Ant-Man Is Done Waiting: 'We're Gonna Beat' OKC And San Antonio
Anthony Edwards doesn't do humility. And after back-to-back postseason exits at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, he's not interested in patience either.
Speaking to ESPN during his visit to Manila, the Minnesota Timberwolves superstar made his mission crystal clear: "Against those two teams, I think we're going to beat them."
That's not just talk. Minnesota has spent the entire offseason building for exactly this moment.
A Backcourt Rebuilt For War
The Timberwolves pulled off a blockbuster trade last month, landing All-Star guard LaMelo Ball and pairing him with Edwards in what instantly became one of the NBA's most electric backcourts. Josh Green came along in the deal, while the Wolves had to sacrifice versatile big man Naz Reid to make it happen.
They also moved on from Julius Randle, sending him to Brooklyn for a second-round pick. Mike Conley left in free agency to Boston, and Kyle Anderson signed with Toronto. But Minnesota didn't just tear things down — they added veteran floor-spacer Trey Lyles on a one-year deal and locked up Ayo Dosunmu and Jaylen Clark to multi-year contracts.
Around Edwards and Ball? Still plenty of pop: Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and more. With frontcourt depth a question mark, don't be surprised if the Wolves aren't done adding pieces.
Chemistry First, Champagne Later
Before training camp, Edwards played team ambassador. He organized a trip to France, bringing the full Timberwolves crew to Paris' most famous landmarks for bonding between workouts. "I'm taking with me everybody, the whole gang," he said.
The timing was perfect. New roster, new faces, new ceiling — but also new chemistry to build.
"It would mean a lot [to win a championship]... But right now, I don't think we're thinking about winning the championship," Edwards said. "It's step by step. We got LaMelo, a new player, and a bunch of new pieces. So, we are just trying to build it together and I think we're trying to gel it all together."
That's a measured answer from a guy who's usually all fire. But the fire is still there.
Been Sent Home Too Many Times
Minnesota reached the Western Conference finals in 2024 and 2025. Then came the step back: this past season, the Spurs eliminated the Wolves in six games in the second round. San Antonio then outlasted Oklahoma City in a seven-game Western Conference finals before falling to the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in five.
So yeah, the Wolves have seen both of these teams up close — and been sent packing by them in consecutive postseasons. Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama headliners? There's a real rivalry forming here.
Last season, Edwards carried Minnesota's offense with averages of 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 61 regular-season games, while taking on more point guard duties in the playoffs. Now with Ball sharing the backcourt, he insists nothing changes about his game.
"That's the best part about me. I will still be the same person."
Same Ant-Man. Same confidence. But now, a new-look Timberwolves squad he believes is finally built to get past the teams that have stood in their way.