Photo: Peter Baba

Timberwolves president Tim Connelly dismissed recent speculation about Anthony Edwards’ long-term future, emphasizing that the franchise star remains fully committed to Minnesota.

Connelly said he speaks regularly with Edwards and recently spent several hours with him discussing both the roster and the team’s future direction.

The executive made it clear that the organization views Edwards as the centerpiece of its plans moving forward.

“We have such high hopes for him,” said Connelly. “We think he can go down as one of the best players of all time.”

Questions about Edwards’ satisfaction surfaced following reports that he had grown frustrated with the defensive attention he receives, particularly since the departure of Karl-Anthony Towns.

However, the Timberwolves president stressed that Edwards has never indicated any desire to leave the franchise.

The Timberwolves also value Edwards’ involvement in roster decisions.

According to Connelly, the All-NBA guard plays an important role in discussions about potential moves and remains highly invested in the team’s success.

“When you go to your leaders like Ant and say, ‘It takes this to get that (trade),’ and the conviction he has in our guys is evident when you say, ‘We’re not trading this guy,'” said Connelly.

“Ant’s just such a competitive guy. He wants to make sure we’re moving in the right direction, and we keep getting better and better.”

Minnesota recently reshaped its roster by moving Julius Randle’s contract and signing Ayo Dosunmu, who now joins Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid as key pieces of the franchise’s core.

Anthony Edwards 'Super, Super Excited' About Wolves, Consulted By Tim Connelly On Roster Moves https://t.co/7K6aGNp2AP