Anthony Edwards Has Knee Scope, Could Miss Up to 2 Months

Losing the best scorer in the league through four games is about the worst news a Wolves fan could wake up to.

Anthony Edwards underwent a successful arthroscopic debridement on his right knee Thursday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, the Timberwolves announced. The team said he is expected to make a full recovery but gave no timeline. Sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that Edwards could be sidelined for up to two months.

A Brutal Time to Lose Him

Edwards was on a heater. His 133 points through four games is a franchise record, and he dropped 47 in an overtime loss at Cleveland on Monday even after being listed as questionable. He was seen grabbing his knee and grimacing during Sunday's home opener against Toronto, and a Tuesday MRI showed new damage that earlier scans had not picked up.

The knee is not a new problem. Edwards, 25, has dealt with right knee pain since last spring and played a career-low 61 games last season. Team president Tim Connelly said the scans this summer did not point to surgery then, but the new damage changed that.

"We're just concerned about his long-term health," Connelly said Wednesday. He added that he expects Edwards to be "good as new" when he returns.

Scoring by Committee

The first test without him did not go great. Minnesota lost 119-114 to Golden State on Wednesday as Stephen Curry put up 44. Three Wolves carried the load: Jonathan Kuminga had 20, and Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. had 19 each.

Coach Chris Finch called the news "a bit of a shock to everybody" but said he trusts the roster's depth. "We'll have to kind of fill that scoring void by committee," Finch said. "Certainly, spreading more shots around the team, everybody likes that. Obviously they've got to go in to make up the point difference."

Connelly said Edwards took it in stride with his teammates. "He's hit all his teammates quickly and said, 'You guys got it,' and we'll roll from there."

What Is Next for Minnesota

The Wolves are 3-2 and get no easy runway. They host the Clippers on Friday, then visit the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama on Saturday. Two months without Edwards would cover a big chunk of the early schedule, and the question is whether this group can tread water until he is back.

Smacktok Pick Lean

We lean higher on Kuminga's points against the Clippers on Friday. He led Minnesota with 20 in the first game without Edwards, on just 15 shots, and Finch is openly saying the shots are getting spread around. McDaniels and Shannon also get bumps, but Kuminga looked like the most comfortable creator of the three. Edwards is the whole show in Minnesota, and now everyone else has to prove they can keep the Wolves afloat.