Anthony Edwards, Wolves Agree to 5-Year Contract Worth Up to $260M in NBA Free Agency

The Minnesota Timberwolves wasted little time ensuring Anthony Edwards will be part of their long-term future.

The dynamic guard agreed to a five-year rookie max extension with the team that could be worth up to $260 million, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Edwards became eligible to get a new deal this offseason, and there was no doubt the Wolves would take advantage of that opportunity sooner or later. Re-signing him was also important for what's a relatively new ownership regime.

Glen Taylor drew plenty of criticism while running the team, especially during the prolonged stretch of futility after Kevin Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics. Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who are slowly taking over for Taylor, wouldn't have sent a great message to the fanbase if they lowballed Edwards or set up a situation where he could leave as a free agent.

The 21-year-old has more than earned a big payday as well. Through three seasons, he's averaging 21.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 44.1 percent overall and 35.2 percent on three-pointers.

Edwards hit the ground running, earning All-Rookie honors and finishing runner-up to LaMelo Ball in the Rookie of the Year voting. He has only improved since then and received his first All-Star nod in 2022-23.

The past two years were important in showing Edwards could not only be a high-volume scorer but also a positive contributor on a winning team.

There are plenty of young stars who fill out the stat sheet on losing teams early in their careers, but their contributions don't meaningfully impact their team's record. Eventually, the stats get derisively chalked up as empty calories.

Andrew Wiggins is a prime example. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick averaged nearly 20 points per game in Minnesota, but few remember his time with the Wolves fondly because they notched only one playoff appearance when he was there.

The Timberwolves were a postseason team in Edwards' second year, and he proceeded to lead them in scoring (25.2 points) with a 60.4 percent true shooting rate, per Basketball Reference, in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The front office responded to that playoff run by swinging one of the 2022 offseason's biggest trades, acquiring Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. It was a clear sign of ambition and a strong endorsement of the two-man axis of Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Minnesota didn't fulfill its lofty ambitions but still secured a second straight trip to the playoffs after going 42-40 and finishing eighth in the Western Conference.

If nothing else, the Wolves' second successive first-round exit was a great showcase for Edwards. He once again thrived under the spotlight, putting up 31.6 points per contest, and in doing so perhaps supplanted Towns as the centerpiece in Minneapolis.

For the most part, this is the core the organization will be carrying forward in hopes of progressing toward more postseason success. Gobert is signed through at least 2025, and Towns won't be a free agent until 2028 at the earliest.

Now, the Wolves have the same kind of contract security with Edwards. They also have the ability to hit the reset button within the next few years by trading Towns and replenishing their draft stockpile if the front office comes to believe drastic measures are required.