Reading between the lines, one can now assume with some level of confidence that Anthony Edwards told Timberwolves leaders not to include Jaden McDaniels in a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. “His input is invaluable,” Timberwolves president Tim Connelly said after the first round of the NBA Draft. “All players’ input from our team, there’s things they see that we simply don’t see. We’re very fortunate that he’s a guy that knows the league, knows players, and loudly shares his opinions.” Well, that doesn't help us connect any dots. But Connelly's next statement does. “There’s been countless things we could’ve done. Our roster is pretty well thought of league-wide,” Connelly said. “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.’"In other words, Connelly may have gone to Edwards and told him that they might be able to pair him with Giannis, but it would require sending Milwaukee a package including McDaniels, who has been Ant's running mate since both were drafted in 2020. Nobody knows for sure, but it's also possible that Milwaukee would've entertained a trade with Minnesota only if the Wolves had offered McDaniels and Naz Reid. Either way, the Wolves are clearly moving forward with Edwards, McDaniels, and Reid as the top three scoring options, with TJ Shannon and Joan Beringer getting elevated roles in 2026-27. “I think TJ was wonderful," Connelly said. "He was a revelation late in the season and playoffs, and we're extremely excited about Joan. I think if you talk to anyone in the gym, some of the plays he makes are impressive. I think he has tremendous defensive versatility. I think you’ll be a bit surprised in Summer League by his ability offensively. "Right now, the Wolves' roster is built around an expected seven-man rotation of Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Ayo Dosunmu, Rudy Gobert, Shannon, and Beringer. With another $15.1 million to spend from their non-taxpayer midlevel exception, an eighth player — perhaps Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Coby White, or Rui Hachimura — will help bolster the depth. Additionally, the Wolves have the 33rd and 59th picks in the second round of the draft on Wednesday night. One of those players could be talented enough to find a role in the rotation as a rookie. There's work to be done, but the Wolves seem to be moving forward with the guys currently on the roster, with only slight additions yet to come — and Ant's belief in McDaniels and Reid could be a big reason why. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow