October 29, 2026 at 3:43 AM UTC

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Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards to Undergo Knee Surgery and Miss Up to Two Months

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Minnesota's star guard will have an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Thursday, one day after the Timberwolves hosted Golden State at 8 p.m. ET. The team is 3-1 and now has to rebuild its offense around LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga.

The Nuggets gave the Timberwolves an Anthony Edwards advantage — Yahoo Sports
The Nuggets gave the Timberwolves an Anthony Edwards advantage — Yahoo Sports

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his ailing right knee Thursday, Oct. 29, and is expected to miss up to two months, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday. Team president of basketball operations Tim Connelly confirmed the surgery Wednesday at shootaround in Minneapolis, hours before the Timberwolves hosted the Golden State Warriors at Target Center (8 p.m. ET). Edwards sat out that game.

The news arrives days after the best stretch of his young season. Edwards scored 47 points in an overtime loss at Cleveland on Monday, Oct. 26, while visibly bothered by the knee. Minnesota is 3-1.

What Connelly said

Connelly said new imaging taken Tuesday showed a change that needed to be addressed right away. "The imaging has changed," he told reporters. He said the team had a series of scans dating to the summer, and the most recent one differed from them.

He did not name a diagnosis, though The Athletic's Anthony Slater relayed that it is not a meniscus issue. Connelly offered no firm return date and said the team will have a clearer timetable after the procedure. He described the injury as "not something we are concerned with long-term," and the AP reported the team believes Edwards will be "good as new." The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reported the Timberwolves are hopeful he can return "sometime in December or so."

Connelly also explained why surgery did not happen over the summer. The club and Edwards chose rest and recovery at the time, he said, because the earlier imaging did not call for a procedure. "He wants to play tonight," Connelly said Wednesday. "We're just concerned about his long-term health."

A knee with a history

Preview: Kuminga wanted the ball, now he gets it vs Warriors — Yahoo Sports
Preview: Kuminga wanted the ball, now he gets it vs Warriors — Yahoo Sports

Edwards, a 25-year-old four-time All-Star, played a career-low 61 games last season, mostly because of right knee trouble. Bleacher Report described the problem as patellofemoral pain syndrome. An MRI in March showed inflammation. In the first round of the playoffs against Denver, he hyperextended his left knee, suffered a deep bone bruise and missed two games.

The right knee flared again in the home opener against Toronto on Sunday, when Edwards was seen grabbing it and grimacing. He was listed as questionable for Cleveland and played anyway, scoring 47 on 34 shots. Coach Chris Finch had said before the surgery decision that he saw no long-term concern.

Awards and money

The timing complicates Edwards' individual goals. Krawczynski reported the absence takes him out of MVP and All-NBA consideration, with financial implications. Yahoo Sports tied that to a potential four-year, $304 million supermax extension. The league's 65-game eligibility rule for awards allows a player to miss 17 games, and a two-month absence would likely exceed that, though the exact count depends on his return date.

Krawczynski also reported Edwards is "in good spirits" and believes this team can go deep in the playoffs and emerge from the West. His business manager, Justin Holland, said Edwards' sole focus is a championship.

The offense without Edwards

Edwards averaged 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals through four games. His 133 points over that span are a franchise record. Yahoo Sports noted he led the league with 26.0 field-goal attempts per game. Replacing that volume is the central problem.

Anthony Edwards needs procedure on right knee, will miss several weeks — NBA.com
Anthony Edwards needs procedure on right knee, will miss several weeks — NBA.com

LaMelo Ball, the offseason acquisition from Charlotte, is the obvious candidate to take on more. He is averaging 14.8 points on 12.3 shots, below his career marks of 20.7 points on 17.5 attempts. Ball has been the lead option before, and a bigger role would be a return to what he did with the Hornets. That is analysis rather than a stated plan, but Minnesota will almost certainly need more shot creation from him.

Kuminga and the supporting cast

Jonathan Kuminga, signed on a two-year deal worth about $13 million, has been a quiet early success. He is averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 47% from three, and Finch has praised his defense. Wednesday's game also brought him face to face with Golden State, the team that drafted him in 2021.

Jaden McDaniels is another piece. He scored 14 points with six rebounds and four assists in Cleveland. Donte DiVincenzo is also out with an Achilles injury, which thins the perimeter rotation further.

A playoff blueprint

Minnesota has recent experience without its star. In the postseason against Denver, the Timberwolves played without Edwards, DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu. "I think there was a little proof of concept last year in the playoffs when we were able to play without Ant," Connelly said. A regular-season stretch of roughly two months is a different test from a short playoff series. The roster is also better equipped for it, with Ball and Kuminga added.

The Warriors arrived at 1-3 after beating Denver on Monday, with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scoring 31 points. With Edwards sidelined, they were hardly the only team dealing with absences, as Golden State listed Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis out. For Minnesota, the early standings matter less than whether it can stay near the top of the West until Edwards is back and healthy.

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