Anthony Edwards to have knee procedure Thursday, could miss up to two months

Anthony Edwards will have an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee on Thursday and could be out for up to two months, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. ESPN's Jamal Collier reported the details Wednesday morning, after the news broke Tuesday night.

The timing is hard on Minnesota. Edwards was off to the best start of his career: 33.3 points a game through four games, second in the league behind Luka Doncic, with 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 48% shooting. The Wolves are 3-1 and host Golden State tonight at 8 p.m. ET, the first of what could be more than 20 games without him.

How it got here

Edwards began grabbing at his right knee during Sunday's 117-94 home-opener win over Toronto, ESPN reported. That put him on the injury report as questionable for Monday's game in Cleveland, the second night of a back-to-back. Coach Chris Finch called it a "daily situation" before that game and said he was not worried about a long-term problem.

Edwards was cleared after pregame warmups and played a season-high 41 minutes, scoring 47 points on 19-of-34 shooting in a 127-125 overtime loss. It was his second 45-point game of the season, which made him the fourth player in NBA history with two such games in his team's first four, according to ESPN Research.

His knees have a history. Edwards dealt with runner's knee in the same leg last season and missed nine of the Wolves' last 22 regular-season games managing it, then hyperextended his left knee in the first round of the playoffs. He missed 21 games in all, a career high, and Minnesota went 12-9 without him. He told reporters in the preseason that he had rested his knees over the summer, and he reported no knee problems in training camp.

The contract question

Two months out would also cost Edwards a shot at the 65-game minimum the league requires for MVP and All-NBA honors, ESPN reported, citing Bobby Marks. Either award would have made him eligible next summer for a four-year, $304 million supermax extension starting in 2029-30. His manager, Justin Holland, told ESPN that individual honors are not the point and that the focus is on winning a title.

ESPN's injury listing currently carries an estimated return date of Dec. 21 for Edwards. A firmer timeline is expected after Thursday's procedure.

What it means tonight

LaMelo Ball, acquired this summer to share the ball with Edwards, now has the offense largely to himself. Ayo Dosunmu is the likeliest replacement in the starting lineup, with Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jonathan Kuminga in line for more shots. Who fills Edwards' minutes.

At noon Wednesday, after the news was out, ESPN's listing showed DraftKings with the Wolves 4.5-point favorites over the Warriors. Prices across every venue are on the game page, and the rest of the schedule Edwards is expected to miss is on the team page.