Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch believes Anthony Edwards needs to re-establish himself as a high-leverage defender if he wants to have an MVP-caliber season in 2026-27.

Finch also indicated that Edwards’ offensive responsibilities will be adjusted after the All-Star guard carried a significant workload during the 2025-26 campaign.

“I think we are going to need him to get back to being a more high-leverage defender for us,” Finch said, via the Minnesota Post. “His on-ball handling duties (on offense) will be reduced, which was probably the most taxing thing for him last year.”

Finch views the two areas as connected. By reducing some of Edwards’ ball-handling responsibilities, Minnesota can potentially preserve more of his energy for defensive assignments while still relying on him as its primary scorer.

“I also feel that for him to have an MVP season, he has to have more of a defensive component,” Finch said.

Edwards enters the 2026-27 season after producing a career-best 28.8 points per game in 61 appearances last season. He shot 48.9% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range while averaging 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks.

The 25-year-old has steadily increased his scoring output throughout his six NBA seasons, going from 19.3 points per game as a rookie to 21.3, 24.6, 25.9, 27.6 and 28.8 over his first six campaigns.

His 2025-26 season earned him another All-Star selection and third place in Clutch Player of the Year voting. Edwards has also finished seventh in MVP voting in each of the previous two seasons, while making the All-NBA Second Team in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.

The defensive component Finch referenced was already visible in Edwards’ 2024-25 campaign. He finished third in Clutch Player of the Year voting that season while averaging 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks, although his overall defensive workload will become more important with Minnesota reshaping its roster.

The Timberwolves made major changes around Edwards this offseason, most notably acquiring LaMelo Ball from Charlotte in a four-team trade. Minnesota also added Jonathan Kuminga after trading Josh Green to Utah, while Julius Randle and Naz Reid departed.

Ball gives Minnesota another high-level ball-handler, which could directly address Finch’s plan to reduce the amount of offensive creation required from Edwards. The projected starting lineup of Edwards, Ball, Jaden McDaniels, Kuminga and Rudy Gobert also gives the Timberwolves considerable defensive length.

Gobert remains an important defensive anchor after averaging 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks last season while earning All-Defensive First Team honors and finishing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Edwards’ offensive efficiency will remain central to Minnesota’s ambitions, but Finch is identifying defense as the additional element that could elevate him from a perennial All-NBA candidate to a legitimate MVP contender.