Anthony Edwards Ruled Out vs. Pistons, Now Ineligible for All-NBA Honors

Edwards returned to action on Monday but will surprisingly sit against Detroit three days later.

Mar 28, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts during the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Target Center. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has been ruled out for Thursday night's game in Detroit against the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, the team announced.

After missing six consecutive games with a right knee injury, Edwards returned to action on Monday in Dallas and looked like himself, so it's a bit of a surprise to see him now sitting three nights later. He was listed as questionable on the Wolves' injury report on Wednesday due to his right knee issue, which is classified as patellofemoral pain syndrome. However, in Thursday's pre-game report, the Timberwolves added "illness" to his status, so that could be the explanation for his absence.

UPDATED Minnesota @Timberwolves Status Report in advance of tonight’s game at Detroit Pistons:

OUT
Edwards- Right Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Illness
McDaniels- Left Knee Patella Tendinopathy
Freeman- Two-Way
Pullin- Two-Way
Zikarsky- Two-Way https://t.co/rHvOtKpSl8

— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) April 2, 2026

By not playing on Thursday, Edwards is now officially ineligible to make an All-NBA team following this season. He would've needed to play in each of the final seven games of this season to satisfy the controversial 65-game minimum requirement. Edwards has played in 59 games this season, but one of those (back in October against the Pacers) doesn't qualify because he left after just a few minutes with a hamstring injury.

Edwards has been a second team All-NBA selection in each of the last two years and likely would've found himself on that team for the third straight year, had he qualified. He's been an All-Star in each of the last four seasons and is averaging a career-high 29.3 points per game this year, third-most in the NBA behind only Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Anthony Edwards | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Wolves will also be without Jaden McDaniels on Thursday, as he's week-to-week with a knee injury and could miss the remainder of the regular season.

Mike Conley is now in line to start for the Wolves alongside Ayo Dosunmu, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert. In recent games without different combinations of Edwards, McDaniels, and Dosunmu, Chris Finch has shown a desire to keep Naz Reid, Kyle Anderson, and Bones Hyland as sparks off the bench.

Thursday night's game in Detroit is roughly a 6 p.m. central time start, televised nationally on Prime Video. Michael Grady will be on the call with Brent Barry and Kristina Pink.

This is the second meeting in six days between these teams. The Pistons beat the Wolves 109-87 in Minneapolis last Saturday in a game without Edwards, McDaniels, Dosunmu, Cade Cunningham, and Isaiah Stewart. Of those five players, only Dosunmu will play on Thursday night.

The Timberwolves (46-29) will almost certainly finish somewhere between fourth and sixth in the West. The Pistons (55-21) are getting close to clinching the No. 1 seed in the East.

Edwards' next chance to play will come on Friday night in Philadelphia.