How Anthony Edwards' All-NBA selection impacts the Wolves salary situation

The Wolves are projected to be over the second salary apron next season.

May 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game one of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Edwards was named to his first All-NBA Team on Wednesday. With that comes a significant salary bump that could have a potentially massive impact on how the Wolves operate this summer.

In being named All-NBA Second Team, the one-time salary bonus was triggered for Edwards' max contract extension that is set to kick in next season. That bonus, according to NBA insider Bobby Marks, is worth an extra $41 million over the life of the extension.

Next year, Edwards' salary will jump from $35.250 million to an eye-watering $42.300 million. That $7 million jump will put the Wolves' projected total payroll around $190.7 million next season. That figure would put Minnesota over the second salary apron, which projects to be set at $189.5 million.

Teams that surpass the second apron are extremely limited in what kind of transactions they are allowed to do throughout the season. If the Wolves keep the entire roster in tact into next season, here is the list of restrictions that would be placed on the Wolves:

• Teams cannot acquire a player in a sign-and-trade if that player keeps them above the apron
• Teams cannot sign a player waived during the regular season whose salary was over the $12.2 million midlevel exception
• Salary matching in trades must be within 110%, rather than 125% for teams not above the apron
• No access to the $5 million taxpayer midlevel exception
• Teams cannot use a trade exception generated by aggregating the salaries of multiple players
• Teams cannot include cash in a trade
• Teams cannot use a trade exception generated in a prior year
• First-round picks seven years out are frozen (unable to be traded)
• A team's first-round pick is moved to the end of the first round if they remain in the second apron for three out of five seasons

In short, it becomes very difficult for teams to operate and add to the squad if they surpass the second apron. So how could the Wolves potentially respond to exceeding the apron?

That's where the long-simmering Karl-Anthony Towns trade rumors come in. NBA insiders have been speculating for years now that Towns could be on the trade block.

With the emergence of Edwards as a superstar and Naz Reid as a viable second big man alongside Rudy Gobert, it can be easy to see why those links persist.

It becomes easier when Towns' salary figures come into play. The 28-year-old's salary numbers jump from $36 million this season to $49.350 million next season, with those increasing over the following three seasons.

Towns had one of his best years as a Wolves player this season, earning his fourth career All-Star nod. Towns averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists for Minnesota this season, while shooting 50% from the field, 41% from three and 87% from the free throw line.

Defensively, Towns had arguably one of his best seasons on that side of the ball, posting a career-high 3.6 defensive win shares.

After a career year, teams would most likely be lining up to acquire the veteran big man. But with the chemistry that has developed between the Wolves' two biggest stars — Towns and Edwards — the big question is whether Minnesota would actually be willing to move on from Towns.

The team has resisted those calls in the past, and in the midst of its deepest playoff run in 20 years, future plans will have to wait.