“Settling For the Threes”: Vince Carter Isn’t a Fan of Anthony Edwards Giving Up on His Signature Scoring Skills

Following the Timberwolves’ blockbuster trade sending Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks, Anthony Edwards has shouldered much more of the offensive burden. As a result, he has changed his style of play in the 2024-25 NBA season to feature more three-point shots. However, this is a different from his style of play throughout his career, even dating back to college. Hall-of-Fame guard Vince Carter is a big fan of what Edwards is able to do on the court but isn’t a fan of him comprising the signature skills that made him the player he is today.

Carter made a guest appearance on ESPN’s The Hoop Collective Podcast. During the show, he revealed the handful of players in the league he enjoys watching, including Edwards and Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He does have some words of criticism for the Timberwolves star. He said,

“I love Anthony Edwards, the way he plays. I’m not a huge of him going away from the corer that he is. Settling for threes. Because I think he has so much to offer and he can still shoot the three. But he can set that up by his ability to get to the basket whenever he wants.”

Carter’s criticism is warranted, considering the notable increase in Edwards’ three-point volume. In the 2023-24 season, Edwards attempted 6.7 three-pointers per game, which was 30th in the league. Fast forward to the 2024-25 season, Edwards is now in the top five for most three-pointer attempts per game. He is currently averaging 9.9 three-pointers per game, which is fourth, behind LaMelo Ball, Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum.

Carter doesn’t think Edwards should eliminate three-pointers from his repertoire, but he believes he needs to stop settling for outside shots. Edwards possesses physical features which set him apart from every other player in the league, and his athletic ability allows him to attack the basket relentlessly. The eight-time All-Star wants Edwards to let his three-point shot come naturally from applying pressure at the rim. In other words, don’t become complacent and reliant on three-point shooting.

Minnesota is in a difficult situation, as the team lacks consistent scoring. Although Edwards may believe a high volume of three-point attempts is the answer to that problem, Carter feels that the matter can be addressed through different means of scoring.