Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Wolves, Campazzo, Thunder, Hollis-Jefferson

December 20th, 2020 at 7:58pm CST by JD Shaw

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor cautiously expects his team to reach the playoffs this season, as relayed by Chris Hine of The Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Minnesota sports a young core of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Malik Beasley and others, and enters the season with higher expectations than it had last year.

“I think I expect playoffs,” Taylor said. “We’re in a really tough division, but I think we really have a good team. By that I mean, what we have done is we aren’t relying on four or five players. I just think the way that we have put this team together that the first unit or second unit should go in and be very competitive with the groups that they need to compete against.”

Taylor understands how difficult it will be to achieve that goal, especially in the Western Conference, but he hopes the acquisitions of point guard Ricky Rubio and No. 1 draft pick Edwards help propel the team to success this season.

There’s more from the Northwest Division tonight:

Mike Singer of the Denver Post examines why Facundo Campazzo decided to leave Spain for the NBA, signing a deal to join the Nuggets in free agency last month. “Truth be told, Facu was not really a hidden gem,” said Rafal Juc, the team’s international scout. “He was arguably a top-five European player for half a decade or so. So basically, he’s been on our radar for a while.” Campazzo, an entertaining 5’11” guard, is known for giving maximum effort on both ends of the floor. He’s expected to provide depth off the bench for a team focused on making a deep playoff run this season.
The Thunder‘s 2020/21 starting lineup remains fluid right now, coach Mark Daigneault said, as relayed by Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). Oklahoma City has a revamped roster this season, with players such as Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder no longer with the franchise. Daigneault is also in his first season and is the second-youngest head coach in the league. He said the team’s starting group would likely include George Hill, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Darius Bazley and Al Horford, but that nothing was set in stone.
By waiving Rondae Hollis-Jefferson on Saturday, the Timberwolves lost a much-needed defensive spark from their rotation, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. Hollis-Jefferson is known for being a versatile defender, though he’s limited offensively. As Krawczynski notes, Minnesota will enter the season with 14 players on standard contracts, leaving roster flexibility to aid in any potential trade. The team could upgrade its power forward position and acquire a proven veteran alongside Karl-Anthony Towns if it chooses, with P.J. Tucker among the targets to watch if he and the Rockets don’t agree to a contract extension.

Timberwolves Place Four Players On Waivers

December 19th, 2020 at 7:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

As rumored earlier today, the Timberwolves have officially waived veteran forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, along with guard Charlie Brown Jr. and forwards Zylan Cheatham and Tyler Cook.

Hollis-Jefferson was in camp on a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract, but he played well in three preseason games, averaging 7.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per night. After four years in Brooklyn, he joined the Raptors last season and posted a 7.0/4.7/1.8 line in 60 games.

Brown appeared in 10 games for the Hawks last season, but spent most of his rookie year in the G League. Cheatham got into four games for the Pelicans as a rookie, while Cook played a combined 13 games for the Cavaliers and Nuggets.

The moves leave Minnesota’s roster at 14, with 12 guaranteed contracts, plus a pair of two-way players.

Timberwolves To Release Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

December 19th, 2020 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be among the players waived by the Timberwolves in advance of the regular season, sources tell Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).

While most of today’s roster cuts are moves that had been anticipated, Hollis-Jefferson’s release comes as a surprise. He had played fairly well in three preseason games – including a 17-point outburst on 6-of-6 shooting on Monday – and the Wolves aren’t exactly loaded with depth at the power forward spot.

According to Krawczynski (Twitter link), the decision to part ways with Hollis-Jefferson is a “flexibility play” for the Wolves, who will enter the season with an open roster spot. Krawczynski hears that there’s a possibility Minnesota will bring back RHJ at a later date, but for now the club wants to keep that 15th spot open in case an injury replacement is required or an opportunity for a two-for-one trade arises.

Hollis-Jefferson, who will turn 26 next month, played for the Raptors last season, providing energy and defense off the bench. He averaged 7.0 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 60 games (18.7 MPG) for Toronto.

Since Hollis-Jefferson was on a non-guaranteed one-year, minimum-salary contract, a team with interest would be able to claim him off waivers on Monday using the minimum salary exception. If he goes unclaimed, he’ll return to the free agent market.

The Timberwolves will have to cut a few more players – likely Tyler Cook, Zylan Cheatham, and Charlie Brown Jr. – to set their regular season roster.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Timberwolves Sign Zylan Cheatham, Waive Ade Murkey

December 19th, 2020 at 8:28am CST by marksuleymanov

The Timberwolves made a pair of roster moves on Saturday, signing forward Zylan Cheatham and waiving forward Ade Murkey, according to RealGM. It’s likely an Exhibit 10 contract for Cheatham, who appears unlikely to make the regular season roster.

Cheatham, 25, was waived by the Thunder on Dec. 2 after he was part of the four-team deal that sent Steven Adams to New Orleans. The Arizona native signed a two-way deal with the Pelicans in July 2019 and subsequently made his NBA debut last season.

During the NBA’s restart in Orlando, Cheatham saw action in three contests for the Pelicans. In total, Cheatham posted averages of 3.0 PPG and 2.3 RPG in four games.

Minnesota signed the undrafted Murkey to an Exhibit 10 deal back in early December. The 22-year-old made one preseason appearance for the Timberwolves after appearing in 118 games across four seasons at the University of Denver. In that time, he posted averages of 10.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.0 APG. He was named to the 2020 All-Summit League Second Team.

Beasley Will Be Available For Opener

December 18th, 2020 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Malik Beasley should be available for the Timberwolves’ regular-season opener on Wednesday despite his impending court case, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. A court hearing scheduled for this week has been moved to next week and it doesn’t appear the NBA will take any action until the case is settled, Wolfson adds. Beasley faces a pair of felony charges related to a late September arrest for drug possession and threats of violence.

Ryan Smith Officially Becomes Majority Owner Of Jazz Following NBA Approval

December 18th, 2020 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Qualtrics founder Ryan Smith and his wife Ashley are officially the new majority owners of the Jazz, the team announced today in a press release. Smith was able to formally complete the purchase of a majority stake in the franchise after being unanimously approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors.

“Ryan Smith is a forward-thinking, community-minded entrepreneur and business leader who will be a fantastic addition to our league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement, following the Board of Governors’ vote. “As a life-long fan of the Utah Jazz and more recently as one of their key marketing partners, Ryan has demonstrated his deep commitment to the Jazz and the Utah community and there’s no doubt he will bring that same level of dedication to the operation of the team.”

Gail Miller and the Miller family reached an agreement in October to sell a majority share of the Jazz to Smith, with a valuation of $1.66 billion. The now-official transaction also included Vivint Arena, the Salt Lake City Stars, and management operations of the Salt Lake Bees, a Triple-A baseball team.

The Millers have retained a minority stake in the team, while tech entrepreneur Mike Cannon-Brookes and venture capitalist Ryan Sweeney have also been announced as minority owners, according to the Jazz.

Smith, a Utah native, told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that he was “really close” to making a bid to buy the Timberwolves before Ashley objected.

“With my wife, something wasn’t right. She was putting her foot down,” Ryan said. “She was like, ‘You know we’re Jazz fans, right? That’s what we do, and I’m not moving.’ She doesn’t put her foot down very often, but it was a nice reminder that I was kind of getting caught up in this other world because I liked the business side of it.”

As MacMahon writes, part of the agreement calls for the Jazz to remain in Utah, but that was never a question for Smith, who has been a lifelong fan of the franchise and had courtside seats before reaching an agreement to purchase a controlling share of the team.

James Harden Rumors: Simmons, Sixers, Heat, Robinson

December 18th, 2020 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

After reporting on Thursday that the Sixers have been willing to discuss Ben Simmons in James Harden trade talks with the Rockets, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link) said during an appearance on the Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin Show today that Philadelphia will be “very careful” about including Simmons in any offer that doesn’t get them more than Harden.

While Wojnarowski doesn’t get into any specifics about what Philadelphia would want, it seems reasonable to assume that if they’re being asked to part with Simmons and draft picks, the 76ers would seek at least one more player from the Rockets — perhaps someone like P.J. Tucker. It doesn’t sound like Houston would be enthusiastic about that scenario though, per Wojnarowski, who says the Rockets will likely want Simmons “plus a bunch more assets” for just Harden.

“You saw (Sixers president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey come out yesterday and say, ‘We’re not trading Ben Simmons,'” Wojnarowski said. “Well, I certainly don’t think they’re trading Ben Simmons just in a deal that looks like it’s straight up with some picks for James Harden. I think they’re going to want a lot more than James Harden. That might not be a deal that’s available to the Sixers.”

The two sides could re-engage in discussions, but right now they aren’t close, according to Woj, who says he expects Simmons and Joel Embiid to open the season in Philadelphia.

Here’s more on Harden:

Although the Rockets are committed to finding the right deal, they’d be happy to get a Harden trade done “sooner than later,” Wojnarowski said this morning during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up (video link).
Simmons is unlikely to be traded for Harden at this time, according to Derek Bodner of The Athletic, who cautions that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the coming months if the Simmons/Embiid duo isn’t thriving. For now though, once reports surfaced suggesting Simmons might be available, the Sixers had to publicly back their All-Star guard, Bodner writes.
The Heat were said to have interest in exploring a possible Harden trade and have presumably touched base with Houston. However, Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports (Twitter link) hears from multiple sources that the inclusion of Duncan Robinson in a possible offer is a “major sticking point” — in other words, the Rockets would want him and Miami wouldn’t want to give him up.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) expanded his breakdown of teams that could theoretically make a run at Harden from nine to 14, adding long shots like the Cavaliers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, and Kings.

Jordan McLaughlin To Return To Timberwolves

December 17th, 2020 at 7:46pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Timberwolves are bringing back restricted free agent point guard Jordan McLaughlin on another two-way contract, per Shams Charania of the Athletic (via Twitter). Today was the deadline for him to accept his qualifying offer, which is equivalent to a two-way deal.

McLaughlin’s play as a rookie on a two-way deal during the 2019/20 season could have qualified him for a promotion to a standard deal this season, but Charania notes that McLaughlin opted to bet on himself and reach restricted free agency again in 2021.

In 19.7 MPG across his 30 games with the Timberwolves, the 5’11” McLaughlin averaged 7.6 PPG and 4.2 APG on .489/.382/.667 shooting last year. He previously spent the 2018/19 season with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets after going undrafted out of USC in 2018.

In 2019/20, McLaughlin also played 23 games for Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. McLaughlin averaged 16.7 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.5 RPG, and 2.3 SPG on .502/.352/.750 shooting in 31.4 MPG for Iowa.

According to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), McLaughlin could have made more money in the immediate future by agreeing to a standard contract, which the Timberwolves had offered. However, it would’ve been a team-friendly multiyear deal with non-guaranteed years and/or a team option.

Having accepted another two-way contract, McLaughlin will be eligible next summer for a qualifying offer that will be equivalent to a partially guaranteed one-year deal.

McLaughlin had been the final restricted free agent on the 2020 market, so only unrestricted FAs remain unsigned.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Jordan McLaughlin

December 17th, 2020 at 4:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The deadline for restricted free agents to accept a qualifying offer typically falls on October 1, but due to the NBA’s revamped calendar for 2020/21, that deadline has moved to today, says Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). That means that Jordan McLaughlin, the last remaining RFA in the league, will no longer be able to accept his QO after today unless the Timberwolves extend that deadline.

McLaughlin’s qualifying offer is for a two-way deal, but he’s not expected to accept it, according to Wolfson (Twitter links), who says that the second-year guard could sign a standard contract today if he wanted to. The Timberwolves are willing to promote McLaughlin to the 15-man roster, but want to do so on their terms, so the two sides continue to negotiate a new agreement, Wolfson adds (Twitter links).

If the Timberwolves don’t extend the deadline for McLaughlin to accept his qualifying offer, he’ll remain a restricted free agent, but without that QO as a fallback option. The deadline for him to sign an offer sheet with another team would typically be on March 1, but figures to be pushed back to April this season.

Northwest Notes: Hollis-Jefferson, Horford, Barton, Jazz

December 16th, 2020 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is making a strong impression on the Timberwolves so far, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Hollis-Jefferson is on a non-guaranteed contract, but made a case for a regular season roster spot with his play on Monday night, when he scored 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting and made several plays on defense.

“Since Day 1 Rondae has been great,” Timberwolves wing Josh Okogie said. “He tells me all the time we got to be the ones that anchor the defense down. Just seeing him play is very inspiring. The energy he brought out (Monday), and he just makes you ask yourself, what kind of guy wouldn’t want to play with a guy like Rondae?”

The Timberwolves are only carrying 12 players with fully guaranteed salaries and don’t have a ton of depth at the power forward spot, so Hollis-Jefferson looks like a good candidate to be retained for the start of the season.

“I’m a competitor at the end of the day,” Hollis-Jefferson said, per Hine. “Any time I come out and compete it shows with how I play, the energy. I feel like everything else will naturally come when the time is right. I’m definitely looking forward to being out there competing in the regular season.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Al Horford was traded by Philadelphia just one year into his four-year contract with the club, but the veteran big man is looking forward to making the most of his new role with the Thunder, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “I wasn’t expecting (to be traded),” Horford said. “But I’ve known the type of organization the Oklahoma City Thunder is. That was the one thing that was positive for me when I looked at it. And now that I’m here I’m actually really excited and looking forward to getting the regular season started.”
Nuggets guard Will Barton hasn’t played a game since March due to knee and back issues, but he appears to be on the verge of returning and he’s very happy about it, as Mike Singer of The Denver Post details. “I’m just ready to go out there and compete and play,” Barton said. “I just love the game. Being away from it, it’s very, very, very tough for me to just watch and not be able to play. I can’t wait. I’m excited. I’m just looking forward to it.”
Jazz forward Georges Niang and guard Miye Oni are focusing on improving their defense as they look to claim roles in the team’s regular season rotation, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. Niang is entering a contract year, while Oni’s 2020/21 salary remains non-guaranteed, so both players will be motivated to prove they deserve to play.