Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

James Johnson Exercises Option, Clearing Path For Trade To Thunder

November 19th, 2020 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves forward James Johnson has exercised the player option on his contract for the 2020/21 season, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The move will guarantee Johnson a $16MM salary for the coming year, but it doesn’t mean he’ll remain in Minnesota. Charania confirms (via Twitter) that the veteran will be sent to Oklahoma City as part of the Ricky Rubio trade between the Wolves and Thunder. Johnson’s expiring contract was required for salary-matching purposes.

Johnson, 33, played well with the Wolves after being sent to Minnesota in a three-team trade at last season’s deadline, averaging 13.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 3.8 APG on .500/.370/.676 shooting in 14 games (24.1 MPG). Despite that strong finish, he was never going to match his $16MM option salary on the free agent market, so his opt-in comes as no surprise.

It’s not clear yet whether Johnson will remain in Oklahoma City after being acquired by the Thunder, or if his new clubs plans to trade or release him.

Free Agency Notes: Heat, Gibson, Beasley, Millsap

November 19th, 2020 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat president Pat Riley provided a major hint on his free agency plans during his post-draft availability on Wednesday night, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, who tweets that Riley said he hopes to “run this thing back.”

The Heat can essentially go one of two directions this weekend. One direction is renouncing most of their own free agents and opening up cap room to pursue outside FAs. The other is remaining over the cap and making an effort to bring back several of their own free agents, starting with Jae Crowder and Goran Dragic. It sounds like Riley is prepared to take the latter path.

Here’s more on free agency:

Although the Knicks waived Taj Gibson and turned down Bobby Portis‘ option, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) hears that the team still has some mutual interest with both players, who could return on more modest salaries. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News suggests (via Twitter) that the Suns, Clippers, and Warriors are among the other clubs to watch for Gibson.
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said today during an appearance on The Chad Hartman Show in Minnesota that drafting Anthony Edwards doesn’t mean the team doesn’t plan to re-sign Malik Beasley. “We hope that relationship (with Beasley) continues,” Rosas said (Twitter link via Dane Moore of News Talk 830 WCCO). Wolfson (via Twitter) thinks that the Wolves and Beasley could work out a two-year deal.
Paul Millsap plans to weigh his options at the start of free agency and see what kind of market develops before making a decision, tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post. No deal is imminent yet for Millsap, who is expected to receive interest from the Nuggets and Trail Blazers, among others.
Suns GM James Jones said on Wednesday night that his front office will be looking for “Suns fits” in free agency, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes. “I feel really good about our ability to build on the rest of our roster,” Jones said.

Timberwolves Extend Qualifying Offer To Malik Beasley

November 19th, 2020 at 11:26am CST by Arthur Hill

Malik Beasley has received a qualifying offer from the Timberwolves, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The $3,895,424 offer means Beasley will be a restricted free agent and Minnesota can match any offer he receives.

Beasley was extremely effective in 14 games with the Wolves after being acquired from Denver in a four-team trade in February. He moved into the starting lineup and averaged 20.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6% from beyond the arc.

While Beasley figures to be in line for a huge payday, some teams may be reluctant to pursue him because of his recent legal troubles. Beasley faces felony charges of fifth-degree drug possession and threats of violence after being arrested in September and recently had his parental rights challenged.

Wolves’ Bolmaro Expected To Remain Overseas For 2020/21

November 19th, 2020 at 7:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves showed on Wednesday night that they’re high on Argentinian guard Leandro Bolmaro, sending a pair of picks to the Knicks to move up to No. 23 to land him. However, it sounds like Minnesota doesn’t expect Bolmaro to come stateside right away.

John Hollinger of The Athletic indicated in his analysis of the pick that Bolmaro will spend the 2020/21 season with FC Barcelona. A report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo said the same, as Alessandro Maggi of Sportando relays.

Assuming Bolmaro does indeed remain with Barcelona for the time being, that doesn’t come as a real surprise. We heard back in August that the 20-year-old was planning to stick with the Spanish club for the ’20/21 campaign, having just recently signed a new three-year contract with the EuroLeague squad. That deal does include NBA outs, so the Wolves won’t necessarily have to wait until 2023 to bring him to Minnesota.

While Wolves fans likely won’t get a chance to see Bolmaro immediately, their roster should feature at least a couple rookies this season, with No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards and No. 28 pick Jaden McDaniels set to sign their first NBA contracts sometime after the new league year begins this weekend.

Timberwolves Trying To Acquire Ricky Rubio

November 18th, 2020 at 7:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves are talking to the Thunder about a deal to bring Ricky Rubio back to Minnesota, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The Wolves are offering the 17th pick to Oklahoma City in exchange for Rubio and picks No. 25 and 28.

Rubio, who played last season in Phoenix, is part of the trade that will send Chris Paul to the Suns. He has two years and $34.8MM left on his contract. The 30-year-old posted another productive season in 2019/20, averaging 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 65 games.

Minnesota became interested in bringing back Rubio as soon as the trade was announced, sources tell Krawczynski. The Wolves had hoped to pursue Rubio in free agency last summer, but he agreed to a three-year deal with Phoenix.

After learning that he was sent to Oklahoma City, Rubio and his agents at Excel Sports began searching for a deal to a team more likely to be competitive this season. After looking throughout the league and seeing the interest from the Wolves, Rubio became receptive to returning to Minnesota.

He remains close to Wolves head coach Ryan Saunders, who has been looking for another ball-handler to team with D’Angelo Russell. Rubio is also a former teammate of Karl-Anthony Towns, playing with the center during his first two years in the NBA.

Rubio began his career in Minnesota, being selected with the fifth pick in the 2009 draft. He came to the NBA two years later and spent six years with the Wolves before being traded to Utah.

Timberwolves Select Anthony Edwards With No. 1 Pick

November 18th, 2020 at 7:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves have selected Georgia guard Anthony Edwards with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. The selection was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Wolves were on the phone discussing potential trade scenarios right down to the wire, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Ever since Minnesota won the lottery in August, there was a belief that the team preferred to trade down and pick up extra assets, but it seems as if a favorable deal never materialized.

In Edwards, the Wolves will add a shooting guard to a core that features big man Karl-Anthony Towns and point guard D’Angelo Russell.

In his first and only college season, Edwards averaged 19.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.8 APG on .402/.2.94/.772 shooting in 32 games (33.0 MPG) for the Bulldogs.

The Timberwolves have a second first-round pick at No. 17, so it’ll be an eventful night for the team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Warriors, Smart, Wolves, Thunder, Cavs, More

November 18th, 2020 at 6:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors and Celtics had some discussions about a deal that would have involved the No. 2 pick and guard Marcus Smart according to Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com. Sources tell Moore that those talks didn’t ultimately gain traction and aren’t expected to resume after the Celtics rejected a counter-offer from Golden State.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that the Celtics called the Warriors to gauge their interest in moving the No. 2 pick and made Smart available, but talks “didn’t escalate.”

Here’s more on the draft as we prepare for what should be a fun night:

Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) is hearing that the Timberwolves will likely remain at No. 1, barring a “blockbuster” move. However, it sounds like the No. 17 pick is still very much in play. Jeremy Woo of SI.com reports (via Twitter) that the Thunder are exploring a deal for the No. 17 pick.
Isaac Okoro is rising on the Cavaliers‘ board, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who says if Cleveland trades down to No. 8, it would likely hinge on the team’s ability to land Okoro at that spot.
The Clippers are looking to buy a second-round pick and/or trade up from No. 57, league sources tell Scotto.
The Suns could still trade down from No. 10 or use the pick in a deal for a veteran player, but they’re unlikely to move up, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.

Draft Rumors: Hayes, Nesmith, Anthony, Okongwu, Hawks, More

November 18th, 2020 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest mock draft in advance of tonight’s event, Jeremy Woo of SI.com shares several interesting tidbits, writing that Killian Hayes is “strongly in play” for the Pistons at No. 7 and suggesting there’s some concern about Aaron Nesmith‘s injured foot, which ended his season at Vanderbilt.

Woo also hears from sources that Cole Anthony has interviewed in recent days with multiple teams outside the top 20 and that the Celtics and Spurs would be among the teams with interest in Onyeka Okongwu if he slides out of the top 10 due to his foot injury.

Woo reports that there’s “significant traction” for Devin Vassell within the Knicks‘ front office, making him a viable option at No. 8 if the team stays put. Finally, Woo says the Celtics have shown interest in Duke big man Vernon Carey Jr., who could be an option at No. 26 or No. 30.

Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:

The Hawks are currently planning to keep and use the No. 6 pick tonight, a source tells Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). That could change if Atlanta gets a surprise last-minute offer, Wasserman cautions, but for the time being, it sounds as if the team is comfortable staying put.
We still don’t know with any certainty which player the Timberwolves will select with the No. 1 pick tonight, but Georgia guard Anthony Edwards has emerged as the betting favorite at Las Vegas sportsbooks, writes David Purdum of ESPN.com.
While USC big man Onyeka Okongwu may not be ready for training camp due to a foot injury, it sounds like the issue shouldn’t impact his draft stock too significantly. One source who spoke to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) predicted that Okongwu will still likely come off the board before the Wizards pick at No. 9.

Western Notes: Baynes, Saric, Wolves, Nuggets

November 18th, 2020 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple playoff teams are hoping to sign Aron Baynes in free agency, league sources tell Zach Harper of The Athletic. The big man is coming off perhaps his best season as a pro, despite being limited by health issues in the bubble and not getting a chance to contribute to the Suns‘ 8-0 summer run.

While Harper hears that the Suns have plenty of interest in bringing back Baynes, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) predicts that the club will ultimately let Baynes, Frank Kaminsky, and Cheick Diallo walk. Gambadoro’s expectation is that Phoenix will be focusing on re-signing RFA forward Dario Saric to a multiyear deal.

Here’s more from around the West:

The Timberwolves will officially be on the clock to make the No. 1 pick later tonight, assuming they don’t trade it. Chris Hine of The Star Tribune examines the importance of the pick for the franchise, while Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune makes the case for Minnesota drafting Anthony Edwards rather than LaMelo Ball.
The Nuggets won’t be drafting for need tonight, according to president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, who says the club will target the best player available at No. 22. He added that there may not be any minutes available right away for that player. “If you’re a rookie in Denver next year, you’re probably not going to play,” Connelly said, per Alex Labidou of Nuggets.com. “When you do play, every minute, there’s going to be a lot of pressure on those minutes.”
Western Union has renewed its multiyear jersey sponsorship ad agreement with the Nuggets, the team announced today in a press release.

Draft Rumors: Hornets, Ball, Wolves, Cavs, Achiuwa, Hawks, More

November 18th, 2020 at 8:06am CST by Luke Adams

Assuming the Hornets keep the No. 3 pick in tonight’s NBA draft, team owner Michael Jordan has given the “stamp of approval” to select LaMelo Ball, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. James Wiseman has long been considered to be atop Charlotte’s wish list, but if he and Anthony Edwards are the first two players off the board, Ball may be the top prospect available.

O’Connor suggests that “at this stage” it seems as if USC big man Onyeka Okongwu is no longer in serious consideration for the Hornets at No. 3. It’s worth noting that ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on his Hoop Collective podcast that there has been some medical-related chatter on Okongwu recently that could affect his stock, though Windhorst cautioned that may just be a smokescreen from a team with interest in him.

Here are several more rumors worth passing along, as we prepare for what should be an eventful 2020 NBA draft:

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) is hearing that the Timberwolves continue to operate as if they don’t want to pick at No. 1. Sources tell Wasserman that Minnesota is even signaling it could make a pick for another team – such as Wiseman for the Hornets – and try to figure out a deal later.
According to O’Connor, the Cavaliers are interested in potentially trading down a little and still selecting Dayton forward Obi Toppin, who has been linked to them frequently as a potential target at No. 5. O’Connor suggests the Pistons (No. 7) could be one potential trade partner for the Cavs if Detroit wants to move up to secure Florida State’s Patrick Williams.
Sources tell both O’Connor and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic that the Wizards (No. 9) are high on Memphis power forward Precious Achiuwa. Krawczynski says the Suns (No. 10) are “fond of” Achiuwa as well.
Conversations between the Hawks and Timberwolves about a swap that would send the No. 6 pick to Minnesota for No. 17 and Jarrett Culver have stalled, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Atlanta would be open to the idea, but the Wolves have become hesitant about moving Culver unless it helps them land a star, according to Kirschner and Krawczynski. Kirschner adds that talks between the Hawks and teams looking to move up in the draft have “cooled down” as of late.
While the Celtics have explored packaging their three first-round picks (Nos. 14, 26, and 30) to move into the mid-lottery, teams in that range have indicated they’d like to stay there, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.