Wolves' Anthony Edwards out vs. Luka Dončić, Mavericks; Injury Isn't Seen as Serious

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be without guard Anthony Edwards for Thursday's preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks after he suffered an ankle injury in practice Wednesday.

Timberwolves radio announcer Alan Horton noted the injury is "not expected to be serious." Edwards turned his left ankle during practice as the Wolves prepare to play in Abu Dhabi.

The All-Star spent his summer playing for Team USA's World Cup team, so missing a preseason game won't do much to impact his readiness for the beginning of the regular season.

Minnesota heads into the 2023-24 season expecting another leap from Edwards, who set career highs in points (24.6), rebounds (5.8) and assists (4.4) per game last season and has increased his scoring output in each of his NBA campaigns. The 22-year-old also took on a leadership role during Team USA's World Cup run, flashing the same competitive spirit and scoring ability that made him the top pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Edwards' absence will mostly be a disappointment to the fans of Abu Dhabi, who may not get to see him play in Saturday's second preseason game between the Wolves and Mavericks on Saturday, either. It's likely Minnesota will be as conservative as possible in hopes of avoiding Edwards re-injuring the ankle and missing significant time.

This is the second straight year the NBA has taken a preseason trip to Abu Dhabi. Last season, the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks participated in the inaugural games.