Overview
- A mouth-covered exchange caught Anthony Edwards appearing to tell Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, “I can’t wait to come home,” which spread widely on social media after his All-Star MVP win.
- Reporters note there is no indication Edwards is seeking a move, and Minnesota has been a contender with back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances.
- Edwards is in Year 2 of a five-year, roughly $244 million extension with no player option, which significantly limits near-term trade leverage.
- Any Hawks pursuit would require about $49 million in outgoing salary plus substantial draft capital or young players to meet salary-matching rules.
- A purported Instagram story implying a Hawks hint was debunked as fake, even as praise from LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith amplified Edwards’ rising profile.