards and it's more about removing the long 2s, yet you seem to ignore that comment from him. Accountability matters.

First, Ant took 4 midrange 2s last night out of 31 shots. So roughly 13% of his shots were shots the coach hated. Second, Ant took 13 3s last night, hitting roughly 31% of them, consistent with his average on the season. Finch has talked about Edwards not being elite from 3 and shooting consistent with his season percentage. If you can honestly tell me you think Finch was happy with 17 of the 31 shots being outside the paint then I think you kidding yourself.

[Klomp]

If you can honestly tell me you think Finch was happy with 17 of the 31 shots being outside the paint then I think you kidding yourself.

Maybe so.

But was he happy with 42 points? Absolutely! When that happens, you can live with some of the other stuff....