Anthony Edwards' knee injury is going to cost the Minnesota Timberwolves a healthy chunk of wins this season while he's forced to watch games from the sidelines. The injury could also cost Minnesota's superstar the chance to maximize his earnings with a long-term extension with the team that drafted him this summer.
If Edwards was able to win the MVP Award or qualify for an All-NBA team this year he could have signed a supermax extension to keep him in Minnesota for four more seasons. He could have inked a four-year, $304 million extension. Now that he's going to miss around two months of action he'll only be eligible to sign an extension worth up to $189 million. The difference in the two deals will cost Edwards a whopping $115 million in future earnings.
Anthony Edwards’ upcoming knee surgery will cost him eligible All-NBA/MVP status — losing out on a potential 4-year, $304M supermax extension, per @ShamsCharania
— NBABase (@TheNBABase) October 29, 2026
Edwards can now only sign a $189M extension this offseason.
A $115 MILLION difference. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/B1k5hNi0Jl
Edwards would still have a chance to earn that money back if he can make an All-NBA team in the 2027-28 season but this just makes his margin for error a lot more slin.
This could be bitter pill to swallow for Edwards. He comfortably profiles as one of the to players in the league. His scorching start to the 2026-27 campaign made it seem obvious he would fit into an All-NBA team as long as he stayed healthy. The NBA's requirement for players to participate in 65 games to achieve that distinction will prevent Edwards from maximizing his future earnings.
It's not simple for the Minnesota Timberwolves
The most intriguing question here is whether or not the Timberwolves should be happy with their inability to give Edwards a Super Max. On one hand, it does help clean up their potential books which would theoretically make building a winner around Edwards more plausible. That benefit only comes into play if Edwards does elect to commit his future to Minnesota via the four-year, $189 million extension.
The risk for the Timberwolves is now they lose their biggest potential financial advantage to re-sign their best player. The gap now shrinks significantly between what they can pay to retain Edwards and what a competitor might be willng to offer him in the near future. If Edwards does not believe his supporting cast is good enough to help him win a title in Minnesota he could entertain the idea of bolting via free agency to a team better equipped to help him achieve his goals.
The good news for the Timberwolves is that Edwards should be back on the floor in more than enough time to help the team hit their stride before the playoffs. The franchise's gamble on pairing him with LaMelo Ball will only be judged by their postseason success. The stakes have never been higher for the Timberwolves in their quest to keep hold of Edwards throughout the rest of his athletic prime.
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