![]() Being able to use stops and effort as a motivational factor to take pride in. He'll also have moments defensively where he uses his overwhelming athletic presence to hound offensive players, even appearing to take great joy and pride in his performance on that end of the floor. While he's not consistent in those areas yet, additional motivation on that end of the floor could see him make substantial year-to-year improvements as a defender. However, it does appear the acquisition of Patrick Beverley has injected a bit more fight in the second-year player, when he tries to maneuver screens and close-outs. There aren't a lot of 20-year-old polished players who become major defensive contributors in their first few seasons, so expecting this of Edwards is a bit optimistic. Some of it is fatigue for handling too much of the offensive load, and sometimes it's just inexperience, which is of course perfectly normal. Defense and all-around gameĪs with the vast majority of MVPs winners in the past, being able to flick a switch and become a lock-down defender is usually a skill most of them have.Įdwards runs hot and cold defensively. Will Edwards ever become a 40% from range on high volume? It's not impossible, but it shouldn't be an outright requirement, as long as his shots are taken at the appropriate time and within the confines of the offense. Moving forward, it's all about fine-tuning, identifying the right shots, and feeling the moment. This is about as good a foundation as the Wolves could ask for. Edwards is attempting 8.8 nightly triples, hitting a healthy 37.6% of them. This isn't to suggest he'll become the new Zion Williamson, but by being more selective and working on how he approaches every shot near the basket, it's fair to note that this is an area he could become utterly dominant in.įinally, there's shooting, and there isn't much to say about it. His 66% shooting efficiency from within three feet is by no means poor - it's actually a fairly strong number for a guard - but when taking into account just how otherworldly he is physically, there's a sense that he can grow in this area. This too can be said of his conversion rate at the rim, which is likely to improve quite drastically as he ages and gains more experience. He's laid out a path of breadcrumbs to follow for later, but nevertheless the results haven't exactly shown themselves yet. It should be noted that Edwards does on occasion slow down to throw off defenses. However, after years with the same pattern, taking a principal stand is simply less recommended than adapting to the realities of how the game is being called. This is where some might note that players shouldn't have to go to such lengths to get calls they deserve anyway, and that's of course a fair point. While the two differ greatly in style and overall athletic prowess, slowing down is a sure-fire way to give game officials a chance to observe the play at a more regular speed. This method has proven extremely effective when used hy Luka Doncic. This makes it even more difficult for referees to observe fouls, as the combination of size, speed and raw athleticism presents a challenge for them to fully gauge.Īs such, Edwards could stand to benefit from improved speed control, by slowing down significantly when he gets within 5-7 feet of the basket. At 6'4 and 225 pounds, Edwards is tremendously muscular, which makes defenders bounce off of him, instead of vice versa. LaVine has spent a not insignificant portion of his time this year barking at referees after years of taking blows to his head, torso and arms, without getting calls.Įdwards too is in a similar boat, although he has an additional component working against him. ![]() ![]() Using LaVine as an example once again, being overly athletic can at times make Point A to Point B drives look too easy, and the sheer force of their vertical jumps can throw referees off, and make them miss a hit on the arm or head.
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