For the Minnesota Timberwolves to rise from being a contender to standing among the true championship favorites, Anthony Edwards will need to take another step forward. The clearest path for him to get there — and to solidify himself as a legitimate MVP candidate — is by embracing the challenge of becoming a true two-way force.

We’re all well aware of the fact that Minnesota has been knocking on the door for a couple of seasons now. They’ve reached the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons, which would have been absolutely unthinkable just half a decade ago. However it’s safe to say nobody within the organization is comfortable with being content where they’re at. There’s a chance at a championship here, so you have to do everything you can to go for it.

There’s obviously a lot of factors that go into the Timberwolves getting over the proverbial hump, but one of the biggest ones, I would say, is Anthony Edwards tapping into a new level of his game. It almost sounds ridiculous to say given how spectacular a player he’s already become, but there is still more that he can do.

This is a concept that’s been touched on and asked about in various media sessions over the last year. One thing that Chris Finch has routinely said when asked about the next level for Ant is that he can become more of a two-way superstar.

Edwards needs to tap into his two-way ability and dominate defensively

Edwards is obviously more than capable of doing this, given that he’s already an above average defensive player. However, there’s still a few tweaks and adjustments he can make to really reach that next level that Wolves fans want to see. 

This starts with better defensive habits and consistency. Being sharper on rotations, closeouts, contesting shots, and all the seemingly little things. Staying committed to these defensive fundamentals and remaining locked in over the course of any given game is what’s going to allow him to reach this goal. 

Now, when you think about MVP awards, a lot of people think about scoring explosiveness and raw offensive numbers. But Edwards is already reaching incredible scoring heights. I believe that it’s unlocking the defensive side of his game that’s going to turn him into an overall high level well-rounded player that the national audience sees as truly worthy of this prestigious award.

A lot of people outside the Timberwolves fanbase are already considering Ant to be one last leap away from being the kind of guy that can realistically lead Minnesota to a championship. And it’s not like this is a concept that hasn’t been discussed within the Timberwolves locker room a bunch already. It’s been on the radar of the coaching staff, and they know what must be done. Now it’s just a matter of putting words into actions.Â