Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Chiozza, Haliburton, Edwards, Team USA, Olympics

November 1st, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA point guard Chris Chiozza will continue his playing career in Spain, having signed with Baskonia through the end of the 2023/24 season, according to a press release from the team.

Chiozza appeared in 91 total regular season games for the Rockets, Wizards, Nets, and Warriors between 2018-22. After seeing NBA action in four straight seasons, he was waived by Brooklyn last October and wasn’t in the league in 2022/23.

However, Chiozza thrived for the Long Island Nets in the G League last season, averaging 12.6 points and 9.1 assists in 34.1 minutes per game across 46 total regular season and Showcase Cup contests, with a .433/.404/.729 shooting line. The performance earned him a spot on the All-NBAGL Third Team — but not another NBA opportunity this fall.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Speaking to Joe Vardon of The Athletic about his experience competing in the FIBA World Cup this summer, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said that he and Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards were “recruiting each other” during their team with Team USA and that they both believe they’re deserving of spots on the U.S. roster for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Team USA has secured Olympic berths in both men’s and women’s 3-on-3 basketball, making the U.S. the first national basketball federation to earn spots in Paris in all four basketball competitions (men’s and women’s 5-on-5 and 3-on-3), per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Former NBA lottery pick Jimmer Fredette is expected to be part of Team USA’s 3-on-3 roster at the 2024 Olympics. “People are starting to understand a little bit about 3-on-3, what it is, and as they do, they’re like, ‘Oh, this is kind of a cool sport,'” Fredette said. “We’ve been trying to raise awareness, build a program and become the best in the world at it. We’re headed that direction, but we’re not there yet.”
The fact that James Harden ultimately got the trade he sought to his preferred destination in Los Angeles is proof that player empowerment remains very much alive in the NBA, Vincent Goodwill writes in a column for Yahoo Sports.

Gobert: We Can Be Premier Defense

October 30th, 2023 at 5:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, no stranger to Defensive Player of the Year trophies, says he feels stronger than ever and believes that with the athletes around him, Minnesota can have the best defense in the league, per Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “We have size. We have guys that can move their feet. We have guys that are dogs, competitors,” Gobert said. “Those three things, you put them together, why wouldn’t you want us to be the best defensive team in the league with all those weapons?”
Jaden McDaniels will make his debut against Atlanta tonight, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. The Timberwolves forward has been dealing with a left calf injury. He signed a five-year rookie scale extension a week ago.

And-Ones: Resting Stars, Flagg, Doncic, Rookie Scale Extensions

October 30th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA enacted a new player participation policy during the summer, but it hasn’t been effective in keeping stars on the court during the first week of the season, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Many of the league’s top players have already sat out games, either for rest purposes or minor injuries.

Vardon points to Sixers center Joel Embiid, who was nearly rested for the team’s home opener on Sunday. It was only the third game of the season, but Embiid played 35 minutes Saturday at Toronto, so coach Nick Nurse considered giving him the night off. Because it was a back-to-back situation, that wouldn’t have violated the new policy.

“There’s nothing injury-wise. We just played last night, traveled and all that stuff,” Nurse explained.

NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars has talked about wanting to re-establish the culture of an 82-game season, but Vardon notes that James Harden, Jimmy Butler, Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell are among the players who have already missed games.

However, the policy is at least making teams think twice about keeping their best players out of action. Nurse admits it factored into his decision making when he opted to play Embiid on Sunday, and a source tells Vardon that the Heat checked with the league office before resting Butler in Saturday’s game.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Cooper Flagg, who is expected to be the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft, has announced that he will play college basketball at Duke, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN. The 16-year-old high school star revealed his choice in a commitment video, choosing the Blue Devils over Connecticut. Flagg opted to reclassify in August and will head to college next fall. “After I got on campus, I really started to envision myself in Durham,” Flagg said in his video. “All the love I felt made me really excited, seeing all the Crazies and the atmosphere in Cameron. I’m honored that I have the opportunity to join the Brotherhood.”
NBA executives chose Mavericks guard Luka Doncic as the league’s best player under 25 years old, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Doncic narrowly edged Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama for the honor, with one executive calling him “an elite offense all by himself.” Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley rounded out the top five.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report grades this year’s rookie scale extensions, which had to be finalized by last Monday, based on their benefit to both the players and their teams.

Naz Reid: I Love It In Minnesota

October 29th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves big man Naz Reid, who scored 25 points in 28 minutes in Saturday’s win over Miami, said that he never seriously considered the idea of leaving Minnesota as he neared free agency this summer, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Reid ultimately agreed to a three-year, $42MM extension just days before free agency began. “I wasn’t going anywhere. I love it here, man. It’s special,” Reid said. “It’s definitely a place I want to be and develop. I’ve developed from year one to now. Each and every year, I’ve gotten better, so there was definitely no reason for me to leave, you know?”

Rudy Gobert Says He's In Great Shape For New Season

October 28th, 2023 at 7:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rudy Gobert claims to be in the best shape of his career as he enters his second season with the Timberwolves, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Wolves Notes: Expectations, Payroll, Edwards, Towns, McDaniels

October 28th, 2023 at 9:21am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Timberwolves are setting a higher bar for their success as they enter their 35th season in the league, with team president Tim Connelly expressing his desire to win a playoff series in front of reporters at media day earlier this month, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.

After pushing in all their chips for Rudy Gobert last season, the Wolves faced several bumps in the road, including an injury to Karl-Anthony Towns, struggles by their stars to adapt, and not being able to close out teams with losing records. Still, the Wolves ran it back and are looking to improve on a 42-40 season.

“We like what we have. We’re bringing back pretty much the entire rotation. And we love our coaching staff,” Connelly said. “We love our core pieces and, fingers crossed, that the optimism is well placed.”

The Wolves committed to their core, signing Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels to contract extensions and returning the top six players from their playoff rotation. As Krawczynski writes, there’s pressure for the Wolves to win now with a suddenly expensive and aging roster. Gobert and Towns will make $93MM next season, Edwards’ salary jumps from $13.5MM to, at minimum, $35.5MM, among other spikes in salary and Mike Conley‘s impending free agency.

“There’s been a very loud mandate and risen bar about how we handle ourselves,” Connelly said. “It’s 82 games. There’s no BCS. We can’t take nights off. There were way too many nights last year when we just didn’t show up. But then against the elite teams, we showed what we’re capable of.”

We have more from the Timberwolves:

Following the contract extensions the team completed this offseason, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune took a deeper look into Minnesota’s finances. As Hine explains, Edwards’ success will play a major role in the Timberwolves’ spending power looking forward because he can make up to $42.6MM if he makes an All-NBA team this season. Both Krawczynski and Hine note the Wolves are trending toward the second tax apron and that’s why there’s some speculation that the club might try and part with one of its large salaries by splitting it into multiple more palatable contracts, though that’s an issue for further down the road.
Everything the Wolves have said and done indicates they view Edwards as their No. 1 franchise piece, Hine writes in a separate piece. “Pretty much every decision we’re going to make moving forward is going to be with Ant paramount,” Connelly said in April. However, there’s still room for Towns to have a profound impact on this franchise’s future and this season will go a long way in determining the upside of the Towns and Edwards duo, Hine explains.
McDaniels is being listed as doubtful for the Wolves’ Saturday game against the Heat, according to the team (Twitter link). He’s dealing with a left calf strain.

And-Ones: Extensions, Breakouts, B. Smith, Defenders

October 27th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Rory Maher

2023 set a record for rookie scale extensions, with 14 contracts signed before the October 23 deadline. Typically, rookie scale extensions go almost exclusively to stars or at least starters, but that wasn’t the case this year.

John Hollinger of The Athletic classifies it as a “middle-class revolution” with six players signing at or below the projected 2024/25 mid-level exception, and a couple others receiving slightly more than that. Several of those players come off the bench for their respective clubs.

As Hollinger writes, there are several reasons why both teams and players may have been motivated to reach new deals. For players, avoiding restricted free agency was surely a factor — Magic guard Cole Anthony and Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu recently said that was the case for them.

For teams, a salary cap that is projected to rise substantially in the coming years will help “water down” some of the contracts. Mid-sized contracts are also very useful for trade purposes, Hollinger observes, with free agency limitations likely a major consideration for the Celtics (Payton Pritchard) and Nuggets (Zeke Nnaji) due to their payrolls (both project to be over the second apron in ’24/25).

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In another article for The Athletic, Hollinger lists 12 players he believes are primed for breakout seasons in 2023/24, with some fairly obvious choices and some under-the-radar picks as well. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes and Hornets center Mark Williams are five of the players Hollinger thinks will see “big upticks in production.”
Former Cavaliers forward Bingo Smith has passed away at age 77, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Smith played 10 season for Cleveland from 1970-80. Smith is still sixth in franchise history in points and fourth in games played, among other statistical marks. His No. 7 jersey hangs in the rafters as one of only seven players to have their number retired, Withers adds. “Bingo was always a giving teammate and one of the most fierce competitors I ever played with,” said former Cavs star and current broadcaster Austin Carr. “This is truly a sad moment in our franchise history and my heart goes out to his family.”
Jon Krawczynski and Josh Robbins of The Athletic ran an anonymous poll to see which players coaches identify as the best defenders in the NBA. Celtics guard Jrue Holiday was the only unanimous choice for first-team All-Defense, receiving all 12 votes. The remaining spots were filled by Jaren Jackson Jr. (forward), Brook Lopez (center), Alex Caruso (guard), OG Anunoby, and Draymond Green (the latter two tied for the second forward spot). Holiday was also third in the survey’s Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Jackson and Lopez, who finished first and second for the actual award last season. Evan Mobley, who was third in DPOY media voting last season and named first-team All-Defense, finished sixth in DPOY voting in The Athletic’s coaches poll and was second-team All-Defense.

Wolves Exercise 2024/25 Team Option On Wendell Moore Jr.

October 27th, 2023 at 5:23pm CST by Rory Maher

The Timberwolves have picked up their third-year team option on second-year wing Wendell Moore Jr., the team announced in a press release.

Moore, the 26th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Duke, will now have a guaranteed $2,537,040 salary in 2024/25. The Wolves will have until the end of October 2024 to decide if they want to pick up their fourth-year team option on Moore’s rookie scale contract for ’25/26.

The 22-year-old only appeared in 153 regular season minutes over 29 NBA games (5.3 MPG) as a rookie in ’22/23. He was not in Minnesota’s rotation for the team’s season opener on Wednesday.

Moore did receive some run in the G League for the Iowa Wolves last season, appearing in 13 total games (31.1 MPG) during the Showcase Cup and regular season. He averaged 18.8 PPG, 4.7 APG and 4.6 RPG on .451/.370/.793 shooting in those appearances.

Many teams have already made decisions on 2024/25 rookie scale team options this fall, with the deadline set for next Tuesday, October 31. However, some decisions are still outstanding. The full list can be found right here.

Northwest Notes: McDaniels, Simons, Henderson, Jazz

October 25th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels‘ five-year, $131MM+ extension features an ascending structure, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). McDaniels will make $22,586,207 in 2024/25, when the extension begins, and his salary will rise to $29,813,790 by ’27/28, the final season of the deal.

McDaniels’ extension also features a total of $5MM in bonuses that are currently considered unlikely. Those incentives are tied to making one of the two All-Defensive teams or winning Defensive Player of the Year, according to Marks.

As Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes, McDaniels celebrated his new contract by eating a “whole basket” of breadsticks at Olive Garden.

“I was just super excited and just happy that it was able to get done,” McDaniels said. “I just thank (president of basketball operations) Tim (Connelly) and all the owners for the opportunity and believing in me. It’s a life-changing thing. It’s hit me, but it hasn’t hit me all the way yet. I’m just excited to be able to stay here longer and continue to play as a Timberwolf.”

Unfortunately, McDaniels will miss Minnesota’s season opener on Wednesday in Toronto due to a left calf strain suffered in preseason, the Wolves announced in a press release. The 23-year-old is considered day-to-day with the injury.

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

Anfernee Simons now has an esteemed spot in the Trail Blazers‘ locker room and it’s a position he doesn’t take for granted, he tells Jason Quick of The Athletic, who profiles the young guard’s journey to reach this point. “I don’t want to think too much about it, but at the same time, I have a sense for what it means,” Simons said. “Now I’m up in that pecking order, so there is a sense of confidence that comes with that.” Simons has taken on the challenge of becoming a better and more consistent defender in 2023/24, Quick writes.
Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in June’s draft, has made an immediate impact on the Trail Blazers, and he has lofty goals for the future, according to Quick of The Athletic. “I’m on a different mission than anybody else,” Henderson said. “My mission is to create something huge here. Create something really special with the talent here, and the talent that hopefully stays, especially with the young group we have with Anfernee. I’m trying to build something special here.”
Oddsmakers have only given the Jazz a projected win total of 35.5 games this season, though 55.5% of our readers took the over on that figure. What will it take for them to reach the postseason? Tony Jones of The Athletic explores that topic, listing four things to watch for Utah to achieve that goal, including the emergence of a reliable point guard.
In a pair of similar articles for The Deseret News, Sarah Todd writes that 2023/24 should be viewed as a failure if the Jazz don’t at least make the play-in tournament. All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen has made it clear that he wants to reach the playoffs for the first time in his career, and CEO Danny Ainge is on board with that goal, according to Todd. “We want to be in the playoffs,” Ainge said on Tuesday. “Let’s get there. I want to be in the playoffs too, Lauri. Let’s go.”

Sixers Rumors: Embiid, Knicks, Harden, Morey, Smart

October 24th, 2023 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams around the NBA are paying close attention to how James Harden‘s stalemate with the Sixers gets resolved, since failing to extract a fair return for the former MVP could adversely affect the franchise’s relationship with its other former MVP, Joel Embiid. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer details (subscription required), the division-rival Knicks are one team keeping an eye on the situation in Philadelphia.

Sources tell Pompey that acquiring Embiid would be the top priority for Knicks president Leon Rose if the star center becomes available and that New York would be willing to offer three of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and Evan Fournier, along with two or three first-round picks.

Pompey himself acknowledges that the Sixers would likely get stronger offers than that for Embiid and wouldn’t want to trade him to another Atlantic team anyway. It’s a moot point for now, since there’s no indication Embiid will be available for trade anytime soon.

Still, Pompey stresses that the way the 76ers settle the Harden standoff could have a ripple effect on their superstar center, and the Knicks aren’t the only team monitoring the situation to see what happens. Meanwhile, sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Post that Embiid is one of at least three potential star trade targets the Knicks are surveilling, along with Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

As of Monday afternoon, it remained unclear “when and if” Harden plans to return to Philadelphia, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today (Twitter video link). “The organization has taken him at his word that he’s away on a personal matter, that there is something he has to attend to,” Wojnarowski said. “But how long will they do that is certainly a question.”
Wojnarowski suggests that if Harden still hasn’t reported back to the team by its regular season opener on Thursday, it’s possible the 76ers will seek ” more clarity and a timetable” for his return. They’d would be within their rights to fine him $390K for each missed game if they’re not satisfied with his answer, Woj adds.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said on Monday that he has been in touch with Harden during his absence, Pompey writes for The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I did reach out to him the other day … just to text like I would with anybody,” Nurse said. “See how he’s doing. See if he’s all right. He did text me back.” Nurse added that he didn’t get into the specifics of Harden’s potential return during his text exchange with the guard, since he “was just making sure he’s OK.”
Some people around the league who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com don’t envy the spot the Sixers and Daryl Morey are in with Harden. One front office source speculated that Morey is “not going to survive this.” Another source who has been in contact with the Clippers and other teams told Bulpett, “Daryl’s trying to steal people in trades, and nobody’s going for it. First thing, Harden’s not the same guy he was three or four years ago, so his market’s not that great. And Morey’s trying to get so much, but he’s not going to get it.”
Javonte Smart, who had his Exhibit 10 contract converted to a two-way deal over the weekend, spoke to reporters on Monday about getting a regular season opportunity with the team (Twitter video link via Pompey). Smart indicated that if the Sixers want him to play primarily with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League, he’ll view that as a chance to get regular playing time and to “get better.”