Anthony Edwards to sign second-biggest contract in NBA history as details emerge

03 July 2023 , 19:10

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Anthony Edwards has become the star of a Minnesota Timberwolves team that includes Mike Conley and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert (Image: AP)

All-Star guard Anthony Edwards is set to sign a maximum extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves that stands as the second-biggest contract in NBA history.

The Timberwolves selected Edwards with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and he has since developed into one of the league’s most explosive young players. He has established himself as the franchise’s key player with Minnesota set to build a contending roster around his talent.

Edwards was named to his first All-Star Game last season as he averaged 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in just his third NBA campaign. He also performs under the bright lights of the playoffs, putting up 31.6 points per game in the Timberwolves’ 4-1 first-round defeat to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets.

As a result, Edwards has agreed to a five-year designated rookie maximum contract extension that could become worth $260million. It is the second-largest deal in NBA history behind two-time MVP Nikola Jokic’s maximum contract with the Nuggets of $264m over five years.

Edwards is the fourth member of the 2020 NBA Draft class to secure a max contract extension, following Indiana Pacers ace Tyrese Haliburton, Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball, and Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies. Haliburton, Ball and Edwards each have All-NBA clauses that could see the guaranteed sum rise from $207m to the full $260m.

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Edwards will earn $13.5m in the final year of his rookie deal this coming season. The extension begins in the 2024-25 season and the 21-year-old released a statement in the wake of agreeing to the blockbuster contract, which means the Timberwolves have joined the Nuggets and Phoenix Suns as the teams with three max contracts on the roster for 2024-2025.

“I'm humbled, appreciative and excited to remain in Minnesota as part of this incredible Timberwolves organisation,” Edwards said. “It's amazing to see where hard work can take you.”

Edwards is an offensive juggernaut but he flashed both All-NBA and All-Defensive talent last season. He has missed just seven games to injury during his three-year career, while the Timberwolves have made successive postseason appearances for the first time since 2004.

Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic are set to own the two most lucrative contracts in NBA history (Getty Images)

Edwards’ stats have steadily improved year over year, from 19.3 points per game as a rookie to 21.3 and then 24.6 last season. His assists per game climbed from 2.9 to 3.8 to 4.4 and his rebounds have risen from 4.7 to 4.8 to 5.8. According to ESPN Stats and Information research, Edwards is the only NBA player with 1,500 points and 100 steals in each of the last two seasons.

Edwards is represented by Bill Duffy and WME Sports. He recently joined the agency in a move to grow and develop his business dealings off the court, particularly with Three Fifths Media, a production company he launched with business manager Justin Holland in 2019.

However, he is clearly fixated on developing into the best player he can be on the court. When asked about a max extension by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune back in May, Edwards said: “I'm not even - that's cool. The money cool. But I love the game of basketball.

“I don't do it for the money. I do it because I just want to be known who they say, 'He was a great player.’”

Andrew Gamble