Rumoured To Ruin Anthony Edwards’ 35-Million Contract, Alex Rodriguez Strains Vocal Chords In Touching Timberwolves Moment

Renowned Baseball legend Alex Rodriguez continues to reel in from a significant setback. After acquiring a minority stake in the Minnesota Timberwolves back in 2021, the former baseball player had been working alongside entrepreneur Marc Lore to possess a majority stake in the NBA team within the next three years. However, the deal recently faltered after Glen Taylor removed it from sale. Fortunately, this has not stopped Rodriguez from celebrating the big moments surrounding the Timberwolves. And there was no better time to celebrate than yesterday after Anthony Edwards and Co. eliminated the Denver Nuggets to head to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.

Washington Post reporter Ben Golliver was able to receive a statement from Rodriguez in the aftermath of the recent game. Per Golliver, the baseball legend had only two words to say: “Eight More!”. This was a reference to how the only thing that stands between the Timberwolves and their first-ever championship ring is securing four wins against the Dallas Mavericks, along with four additional wins against whichever franchise wins the Eastern Conference Finals (Boston Celtics or the Indiana Pacers).

Ben Golliver also captured a clip post-game, which he uploaded to his official X account capturing the wholesome moment of Alex Rodriguez approaching a victorious Edwards and jokingly pushing him back before sharing an embrace. Edwards also shared a warm hug with Rodriguez’s girlfriend and fitness instructor, Jaclyn Cordeiro. The minority owner may have even strained his vocal cords from the loud encouragement he passed in the player’s direction. Despite him being the center of attention for the attendees in the Ball Arena, Edwards still took his sweet time to accept the greeting from Alex Rodriguez.

The ‘Ant-Man’ had concluded his 44 minutes on the court by scoring 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. He was not the leading scorer for his team this time, as Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels had put up 23 points each during the game. However, the 12-point surge that Edwards delivered during the second half of the matchup was just what the Timberwolves needed to get out of a 20-point deficit. Furthermore, the player tried his best to guard rival star Jamal Murray and prevent him from scoring additional points. The 98-90 score is a testament to his power on-court yesterday, resulting in a glorious victory for the Timberwolves side. 

With devoting 3 years to the Minnesota side, Edwards has achieved a lot in his short time with the franchise, including getting a big pay boost. He recently signed a 5-year contract supermax extension worth $260 million for the next 5 years. While this ensures his worth in the coming few years, Alex Rodriguez might be able to alter the details of his contract, considering the financial burden on the team’s roster.

Alex Rodriguez can jeopardize Anthony Edwards’ $38 million contract

As per NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski, franchise owners, Lore and Rodriguez were working on the financial projections for the Timberwolves showing “a sizable retreat in roster payroll.” According to sources, this would involve reducing the team’s payroll to as low as $171 million from the start of the 2024-25 season. This action would be undertaken to prevent the Timberwolves from exceeding the $172 million luxury tax limit, as crossing that line would incur several penalties upon the franchise. This move could also take the T-Wolves from paying over a quarter of a million in luxury taxes to receiving a tax distribution of about $6.5 million. What does this mean for Edwards?

For Edwards, despite his dedication and on-court passion, it could jeopardize his contract and future with the team. According to the new details, the player is set to receive $205 million over the next five years. During the course of the 2024-25 season, the player would receive over $35.25 million. While this ensures the player’s worth for the next half-decade, Lore and Rodriguez’ vision with the team could alter the details for him and his affordability to the team. 

This decision was something that majority owner Glen Taylor was against since it was his belief that lowering the salary of players would jeopardize the Timberwolves’s ability to compete for a title. According to Wojnarowski, this was reportedly one of the primary reasons why Taylor chose to end the sale of the Timberwolves to Rodriguez and Taylor.

With his preventive action, Glen Taylor may have prevented Anthony Edwards from receiving a pay cut. However, with Alex Rodriguez continuing to remain the minority owner, there is a chance that the pay issue may be brought up again sometime in the near future.