Dr. Brian Sutterer has warned that Anthony Edwards’ upcoming right knee surgery could raise concerns beyond the Minnesota Timberwolves star’s expected two-month absence, pointing to the possibility of recurring problems after arthroscopic procedures.
Edwards will undergo surgery Thursday after re-injuring his right knee during Minnesota’s season opener in Miami. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that the 25-year-old is expected to miss up to two months after additional imaging showed increased issues with the knee.
Sutterer, a physician who analyzes sports injuries on his YouTube channel, said the need for arthroscopic surgery suggests there is an issue inside the knee joint, although the exact diagnosis and procedure have not been disclosed.
“The most common situation where a player like Edwards would be dealing with [an issue] to require arthroscopic surgery, with a roughly two-month absence, would be going in to address some damage, some trauma, some abnormal fraying,” Sutterer explained, referring to possible problems involving the meniscus or joint cartilage.
He stressed that the specific condition affecting Edwards remains unknown. Arthroscopic surgery can address several problems, and the procedure alone does not establish the severity of the damage.
Sutterer’s main concern was the potential for further knee issues after a so-called cleanup procedure, in which damaged tissue may be trimmed. He explained that removing tissue can relieve symptoms in the short term but may leave less cartilage or meniscus tissue to protect and stabilize the joint.
“The more of that healthy tissue you take out, the less that’s there to do its job in stabilizing and protecting the joint,” Sutterer said. “And so it can start this slippery slope where one surgery leads to another.”
Sutterer also highlighted Edwards’ previous right knee problems, including inflammation and patellofemoral pain reported last season. He suggested the symptoms may not have fully settled over the summer, although he emphasized that he could not determine the extent of the current damage without more medical information.
To illustrate the potential risks, Sutterer cited historical data from NBA players who underwent similar knee-scope procedures. According to his analysis, roughly half had the same knee listed on an injury report within two years of returning. He also cited an average absence of approximately six and a half weeks, while warning that returning to play does not necessarily mean the underlying problem has been resolved.
“This is not a ‘fix it, forget about it, no problems down the road’ sort of a situation,” Sutterer said.
He cautioned against assuming Edwards will experience further complications, noting that the injury could be relatively mild. He also said he was not criticizing Minnesota’s medical staff, acknowledging that surgery may become necessary after other treatment options fail to resolve persistent symptoms.
Sutterer pointed to Joel Embiid and Kawhi Leonard as examples when discussing NBA players who have dealt with ongoing knee issues. Their situations illustrate the broader concern he raised about recurring problems, although he did not suggest that Edwards has the same diagnosis or that his recovery will follow the same path.
The immediate concern for Minnesota is losing its leading scorer for an extended period. Edwards averaged 33.3 points through his first four games of the 2026-27 season, including 47 points against Cleveland on Monday. Sutterer’s longer-term concerns remain possibilities rather than a diagnosis or prediction of Edwards’ individual recovery.
