Anthony Edwards makes huge commitment to $10,774,038 veteran – “Nobody is going to work harder than me”

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves saw their Western Conference finals run end for the second straight year, but the young star vowed to push even harder in the offseason — this time, for veteran teammate Mike Conley, who’s yet to reach the NBA Finals in his 18-year career.

Speaking after the Timberwolves’ 124-94 loss to the OKC Thunder on Wednesday, which sealed their playoff exit, Edwards made a promise to his 37-year-old point guard, who has one year left on his deal worth $10.77 million.

“Nobody is going to work harder than me this summer, I’ll tell you that,” he said (per Dave McMenamin). “I’m going to try to make it happen again for Mike.”

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Conley posted modest playoff stats — 6.0 points, 3.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game — but made a notable impact with a cumulative plus-55 rating. Even in the five-game loss to OKC, he remained steady, finishing the series with a plus-11.

This offseason could bring key decisions for Minnesota, especially with the futures of key bench contributors Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker still to be determined.

Anthony Edwards struggles in Game 5 loss to Thunder

In the decisive Game 5, Anthony Edwards couldn’t deliver for Minnesota, finishing with a team-low plus-minus of -29 across 38 minutes. He tallied 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting, with six rebounds, two assists and three turnovers.

From the jump, the Thunder dominated. The Timberwolves had more turnovers than made field goals in the first half.

Julius Randle led Minnesota with 24 points and five rebounds, while Naz Reid and rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in 11 each off the bench.

For OKC, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, earning Western Conference Finals MVP honors.

Chet Holmgren added 22 points, seven boards and three blocks. Jalen Williams contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists as OKC advanced to just their second NBA Finals since relocating from Seattle, and their first since the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook era.

Minnesota’s postseason run included statement series wins over LeBron James’ Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, who were without Steph Curry for most of the matchup.

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About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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