3 Big Concerns for Timberwolves While Anthony Edwards Is Out

There's one thing Minnesota will miss most.

Oct 26, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Timberwolves could not have asked for a much better start to the 2026-27 NBA season. They won their first three games, looked like a team capable of competing with the best in the Western Conference and had Anthony Edwards playing some of the best basketball of his career.

Now, they have to figure out how to survive without him for a while.

Edwards will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee and is expected to at least two months. The news comes after he scored 47 points in Minnesota's overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, leaving the Timberwolves with a 3-1 record through their first four games.

Losing one of the best players in the league who averaged more than 33 points per game to start the season is a crushing blow to any team. For Minnesota, the biggest concern is whether the rest of its roster can do enough to keep the team competitive while their best player recovers.

1. Can the Timberwolves replace Edwards' scoring?

The most obvious concern is how Minnesota will replace Edwards' offensive production. He averaged 33.3 points per game through the team's first four games while shooting 48.1% from the field and 40% from three-point range.

Those numbers are difficult for any one player to make up for, especially when Edwards is also capable of taking over late in close games. His performance against Cleveland was a perfect example of what the Timberwolves will be missing. It will take a collective effort to step up.

LaMelo Ball should take on a larger offensive role during Edwards' absence. Ball has already shown that he can create shots for himself and his teammates, but Minnesota will need more than his playmaking to compensate for losing its leading scorer.

The Timberwolves also need consistent contributions from Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. All four players have shown they can contribute offensively, but the challenge will be doing it consistently against starting-caliber defenses.

The concern is that those players could struggle to provide enough offense on nights when Ball cannot get going or the team's outside shooting disappears. Minnesota has enough talent to remain competitive, but it will need a more balanced scoring attack than it has relied on with Edwards available.

2. Can LaMelo Ball produce and stay healthy under the added pressure?

Ball's performance could determine how successful Minnesota is during the next few months.

The Timberwolves acquired Ball to give their offense another playmaker and provide a different dimension alongside Edwards. Now, he will have to shoulder a much larger responsibility, both as a scorer and as the player expected to orchestrate the offense.

Ball does not necessarily need to average 30 points per game for Minnesota to succeed. However, he will need to find a balance between creating opportunities for teammates and looking for his own shot when the offense needs a spark.

His ability to push the pace and create easy scoring opportunities could help the Timberwolves avoid becoming too dependent on difficult jump shots. Minnesota also needs Ball to limit careless turnovers and make smart decisions when opponents focus more defensive attention on him.

There is another concern worth monitoring: Ball's availability. With Edwards sidelined, Minnesota cannot afford to lose another major offensive contributor for an extended period. Ball has dealt with injuries throughout his career, making it especially important for the Timberwolves to manage his workload carefully.

This team has other players capable of handling the ball, but none offers the same combination of scoring and playmaking. If Ball struggles or misses time himself, Minnesota's offensive problems could become too difficult to overcome.

3. Will Minnesota lose ground in the Western Conference?

The Timberwolves have championship aspirations, and their early-season success suggested they could be a serious threat in the West. Edwards' injury makes that path more difficult, particularly if he misses the full two months.

Every loss during Edwards' absence could matter later in the season. The Western Conference is competitive enough that a prolonged losing stretch could leave Minnesota fighting for a better playoff seed instead of positioning itself for home-court advantage.

That would create additional pressure once Edwards returns. The Timberwolves would need to reintegrate their star into the lineup while potentially trying to climb the standings, leaving less room for mistakes during the second half of the season.

The good news is that Minnesota has already demonstrated it can win without Edwards having to carry the offense every night. The team's victories over Orlando and Toronto showed that it can get contributions from multiple players and use its depth to create separation.

The challenge is making that a regular occurrence rather than an occasional benefit of having a talented roster.

The Timberwolves have to stay afloat

Minnesota's biggest concern during Edwards' absence is not necessarily one player or one weakness. It is whether the team can consistently put everything together without the player who makes its offense so dangerous.

Ball will have to take on a larger role, the supporting cast needs to provide reliable scoring, and the Timberwolves must avoid letting a difficult stretch damage their playoff positioning.

There is reason to believe Minnesota can handle the challenge. Its roster has more offensive options than a team built around a single star, and Edwards' absence creates an opportunity for other players to establish themselves.

The Timberwolves cannot afford to spend the next two months simply waiting for their superstar to return. They need to find ways to win now, even if that means adjusting their offensive identity and relying on different players in important moments.

If Minnesota can stay competitive until Edwards is healthy, it could still enter the second half of the season in a strong position. If it cannot, the consequences of his absence could extend well beyond the games he misses.

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