How Much Will Anthony Edwards Miss Naz This Season?

Of everything Anthony Edwards said at Minnesota Timberwolves Media Day on Monday, one answer stood out. With the Wolves undergoing so many changes this season, Edwards was asked about the former teammates he would miss. His answer was immediate.

“I’m gonna miss Naz for sure,” he said. “That’s my brother.”

It was a simple answer, but it stood out to me because so much has changed around the team this offseason. A big constant on the court, Ant’s close friend is no longer in Minnesota after the Wolves traded him to Charlotte, ending a run that began before Edwards arrived in the NBA.

Reid wasn’t just another former teammate for Edwards. He was one of the players beside him from the start of his career, through Minnesota’s rise from a young team trying to find its identity to a legitimate Western Conference contender.

Now, for the first time in Edwards’ career, Reid won’t be in the locker room with him.

That seemed to carry more weight for Edwards than the normal roster changes that come with an NBA offseason.

Edwards’ answer was also interesting because he didn’t mention Julius Randle, another major piece of Minnesota’s team over the last couple of years, as someone he’d miss. Randle spent two seasons alongside Edwards after the blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade and was an important part of the Wolves’ offense. However, when Edwards was asked about who he would miss, he immediately went to Reid.

There’s no way to know 100% if that omission meant anything. Edwards could have been thinking about the teammate he was closest to and nothing else. Still, it was noticeable. Ant isn’t a mean-spirited guy and wouldn’t say he publicly had a problem with Randle or anything. Still, him not being mentioned is telling; at least on the court, I think there was some frustration with Randle’s game.

It’s not like Edwards was sitting around, dwelling on the changes.

“I’m super happy about the changes in the locker room,” he said.

That’s what makes his comments about Reid so interesting. Edwards can miss his friend while still being excited about the team Minnesota is putting around him. The Wolves have completely changed their roster this offseason. Reid and Randle are gone, while LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga are now two of the biggest additions around Edwards.

LaMelo will change how Edwards plays.

For much of his career, Edwards has been asked to handle the ball and create offense for himself and his teammates. Now, with Ball on the roster, Edwards could spend more time playing the role he believes fits him naturally.

“I feel like I’m a natural two guard, at heart,” Edwards said. “I never thought I could develop any PG skills. Finchy harps on me passing the ball, but we got LaMelo, I’m happy.”

That quote gives a glimpse into why Edwards is so optimistic about the changes. He doesn’t have to be the team’s primary creator every possession. Ball can take on more of that responsibility, allowing Edwards to focus more on scoring and attacking defenses.

Kuminga gives Minnesota another athletic player who can attack the basket and create opportunities, giving the Wolves a supporting cast that looks very different from the one Edwards has played with over the past few seasons.

But even with all those changes, Edwards hasn’t forgotten the teammates who helped him get here. Reid was there from the start. He was there as Edwards developed into the face of the franchise and as Minnesota became a playoff team capable of making deep postseason runs.

Edwards now has to move forward without him.

The Timberwolves are asking Edwards to lead a different team into a new era, and he seems ready for the challenge. But Monday showed that even as Edwards looks ahead, he’ll miss parts of the old Wolves. Naz Reid is one of them.