Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards sparked speculation about his future after the 2026 All-Star Game. Edwards appeared to tell Atlanta Hawks star Jalen Johnson he can’t wait to come home, which left Timberwolves fans panicking.
Was Edwards, born and brought up in Atlanta, Georgia, thinking about going back home and playing for the Hawks? Well, the 24-year-old was asked about the comments in his media session after the Timberwolves’ 122-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, and he allayed fears.
“I don’t think it’s nothing to clear up,” Edwards said, via Andrew Dukowitz. “It wasn’t too much, just a conversation. I’ve been knowing Jalen Johnson for a long time, that’s my dog, we were just having a conversation. It’s really nothing to clear up. I’m happy where I’m at.”
Well, that is that. Edwards, the first pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, has never really given any indication that he wants to leave the Timberwolves. He was fully committed to the team even during the dark days early in his career.
The Timberwolves are now in a much better place. This win over the Mavericks saw them improve to 35-22 on the season.
Edwards, who was named All-Star Game MVP, was brilliant here against the Mavericks, with 40 points (16-30 FG), six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. This was his eighth 40-point game of the season, tied for the most with Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic.
Doncic, of course, would have preferred to stay with the Mavericks for his entire career, but they had other ideas. Provided the Timberwolves don’t choose to trade Edwards, he appears likely to stay with the team for a very long time. The four-time All-Star explained here why he is happy to be with them.
“They embraced me,” Edwards said, via Dukowitz. “A lot of people didn’t think I was worthy of the number one pick, and they did, I think that’s the main thing.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had infamously ripped Edwards in his pre-draft workout. The Warriors had the second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but Kerr wasn’t too high on the guard. They ultimately never got the chance to draft Edwards, but it would have been interesting to see what they would have done had the Timberwolves passed on him.
Kerr’s criticisms ended up fueling Edwards, turning him into a madman in the gym. The Timberwolves greatly benefited from his actions.
Edwards has now established himself as the best shooting guard in the NBA. He is averaging 29.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game in 2025-26 while shooting 40.1% from beyond the arc.
Edwards led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025 and is looking to get to the biggest stage in 2026. They aren’t one of the favorites to win the West, but you wouldn’t completely write them off because of him.
As for the Hawks, well, the dreams their fans had about an Edwards-Johnson duo have been shattered. Still, there is a very good chance they’ll get a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from the 15-42 New Orleans Pelicans. The Hawks could potentially put Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Cameron Boozer next to Johnson, and that’s something to be excited about as well.
