Karl-Anthony Towns

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Bridges, Hart, Towns, Anunoby

September 30th, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks‘ three major trades in the past nine months — bringing in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns — were a result of seeking out the best possible players to complement Jalen Brunson, writes James L. Edwards of The New York Post. As Edwards points out, when the front office began to spend the collection of draft assets and young talent it had built up, it didn’t settle for just any 3-and-D wings or floor-spacing big men. It got three of the best players on the market.

“I haven’t really processed it,” Brunson responded at Monday’s media day when asked about how the team has been built around him. “Yeah, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but I just know that we have a lot of guys who are hungry and willing to do whatever it takes. I would never consider myself (a face of the franchise). There are definitely people on the outside who can say it if they want, but I’m a leader of this team, I want to lead this team and I’m grateful of the opportunity. I don’t take this for granted.”

The collection of talent in New York not only makes the Knicks a legitimate title contender for the first time in years, it could turn Brunson into a serious MVP candidate, Edwards notes. Bridges, his former teammate at Villanova, hasn’t been surprised by Brunson’s NBA success.

“I knew throughout college, but I really knew when he signed (with the Knicks),” Bridges said. “I knew what he was going to do, especially in the league we play in. Him having the ball and being able to be ball dominant … his efficiency is out of the roof. I knew what he was going to be able to do with the ball in hands here, more than what he was able to do in Dallas.”

There’s more from media day in New York:

Brunson talked about the difficulty of losing Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, who are being sent to Minnesota in the Towns trade, per Justin Tasch of The New York Post. “That was definitely tough. Thankful that Julius welcomed me with open arms here. That news, it was crazy,” Brunson said. “I’m really thankful for them and their friendships and everything and what they brought to this team. Really thankful I got to get a relationship with Julius. The memories we made together was really fun. Donte, he was a groomsman in my wedding. That should tell you everything you need to know about our relationship. Love him to death.”
Bridges brushed aside media day questions about a potential contract extension, but said he’s looking forward to teaming up with Towns once the trade is finalized, per Adam Zagoria (Twitter link). “I like KAT, man, I played against him for years,” Bridges said. “He can stretch the floor. You forget until you stand next to him just how tall he is. He’s tall as hell. Obviously a great player.”
Josh Hart is also ready to get the trade done so Towns can report to camp, saying, “We’re extremely excited with what we have — officially and unofficially, and we’re excited to get started,” Zagoria adds (Twitter link). Hart stated that being dealt to Minnesota is probably “difficult” for Randle because of the role he played in helping the Knicks become competitive again.
Anunoby, who got a new five-year, $212.5MM contract this summer, indicated that re-signing with the Knicks was his first choice all along, tweets Ian Begley of SNY. “I always wanted to be here, so it wasn’t a hard decision for me,” Anunoby said.

New York Notes: Towns Trade, Knicks, Simmons, Nets

September 29th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks are still working through the details of their blockbuster trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, which has yet to be finalized. Why did they choose to go all-in on the 28-year-old big man?

For starters, president of basketball operations Leon Rose was Towns’ representative when he was the head agent at CAA, notes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Knicks executive William Wesley is also close with the Towns family, per Begley — clearly there’s an affinity between the two sides.

As Begley writes, the Knicks view Towns as an ideal complementary piece to their core roster, particularly on offense with Jalen Brunson. Towns’ presence should create more driving lines for Brunson and make it more difficult for opponents to trap him.

Begley confirms New York has coveted Towns for some time, but trade talks with Minnesota didn’t pick up steam until the Knicks signaled a willingness to include Donte DiVincenzo in the package. Begley isn’t sure why the Knicks changed their mind — they were opposed to dealing DiVincenzo for the majority of the offseason.

According to Begley, DiVincenzo wasn’t thrilled with the idea of playing a reduced role this season after he had a career year in 2023/24. Still, Begley doesn’t think that had much to do with New York’s decision. He speculates that Julius Randle‘s contract situation (he can be a free agent in 2025 if he declines his 2025/26 player option) and Mitchell Robinson‘s injury absence were likely bigger factors.

Here’s more on the two New York-based teams:

While all eyes will be on Towns with training camp about to begin, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post believes Mikal Bridges is the “most intriguing” player the Knicks acquired this offseason. Bondy projects a starting lineup of Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Towns, with Miles McBride likely the team’s sixth man. With major roster changes and some players coming off injuries, Bondy expects the Knicks to look sluggish in preseason.
Ben Simmons‘ health is the biggest storyline to watch for the Nets as they enter training camp, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons has appeared in just 57 of 246 regular season games over the past three seasons — including 15 in 2023/24 — and is coming off a second back surgery. However, he’s fully cleared for camp and has been one of the team’s standouts in pickup games, sources tell Lewis. Second-year big man Noah Clowney and offseason acquisition Ziaire Williams are two other players who have played well in informal games ahead of camp, Lewis adds.
In a pair of stories for The New York Post, Lewis examines the other Nets storylines ahead of training camp and provides a rundown of their 20-man roster, which is one player shy of the offseason limit.

Northwest Notes: Towns, Westbrook, Jazz, Trail Blazers

September 28th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves were facing significant financial losses for the foreseeable future if they had kept the current roster together, league sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The need to unload Karl-Anthony Towns‘ contract is Minnesota’s primary motivation for agreeing to the trade that will send him to the Knicks.

Towns will earn $49.2MM this season as his four-year, $220MM extension kicks in. Windhorst points out that the front office gave him that deal in 2022 when it looked like he had established himself as the franchise cornerstone. That designation now belongs to Anthony Edwards, who increased the value of his own maximum-salary extension by $41MM by making the All-NBA team last season. Throw in Rudy Gobert, who will make $43.8MM this season and is almost certain to pick up his $46.7MM player option for 2025/26, and that’s already the core of a very expensive roster.

The financial uncertainties are accompanied by a dispute over who will ultimately own the team. Sources tell Windhorst that the group headed by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez has become confident it will prevail in the arbitration hearings set to begin November 4. They have lined up more than $900MM in escrow, Windhorst adds, with the support of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and ex-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Lore and Rodriguez plan to present more than $200MM in working capital, according to Windhorst’s sources, providing evidence that they can cover the final payment to current owner Glen Taylor and still handle the team’s projected deficits.

Windhorst points out that even if Lore and Rodriguez prevail in arbitration, they aren’t guaranteed to get the team. That will be decided in a vote by the NBA’s Board of Governors, many of whom may still be loyal to Taylor. Windhorst expects lawsuits to be filed no matter what the final decision is.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

New Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook suggested to reporters that he was misused by the Clippers last season, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “To be honest, it was unique,” Westbrook said. “They just didn’t put me in a position to make it unique. I was in a position where I was playing not my position. And being able to be here, and coach (Michael) Malone allowing me to be able to use my speed, use my transition skill to be able to make other guys better, makes the game easy for everybody surrounding me. That’s what I love to do best.” Malone has raved about Westbrook’s work ethic and the example he sets for his young teammates, Durando adds.
The Jazz were prepared for a major acquisition this summer, but they couldn’t find any suitable opportunities, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. “You guys have seen how things evolve in an offseason,” general manager Justin Zanik told reporters. “In this organization, we are extremely aggressive with pursuing any and all means necessary to make this a championship-caliber roster. When those opportunities come up, we’re ready for it. There weren’t any.”
The quality of Milwaukee’s picks toward the end of this decade will determine how much value the Trail Blazers got in exchange for Damian Lillard, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian states on the one-year anniversary of the trade. Portland has swap rights for the Bucks‘ first-round selections in 2028 and 2030, and will receive the most and least favorable among their own pick, Boston’s, and Milwaukee’s in 2029.

More Notes On Blockbuster Knicks/Timberwolves Trade

September 28th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Before news of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade broke on social media on Friday night, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly visited Towns at his Minnesota home to let him know that he was being traded to the Knicks, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

As Krawczynski details, the fact that the Wolves moved off one of their highest-paid players didn’t come as a total surprise, given the team’s high payroll in 2024/25 and beyond, but the timing of the move was “an absolute thunderbolt that no one saw coming” after the team spent the offseason lauding its roster continuity and chemistry.

According to Krawczynski, the Wolves had an increasingly difficult time envisioning a scenario in which they were able to keep their existing roster intact beyond the 2024/25 season. Sources tell The Athletic that if Towns had stayed in Minnesota long-term, it likely would’ve meant parting with fan favorite Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Getting two rotation players – Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo – in exchange for one will create more flexibility going forward for the Wolves, especially since Randle has the opportunity to reach free agency in 2025. While it doesn’t sound like there are any immediate plans to flip the newcomers – Krawczynski says Randle has “plenty of advocates” in Minnesota and the team has long had interest in DiVincenzo – their contracts should make them easier to move on the trade market, if necessary, than Towns was with four years and $220MM left on his deal, Krawczynski observes.

Here’s more on the Towns trade, which is still in the process of being finalized:

The Knicks repeatedly called the Timberwolves over the years to express their interest in Towns, but those discussions never really evolved into full-fledged negotiations until now, says Fred Katz of The Athletic.
While the “Villanova Knicks” won’t get to take the court this season – with DiVincenzo sent to Minnesota before Mikal Bridges has played his first game as a Knick – the club is excited about the way that Towns will complement Bridges, Jalen Brunson, and OG Anunoby, league sources tell The Athletic. Katz adds that Towns’ plus-minus numbers helped convince the Knicks to roll the dice on him, as the Wolves have consistently been better with him on the court throughout his career.
There’s not expected to be any lingering tension between Towns and former Wolves head coach Tom Thibodeau. Towns has publicly spoken about harboring no ill feelings toward Thibodeau after their up-and-down time together in Minnesota from 2016-19, and a source close to the Knicks’ head coach says he feels the same way, per Katz. “If a guy can play,” that source said, “Thibs wants him.”
Although Towns and Randle have seven All-Star nods between them, both stars come with their share of question marks related to their injury histories, contract situations, and defense. Michael Pina of The Ringer considers the risk that both sides are taking on by making this move and questions the timing of the agreement.
In his analysis of the deal, John Hollinger of The Athletic notes that the Knicks addressed their center problem by acquiring Towns, but run the risk of creating “enough other issues that the cure may be worse than the disease.” Specifically, the deal will hurt the team’s wing depth and create major long-term cap challenges, Hollinger writes.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic also isn’t 100% sure that the trade will make the Knicks a better team. Edwards acknowledges that Towns is the best player in the deal, but points out that he won’t address the team’s two biggest short-term needs: frontcourt defense and secondary play-making.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Chris Herring, and Bobby Marks take a look at what the move means for both the Knicks and the Timberwolves and explore the biggest remaining question marks related to the deal.

Knicks Closing In On Trade For Karl-Anthony Towns

September 27th, 2024 at 9:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Timberwolves and Knicks are close to completing a blockbuster deal that will send Karl-Anthony Towns to New York.

The Knicks’ package will center around Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski. Krawczynski adds (via Twitter) that Keita Bates-Diop is headed from New York to Minnesota too.

Minnesota is also receiving the first-round pick that the Pistons owe the Knicks, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). That first-rounder is for 2025, but is top-13 protected. If it lands in its protected range, it would roll over to 2026 (top-11 protected) and 2027 (top-nine protected) before turning into a ’27 second-round pick.

The Knicks are sending DaQuan Jeffries and draft compensation to the Hornets to help facilitate the deal, Charania adds (Twitter link). Charlotte will also acquire cash from New York, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

Jeffries’ new contract is expected to start around $3MM, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. It will have to cover three seasons, but only the first must be guaranteed.

The parties are still working through the details, as the Knicks will need to more salary to make the trade legal, but talks intensified over the last 24 hours, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. It’s a stunning turn of events right before the start of training camp. New York was already involved in a major deal this offseason, trading for the Nets’ Mikal Bridges.

The addition of Towns would give the Knicks more flexibility with their lineup but would come at a large long-term cost in terms of payroll. Towns’ monster four-year, $220MM super-max extension kicks in this season. He’s due to make $49,205,800 this season and his salary escalates over the life of the contract.

Randle has a $28,939,680 salary this season and holds a $30.9MM player option next offseason. DiVincenzo is in the second year of a four-year, $46.87MM contract, including a $11,445,000 salary this season.

Neither the Knicks nor the Timberwolves can take back more money than they send out, since both teams are operating above the $178.1MM first tax apron, cap expert Yossi Gozlan points out (Twitter link). The Wolves are currently over the second apron as well.

Randle also has a trade bonus worth $4.1MM that will be triggered as a result of the deal, according to Gozlan (Twitter link). Trade kickers can be waived partially or entirely to help accommodate a move, though there’s been no indication yet that the forward will do so.

Long-term salary cap implications would certainly factor into Minnesota’s decision, if the deal goes through. Moving off of Towns’ pricey contract will help the Wolves keep the rest of their core together and eventually extend key frontcourt pieces like Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid during a tumultuous time for team ownership. Towns has also suffered a number of injuries during his career, which could also be a factor in the Timberwolves’ thinking.

Towns will give the Knicks a dynamic frontcourt scoring option to complement All-Star guard Jalen Brunson. He could also fill the center spot, which is in flux with Mitchell Robinson sidelined by injury and Isaiah Hartenstein signing as a free agent with Oklahoma City, and slide over to the power forward position at times when Robinson returns. A league source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link) that the club views Towns as an ideal complement to its core of Brunson, Bridges, and OG Anunoby.

As Charania and Krawczynski write, Towns grew up as a Knicks fan near New York City and had long been on the team’s radar. The four-time All-Star is also a client at CAA, the former agency of current Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose. The Knicks contacted the Wolves about Towns repeatedly over the last two years, sources tell The Athletic, and “stepped up” their pursuit in recent days, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.

Still, Towns – who had been in Minnesota since being drafted first overall by the team in 2015, had been fiercely loyal to the Wolves over the year, sticking with the team through some challenging years and repeatedly professing a desire to remain with the organization for his entire career. He was “stunned” by the news of the trade, a source tells The Athletic.

It’s also worth noting that Towns and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had a somewhat strained relationship during their overlap in Minnesota from 2016-19, though Krawczynski says Towns has moved past that and holds “no ill feelings” toward Thibodeau.

Randle will replace Towns as the Timberwolves’ power forward, though Reid – a better long-distance shooter than Randle and a good fit next to Gobert – also figures to play a key role in filling the hole created by Towns’ departure.

Sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link) that the Knicks and Randle – who spent the offseason recovering from shoulder surgery – hadn’t made any progress in contract extension negotiations, which made the club more inclined to move him. The Pistons, Hawks and Heat are among the other teams the Knicks talked to regarding potential Randle trades, Begley tweets.

DiVincenzo will provide Minnesota with a solid three-point shooting wing. He’s coming off a career year in which he averaged 15.1 points per game.

As Jake Fischer tweets, the Timberwolves targeted DiVincenzo when he was a free agent in 2023 and he reciprocated their interest at the time before choosing the Knicks. DiVincenzo’s inclusion in the deal was a sticking point for the Wolves, who became “very intrigued” once the Knicks were willing to put him on the table, says Begley (Twitter link).

According to Krawczynski, the Wolves believe the added flexibility the trade provides will put them in a better position to contend in the long-term and maximize Anthony Edwards‘ window.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Northwest Notes: Finch, Towns, Wolves, Jazz, Caruso

June 26th, 2024 at 12:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor made stability a priority regarding the franchise’s leadership positions while his ongoing dispute with prospective majority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez plays out, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports. That resulted in head coach Chris Finch signing a four-year extension, though Lore and A-Rod were also in favor of extending Finch.

“They broke open the contract and redid it,” Finch said of the Timberwolves. “That doesn’t often happen and I’m extremely grateful for that.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Will the Timberwolves make a blockbuster trade to alleviate some of their luxury tax issues? It doesn’t appear so, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN. Minnesota is looking to retain its most talked-about trade piece, Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been the subject of many rumors in recent years. His four-year max extension kicks in next season.
The Timberwolves hold the 27th and 37th picks in the draft and if history is a guide, they might trade one of those picks or acquire another one. Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes that head of basketball operations Tim Connelly has made draft-night trades during each of the past two years.
There have been plenty of rumors about the Jazz packaging their No. 29 and 32 picks to move up the draft but could they include their lottery selections at No. 10? Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer hears Utah may be looking to move up in the lottery by consolidating those picks in a trade. The Jazz could be looking for a backcourt partner to pair with point man Keyonte George.
Jazz general manager Justin Zanik acknowledged that adding three rookies after drafting three players in the first round last year might make the roster too young, Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune writes. “If that’s the case, you want to make sure you have enough veterans on the team. They can’t raise themselves, can’t raise each other,” Zanik said. “That will factor into some of the things we do in free agency or trades.”
Alex Caruso is excited to join a contender that has other rotation players with established defensive credentials, according to Gracie Rawlings of The Oklahoman. “I mean long, athletic, competitive, tough, those are all things that we described as all-defensive caliber players and good defensive teams,” Caruso said of being traded to the Thunder. “They have a lot of that. They have active hands. They are willing to sacrifice for the team. Those are all things that are important, and I am excited to add to that. But I also know that I’m not going to be the main focus every night defensively. I think in Chicago, everyone had me as No. 1 on the radar for the defensive game plan.”

Knicks Notes: George, Mitchell, Anunoby, Hartenstein

June 14th, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Paul George would be an “ideal fit” for the Knicks, but it won’t be easy to acquire him if he fails to reach a long-term deal with the Clippers, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The 34-year-old forward has a $48.8MM player option for next season that must be picked up by June 29. He’s eligible for a four-year, $221MM extension with Los Angeles, but negotiations have been at an impasse.

George’s three-point shooting, pick-and-roll skills and constant movement would help him blend seamlessly with the rest of New York’s roster, according to Katz, who adds that George and OG Anunoby would become the best pair of perimeter defenders in the league. Katz points out that George has a history of playing alongside other stars and he’s a client of CAA, which was formerly run by Knicks president Leon Rose.

New York won’t have cap space to sign George if he opts out, and the Clippers wouldn’t be permitted to sign and trade him because they’re above the second apron. The Knicks would need George to opt in to make a deal possible, and Katz is skeptical that L.A. would be in a hurry to move him if he’s under contract for another season.

Sources tell Katz that the Knicks have considered George in the past, but they’ve never made a serious offer to acquire him. That could change if he and the Clippers agree that picking up the option and being traded this summer is the best course of action.

There’s more from New York:

Sources also tell Katz that the Knicks’ desire to add Donovan Mitchell isn’t nearly as strong as it was two years ago. There has been speculation that the Cavaliers guard could be available again if he doesn’t agree to an extension this summer. New York made an offer to Utah for Mitchell in 2022, but Katz notes that Jalen Brunson‘s emergence into a star has diminished the need for another scoring guard. Katz also examines Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, Dejounte Murray and DeMar DeRozan as potential additions. Katz cites sources who say that the Nets have been offered multiple first-round picks for Bridges, but they continue to view him as part of the foundation and hope to eventually pair him with another star.
After their playoff run ended, members of the Knicks organization expressed confidence about their chances of re-signing both Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, per Ian Begley of SNY. Begley adds that the team expects competition for both players and could be outbid for Hartenstein because league rules limit their offer to about $16MM for next season and $72.5MM over four years.
In a subscriber-only piece, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post examines Rose’s draft history to see if it offers any clues about what the Knicks might do with picks No. 24 and 25 this year.

Western Notes: Wolves, Towns, Lakers, Redick, Ingram, G. Allen

June 4th, 2024 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Discussing the Timberwolves‘ ownership situation during the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said there’s a perception around the league that if Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore assume majority control of the franchise, “payroll’s getting slashed.” However, his colleague Brian Windhorst disagrees with that notion.

“Let me just say this: I don’t believe it’s going to get slashed,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “I believe if (A-Rod and Lore) get the team by the fall, which I am skeptical of for various reasons, but if they get the team by the fall, I don’t think they’re cracking this team in pieces to save money. I think because one thing about the team, they have instantaneous equity, they can borrow it against it like that.”

While Windhorst doesn’t expect payroll to decline drastically if Rodriguez and Lore take over majority control from longtime owner Glen Taylor, he does think the new owners may not be attached to Karl-Anthony Towns as Taylor has been to this point.

“I do not think they would tear the team apart. However, I do think that there’s a possibility if the ownership change took place that Karl Towns’ role would be reevaluated,” Windhorst said.

After MacMahon stated more frankly that Towns would likely find himself “on the trade block” in that scenario, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps pointed out that exploring trade scenarios involving the big man doesn’t necessarily mean he’d be moved, since his super-max contract, which includes a $49MM+ cap hit for 2024/25, will make it difficult for Minnesota to find a suitable deal.

“(That’s) why I believe he’s not going anywhere,” Windhorst said. “Because trading him and getting equal return is going to be next to impossible.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

In another segment of the Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst suggested that the Lakers have been sending the message that they’re still early in the process of their head coaching search, but that the noise surrounding J.J. Redick‘s candidacy has been loud. “I have some people saying, ‘This is J.J. Redick’s job’ that I trust,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “I have some people saying this is a process that is not complete. I suspect I know something, but I am just going to tell you that there’s multiple streams of information. James Borrego has had multiple meetings with the Lakers. I do think that he is a viable candidate for sure, but I think J.J. Redick is a very strong candidate. And he also is calling the (NBA) Finals for our network on ABC and ESPN. So it is what it is.”
While there’s a widespread belief that the Pelicans will gauge the trade market for Brandon Ingram this summer, William Guillory of The Athletic makes the case that keeping the former All-Star forward is the right move for New Orleans, arguing that it would be hard to find a deal involving Ingram that makes the team better than the 49-win version from this past season.
Having signed a contract extension in April, veteran wing Grayson Allen won’t become trade-eligible until October. But what sort of deal could the Suns make if they were willing to part with Allen in the fall or at next year’s trade deadline? Gerald Bouguet of PHNX Sports attempts to answer that question, generating 15 potential trade scenarios involving Allen.

Wolves Notes: Connelly, Anderson, Edwards, McDaniels

May 31st, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly reportedly has an opt-out in his contract. Amid an ownership dispute, there has been speculation that the veteran executive may exercise that opt-out clause.

However, he told reporters on Friday that he’s “super excited’ about the team’s future and doesn’t plan to leave Minnesota, writes Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune (subscription required).

“I mean, moving [from Denver] wasn’t fun,” Connelly said. “I’ve had a blast here. Feels like we have roots here. It’s pretty special. That’s the goal. It has been a great couple years, and hopefully, we can make it a much longer couple years.”

Connelly said he’d be comfortable no matter which group ultimately gains majority control of the franchise, Zgoda adds. Longtime owner Glen Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune, is on one side of the dispute, with minority stakeholders Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez on the other. The matter is heading to a three-person arbitration panel.

“Ownership is obviously in a unique place right now,” Connelly said. “Whatever happens is kind of a level up. I trust whatever happens will be the right path. We’ve all shared great moments throughout this whole season. There are conversations that we’ve had, and they’ll be ongoing. Now that we’re officially in the offseason, we’ll get a better sense of what we might do.”

The Timberwolves were eliminated from the Western Conference finals after being blown out by Dallas in Game 5 in Minnesota. It was just the second time the Wolves have advanced that far in the postseason, and Connelly believes they’re capable of advancing further in the future, according to Zgoda.

“When you’re a home-court team and a final four team, all those teams can win a championship,” Connelly said. “So I don’t know if there is any linear path to that next step. I don’t think there is one singular answer. A lot of it is match-ups and health.”

Connelly praised Karl-Anthony Towns, who had an otherwise solid playoff showing but largely struggled against the Mavs. Minnesota’s top basketball executive also discussed the team’s future payroll, suggesting the Wolves would be willing to be a taxpayer, but not on a repeated basis due to the restrictions of the new CBA.

“It’s a big task for ownership,” Connelly said. “It’s a lot, a lot of money. Relative to the impact on our flexibility, I think the jury is still out. It’s not a place you want to be long-term. It gets more and more harsh each year. Dipping your toe in it, it could have relatively limited impact on what we can and cannot do. But we’re learning it like the other 29 teams.”

Here’s more on the Wolves:

Veteran forward Kyle Anderson, who has been rotation regular for Minnesota the past two seasons, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Retaining him will be a real challenge, considering how much money the Wolves have tied up in their other players. While Anderson said he enjoyed his time with the team and wants to return, he acknowledged he might be headed elsewhere this offseason, tweets Dane Moore. “I don’t know where I’ll be… but obviously (I) want to be back here,” Anderson said.
Star guard Anthony Edwards, who will be playing for Team USA at the Olympics in Paris this summer, said he plans to do some extra training this offseason to prepare for 2024/25, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes (subscriber link). “I’ve never played this deep into a basketball season,” Edwards said. “So now I know, like, OK, in order for me to be dominant in the third round, and if we get past this and finally go to the finals, I’ve got to train like I’m going to go to the playoffs. So I can’t be missing training days, I can’t take days off, you know what I mean? I’ve got to be ready. So I know what it takes, and I’ll be ready.”
Consistently unlocking Jaden McDaniels offensively is an offseason goal for Minnesota, says Patrick Reusse of The Star Tribune (subscriber link). McDaniels’ lucrative rookie scale extension begins next season. He earned a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team this season, but often wasn’t involved enough on offense, Reusse observes.
Mark Deeks of HoopsHype provides his offseason preview for the Wolves. In addition to Anderson, veteran point guards Monte Morris and Jordan McLaughlin will also be unrestricted free agents, and so will forward T.J. Warren. Big man Luka Garza will be the club’s lone standard RFA.

Wolves Notes: Towns, Edwards, Ownership Fight, Connelly

May 31st, 2024 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

As the Timberwolves deal with the disappointment of a Game 5 blowout that ended their playoff run, the focus now turns to the future and whether the franchise can afford to keep the core of its current team together. Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been the focus of some trade speculation because of his pricey contract, told reporters after Thursday’s game that he wants to stay in Minnesota, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I’m confident I’ll be able to be here with my brothers and continue what I love to do here at home,” said Towns who has spent his entire nine-year NBA career with the team. “So that’s the plan. Nothing’s changed on my side. I love this city. I love this organization. I love this city. It’s given me my life, me and my family.”

Towns’ $221MM extension will take effect next season, paying him roughly $49.4MM, $53.3MM and $57.3MM over the next three years with a $61.2MM player option for 2027/28. With an expensive roster around him and an unsettled ownership situation, there’s no guarantee the Wolves will be willing to keep Towns and deal with the second tax apron restrictions that will result.

Towns refused to comment on the team’s financial situation following Game 5.

“That’s not for me to worry about,” he said. “My job is to go out there every day and do something this summer in the offseason and continue to take steps forward in my game and my mentality not only as a player but as a person too.”

There’s more from Minnesota:

Anthony Edwards wasn’t discouraged by the loss, promising that the Wolves will be ready for another long playoff run next season, McMenamin adds. Edwards, who had three 40-point games in the playoffs, believes the organization has a bright future after reaching the conference finals for the first time in 20 years. “It’s a lot of our guys’ first time being in this light, especially me. It’s my first time,” he said. “But we’ll be ready, man. We’ll be all right. First time. Took a loss. Congratulations to the Mavericks. But we’ll be back. We’ll be all right.”
A three-person arbitration panel has been selected to oversee the ownership dispute, but there are no signs of a quick resolution, according to Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania of The Athletic. Arena sources tell the authors that the bitter feelings between current majority owner Glen Taylor and prospective owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have intensified, reporting that Taylor tried to approach the duo several times during the playoffs and even attempted to hug Rodriguez, but was turned away.
President of basketball operations Tim Connelly, who has an opt-out clause in his contract, will have to make a decision on his future before the ownership situation is settled, Krawczynski and Charania add. They note that Lore and Rodriguez led the recruiting pitch that convinced Connelly to leave Denver, and he joined the Wolves with the expectation of eventually working for them. Sources tell the authors that Minnesota was very concerned about the Pistons making a huge offer to lure Connelly away before they opted to make Trajan Langdon their new head of basketball operations.

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