Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

COVID Updates: Josh Green, Ziaire Williams, Okogie, Morant, Carlisle

December 19th, 2021 at 3:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks second-year wing Josh Green has entered the league’s health and safety protocols, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Green, the 18th overall pick of the 2020 draft, hasn’t seen much action so far this season, appearing in 17 games for a total of 125 minutes (7.4 MPG). He’s averaging 2.4 PPG and 1.5 RPG.

Rookie Ziaire Williams has entered the protocols for the Grizzlies, writes Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Williams, the 10th overall pick of the 2021 draft, has also been dealing with an ankle sprain that has sidelined him for the past six games. Through 19 games (17.8 MPG), the 20-year-old is averaging 4.7 PPG and 1.5 RPG.

Timberwolves wing Josh Okogie has entered the protocols as well, the team announced (via Twitter). In 20 contests this season (13.9 MPG), Okogie is averaging 2.6 PPG and 2.2 RPG.

If the three players tested positive, they will need to isolate for at least 10 days or until they return two consecutive negative PCR tests a minimum of 24 hours apart.

Here are a couple more COVID-19 related updates:

Grizzlies star Ja Morant has exited the health and safety protocols, Barnes writes in a separate piece. Memphis is taking a “wait and see” approach with its star point guard, as he’s still dealing with a knee sprain suffered in late November. However, Morant is back with the team and will likely be on the bench tonight against Portland, Barnes tweets. The Grizzlies have surprisingly gone 10-1 without Morant and currently hold the fourth seed in the West with a 19-11 record.
Head coach Rick Carlisle is back with the Pacers after exiting the health and safety protocols, according to James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter). Carlisle led Indiana’s practice Sunday and is expected to coach the team Tuesday at Miami, Boyd relays.

Wolves Could Use Myles Turner?

December 19th, 2021 at 2:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves need another big man next to Karl-Anthony Towns and should be aggressive about pursuing Pacers center Myles Turner, contends La Velle E. Neal III of The Star-Tribune.

Windhorst’s Latest: Pacers, LeVert, Blazers, Simmons, Fox

December 17th, 2021 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Based on the whispers he has heard around the league, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst views Caris LeVert and Myles Turner as more likely trade candidates for the Pacers than Domantas Sabonis, he said on the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast. Although Sabonis has frequently been mentioned alongside LeVert and Turner in reports on Indiana’s potential trade chips, Windhorst hasn’t heard much chatter about the All-Star center.

During Friday’s episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst spoke at length to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon about the report on the Mavericks that MacMahon published earlier this week, which included details on how the relationship between Luka Doncic and Rick Carlisle became frayed. Interestingly, Windhorst suggested that LeVert could perhaps relate to Doncic, stating that the Pacers swingman and Carlisle have not had the “greatest partnership” so far this season.

Here are a few more interesting tidbits shared by Windhorst during his podcast:

Windhorst heard from one executive who said that the Trail Blazers, since their front office shakeup, have created the impression they’re willing to listen to inquiries on anyone except Damian Lillard.
According to Windhorst, there are multiple execs around the NBA who believe that when the Sixers eventually trade Ben Simmons, at least one of the Kings, Timberwolves, and/or Rockets will be involved, either as Simmons’ destination or as a third team in the deal. As Windhorst explains, those three teams’ front offices are run by executives who previously worked with Daryl Morey.
Although reports earlier this year suggested that De’Aaron Fox was expected to be off-limits in any Kings trade talks, MacMahon has gotten the sense that the point guard is no longer considered untouchable. According to Windhorst, Fox came to camp this fall 15 pounds heavier than he was when the season ended last spring.

Wolves’ Edwards, Prince Placed In Health And Safety Protocols

December 17th, 2021 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The Wolves have confirmed Wojnarowski’s report and added that Taurean Prince has also been placed in the protocols (Twitter link).

Edwards played nearly 34 minutes for the Wolves in Denver on Wednesday night, scoring 38 points on 14-of-21 shooting. Prince hasn’t played in either of Minnesota’s last two games.

If Edwards and Prince tested positive for COVID-19, they’ll be out for the next 10 days or until they record two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. The team figures to test the rest of its roster now, so it’s possible more players could enter the protocols in the coming days.

Half of the league’s 30 teams now have at least one player in the health and safety protocols. The Wolves are the ninth team with multiple players in the protocols.

Wolves Notes: Nowell, Edwards, Towns

December 16th, 2021 at 5:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves guard Jaylen Nowell has been out of the rotation for most of the season, but has appeared in the last there games and logged a season-high 15 minutes last Friday. Nowell is hoping that he can carve out a more regular role, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes. The stakes are particularly high for the 22-year-old, whose 2021/22 salary still isn’t fully guaranteed.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at the chemistry that’s developing between the Timberwolves‘ two young franchise cornerstones, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. “If me and KAT just lock in here with each other, I feel like we will win so many more games,” Edwards said of his star teammate. “… He dominates, man. He can shoot, he can drive, he can pass, he can do everything. So playing with him makes my game a lot easier.”

Timberwolves Notes: Russell, Edwards, Rubio, Starters

December 15th, 2021 at 5:53pm CST by Rory Maher

Point guard D’Angelo Russell may be having a down year shooting the ball (.383/.330/.817), but he’s proven to be an essential player for the Timberwolves, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Krawczynski argues that Russell might be the team’s most important player this season due to his unexpected two-way impact — he’s defending with gusto for the first time in his career — and the lack of other play-makers on the roster.

Krawczynski relays that the 12-15 Wolves, currently the No. 9 seed in the West, are 0-5 without Russell this season — each defeat by double figures. They are a respectable 12-10 when he plays. He writes that Russell’s willingness to shoot creates space for teammates, and his presence on defense has been a boon. Head coach Chris Finch praised Russell’s communication when playing zone defense.

“He’s smart, knows where he should be, knows where his teammates should be, so yes, for sure, he can anchor the defense with his voice,” Finch said. “Certainly gives confidence to those guys that they know what’s behind them.”

Here’s more from Minnesota:

Second-year wing Anthony Edwards has been in a slump recently, but Finch isn’t alarmed by his drop in efficiency, per Chris Hine of the Star Tribune. “He’s just kind of overthinking things,” Finch said. “And as he works through that he’ll come out the other side better and in a better rhythm. I’ve seen it a million times with a lot of guys, and it’s just part of the process. Teams go through it, players go through it.”
Although he was upset when it occurred, Ricky Rubio acknowledges that his trade from Minnesota to Cleveland over the summer was for the best, Hine writes in a separate article. “Things didn’t work out for a year over there (Minnesota), so I think we were looking for a change, both of us, at the end of the day,” Rubio said. “It’s something that happened in a way that I didn’t expect, but this is the business that we’re in.”
In another piece for the Star Tribune, Hine notes that Minnesota’s starting lineup of Russell, Patrick Beverley, Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Karl-Anthony Towns has proven to be highly effective — when healthy. As Hine observes, the group has the best five-man net rating in the league at +49.6 in 127 minutes.

Knicks, Lakers Among Teams Reportedly Interested In Ben Simmons

December 13th, 2021 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on ESPN’s recent report stating that there may be momentum toward a Ben Simmons deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic confirms that the Sixers have increased their efforts to explore multi-team trade scenarios involving Simmons.

According to Charania, the Knicks and Lakers are among the teams with interest in Simmons. Charania adds that the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Kings, Pacers, and Cavaliers also have interest, but those clubs have been previously cited as potential suitors for the three-time All-Star, whereas New York and Los Angeles are new additions to the list.

The Knicks would be a fascinating potential trade partner for Philadelphia. Their top offseason additions – Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker – haven’t been major successes so far and the team is off to a 12-15 start, perhaps increasing the likelihood of an in-season shakeup. New York would have the contracts necessary to match Simmons’ $33MM+ salary, and it’s probably safe to assume Tom Thibodeau would be a fan of what last season’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up could bring to the table on defense.

Still, while the Knicks might be willing to roll the dice on Simmons if all it took was Fournier, Walker, and a couple draft picks, Philadelphia will presumably seek a more significant return. The 76ers remain on the hunt for an All-Star caliber player and/or multiple first-round picks in any deal for Simmons, Charania notes.

It’s even trickier to imagine the Lakers as a realistic trading partner for the Sixers. Given the salaries on the team’s books, Los Angeles would almost certainly have to include Russell Westbrook in any trade involving Simmons and I’m skeptical that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey would want to acquire Westbrook again after doing so in Houston didn’t pay dividends. Perhaps a three-team structure could work, but the Lakers seem like a long shot at best in the Simmons sweepstakes.

It’s unclear whether the Sixers have gained any real traction in any of their discussions involving Simmons, according to Charania.

Northwest Notes: Wolves, Gay, Lillard, Nnaji

December 12th, 2021 at 3:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The 11-15 Timberwolves‘ current five-game losing streak, which includes three consecutive home blowout defeats, displays Minnesota’s clear need for more frontcourt help, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Adding someone at the level of 6’11” Pacers big man Myles Turner, a solid defender and floor spacer, could be exactly the cure for what ails them.

“We’re not putting the work in,” Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns noted of the club’s recent losing streak. “It’s as simple as that. We gotta put more work in. All of us. Top to bottom.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

New reserve Jazz forward Rudy Gay has proven to be exactly what the doctor ordered for Utah this season, writes Mark Schindler of Basketball News. When he plays alongside All-Star starting Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Gay has been particularly effective. Lineups featuring that tandem have outscored opponents by 24.3 points per 100 possessions. Because the bulky 6’8″, 250-pound Gay can convincingly defend centers on switches, he operates as a helpful release valve for Gobert, who can struggle guarding opponents along the perimeter on switches.
Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard has taken umbrage with what he perceives to be the media’s depiction of him as being somewhat wishy-washy in his thinking, per Portland’s official Twitter account (video link). “You can criticize how I play or who I am as a player, that’s one thing,” Lillard said. “But who I am as a person and the things that I say, I mean them. That’s one thing that I stand on and I know people can’t challenge me on that.”
Second-year Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji is doing his darnedest to improve this season, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. With long-term injuries sidelining forwards Michael Porter Jr. and P.J. Dozier, Nnaji has carved out some legitimate rotation minutes this month, Singer observes. He is averaging 6.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG, across 17.6 MPG this month. Especially notable, Nnaji is shooting 58.6% from long range this year, tops in the league for volume three-point shooting (defined as two or more triples taken a night). Denver head coach Michael Malone is already a fan. “He is self-motivated,” Malone said. “He is a guy that is not allowing his maybe not playing or Summer League failures to identify and define him, and that’s kind of who Zeke is. He’s a guy that does everything hard. You’re never gonna catch Zeke Nnaji cutting corners.”

Beverley, Edwards Throw Shade At Gobert

December 9th, 2021 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

Despite losing to the Jazz by 32 points on Wednesday, Timberwolves guards Patrick Beverley and Anthony Edwards didn’t exactly heap praise on their opponents after the game. As Sarah Todd of The Deseret News relays, Beverley suggested that three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert isn’t guarding the best players on the court, while Edwards said that Kristaps Porzingis is a better rim protector than Gobert. “I don’t get why we couldn’t finish on Rudy Gobert,” Edwards said. “He don’t put no fear in my heart.” The Wolves and Jazz will face each other three more times this season, including twice more in December, Todd notes.

NBCA, Rick Carlisle Apologize To Chris Finch For Statement

December 5th, 2021 at 8:03pm CST by JD Shaw

The National Basketball Coaches Association and president coach Rick Carlisle apologized to Timberwolves coach Chris Finch for a statement that was released when he was hired this year, as relayed by Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The statement accused the Wolves of not conducting a thorough and diverse search for a head coach. “We apologized to Chris for that,” Carlisle said. “That wasn’t fair to him. It was no reflection on who he is as a person, coach or anything like that. This summer we got a chance to talk to him about it when we met as an association. It’s pretty clear why he got the job. I’m really happy for him.”