Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Gobert, Wolves, Ayton, Henderson, Sharpe, SGA

March 9th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert picked up an ill-timed technical for making the “money” sign to officials after fouling out Friday night, but he didn’t back away from his accusation that their calls can be influenced by gambling, according to Joe Vardon and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

The technical, which allowed the Cavaliers to tie a game that they went on to win in overtime, came after Gobert was whistled for his sixth foul with 27.8 seconds remaining. He admitted that his reaction was a mistake, but he believes the reasons behind it are justified.

“Mistakes happen. Referees make mistakes, too,” Gobert said. “But sometimes I think it’s more than mistakes. I think everyone that’s in this league knows. I think it’s got to get better.” After saying he expects to be fined for his comments, Gobert added, “I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way.”

Gobert has a history of being outspoken about officiating throughout his career, the authors note. Speaking to reporters because head coach Chris Finch was ill, assistant Micah Nori called it “unacceptable” to get T’d up in that situation, no matter how strongly Gobert feels about the subject.

“We just have to be smarter,” Nori said. “I think he made a visual or something, it’s kind of automatic. And we all know Rudy. There’s no more professional guy than him. In that moment, for him to do that, obviously he feels awful about it. We just gotta be a little bit better.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Chris Hine of The Star Tribune examines how the Timberwolves can survive without Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s lost for at least four weeks with a torn meniscus. Hine points to Kyle Anderson, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley as players who have to contribute more until Towns returns.
The Trail Blazers welcomed back starting center Deandre Ayton and rookie point guard Scoot Henderson tonight. Ayton had been sidelined since spraining his right hand in a February 27 game, and Henderson hadn’t played since before the All-Star break because of an adductor strain. Coach Chauncey Billups said Henderson will start out under a minutes restriction, but will eventually be reinstated into the starting lineup, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Billups also expressed hope that Shaedon Sharpe can return from core muscle surgery before the end of the season (Twitter link). “This has been tough on him,” Billups said. “He wants to play 82 games. He’s one of those guys. … If he’s healthy, we’d love to have him back. I don’t care how much of the season is left. He’s a guy who needs those reps.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander believes the Thunder have the talent to compete for an NBA title this season, telling ESPN (video link), “I think we’re capable of anything.”

Timberwolves Notes: Edwards, Conley, Towns, More

March 8th, 2024 at 6:33pm CST by Rory Maher

On Thursday in Indianapolis — Minnesota’s first game without injured big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who is undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee — the Timberwolves were led by an incredible performance from Anthony Edwards, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

The fourth-year guard put up 44 points (on 18-of-35 shooting), six rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks and zero turnovers in the two-point victory. He also had a gravity-defying block to seal the game, hitting his head on the rim in the process (Twitter video link via the Wolves).

“I ain’t never jumped that high in my life,” Edwards said.

The 22-year-old wing will be even more vital to Minnesota’s playoff chances with Towns’ return timeline clouded by the surgery.

“We know that’s how he’s wired. He likes that. He wants that. He’s not afraid of that,” head coach Chris Finch said, per Krawczynski. “Then it’s all about making the right plays and making shots along the way. He did both tonight.”

Here’s more on the Wolves:

Veteran point guard Mike Conley tells Hanif Abdurraqib of ESPN that he’s been working with Edwards to improve the 22-year-old’s leadership. “There’s always some challenges,” Conley stresses. “Just due to our age differences, there are some ways I’m not going to relate. Some things that once worked for me aren’t going to work for Ant. And so I’ve had to learn personalities, learn what buttons to press, how to get across to everyone, and how to communicate. Ant has been receptive, he’s been open to improving on the court, and it has been smooth.” Conley also discussed his new two-year extension, the possibility of finishing his career in Minnesota, and the city’s enthusiasm for the team’s success, which reminds him of his time in Memphis.
It appeared as though Towns was finally settling into an ideal role with Minnesota before tearing his meniscus, according to Seerat Sohi of The Ringer, who says the Wolves will have to figure out ways to evolve without their four-time All-Star. Sohi suggests the team will need its wings to defend bigger players than they have been for much of the season, and a more aggressive defensive scheme could be utilized with the 7’0″ forward/center on the shelf.
La Velle E. Neale III of The Star Tribune argues the Wolves will still be successful without Towns — at least for the rest of the regular season — because the former No. 1 pick isn’t among their three most valuable players. Neale says Minnesota’s “true top three” is led by Edwards, Conley, and Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Rudy Gobert.

Karl-Anthony Towns Undergoing Knee Surgery, Out At Least One Month

March 7th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

9:11pm: Towns will undergo surgery to repair his torn left meniscus and will be reevaluated in a month, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, Towns is expected to make his return early in the Western Conference playoffs.

8:18am: Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee and is out indefinitely, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets. Towns has reached out to numerous medical professions regarding the injury over the last 24 hours, Charania adds (Twitter link).

Towns had been listed as out by the team’s PR department (Twitter link) for the team’s Wednesday road game against Indiana tonight due to left knee soreness. The injury has proved to be much more serious.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski paints a somewhat different picture regarding the injury. He indicates that it’s unclear how much, if any, time Towns will be required to miss, as the Timberwolves star forward and the team continue to gather information regarding the extent of the damage (Twitter link).

It’s a stunning blow for a team competing for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves are currently tied with the Thunder at 43-19 with 20 regular season games remaining.

Towns, whose career has been marred by long-term injuries in recent seasons, is averaging 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 60 games this season.

A Grade 3 calf strain limited him to 29 regular season games last season. However, Towns bounced back strongly this season, sitting out only two games to this point.

His production had dipped the past four games, as he failed to reach the 20-point mark in any of those contests. He played only 21 minutes against Portland on Monday, the second game of a back-to-back, and posted only 14 points and four rebounds.

With the trade deadline having passed a month ago, the Timberwolves have limited options to replace him. Backup big Naz Reid could slot into the starting lineup or coach Chris Finch could go with versatile forward Kyle Anderson. The team also signed T.J. Warren to a 10-day contract on Wednesday.

Northwest Notes: McDaniels, KAT, Edwards, Blazers Injuries, Kessler

March 7th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

With Karl-Anthony Towns out indefinitely, the Timberwolves are going to need Jaden McDaniels to step up on the offensive side of the ball in order for Minnesota to reach its potential, Michael Rand of The Star Tribune writes.

For most of the season, the Wolves’ late-game offense consisted of Mike Conley getting Towns and Anthony Edwards in the best positions to succeed offensively. With or without Towns, McDaniels getting more involved could increase the team’s ceiling, Rand writes.

McDaniels is averaging 10.5 points per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 36.0% from deep this season. However, he’s taking roughly the same number of shots per night as Conley and Rudy Gobert, and with the Wolves ranking 26th in offensive rating in fourth quarters, Rand believes McDaniels’ high ceiling holds the key to Minnesota’s improvement.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

There’s no replacement for Towns and his All-Star production, but Conley expressed optimism in the rest of a roster that has helped the Timberwolves post a West-best 43-19 record this season. “We’ve got full confidence in our roster for guys to step up and make plays in his absence,” Conley said, per Alan Horton of Wolves Radio (Twitter link). “We’ve had some experience with this [last season] and we’re gonna have to do it by committee, there’s no way to take up what he does with just one guy.“
In their first game after the Towns injury news, the Timberwolves defeated the Pacers 113-111 behind 44 points from Anthony Edwards. Edwards exited for the locker room with a foot injury (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski), but returned to propel Minnesota to the win with 16 points and a big game-sealing block in the fourth quarter.
The Trail Blazers are dealing with a plethora of injuries to key players as the season winds on, with Malcolm Brogdon (elbow, out since Feb. 2), Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal, out since Jan. 11) and Scoot Henderson (thigh, out since Feb. 15) among them. Head coach Chauncey Billups provided updates on that trio, according to Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin (Twitter link). Brogdon is doing more work but is still experiencing discomfort in his elbow while Sharpe has begun light shooting. Henderson is further along and could be back this weekend (Twitter link).
Jazz center Walker Kessler, who hasn’t played since Feb. 27, was a full participant in practice on Thursday, according to The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen (Twitter link). While there isn’t definite news for his status in Utah’s Saturday game against Denver, it’s a step in the right direction, Larsen adds. In 51 games (17 starts) this season, Kessler is averaging 8.5 points and 7.4 rebounds.

Timberwolves Sign T.J. Warren To 10-Day Contract

March 6th, 2024 at 1:05pm CST by Tristan Tucker

MARCH 6: Warren has officially signed his 10-day deal with the Timberwolves, according to a press release from the team. It will run through next Friday, March 15, covering Minnesota’s next four games.

MARCH 2: The Timberwolves are going to sign forward T.J. Warren to a 10-day contract, pending a physical exam early this week, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Warren hasn’t played in a game this season but according to Charania, the Wolves have monitored him throughout the year.

Minnesota has been targeting wing depth, per The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski (Twitter link), which is why the team landed on Warren. Majority owner Glen Taylor told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and Skor North (Twitter video link) earlier this week that a small forward was the Wolves’ greatest area of need.

Warren has averaged 14.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game for his career while shooting 50.6% from the floor and 35.4% from beyond the arc. He had a strong start to his career after being drafted with the 14th overall pick in 2014, averaging 15.5 points per night in his first seven seasons.

The N.C. State alum was a major part of the Pacers’ 2019/20 playoff squad, averaging 19.8 PPG. That year featured a memorable stretch for Warren, who averaged 31.0 points and shot 52.4% from three in the 2020 NBA bubble, including a 53-point outing.

However, a foot injury limited Warren to just four games over the following two seasons, derailing his career. He signed with the Nets ahead of ’22/23 before being traded to Phoenix at the deadline. In 42 games between Brooklyn and Phoenix last season, Warren averaged 7.5 points.

Justin Jackson‘s 10-day deal expires tomorrow, so the Wolves are presumably replacing Jackson with Warren. Minnesota will still have an open standard roster spot once Jackson’s deal expires and Warren’s deal is finalized, though the team doesn’t have a ton of breathing room below the luxury tax line and may prefer to delay signing anyone to a rest-of-season contract.

NBA Teams That Still Have Open Roster Spots

March 6th, 2024 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As we detailed on Tuesday, 17 players that had been on two-way contracts received promotions to standard deals between last month’s trade deadline and Monday’s two-way signing deadline.

However, even though those 17 players filled standard roster spots around the NBA and no team currently has an open two-way slot, there are still several openings on 15-man rosters across the league.

[RELATED: 2023/24 NBA Roster Counts]

Here’s a rundown of the teams that still have at least one standard roster spot available, along with some brief observations on how they might fill those openings:

Teams with two open roster spots

Minnesota Timberwolves
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers

Teams are permitted to dip below 14 players on standard contracts for up to 14 days at a time. Currently, there are three teams taking advantage of that rule: the Timberwolves, Knicks, and Sixers.

There’s no real urgency for any of these clubs to sign a player in the short term — Philadelphia doesn’t have to re-add a 14th man until March 15, while New York’s and Minnesota’s deadlines are March 16 and 17, respectively.

Still, I’m not sure any of the three will wait that long to make a move. The Sixers and Knicks have a crowded injury list and could use some additional depth, while the Timberwolves have already reportedly reached an agreement on a 10-day deal with T.J. Warren — it just hasn’t been officially finalized yet.

[Note: Warren officially signed with the Wolves shortly after the publication of this story.]

Philadelphia could still use another frontcourt body with Joel Embiid on the shelf. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Taj Gibson eventually makes his way back to the Knicks, though he’s under contract with Detroit for the next 10 days. Marcus Morris was linked to Minnesota last month, though it remains unclear whether a union for the two sides remains in play.

Teams with one open roster spot

Boston Celtics
Detroit Pistons
- Note: The Pistons’ 14th man (Gibson) is on a 10-day contract.
Golden State Warriors
Phoenix Suns
Utah Jazz

There’s no timeline for any of these teams to fill their 15th open roster spot. I’d expect the Pistons and Jazz to be a little more proactive about making a move though, since they’re both well below the luxury tax line and could potentially benefit from taking a look at some young players on 10-day deals for developmental purposes down the stretch.

The Celtics, Warriors, and Suns are all well above the tax threshold and aren’t in desperate need for depth pieces at the moment, so they’ll probably be patient when it comes to adding a 15th man.

Neemias Queta (Celtics) and Saben Lee (Suns) are candidates to be promoted from two-way contracts near the end of the season. The Warriors already elevated their most obvious candidate for a promotion (Lester Quinones), so it’s unclear what they may have in mind for their final roster move. Given how deep they are, it’s unlikely anyone the Dubs add would play at all in the postseason.

Teams whose 15th man is on a 10-day contract

Cleveland Cavaliers
New Orleans Pelicans
Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards

The Cavaliers will open up a roster spot on Thursday when Sharife Cooper‘s 10-day contract expires. The Wizards (R.J. Hampton) and Pelicans (Izaiah Brockington) will follow suit next Wednesday, with the Raptors (Jahmi’us Ramsey) opening up their 15th roster spot next Thursday.

Each of those four players would be eligible for a second 10-day deal with his respective team. However, all four clubs seem to be rotating players in and out of that slot, so it’s possible that the Cavs, Pelicans, Raptors, and Wizards all finish the season with a different 15th man.

Toronto and Washington won’t make the playoffs and will likely eventually settle on a prospect who can be signed to a team-friendly multiyear contract. The Cavs and Pelicans could ultimately go the same route, though they’ll want to fully scour the buyout market in case there’s a veteran who could help in the postseason.

Timberwolves Notes: Edwards, Sale Process, Anderson

March 5th, 2024 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves got off to an inauspicious start on Monday night vs. Portland, as star guard Anthony Edwards didn’t report to the court on time for the opening tip. According to reports from Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune and ESPN, Edwards – who does resistance band work outside the team locker room before each game – said he lost track of the time.

The Timberwolves were hit with a delay of game violation as Nickeil Alexander-Walker ended up starting in Edwards’ place and playing the first 35 seconds before the All-Star checked in.

“Sixth Man of the Year,” Edwards joked after the game, per Zgoda.

As Zgoda details, the Wolves weren’t exactly firing on all cylinders for much of the night against a Trail Blazers team missing several key players due to injuries, but they did just enough to come away with a five-point win, avoiding a third consecutive loss. Rudy Gobert led the way with 25 points and 16 rebounds on a near-perfect shooting night. He went 9-of-10 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the foul line.

Here’s more on the Wolves:

Following up on a pair of tweets over the weekend discussing the situation, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic takes a more in-depth look at the Timberwolves’ unconventional sale process, which remains on track to be finalized in the coming weeks. As Krawczynski explains, the incoming group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez already controls 40% of the franchise and exercised its option in late December to purchase another 40%. That option pick-up opened a 90-day window to complete the transaction, so it should be completed by the end of March. Longtime team owner Glen Taylor will retain 20% of the franchise even after Lore and Rodiguez assume majority control.
There have been some questions throughout the process about whether Lore and Rodriguez have the money to complete their purchase of the Wolves, but sources tell Krawczynski that “everything is in order.” The new ownership group, which recruited some minority investors along the way to help with financing, will have to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors as majority stakeholders.
Second play-maker Kyle Anderson got off to a slow start in his second season in Minnesota, but has looked more comfortable as of late, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Anderson has three assists or more in 14 straight games, the longest streak of his career, and has shot 50.0% from the field during that time, bumping his season-long mark to 46.9%. “He understands that he needs to be a play-maker for us at all costs. He’s a guy we can trust with the ball, a guy who makes the right decisions whether it’s scoring the ball, posting up or finding guys in the right spots,” teammate Mike Conley said of Anderson. “Defensively he’s a guy who can switch onto different guys, guard other guys and give Jaden (McDaniels) a break, give Ant a break. He has been those things so far. He’s just confident in that role.”
In a separate story for The Star Tribune, Hine says there’s not a specific playoff matchup that Minnesota fears, since the Wolves believe they’re capable of beating any team in the West if both clubs are playing their best basketball.

Northwest Notes: Knox, J. Williams, Wolves, McDaniels

March 2nd, 2024 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent forward Kevin Knox has returned to the G League, having reported back to the Rip City Remix, according to a tweet from the Trail Blazers‘ G League affiliate.

Knox was with the Remix in the fall, but signed with the Pistons in early November and was in the NBA for three months before being sent to Utah at February’s trade deadline. The Jazz immediately waived him, and with no NBA opportunities immediately presenting themselves, the former No. 9 overall pick eventually decide to head back to the G League.

Knox racked up 26 points and 11 rebounds and was a +23 in a 15-point victory over Iowa in his return to Rip City on Friday. A few more performances like that could help earn him another shot at the NBA level. For what it’s worth, since he was waived before March 1, he’ll be playoff-eligible if he signs a rest-of-season contract with an NBA club.

Here are a few more notes from around the Northwest:

Thunder center Jaylin Williams has been diagnosed with a sprained left knee, head coach Mark Daigneault said on Friday (Twitter link via Rylan Stiles of Locked on Thunder). There’s no word yet on the severity of the sprain, but it’s often a week-to-week injury, so one of the team’s recent frontcourt additions – Bismack Biyombo and Mike Muscala – may get an opportunity to claim a rotation role.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter links) clarifies that incoming Timberwolves owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have until the end of March to make their final payment to assume majority control of the franchise. Sources close to the Lore/Rodriguez group say they remain on track to make that payment, per Krawczynski. Current majority owner Glen Taylor said in a recent conversation with Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News that he was told Lore and Rodriguez planned to close the sale at the end of February, which didn’t happen. However, it doesn’t sound like the new ownership group has missed any deadlines.
Chris Hine of The Star Tribune explores Jaden McDaniels‘ importance to the Timberwolves and notes that the club will need an “even-keeled” version of the young forward in order to reach its ceiling. McDaniels memorably broke his hand when he punched a wall on the final day of the 2022/23 regular season and missed Minnesota’s play-in loss.

Wolves Notes: Edwards, Anderson, Finances, Sale Date

February 29th, 2024 at 10:11am CST by Arthur Hill

After Anthony Edwards helped the Timberwolves beat Memphis by shutting down Jaren Jackson Jr. on Wednesday night, he told reporters he deserves a spot on the All-Defensive Team, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Jackson had 29 points midway through the third quarter when Edwards volunteered to guard him, even though he’s about six inches shorter than his World Cup teammate from last summer. Jackson was limited to four points the rest of the way as Minnesota rallied for the victory.

“They just got to watch the games because this is not my first time doing this,” Edwards said, referring to media members who will vote for All-Defensive honors. “I have nights like this all the time where somebody gets hot, their best player gets hot and I go shut ’em down the rest of the game.”

Edwards also sparked the offense with 17 points in the third quarter, Hine adds, bringing some energy on a night when the Wolves were mostly lifeless in a matchup with a sub-.500 team. Edwards, who played nearly 40 minutes despite turning his ankle in Tuesday’s game, said every victory is important to him.

“I come from winning 20 games my rookie year, so I don’t care how we win,” he said. “… If we win the game, I’m happy. I have nothing bad to say.”

There’s more from Minnesota:

Kyle Anderson sat out Wednesday’s contest with a sprained left knee, but coach Chris Finch is optimistic that it won’t be a long-term concern, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “I don’t know. It’s, I would say, more day to day,” Finch said. “I don’t think it’s super long, but you never know how these things respond over 48 hours.”
Success will be expensive for the Wolves, who are facing heavy tax bills and second-apron restrictions if they keep the current roster together, Keith Smith of Spotrac states in an overview of the team’s finances. They currently have nine players under contract for next season at a combined $183.7MM. Filling out the roster with five minimum-salary signings brings the total to $189.5MM, which is right at the second apron and $18.2MM above the tax line. If free agents Anderson and Monte Morris both re-sign for $10MM per season, Smith adds, the team salary will balloon past $207MM, which is higher than the Warriors or Clippers. Smith notes that the payroll will get even more expensive if Edwards receives All-NBA honors, which would increase of the first year of his new extension from 25% to 30% of the cap max, bumping it from $35.25MM to $42.3MM.
Owner Glen Taylor tells Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link) that the sale of the franchise to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez won’t be finalized today, which was originally the target date. Taylor said a new closing date will be set.

Devin Booker Expected To Play For Team USA In Olympics

February 28th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Rory Maher

After previously reporting that Jrue Holiday, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum are considered locks to be part of Team USA’s roster for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, at least as long as they remain healthy and interested, Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic have added a seventh player to that list: Suns star Devin Booker.

Booker, Holiday, Durant and Tatum were on the roster when the Americans won the gold medal in Tokyo in 2021.

USA Basketball isn’t expected to make a formal announcement about the roster until late April or early May, according to Charania and Vardon. Embiid is currently recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus, but sources tell The Athletic he remains committed to playing.

Four other players are considered “strong candidates” to join Team USA’s roster this summer as well, sources tell Charania and Vardon. That group features Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Heat center Bam Adebayo and Lakers center Anthony Davis. During All-Star weekend, both Haliburton and Davis said they’d play if they were invited.

Adebayo was another member of the roster that won gold a few years ago.

If all four players make the cut, 11 spots on the 12-man roster would be filled, though a lot can happen between now and the beginning of July, when Team USA will hold its training camp before the Olympics open later that month.