Anthony Edwards - The Best Thing to Ever Happen to this Franchise

[Lipoli390]

After being skeptical the day he was drafted, Edwards won me over pretty quickly with his talent, energy and personality. He has taken a big leap forward the latter 2/3 of this season although he's faltered a bit lately. But while I continue to be excited about Ant going forward, some skepticism is beginning to creep into my thinking again. No, I no longer entertain any thoughts about Ant being a bust. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll be one of the League's better players for many years if he stays healthy.

What I'm beginning to wonder is whether he'll become a true superstar who can be the #1 player on a championship contender. Last night's games provided some examples of what the truly great players do in big games down the stretch when fighting for playoff position. Lillard had 71 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds. A. Davis had 30 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks. Jokic had 40 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Fox had 33 points and 8 assists, Doncic didn't have a great night and his team lost, but he still had 26 points and 9 rebounds. I won't repeat Ant's stats from last night, but suffice it to say that he's been disappointing the past couple games. If he's going to be a truly elite go-to #1 guy on a future championship contender, Ant needs to step up often with numbers like we often see from Jokic, Doncic and Lillard among others.

Looking more closely, Ant still seems to lack lift in his legs. He was clearly struggling early in the season when he came to camp fat and happy. He's clearly improved his conditioning, but I still don't see the physical dominance, including the spring off the floor, that he'll need to display regularly on the court to be the player we need and want him to be. He's also making too many mistakes, although I'm still willing to chalk those up to inexperience and the lack of teammates he can count on. Nevertheless, we can't entirely ignore those mental mistakes either.

I'm sorry for possibly sounding like a doom and gloom guy again. That's not my intent. But I also think it's important (especially for our front office) to acknowledge the whole truth about Edwards and that truth should impact what they do. First, this organization should put Edwards on (and monitor) a strict conditioning protocol, including diet, in the off-season. Second, the organization's coaching staff should work with him all summer on his decision-making and basketball IQ. Third, the organization needs to focus on surrounding Ant with players who enhance and maximize his abilities and productivity. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Rudy Gobert is NOT that sort of player. Finally, the organization needs to continue looking to add elite talent on the chance that Ant does not become THAT GUY. It will be hard to implement the last two with only three of their remaining 1st-round picks and a lack of assets with substantial trade value. But this is where TC will need to earn his huge unprecedented contract. He won't earn that contract by tripling down on his mistake with Rudy. The question is whether TC is smart enough and also able to get past his own ego to do what needs to be done.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Right now, there are still probably three guys who look capable of grabbing the title of "best" from the 2020 draft.

Time will tell if that's Edwards. There are glimpses that has all of us excited, mixed with some occasional question marks.

I'm just glad that the team avoided James Wiseman. Although in an ironic twist... would it have been what kept Connelly from mortgaging the future for Gobert in a roundabout way.

[thedoper]

Right now, there are still probably three guys who look capable of grabbing the title of "best" from the 2020 draft.

Time will tell if that's Edwards. There are glimpses that has all of us excited, mixed with some occasional question marks.

I'm just glad that the team avoided James Wiseman. Although in an ironic twist... would it have been what kept Connelly from mortgaging the future for Gobert in a roundabout way.

If we drafted Wiseman, do any of the good things that have happened to this franchise materialize? Would we have foregone the need to draft McDaniels too? Would Taylor have had the same interest in the franchise. I doubt we would have made the playoffs last year. Strange sliding door scenario. Definitely better than Wiseman. I might be writing this same post had we drafted Haliburton. I doubt I would have the same feelings about Ball in spite of his talent.

[Coolbreeze44]

Ant has a ways to go with his decision making at the end of games. He's not ready to place winning above everything else yet. The sooner he gets there the better.

[thedoper]

Ant has a ways to go with his decision making at the end of games. He's not ready to place winning above everything else yet. The sooner he gets there the better.

Agree with this, but what a treat that we are already there with him at 21. At least we have someone with the skill and talent to make winning plays at the end of games. Now for the execution which all the greats have to learn, many of them were not this far along at Ant's age. He could go the other way and double down on a selfish style of play, but that would seem really out of character from all I have witnessed so far. He's still learning those quick passes. Sometimes it looks effortless, and other times it is super ugly.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Right now, there are still probably three guys who look capable of grabbing the title of "best" from the 2020 draft.

Time will tell if that's Edwards. There are glimpses that has all of us excited, mixed with some occasional question marks.

I'm just glad that the team avoided James Wiseman. Although in an ironic twist... would it have been what kept Connelly from mortgaging the future for Gobert in a roundabout way.

If we drafted Wiseman, do any of the good things that have happened to this franchise materialize? Would we have foregone the need to draft McDaniels too? Would Taylor have had the same interest in the franchise. I doubt we would have made the playoffs last year. Strange sliding door scenario. Definitely better than Wiseman. I might be writing this same post had we drafted Haliburton. I doubt I would have the same feelings about Ball in spite of his talent.

Yeah. My bad take. Wiseman would have offered them nothing last season... so a playoff run wouldn't have happened at all.



[Note: I'm high on Haliburton. High on Edwards. And I think there's something there with Ball, but with more reservations.]

[Monster]

Ant has a ways to go with his decision making at the end of games. He's not ready to place winning above everything else yet. The sooner he gets there the better.

Agree with this, but what a treat that we are already there with him at 21. At least we have someone with the skill and talent to make winning plays at the end of games. Now for the execution which all the greats have to learn, many of them were not this far along at Ant's age. He could go the other way and double down on a selfish style of play, but that would seem really out of character from all I have witnessed so far. He's still learning those quick passes. Sometimes it looks effortless, and other times it is super ugly.

I think Edwards is somewhat ready to put winning above all but I don't think he actually knows how to do it yet. Even if he was committed to putting winning above all I don't even know if he knows what that looks like he is a young player. Before this season I think he just went out there and played. Im not knocking him saying that. From what I have seen he is making progress but he isn't there yet. There is plenty of time for him to make even more progress.

[Lipoli390]

Ant has a ways to go with his decision making at the end of games. He's not ready to place winning above everything else yet. The sooner he gets there the better.

Agree with this, but what a treat that we are already there with him at 21. At least we have someone with the skill and talent to make winning plays at the end of games. Now for the execution which all the greats have to learn, many of them were not this far along at Ant's age. He could go the other way and double down on a selfish style of play, but that would seem really out of character from all I have witnessed so far. He's still learning those quick passes. Sometimes it looks effortless, and other times it is super ugly.

I think Edwards is somewhat ready to put winning above all but I don't think he actually knows how to do it yet. Even if he was committed to putting winning above all I don't even know if he knows what that looks like he is a young player. Before this season I think he just went out there and played. Im not knocking him saying that. From what I have seen he is making progress but he isn't there yet. There is plenty of time for him to make even more progress.

I think you nailed it, Monster. I have no doubt Edwards wants to win above other things. He doesn't strike me as selfish and I think it's clear he's really competitive. I remember MJ being accused of focusing on his stats instead of on winning. Of course, that was baseless. MJ has always been all about winning as the most hyper-competitive player to ever play the game. But even the great MJ needed to learn how to win - how to mesh his incredible talent with the team concept to get the most out of everyone.

Having said that, MJ was already getting the Bulls into the playoffs early in his career when he was mainly a one-man show playing far more hero-ball than Ant does now. The difference was that MJ was so supremely talented and skilled, he could dominate in a way that would carry the entire team game after game. That's what I want to see more from Edwards. I'm confident he'll learn to play winning basketball. But to be "that guy" on a championship team, Edwards also needs to be more physically dominating in his individual play like we see regularly from Doncic, Jokic, Lillard and a few others in today's game. To do that, I think he needs to improve his body and further develop some of his key offensive skills, including his ball-handling, step-back three, and mid-range jumper. He's only 21 years old in his third season and since December has been putting up numbers as good as Kobe did in his 4th season. So I'm not going to bet against him and I'm thrilled we have him. I'm going to hold Ant and the organization accountable. I'm going to hold the organization accountable for being assertive and diligent in pushing Ant to do the right things with his body and skill development. We should also hold the front office accountable for putting the right players around Ant the way the Bulls did drafting Pippen and Grant.

[Monster]

Ant has a ways to go with his decision making at the end of games. He's not ready to place winning above everything else yet. The sooner he gets there the better.

Agree with this, but what a treat that we are already there with him at 21. At least we have someone with the skill and talent to make winning plays at the end of games. Now for the execution which all the greats have to learn, many of them were not this far along at Ant's age. He could go the other way and double down on a selfish style of play, but that would seem really out of character from all I have witnessed so far. He's still learning those quick passes. Sometimes it looks effortless, and other times it is super ugly.

I think Edwards is somewhat ready to put winning above all but I don't think he actually knows how to do it yet. Even if he was committed to putting winning above all I don't even know if he knows what that looks like he is a young player. Before this season I think he just went out there and played. Im not knocking him saying that. From what I have seen he is making progress but he isn't there yet. There is plenty of time for him to make even more progress.

I think you nailed it, Monster. I have no doubt Edwards wants to win above other things. He doesn't strike me as selfish and I think it's clear he's really competitive. I remember MJ being accused of focusing on his stats instead of on winning. Of course, that was baseless. MJ has always been all about winning as the most hyper-competitive player to ever play the game. But even the great MJ needed to learn how to win - how to mesh his incredible talent with the team concept to get the most out of everyone.

Having said that, MJ was already getting the Bulls into the playoffs early in his career when he was mainly a one-man show playing far more hero-ball than Ant does now. The difference was that MJ was so supremely talented and skilled, he could dominate in a way that would carry the entire team game after game. That's what I want to see more from Edwards. I'm confident he'll learn to play winning basketball. But to be "that guy" on a championship team, Edwards also needs to be more physically dominating in his individual play like we see regularly from Doncic, Jokic, Lillard and a few others in today's game. To do that, I think he needs to improve his body and further develop some of his key offensive skills, including his ball-handling, step-back three, and mid-range jumper. He's only 21 years old in his third season and since December has been putting up numbers as good as Kobe did in his 4th season. So I'm not going to bet against him and I'm thrilled we have him. I'm going to hold Ant and the organization accountable. I'm going to hold the organization accountable for being assertive and diligent in pushing Ant to do the right things with his body and skill development. We should also hold the front office accountable for putting the right players around Ant the way the Bulls did drafting Pippen and Grant.

It's worth remembering that while MJ made the playoffs all those years he also didn't play on a team with a winning record till his 4th NBA season.

Jokic took a while before he got himself in the physical shape he is now. Will Luka ever take that part seriously?

[Lipoli390]

Ant has a ways to go with his decision making at the end of games. He's not ready to place winning above everything else yet. The sooner he gets there the better.

Agree with this, but what a treat that we are already there with him at 21. At least we have someone with the skill and talent to make winning plays at the end of games. Now for the execution which all the greats have to learn, many of them were not this far along at Ant's age. He could go the other way and double down on a selfish style of play, but that would seem really out of character from all I have witnessed so far. He's still learning those quick passes. Sometimes it looks effortless, and other times it is super ugly.

I think Edwards is somewhat ready to put winning above all but I don't think he actually knows how to do it yet. Even if he was committed to putting winning above all I don't even know if he knows what that looks like he is a young player. Before this season I think he just went out there and played. Im not knocking him saying that. From what I have seen he is making progress but he isn't there yet. There is plenty of time for him to make even more progress.

I think you nailed it, Monster. I have no doubt Edwards wants to win above other things. He doesn't strike me as selfish and I think it's clear he's really competitive. I remember MJ being accused of focusing on his stats instead of on winning. Of course, that was baseless. MJ has always been all about winning as the most hyper-competitive player to ever play the game. But even the great MJ needed to learn how to win - how to mesh his incredible talent with the team concept to get the most out of everyone.

Having said that, MJ was already getting the Bulls into the playoffs early in his career when he was mainly a one-man show playing far more hero-ball than Ant does now. The difference was that MJ was so supremely talented and skilled, he could dominate in a way that would carry the entire team game after game. That's what I want to see more from Edwards. I'm confident he'll learn to play winning basketball. But to be "that guy" on a championship team, Edwards also needs to be more physically dominating in his individual play like we see regularly from Doncic, Jokic, Lillard and a few others in today's game. To do that, I think he needs to improve his body and further develop some of his key offensive skills, including his ball-handling, step-back three, and mid-range jumper. He's only 21 years old in his third season and since December has been putting up numbers as good as Kobe did in his 4th season. So I'm not going to bet against him and I'm thrilled we have him. I'm going to hold Ant and the organization accountable. I'm going to hold the organization accountable for being assertive and diligent in pushing Ant to do the right things with his body and skill development. We should also hold the front office accountable for putting the right players around Ant the way the Bulls did drafting Pippen and Grant.

It's worth remembering that while MJ made the playoffs all those years he also didn't play on a team with a winning record till his 4th NBA season.

Jokic took a while before he got himself in the physical shape he is now. Will Luka ever take that part seriously?

Great points, Monster! Sometimes we forget how long it takes even the most supremely talented players to hit their stride and fully impact winning. Of course, a huge key is being surrounded by enough talent and the right type of talent.. MJ's 4th season illustrates the importance of who your star has around him. That 4th MJ season was the first season the Bulls had Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.