Timberwolves lock up Anthony Edwards with max rookie extension offer

This was one of the easiest calls of the offseason.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a max contract extension offer with Anthony Edwards, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN but expected to come by everyone even remotely interested in the NBA.

The max rookie extension — what LaMelo Ball was also just offered — is worth a minimum of $207 million over five years, but can be worth up to $260 million if Edwards makes an All-NBA team next season. What is not known yet is is the fifth year is a player option or not.

Edwards making an All-NBA team is certainly possible, he was 11th in forward voting last season (his third in the league). Edwards averaged 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game last season all while seeing his usage rate increase despite the addition of Rudy Gobert next to Karl-Anthony Towns.

Minnesota would happily pay the extra money if Edwards rises to All-NBA status — he has become the face of the franchise with his brash confidence and joy at playing the game. He's also the player who can lift Minnesota to the elite echelons of the NBA — the way Stephen Curry did in Golden State or Giannis Antetokounmpo did in Milwaukee — if the Timberwolves put the right roster around him and trust him with the keys to the franchise. Which means, with Towns and Gobert, there has to be a pivot coming from the organization. It's why Towns trade talk is a common topic around the league, everyone sees the decision coming in Minnesota and Towns is far more valuable as a trade asset than Gobert.

For now, the Timberwolves are celebrating their young star and ensuring he gets paid.