Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will have an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee and could be sidelined for up to two months, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the surgery and the timeline of up to two months, according to NBC Sports. A person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press that Edwards will miss several weeks, speaking anonymously because the Timberwolves had not made a public announcement.
The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski reported that the team sees the surgery as a way to address the problem as soon as possible, with the hope that Edwards returns “sometime in December” and is fully ready to go.
Edwards had been listed on injury reports with a right knee issue, the AP reported. Minnesota had listed him as questionable for Wednesday’s home game against Golden State before the decision to move forward with the procedure. The NBA’s official injury report released Tuesday night lists Edwards as out for that game, citing right knee injury management.
The news lands after a blistering start. Edwards was averaging 33.3 points through four games, according to the AP, including 45 points in the season-opening win at Miami and 47 in Monday’s overtime loss to Cleveland. Sporting News reported he played through knee soreness in that game.
Minnesota is 3-1. NBC Sports noted that the possible timeline would put Edwards back around the team’s Christmas game against Oklahoma City.
A two-month absence would also carry award implications. The AP reported Edwards would miss around 25 games, which would leave him short of the NBA’s 65-game minimum for honors such as MVP and All-NBA.
Edwards was limited to 61 games last season, mostly because of knee-related issues, according to the AP.
Sporting News reported that the Timberwolves will lean more heavily on LaMelo Ball in the meantime, with Ayo Dosunmu among those expected to take on a bigger role.
The Timberwolves had not issued an official statement as of Tuesday night. A more precise return timeline is expected after the procedure, the AP reported.
Sources: The Associated Press (via NBA.com), NBC Sports, Sporting News, ESPN’s Shams Charania, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, and the NBA official injury report.
Photo: “Sunset on the Hoop,” Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0 public domain dedication. Generic image; not a photo of the player or team.
