“Make that next step now.”

Minnesota dominated in the series, winning three out of their four dubs by double-digits, and putting the clamps on the Lakers’ offense. In the closest game of the series, Edwards delivered a signature 43-point performance in Game 4.

Upon returning to the West Coast, the Timberwolves were still 5.5 point underdogs. In the closeout game, Edwards cooled off, scoring 15 points.nBut it didn’t even matter as Minnesota’s depth took over and they won the series, 103-96.

After the game, as fans shuffled out of the Crypto.com arena, Edwards took a victory lap around the LA where he was greeted by numerous fans and heckling Lakers fans. Hilariously, even Laker fans were going up to Edwards asking for photos or handshakes, despite having been trounced by the Ant-Man himself.

In his postgame interaction with LeBron, James told the Georgia product to “Make that next step now.”

Edwards and the T-Wolves will now await to see who they’ll play next, as Warriors are tangled in a gritty first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets.

But for now, Edwards seems to be basking in the glory of his victories out in Cali.

The post LeBron James to Anthony Edwards: ‘Make that Next Step.’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, that hasn’t given free agent signee Austin River any reason to believe Minnesota is incapable of a run. The Timberwolves are still headlined by Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell, Rudy Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns once he returns from his calf injury. With All-Star-level talent like that, Rivers believes “the dynamic will change” once they reel off “three or four” wins in a row.

Austin Rivers:
“We gotta go get wins. Then the energy will turn, I promise you. We win three or four in a row, the whole dynamic will change. I promise you. Just gotta stay with us, man. And we gotta stay with us, more importantly, than anybody else.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) January 2, 2023

He also believes that Minnesota has “more than enough here” with a “loaded roster” and “great coach” that can get Minnesota back to contending for the playoffs. The T-Wolves are likely looking at good fortunes coming once KAT returns and the team finds a winning rotation that can help make the most out of what Edwards, Towns, and Gobert do well as offensive threats.

Combine that with Russell running pick-and-rolls and being a contender to help close games out, and it’s possible Minnesota can go beyond just being the play-in contender they currently are.

Rivers:
“We have more than enough here. We have a loaded team, loaded roster, great coach. It’s one of those things that in the NBA, when it rains it pours sometimes, it really does. But perspective is everything. I think the main thing for us right now is keeping perspective.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) January 2, 2023

The post Austin Rivers: Minnesota’s ‘Dynamic Will Change’ With More Wins appeared first on SLAM.

For over half of his 9-year tenure in Utah, Gobert played alongside Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell. Led by Mitchell’s explosive offense and Gobert’s dominant defensive presence, the Jazz advanced to the postseason for five straight seasons, had the best record in the League in the 2020-21 season, and went 243-147.

While the Spida x Stifle Tower era officially ended in Utah, both parties s be content with their split and happy with their new aspirations.

The former Defensive Player of the Year has continued his dominance in the paint, averaging a double-double with 13.3 points, 11.9 rebounds (third in the League), and 1.3 blocks. On Thursday, Gobert’s post presence was felt in full force as he scored 16 points, ripped down 21 rebounds, and recorded two blocks.

Meanwhile, the Jazz jumped off to a hot start and now sit at 6th in the Western Conference with a 15-12 record. For an expected rebuild season, the Jazz surprised many.

“I’ve been very happy to see them having success,” Gobert said per MSN. “Most people kind of counted them out after trading me and Donovan, and Bojan, too, but there’s still a lot of talent on this team. You can tell that they’re having a lot of fun, and, also, when you don’t have a lot of expectations, you kind of play free. I think that’s what’s been happening for them. They play together; they play free, they play really hard. When you play that way with the level of talent they have, good things happen”.

The center is excited to see his former team winning, and he’s looking forward to stepping into Vivint Arena once again.

“I spent nine years of my life there and created a lot of memories, have a lot of very powerful relationships with people that I love and gave me a lot of love over the years,” Gobert told MacMahon. “It’s going to be weird to walk into the arena and go to the visitor’s locker room, but it’s going to be probably a lot of love and a lot of joy to come back.”

The post Rudy Gobert Says He’s ‘Very Happy’ for Utah’s Early Success appeared first on SLAM.

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star forward Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a right calf strain, sources tell ESPN. Towns underwent imaging on Tuesday and the expectation exists for a full recovery and return sometime in January.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 29, 2022

The Timberwolves are reportedly optimistic that Karl Anthony-Towns avoided suffering a major injury to his lower right leg, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, but there’s some early optimism that he may have avoided a substantial injury to his lower right leg, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 29, 2022

KAT fell to the ground and grabbed his right calf with 5:25 left in the third quarter of Minnesota’s blowout loss to the Washington Wizards Monday night. Minnesota called KAT’s injury a calf strain, and according to Woj, the former Rookie of the Year is set to undergo an MRI on Tuesday.

“Obviously, super concerned about that. Big blow for us,” said head coach Chris Finch per Fan Nation. “We’ll have an update tomorrow,”

Finch said he’s hopeful it’s a calf strain, not a torn Achilles. Minnesota will look to get back on track and pick up a win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

The post REPORT: Karl-Anthony Towns Set to Miss 4-6 Weeks With a Calf Strain appeared first on SLAM.

This past summer, they traded most of their future draft picks to get three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. They paired him with one of the most dominant offensive bigs in the NBA in, Karl Anthony-Towns.

More importantly, they have one of the brightest and freakishly athletic young talents in the League, Anthony Edwards. So how is this group not reaching the success everyone had deemed them to be atop of? D’Angelo Russell’s struggles may answer that.

whole squad ate tonight.

DLo – 30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL
KAT – 29 PTS / 12 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK
TP – 19 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST
Rudy – 15 PTS / 12 REB / 1 AST / 2 BLK
Ant – 10 PTS / 7 REB / 1 AST pic.twitter.com/q0z2JWrr52

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

While basketball is team-oriented, Russell’s raw production has undoubtedly taken a dip. The Ohio State alum is averaging 14.4 points per game on 32.9 percent shooting from long distance. The only way to combat that kind of slow start through the first 14 games of the season; is to put in more work.

“[Russell was] Extremely locked in in his preparation coming into that game,” said head coach Chris Finch in an interview on KFAN Radio. “I’ve never had a player not benefit from extra work. D’Lo put the work in when he needed to, and it paid off for him and for us.”

0 was in his bag tonight

30 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 1 STL pic.twitter.com/Q99BxNADKB

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 14, 2022

Russell had a much-needed 30-piece against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The narrow victory proved to Finch that the “little live 5-on-5 drills” he conducted in practice were starting to revive Russell’s shooting touch.

“Playing a little live 5-on-5 against coaches and against other players so he could feel a bit more of the rhythm of a game and how he wanted to play,” said Finch. “I told him when he was playing to be very aggressive, shoot it all the time. Just shoot yourself back into a rhythm.”

The 11 assists that night were also an encouraging factor in his performance. Russell’s facilitating, as always, helped Edwards make the cuts for his explosive slams, while Anthony-Towns, in pick-and-pop situations, knocked down the treys that led to victories.

Once everyone finds their game for the Wolves, the team will be a force in the Western Conference; there’s just too much talent not to believe it. For Minnesota to have their star point guard work his way out of the struggles can greatly inspire the rest of the group to find their rhythm.

The post D’Angelo Russell’s ‘Extra Work’ Results in Breakout Game appeared first on SLAM.

He is doing all this while shooting an improved 44.9 percent from the field and 36.9 from three.

While there is no doubt that Edwards has increased his output and has taken the necessary steps during the off-season to take “the leap” that he predicted for himself, the Wolves find themselves sitting at just .500 with a record of 4-4 in their first eight games. It is important to note that Minnesota did go out and strike a great deal with the Utah Jazz to trade for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.

Last night versus the Suns’ Edwards went off for 24 points on 5-10 shooting from deep to go along with six rebounds. Gobert also chipped in with seven points and nine rebounds while shooting a surprising 0-1 from the field but going 7-7 from the free throw line.

However, of everything that Edwards has done this year, one thing that seems to be missing from his versatile scoring: his insane dunking. In the eight games in which Edwards has played, the rim-rattling young star has zero dunks.

“Everybody is in the paint,” Edwards said about having 0 dunks. “I’m only 6’4, 6’5; I can’t just jump over everybody, man. I ain’t as tall as Giannis. Everybody be asking me to dunk the ball like it’s all peaches and cream. I’ve got to get a good lane to dunk the ball.”

Both Edwards and Gobert are looking to take Minnesota to the “next level” and really make other NBA teams see them as a powerhouse within an already stacked Western Conference. The T-Wolves have a roster full of talent to make a real name for themselves in the West this year.

With Edwards stepping up, a defensive anchor in Gobert, a true point guard in D’Angelo Russell, and the leadership of Karl Anthony-Towns, the young wolf pack can potentially achieve their playoff goal. Adjustments will be made, and team chemistry will grow as the season progresses; just give them some time.

The post Anthony Edwards On Why He Has Zero Dunks: ‘ I Can’t Just Jump Over Everybody’ appeared first on SLAM.

“The first unit, it’s still a work in progress, but it’s better. I thought it was really good tonight. It’s just kind of — as we go through, like, these different units and guys playing with Rudy, it’s all a learning curve for us right now.”

The first unit had plenty of heroes; Anthony Edwards had 30 points on 13/19 shooting from the field and even found the time to kick in 11 boards. Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 15 recounts. Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Their superior size advantage helped them outrebound the Thunder 54-42. 

The Wolves’ twin towers pairing was the initial allure of Minnesota’s off-season acquisitions. Their starting lineup figures to be on the level of anyone’s this season but Naz Reid off the bench was the final spark to secure the win for the Timberwolves. 

Reid finished with 14 points on 5-7 shooting, all in the fourth quarter. He was a big part of finally putting away the Thunder, playing well enough that FInch decided to keep him on the floor instead of re-inserting KAT and the stifle Tower

“I was going to try to bring Kat (Towns) and Rudy back at the same time and then try to finish the game there in the middle of the fourth,” Finch said. “And Nas was great, so we didn’t have to do that.”

Despite the win, the Timberwolves shot poorly from three, but the way they dominated the paint set the table for the win. The Wolves will have plenty of time to try and mesh their uncommon frontcourt pairing over the next 79 regular season games, but Sunday, the learning process wasn’t enough to distract from getting the win.

The post Chris Finch Says Timberwolves Are ‘Still A Work in Progress’ appeared first on SLAM.

Gobert recently told NBA.com’s Mark Medina what it has been like to mentor Wembanyama.

“It’s been great,” Gobert said. “I’ve known Victor since he was 13 years old. He’s a great kid. He’s very wise. Obviously, he has all the tools. But what makes him special is his mindset and his spirit. He’s passionate about the game. He wants to be great, and he knows what it takes to be great. He’s putting all that together and working really hard to get to that level. It’s been really cool to watch him grow.” 

GET YOUR MAGS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. https://t.co/7XlmKrorQ1 pic.twitter.com/mRQyD0VAHP

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 6, 2022

Wembanyama has been compared to Gobert, specifically with his ability to make a difference at the rim on the defensive end of the ball. On offense, however, Wembanyama is a completely different monster. Gobert understood this distinction and noted it very early on in Wembanyama’s development. 

“The first time I watched him play, we all knew he would be special. But the real question was how far and how special? These last few days, we can all agree that he’s going to be something unique. As soon as I got to speak with him and understand his mindset, I knew he would be great. He has all of the tools, but the mentality is the most important tool. He has that.” 

Gobert attended Metropolitans 92 and Wembanyama’s second exhibition game against the G League Ignite. Wembanyama finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks.

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA. This midrange fadeaway is absolutely ridiculous. (via @stevejones20) pic.twitter.com/ohxn4eMQY6

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 6, 2022

After the contest, Gobert and the number one prospect in the world took some photos together. At 7’4, the 18-year -old Wembanyama towered over Gobert.

“It doesn’t happen a lot (smiles),” Gobert said about Wembanyama being taller than him. “It was great. I’m used to being the one looking from up above. It’s unusual for me, but it happens. I’ve seen Boban [Marjanovic] and Tacko [Fall] a few times. It makes me feel like a normal person.” 

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year knows what it takes to succeed in the League, and Wembanyama was blessed with all of it and maybe even a little bit more.

The post Rudy Gobert Believes Victor Wembanyama Will Be ‘Something Unique’ appeared first on SLAM.

The gritty Memphis Grizzlies awaited them in the playoffs as their first-round opponent. It seemed like the two teams were evenly matched after the first four games; however, the Grizzlies came through when it mattered to close out the series.

In that same postseason, the Timberwolves struggled to close out games. Notably, in Game 3 in their series versus the Grizzlies, Minnesota scored only 12 points in the final period when entering the quarter with a 16-point lead. Memphis would go on to win by nine points to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

To add insult to injury, with the series tied 2-2, the Timberwolves went into the fourth quarter of Game 5 with an 11-point lead. This time though, they lost by two. The Grizzlies would take a commanding 3-2 lead in the series, and the momentum carried over to Game 6, where they would seal the deal and eliminate Minnesota. Anthony Edwards used the playoff loss as motivation.

“I took it personal with myself on just being better, being able to hit those shots in the clutch,” said Edwards.

In fact, according to The Athletic, Edwards also put on 11 pounds of muscle during the offseason.

“I feel like I’m in better shape, more than anything,” said the 21-year-old.” That’s going to take everything to the next level.”

Fortunately for Minnesota, reinforcements are on the way. Recently acquired two-way star Rudy Gobert has joined the party. The French big man is eager to start the season with his new team and made that known on Media Day.

“I got a few days before I came here just to settle down, relax,” Gobert said on Media Day. “I think the excitement just takes over, and I’m just really, really excited about this new season – I’m lucky to be surrounded by a group of guys that can really accomplish anything. It’s about building the right habits and just keep learning, keep getting better every day. I think the sky’s the limit for this group.”

The four-time All-Star will be joining three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns in the frontcourt, forming what is quite possibly the most formidable frontcourt duo in the league. Gobert believes that because of this, he can now show off his passing ability.

“I’ve always loved to play with another dominant big,” said Gobert. “I’ve always thought that I could pass.”

As for the other reinforcements, Minnesota is loaded. They will be welcoming the versatile Kyle Anderson, veteran guard Austin Rivers, sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and Eric Paschall. Who, of course, has yet to reach his peak. The future is indeed bright for the Timberwolves.

Minnesota will begin the season with a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct.19. 

The post Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert Looking to Take Minnesota ‘to the Next Level’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves hit big this off-season, adding three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in a monumental trade with Utah. Now that the Wolves have added another star-caliber talent to their roster, championship expectations have never been higher. When asked his thoughts on the addition of Gobert and how they would co-exist, Towns replied:

“I think Rudy’s one of the best defensive players we’ve ever had in the NBA. He has the hardware to prove it.” He said, according to CBS Sports, “I think I’m one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen. So putting us together gives us really a whole new spectrum of talent to use.”

KAT signed an extension in June to stay at the place he “calls home.” He went on to list all the sacrifices that he has made personally to help get the team to this point:

“I came into the NBA; I sacrificed everything I can, my body included trying to get us to the playoffs. I’ve sacrificed everything. I’ve sacrificed my life. I’ve sacrificed time with my mom. I’ve sacrificed public opinion of me. All for the betterment of my team, my teammates, their lives, and what they’re trying to accomplish.”

Anthony Towns has previously stated that he wants to ‘build a legacy’ in Minnesota. With so many talented pieces and young superstar Anthony Edwards, his best friend, and former All-Star D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Towns can begin to cement that legacy, and the Wolves potentially could make a huge playoff run.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I’m One of the Best Offensive Players and Talents the NBA has Ever Seen’ appeared first on SLAM.

One thing that the T-Wolves do know is that Edwards is a cornerstone and likely future face of the franchise. The third-year guard out Georgia has made himself a popular star not only for his high-flying playstyle but for his postgame quotes and affable personality off the court. This offseason alone, he’s already gone viral for his gunslinging with friends and was featured in a Sprite with Hawks star Trae Young.

However, Edwards isn’t just focused on having a great summer off the court. The Timberwolves star guard has reportedly looked like a “monster” over the summer.

Make or Miss Go 110 @theantedwards_ #DontFollowTheWave pic.twitter.com/TLKT3nxyzM

— GrassRoots (@GRSportsMedia) June 22, 2022

With the help of his brother, Bubba, his longtime trainer Justin Holland, player development coach Chris Hines, Edwards has been working on improving aspects of his game like his long distance shooting, defense, and taking another step in his evolution as a playmaker. Coach Chris Finch also wants Edwards to improve as closer and all-around player over the offseason too.

“I’ve been working on everything, man,” Edwards said per Jon Krawczynski. “Just getting better. I’m trying to take that leap this year and be the best player I can be. Trying to take my team as far as we can.”

With the addition of Gobert to the lineup, Minnesota’s guards will be playing with a premiere pick-and-roll player that is sublime at finishing dump offs and alley ops. The Wolves are thin at point guard. D’Angelo Russell and Jordan McLaughlin are the main floor generals, so Edwards will be tasked with not only being a walking bucket, but with making his teammates job of scoring easier off his passes.

Furthermore, Minnesota belives that Gobert can unlock another level of Ant-Man’s game as the one of the NBA’s best screeners, best rebounders, and an elite rim protector that won three DPOY’s (2018-2019, 2021). With Gobert’s screens forcing switches or freeing Edwards up for buckets, the Timberwolves, will see another level of elite play.

Defensively, the T-Wolves hope that Edwards and Jaden McDaniels can continue to evolve into elite defenders. The task will help Gobert who’s become the subject of criticsm for not being as stout defensively on switches as he is in the paint. If Edwards and McDaniels can eliminate the need for Gobert to guard speedy guards on the perimeter, Minnesota could have a stout defense capable of shutting down any NBA offense.

“I feel like after probably a year or two more I will understand everything I need to do in the summertime to be the best I can be,” Edwards said. “Right now, I’m figuring it out. It’s going pretty good.”

@theantedwards_ was feeling it in his playoff debut dropping 36 points to give the @Timberwolves the 1-0 series lead!

36 PTS | 6 AST | 2 BLK | 4 3PM

GAME 2: T-WOLVES/GRIZZLIES
Tues. 8:30pm/et on NBA TV#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/iyE4Jet5Fj

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

Last season, Edwards averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Ant-Man was a key cog in Minnesota winning 46 games and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Although the Wolves were eliminated in six games, the young team learned a lot about closing out games and being able to capitalize on cementing leads.

After a huge summer of fun and development, Minnesota and its fan will hope that Edwards, Towns, and Gobert can lead the Timberwolves to a new level of excellence.

“I feel like I’m working extremely hard, harder than I’ve ever worked before,” Edwards said. “I’m just happy with the results right now. I’m happy to see what it leads to on the court.”

The post Anthony Edwards on 2022-23 Season: ‘I’m Trying to Take That Leap This Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Jazz are trading Patrick Beverley to the Lakers for Talen Horton-Tucker, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 25, 2022

The trade is expected to be finalized sometime this Thursday morning, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

Patrick Beverley is returning to LA — this time, with LeBron James and the Lakers pic.twitter.com/SHY6XGLIAa

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 25, 2022

Beverley will be playing in LA for the first time since he was a Clipper. Beverley played for the crosstown rival from 2017-2021 and is expected to bring his much-needed defensive presence and bulldog mentality to the Lakers’ locker room. First-year Coach Darvin Ham has made it clear that his main priority other than revitalzing confidence with Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis is to improve the Lakers’ defensive standing.

Acquiring Beverley will do just that. Over the past five seasons, Beverley has held opponents to 41.9 percent shooting as the closest defender, second best among players that have defended 2,000 shots, per ESPN.

Beverley has one year and $13 million remaining on his contract. His expiring deal will give the Lakers significant salary-cap space to build around Davis and James, who will be the only players on the Lakers’ books in 2023-24. The Lakers could have as much as $88 million in salary to pay for the 2023-24 campaign. The projected salary c

With THT off the Lakers’ books next summer, they could have as little as $88.9 million in salary for 2023-24. The projected salary cap is $133 million for 2023-24.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) August 25, 2022

Beverley was reportedly eager to join the Lakers via trade, per ESPN, and was thrilled to learn of the impending deal. The late summer deal helps Utah inch closer to their rebuild after acquiring Horton-Tucker; the franchise is reportedly expected to remain active on the trade market and will likely still be seeking a trade partner for Donovan Mitchell.

Horton-Tucker averaged 10 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists last season. Johnson put up 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.

The post REPORT: Jazz Trades Patrick Beverley to the Lakers to Accelerate Rebuild appeared first on SLAM.

Edwards has proven that his self-confidence is more than just words this offseason. T-Wolves beat writer Jon Krawczysnki reported that he’d been told that Ant-Man has looked like a “monster” during offseason workouts.

“I’ve had multiple people just say that he looks like a monster,” Jon Krawczynski said. “We will see what happens when the lights come on when training camp comes in, and the games get going. I have heard a lot of really rave reviews about how Ant is looking.”

Since the Wolves drafted Edwards no. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, he’s injected a high level of confidence and swag into the organization. Not only has he played at a high level as a two-way stud, but he’s become a media darling for his funny quotes and amusing stories. The reports of Edwards looking like a “monster” came as no surprise, the third-year guard out of Georgia has improved every year he’s been in the League.

Hearing this report should make Edwards and T-Wolves fan excited to see how he performs and helps Minnesota improve upon their first-round exit to the Memphis Grizzlies. After the addition of Rudy Gobert, the Wolves have a chance to be a dangerous team.

The post REPORT: Anthony Edwards Has Looked Like a ‘Monster’ Over the Summer appeared first on SLAM.

Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels had 52 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists against Bachero and Holmgren at The Crawsover in Seattle. The Seattle native and University of Washington alum returned home to put it down for his city in an impressive performance.

In a recent appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, Crawford was asked which player at the most recent Crawsover events (which also featured Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and John Collins on Sunday) stood out to him the most. His response? Jaden McDaniels.

“The one I think is least talked about is Jaden McDaniels,” Crawford said. “His offense is so good, but right now, he’s in a role where he’s playing defense to stay on the court. But once his offense is unlocked, you’re looking at somebody who’s so fluid, 6’9, can handle the ball, make plays, very smooth when he plays, doesn’t disrupt the offense with how he plays.”

He’s someone who, I think, is the one that doesn’t get talked about enough,” Crawford said. “But he’s gonna be a great, great player for years to come.”

We’ve always known he’s had the hops, but McDaniels showed off an improved jump shot and handle at The Crawsover, making him a must-watch player heading into his third NBA season.

The 21-year-old averaged 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 46.0 percent shooting from the field last season. McDaniels only shot 31.7 percent from three-point range in the regular season but saw that number jump to 50.0 percent in Minnesota’s hard-fought playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

If McDaniels could find some consistency with his jump shot, he could be set for a breakout season with the Timberwolves. With a young core of Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, along with the blockbuster acquisition of Rudy Gobert, McDaniels and the T-Wolves will have to prove last season’s playoff appearance was the first of many to come in Minnesota.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Jamal Crawford Believes Jaden McDaniels Will Be a ‘Great Player For Years to Come’ appeared first on SLAM.

In December 2021, he became just the seventh player in NBA history to score 2,000 points in his first 100 games at age 20 or younger, joining LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Luka Dončić, and Zion Williamson. He’s also the youngest player in NBA history to hit 10 three-pointers in a game and joined James, Dončić, and Blake Griffin as the only active players with at least 2,000 points, 400 rebounds, and 300 assists in their first 100 games.

Whether on the court or starring in the movie Hustle alongside Juancho Hernangomez, Ant-Man has the confidence and ability to do it all. Edwards spoke with Complex to discuss his short-term goals and where he views himself among the NBA’s best, and his confidence is clearly through the roof.

Edwards gave himself a year when asked how much time he’ll need to be considered one of the League’s elite players.

“I need another year,” Edwards said. “After this year, I think I’ll be in the (best player) conversation.”

Edwards also said he expects to take the Timberwolves deep into the playoffs while becoming an All-Star starter with improved averages. He averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on 44.1 percent shooting last season. If those numbers all improve, Edwards’ confident prediction for himself could see reality.

The topic of the new “face” of the NBA came up in the conversation, and with stars like LeBron and KD getting older, Edwards feels he can become the League’s future cornerstone.

“Oh yeah, 100 percent. Sure,” Edwards said when asked if he could become the new face of the League. “I mean, it comes with time, and it comes with work and dedication. I feel like I got all three of those things, and I feel like it’s going to take me over the top.”

Edwards didn’t just keep it to basketball, though. It could be bowling, baseball, you name it; he went on to say that “I’m the most confident person in the world. I feel like I’m the best at every sport right now.”

Ant-Man is one of the game’s most exciting players after just two seasons in the League. His performance in the first round of the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies (25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game) only solidified him as one of the NBA’s future stars. His confidence has steered him in the right direction, which makes for an exciting and promising year three in Minnesota.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Anthony Edwards Believes He’ll Be in the ‘Best Player Conversation’ Soon appeared first on SLAM.

The former Kentucky Wildcat has played for the T-Wolves since he was drafted first overall during the 2015 NBA Draft. Since then, he’s accomplished a lot, earning three All-Star selections, two All-NBA selections, and won Rookie of the Year in 2015. He’s also led Minnesota to the playoffs twice, although they haven’t been able to advance past the second round while KAT has been in a T-Wolves jersey.

“I call this place home,” Towns said. “I said that since I came in, I said that since Flip called me after the draft day and I was there, and everyone was at Target Center.”

“I said this was home, and I never intended to lie to y’all. I really felt that this place has been nothing but fabulous to me and my family and has made this journey so fun and this journey so worth it. I’m just very honored to be able to put that TImberwolves jersey on for many more years to come, and I’m honored that I get the chance to do it with these wonderful guys next to me. So the future of this team, this organization, is bright, and it’s time to shine.”

“I’ve said that since day one…I call this place home.”@KarlTowns talks his contract extension with the @Timberwolves pic.twitter.com/QlowmIaWkW

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 22, 2022

The future is bright for Minnesota behind the leadership of KAT, the emergence of Anthony Edwards, and the acquisition of Rudy Gobert via trade this summer. The Timberwolves will be looking to reverse some of the game’s trends as they employ a Twin-Towers lineup anchored by Towns and three-time DPOY Gobert. Towns believe that he and Gobert can make up for each other’s deficiencies, which is why they’ll be a playoff contender for seasons to come.

“I expect a lot of winning, for sure,” KAT said while smiling. “It’s just a lot of winning. Like I said, I’m not up here just blowing smoke, I really wanna try to bring a championship right here to Minnesota, and I think that Rudy adds a huge component to that. He’s gonna be a massive part of us being a championship team, and my job is to help him as much he’s gonna help me.”

“His strengths are my weaknesses, and his weaknesses are my strength, so we’re gonna be able to play off of each other.”

“I expect a lot of winning.”@KarlTowns on @rudygobert27 joining the team in Minnesota pic.twitter.com/71ZsyrPfzd

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 22, 2022

The Timberwolves (46-36) ended the season seventh in the West after the Play-In Tournament and lost in first round of the playoffs to the Memphis Grizzlies in six games.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns on Signing His Extension: ‘I Call This Place Home’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Timberwolves are sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and multiple first-round picks for Gobert, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Stifle Tower met Minnesota fans, players, and media during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. During the presser with T-Wolves reporters, Gobert was asked about his fit next to the Minnesota backcourt of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell.

“I think the spacing we can get for them with my screening, with my rim gravity when I roll to the basket, and my passing that I think I’ll be able to showcase even more this year. All those things, I think that will allow them to be even better, that coupled obviously with the spacing that KAT’s gonna provide and the way I think we’re gonna play, they’re gonna be able to get a lot more easy looks then they’ve been able to get in previous years.

“They haven’t been throwing a lot of lobs over the last few years, but I think now, we’re going to work on that, and it’s another weapon that I think is really hard to guard — that’s what’s gonna make us unique is that we’re gonna be able to have so many different weapons and so many different ways of playing together.”

Rudy Gobert on his fit with Anthony Edwards + D’Angelo Russell:

“I think the spacing we can get for them with my screening, with my rim gravity when I roll to the basket…

they haven’t been throwing a lot of lobs over the last few years, we are going to work on that” pic.twitter.com/M2CXwQP1jk

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) July 6, 2022

Gobert averaged 15.6 points, a career-high 14.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game last season for the Jazz.

The post Rudy Gobert On His Fit With D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards appeared first on SLAM.

2021-22 All-NBA teams:

First: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

Second: Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan

Third: Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Pascal Siakam

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2022

Although Jokic is the reigning MVP, he wasn’t the leading vote-getter for All-NBA First Team, Antetokounmpo was. The Greek Freak received all 100 votes for one of the forward spots on the First-Team. Jokic and Joel Embiid, who finished as runner-up for the ’21 and ’22 MVP, split votes as the First-Team center. Embiid ended up being named as the center for the Second-Team.

Antekounmpo was not only the lone unanimous All-NBA selection this season, but he also became the first player over the last 50 years to be a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Time in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats and Information research.

Doncic became the fourth player in NBA history to earn his third First-Team selection before turning 24-years-old, joining Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Max Zazlofsky. Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic were joined by Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker. According to the NBA, this is the first time since 1954-55 that the First-Team comprises players at least 27-years-old or younger.

Booker and Tatum earned the First-Team nod for the first time in their career. This is the first overall All-NBA selection for Booker and Tatum’s second nod. Tatum is the first Celtic to make All-NBA First-Team since Kevin Garnett did it in 2008. He’s also the youngest Celtic to earn an All-NBA First-Team selection since Larry Bird in 1980.

The Second-Team is rounded out by Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and Durant. Chris Paul, Trae Young, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, and Karl-Anthony Towns filled out the Third-Team. James picked up his record 18th All-NBA nod, placing him ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan for most All-NBA picks, and became the first player in League history to make the All-NBA in his 19th+ season.

Paul is the first guard since Bryant to make an All-NBA team in his 17th+ season.

The post Nikola Jokic Headlines 2021-2022 All-NBA Teams appeared first on SLAM.

By the end of this game, Morant had the entire arena, along with any NBA fan that loves this game screaming at the top of their lungs. The Murray State product officially put his name in the hat of the undisputed future superstars after finishing Game 5 with 30-point, 13 rebounds, and nine assists to lift Memphis to a shocking 111-109 victory as time expired.

The 2022 All-Star’s poster at the end of the third quarter would impact national headlines even if the Grizzlies lost.

12 is simply different.

(via @memgrizz) pic.twitter.com/NII8jKnYes

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 27, 2022

But it was his 18-point 4th quarter that set the League on fire. He overcame six missed free throws to lead Memphis on a 23-7 run to make the game close. Morant then took the game over late in the fourth quarter.

First, with a little over a minute left in the game, Morant received a tap back rebound from Brandon Clarke to knock down a huge three-pointer to give his team the lead.

12.

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/yBc4zqPkic

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 27, 2022

Then after Anthony Edwards knocked down a clutch corner three-pointer to tie the game at 109, Morant closed the game out in spectacular fashion.

JA MORANT IS UNREAL!

The @memgrizz win Game 5! pic.twitter.com/h7setPIvTp

— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2022

Memphis now owns a 3-2 lead in this first-round Western Conference series, with Game 6 being Friday night in Minnesota.

The post Ja Morant Sends Minnesota to the Brink of Elimination With Game Winner appeared first on SLAM.

“We gotta come in with a desperate mindset and do whatever it takes to win this series,” Towns said.”The same way we got up 26 is the same way we gotta come back next game and play. This is home court; we’ve been doing a great job at home defending it. We are one of the best teams at home, so we really gotta up our chops on the line next game.”

Towns finished the game with eight points, five rebounds, and one assist. He shot 3-of-4 from the floor and only attempted one three-point shot. The backcourt of D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards led the Wolves in scoring with a combined 41 points.

Towns followed up his statement by saying he has to work through the adversity and that sticking with his teammates will get them through this series.

“Stick with what got us here, believe what we’ve done all year, and continue to believe in through ups and downs like this, Towns said. “This one hurts, and we have some games like that this year and bounced back, so I just hope we can do that game four.”

The Timberwolves look to tie the series on Saturday when they play Game 4 in Target Center.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns On Game 3 Loss At Home: ‘This One Hurts’ appeared first on SLAM.

This happened at halftime of Game 2 after Adams picked up two personal fouls (including a Flagrant 1) in the first three minutes of the game. After a Game 1 performance of four personal fouls, three rebounds, and three assists, Adams lost his spot in the rotation to Kyle Anderson.

That decision opened up minutes for Brandon Clarke, who provided tremendous contributions from the bench on a night when Memphis exclusively went with a small ball lineup that kept Adams on the bench while Jaren Jackson Jr. battled foul trouble.

YEAH YEAH @brandonclarke23 pic.twitter.com/BXZGkFBjqg

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) April 22, 2022

Clarke scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half for Memphis to help his team come back from two considerable deficits to win 104-95 and take a 2-1 lead in their first-round matchup over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With Memphis down 16 points going into the final quarter, Clarke was huge going down the stretch, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter to help spark a 50-13 run to shock the Wolves in Target Center.

came back from 26 points down…….twice

a nice 50-13 run to end the game. pic.twitter.com/HlZiL59bHd

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) April 22, 2022

With Karl-Anthony Towns dogged by foul trouble, Clarke took full advantage of the Wolves’ small lineup by controlling the boards and scoring down low.

After the game, Clarke’s teammates swarmed him on the floor to celebrate, including Adams, who was benched to make room for his heavy minutes down the stretch. Clarke took to social media to show his appreciation and reminded everyone it was not over.

Real fighters let’s go 2 more https://t.co/jpiN9VUtVN

— Brandon Clarke (@brandonclarke23) April 22, 2022

Game 4 between these two teams is scheduled for Saturday.

The post Brandon Clarke Shines In Game 3 Win Over Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

While Ja Morant (16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) will deservedly receive most of the attention for the Grizzles’ Game 3 comeback due to his triple-double performance, his backcourt mate Desmond Bane deserves some credit too, after being a major cog in Memphis’ comeback bid thanks to his timely long-range shooting.

Memphis started the game down 12-0 and found themselves down 26 points in the first half and 25 in the second before going on significant runs to get back in the game before halftime and snatch a 2-1 series lead in the second half.

The Timberwolves really blew TWO 25-point leads pic.twitter.com/pWyR5D61M3

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 22, 2022

The triumphant comeback began with the hot shooting of Bane, who scored a game-high 26 points (7-15 from beyond the arc) and grabbed six rebounds.

Desmond Bane led the @memgrizz in scoring while draining 7 three-pointers to lead #GrindCity to the 26 point comeback victory!@DBane0625: 26 PTS, 6 REB, 7 3PM

MEM vs. MIN Game 4: Sat. 10pm/et on ESPN#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/JbK9397lY9

— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2022

Then after D’Angelo Russell hit a three-pointer to put Minnesota up 79-54 in the third quarter, Bane helped his team erase a 25-point lead with a massive 23-4 run to tie the game at 83-83, capped off by a three-pointer with 8:30 left in the game. This fourth-quarter dagger in the corner effectively put the game away as Memphis outscored Minnesota 37-12 in the final frame to match the fourth-largest comeback in NBA playoff history.

THAT CATCH AND SHOOT BADGE GO CRAZY pic.twitter.com/YMwC2IEipt

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) April 22, 2022

After the dust settled, Bane was proud of his teammates for staying composed to clinch an emotional Game 3 victory.

“Everybody stayed with it, stayed resilient throughout the whole entire game; it’s an emotional victory — coming from being down a lot,” Bane said per Yahoo Sports.

“We’ve got to keep our heads; it’s first to four.”

Game 4 of the Grizzlies-Timberwolves series takes place on Saturday.

The post Desmond Bane Powers Memphis Comeback Bid to Beat Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

Although he scored 32 points, Morant was unhappy with his overall performance and on Instagram posted a captionless picture that featured a clip from the Last Dance where Michael Jordan spoke about can trash when they’re in the lead.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 12 (@jamorant)

The All-Star point guard had the best total floor game of his playoff career, leading Memphis to a 124-96 blowout. Despite only scoring 23 points in the game, he made his teammates better and controlled the game with a near triple-double adding nine rebounds and 10 assists. His playmaking opened up the offense and allowed seven Grizzlies players to score in the double figures.

Ja spin.
JJJ block.
JJJ three.
Ja three.

What a @memgrizz run on NBA TV!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/L5fr72yYiK

— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2022

While Morant was working his magic with his teammates on the floor evening the series, his family became one of the more fun storylines of the NBA playoffs. His father has collaborated with Karl Anthony Towns’ father to add a fun trash-talking element to the series that started at the end of Game 1.

KAT and Ja’s dad’s are still talking trash to each other pic.twitter.com/stJECBnvug

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2022

For the first time in the series, Morant’s daughter, Kaari, has become a viral sensation after cameras panned her enjoying her dad’s latest exploits on the court.

This moment of @JaMorant’s daughter, Kaari

So wholesome

(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/SLusGpnhuW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2022

Once his post-game on-court interview concluded, Morant motioned his daughter to join him as he carried her on his shoulders to walk back to her grandfather.

Ja and Kaari walking off in #PhantomCam after the Grizzlies Game 2 win! pic.twitter.com/Ae85LGbr8H

— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2022

As the series shifts to Minnesota, Morant’s family has brought an up and personal visual of total family support for a superstar we haven’t since Stephen Curry rose to prominence during the 2014 playoffs. Something that impressed ESPN analyst Jalen Rose to the utmost earlier this week.

.@JalenRose says the NBA “is in the best position that it’s been in since Michael Jordan retired.”

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/I8i0TlrU0e

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 18, 2022

The pivotal Game 3 matchup is on Thursday, where the winner will go up 2-1 in their first-round matchup.

The post Memphis Grizzlies Even Series Led By A Ja Morant Family Affair appeared first on SLAM.

JA OFF A TRAMPOLINE WITH THE TWO HAND!!!!!

(via @NBAUK) pic.twitter.com/jMoqZrlCCA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 16, 2022

However, Anthony Edwards showed the NBA world that he is not a young player that is not afraid of the moment. Edwards matched Morant’s 19 first-half points and engineered the Wolves’ offense in the second half to the first upset of the NBA playoffs.

Edwards shined in his first playoff game scoring 36 points while adding six assists in a 130-117 Minnesota win over the Grizzlies for their first road playoff victory since 2004. The Timberwolves now lead 1-0 going into Game 2 on Tuesday night with the win.

@theantedwards_ was feeling it in his playoff debut dropping 36 points to give the @Timberwolves the 1-0 series lead!

36 PTS | 6 AST | 2 BLK | 4 3PM

GAME 2: T-WOLVES/GRIZZLIES
Tues. 8:30pm/et on NBA TV#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/iyE4Jet5Fj

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2022

According to ESPN Stats and Info, the former top pick in the 2020 NBA draft is now one of only four players with more than 35 points in a playoff game before turning 21-years-old. The others were Derrick Rose, Tyler Herro, and Magic Johnson. Edwards was dominant from all areas of the court, knocking down four three-pointers, finishing strong at the rim, and hitting all eight of his free throws.

Although it surprised many, Edwards’ confidence did not waver in any way in this game, as he stated after the game.

“I told [teammate Taurean Prince] I treat every game the same,” Edwards said via ESPN. “I didn’t feel any different — like a regular-season game to me.”

“I love my shots,” Edwards said. “Whatever shot I take, whether it’s a step-back trey-ball or a step-back midrange or a floater or a layup — whatever my shot is — I like it. Sometimes, [Timberwolves coach Chris Finch] may not like it, but I love my shot. I’m just trusting myself.”

The two young stars, Morant and Edward, will continue to share the spotlight for the rest of the series after a historic performance in Game 1, becoming the first opposing players in NBA history to each top the 30-point mark in a playoff game at 22 or under. Morant finished with 32 points.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch wants to see how consistent Anthony can be going forward.

“Let’s just see what he does over the long haul. He’s had two really good games,” Finch said via Twincities.com. “I know he’ll be locked in. Can’t get bored, you know? Can’t get bored.”

Tune in to see Game 2 on Tuesday night and find out.

The post Anthony Edwards Makes Playoff Debut History in Game 1 Win appeared first on SLAM.

The backcourt of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell combined for 59 points last night as Edwards finished with 30 points and Russel with 29 points.

The Timberwolves finished the fourth quarter on a 23-11 run led by big shots from second-year star Edwards including this huge dunk.

THERE IT IS pic.twitter.com/epHTOH8dwF

— x – Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2022

Veteran guard Patrick Beverly was proud of the young star and let reporters know how he felt about him stepping up in the big moment.

“No one can guard him, and I been telling him that all year,” Beverly said. “I don’t care who plays him. I done seen the best defensive guys, and I’m one of the best defensive guys on earth. No one can guard him. Credit to him, his hard work and patience at a young age understanding what comes with the game. This is his moment, and he deserves all of it.”

The Timberwolves will meet the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs starting on April 16. Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant was excited to finally see who their first-round matchup would be, and made sure to show some love on Twitter by shouting out Edwards.

This season the Grizzlies and Timberwolves split their regular-season matchup at 2-2, so this matchup of up-and-coming stars should be very entertaining.

The post Patrick Beverley On Anthony Edwards’ 30-Piece: ‘No One Can Guard Him, and I Keep Preaching That to Him’ appeared first on SLAM.

The addition of the two has brought a new dynamic to a franchise known for its futility and recently for being soft after the infamous practice altercation between Jimmy Butler and his former teammates and the T-Wolves’ front office. Now, the Timberwolves have a new look to them, one of toughness and swag, refusing to lay down and be an easy win for any of their adversaries.

Their confidence and belief in each other led to the Timberwolves’ epic 109-104 comeback win against the Clippers to clinch their first playoff appearance since 2018. The combined 59-point effort from Edwards (30 points on 5-11 shooting from three-point territory) and D’Angelo Russell (29 points, five rebounds, six assists) helped the Timberwolves overcome a tough night from Karl-Anthony Towns who fouled out after playing just 24 minutes.

Ant is cheffin up.

(via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/prop8PW8Tl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 13, 2022

”The game had to go in a different direction,” coach Chris Finch said per NBA.com. ”That’s why you have a team because a lot of other people step up.”

The Timberwolves’ comeback effort started after a Reggie Jackson triple gave the Clippers a nine-point with just nine minutes to go in the second half. However, the T-Wolves responded with a 16-2 run, taking the lead it would never relinquish on a Russell pull-up three, followed by a tomahawk slam from Edwards that punctuated their gutsy effort.

THERE IT IS pic.twitter.com/epHTOH8dwF

— x – Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2022

As the Timberwolves relished their playoff-clinching performance, the always entertaining Edwards left the media and fans with a quote that won’t be forgotten due to his memorable performance and especially due to his part in helping to change the culture in Minnesota.

”I took what the game gave me. That’s what they gave me. They were scared to guard me, and I took advantage of that,” Edwards said.

The post Anthony Edwards On Epic Timberwolves Comeback: ‘They Were Scared to Guard Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA has implemented a play-in tournament to decide the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference. This gives the top ten teams in the East and West a chance to make it into the postseason. 

Each conference will have a short tournament that showcases the eighth through tenth seeds. In a single-game two round event, the seventh and eighth seeds can make the playoffs with one win. The ninth and tenth seeds need to win twice in order to advance to the playoffs. 

In the Western Conference, a matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 7) and LA Clippers (No. 8) will take place on April 12 at 9:30 PM ET. 

The winner of this game will advance to the postseason while the loser will have one final shot to make it in against the winner of the game between the ninth and tenth seed.

Minnesota finished its 2021-22 campaign with a record of 46-36, earning the No. 7 seed in the West. After starting the season 11-15, the Wolves went 35-21 the rest of the way. 

The Timberwolves have been great on the offensive glass this season, which should be key for them in this matchup. However, they struggle to take care of the ball at times which could be detrimental. 

Since the All-Star break, Minnesota has been on fire. Since that mark, the Wolves have been a top-five team in the NBA when it comes to win percentage. 

The Clippers battled injuries all season, but still locked up the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed with a record of 42-40. Since getting Paul George back from injury, they’ve looked better and have won six of their last seven games. 

The Clips are a great 3-point shooting team, finishing top-three in that category this season. On the flip side, they struggle on the glass and were bottom ten during the regular season. 

The Clippers were a team that never gave up this season, overcoming numerous deficits and winning a ton of comeback games. 

In the four matchups this season between these teams, the Clippers won the season series 3-1. LA won the first three games of the year against Minnesota, but the Timberwolves won the most recent. All three of the Clippers’ wins came in November, while the Wolves won the most recent game in January. 

Since these teams haven’t played in several months, both rosters look different and they’re each playing at a different level. 

The player to watch in this matchup is George, who will determine the Clippers’ ceiling in the play-in tournament and the postseason in general. For the Timberwolves, their superstar trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards is one of the best in the NBA.

The post 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament: Minnesota Timberwolves Match Up With LA Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

Tucker initially played college basketball at Florida Gulf Coast and transferred to Arkansas-Little Rock after two seasons. After sitting out his junior year due to transfer rules, Tucker averaged 20.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game as a senior. He was named to the second-team All-Sun Belt Conference and declared for the 2019 NBA Draft.

After going undrafted, Tucker signed with Wisconsin Herd and played for the Bucks’ summer league team, where he averaged 10.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in five games. In 16 games with the Herd, Tucker averaged 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists before eventually signing with the Utah Jazz mid-season in 2019-2020.

After stints with the Jazz and 76ers, Tucker returned to the Herd in August 2021 and averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 13 games. In December, he would sign 10-day contracts with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets before returning to the Herd for his third stint with the team.

Yesterday the Milwaukee Bucks waived forward DeAndre’ Bembry, who recently underwent season-ending knee surgery, opening a roster spot for Tucker.

The Bucks will close out the regular season on the road as they travel to Detroit and Cleveland to prepare for postseason action.

The post REPORT: Milwaukee Bucks Sign Rayjon Tucker to Multiyear Contract. appeared first on SLAM.

In the 127-121 victory against the San Antonio Spurs, the second-year star went 16-18 from the field and 6 of 14 from 3-point range. At 20-years-old, Edwards now has five 40-point games surpassing Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant, who both have four 40-point games before the age of 21. LeBron James is the only player above Edwards with eight.

With the Timberwolves on the brink of postseason action, Edwards feels excited about his team heading into the playoffs.

“I feel like we’re gonna make a real good run in the playoffs, and they need to be ready for us.” Edwards said per ESPN.

The Timberwolves will close out the regular season by hosting the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Next Tuesday, the Timberwolves and Clippers will match-up in the Play-In tournament, with the winner facing off against the two-seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoff.

The post Anthony Edwards On Clinching Play-In Spot: ‘I Feel Like We’re Gonna Make A Real Good Run’ appeared first on SLAM.

Center Greg Monroe will sign a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the remainder of the season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Monroe had productive stints in Minnesota, Washington, Utah and Milwaukee this season, completing a 10-day with the Jazz on Wednesday.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 7, 2022

Monroe recently finished up his 10-day contract with the Jazz – in which he averaged 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 8.7 minutes through three games of the team’s five games – Monroe joins the Timberwolves with two contests remaining before the start of the postseason.

Currently seated comfortably as the seventh seed in the West and two games removed from the sixth seed, the Timberwolves could slide out of the Play-In with wins over the San Antonio Spurs (34-45) tonight and against the Chicago Bulls (45-35) on Sunday.

The 6’11 center had a productive stint with the organization in December when he signed his first 10-day of the season, appearing in three games while putting up 6.7 points, 7.0 boards, and 3.7 assists in 21.0 minutes per game.

Monroe’s leadership in the locker room and familiarity with the postseason – he has appeared in 27 playoff games throughout his career – will be an added benefit as the Timberwolves’ final roster spot heading into their first postseason appearance since 2018.

The post Minnesota Timberwolves Sign Greg Monroe for Remainder of Season appeared first on SLAM.

With the win, Minnesota is now tied in the win column, with the Denver Nuggets moving just a half-game out of the sixth spot to avoid the play-in tournament. The Timberwolves play the Nuggets next week in a game with significant playoff implications.

With the loss, the Mavericks missed a chance to pass the Utah Jazz for the fourth seed after the Jazz lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. Dallas and Utah have a showdown on Sunday for potential home-court advantage in the first round.

“You’ve got to be able to respond to adversity quick,” Karl-Anthony Towns said via ESPN about the importance of staying the course especially through Minnesota’s two-game losing streak, “Especially if we’re going to be in the playoffs and we’re talking about winning a championship.”

KAT posted 20 points nine rebounds on the night, leading a balanced offensive effort that featured seven Wolves players that scored in double figures.

full squad effort.

KAT – 20 pts. / 9 reb. / 1 ast. / 1 stl.
JMac – 16 pts. / 5 reb. / 3 ast.
DLo – 15 pts. / 5 reb. / 8 ast.
TP – 14 pts. / 5 reb.
Ant – 12 pts. / 6 reb. / 4 ast. / 1 stl.
Vando – 12 pts. / 6 reb. / 1 stl.
PatBev – 10 pts. / 1 reb. / 2 ast. / 1 stl. / 1 blk. pic.twitter.com/rZnvU67TAT

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 26, 2022

Despite Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic almost collecting another triple-double after finishing the night with 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks, and the highlight of the night after nutmegging a defender with a dime to Maxi Kleber for a dunk.

Luka sneaks in a bounce pass!

Watch Now on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/PrL4MmbWJc

— NBA (@NBA) March 26, 2022

Minnesota made him work for everything he got, loading up defenders such as Patrick Beverley, Anthony Edwards, and Taurean Prince.

The Timberwolves start a critical four-game road trip Sunday in Boston.

The post Minnesota Timberwolves Get Closer to Playoff Position With Win Over Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

The dynamic trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards is beginning to mesh. 

During its recent stretch of success, Minnesota has emerged as a legitimate contender in the West and has the chance to avoid the play-in tournament. With a record of 42-30, the Timberwolves are on the cusp of taking over the sixth seed in the conference outright. 

This has resulted in the team playing with a ton of confidence, with Towns leading the team on both ends of the floor. 

“Any time we step on the court, we should win. Simple as that. There’s no excuse. We don’t feel that we should lose to anybody. We feel we can beat anybody. So, every time we walk into the arena, we feel we should win,” Towns told reporters on Friday. 

The Timberwolves are a team that nobody should feel comfortable matching up with in the first round of the playoffs. In the NBA, it’s all about getting hot at the right time. 

Down the final stretch of the season, Minnesota has looked like one of the best teams in the league. 

The post Timberwolves Star Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘We Can Beat Anybody’ appeared first on SLAM.

Towns shot 14-22 from the floor and 8-11 from the free-throw line, which now puts the Timberwolves five games above the .500 mark sitting at 34-29 on the season. Former All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell knew that the key to victory over the Warriors (43-19) was to keep feeding the big fella the rock.

DOMINANT.

39 and 9 for KAT pic.twitter.com/48DTTjpwAS

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 2, 2022

“Feed him, feed him, feed him. If you run out of food, feed him the fork. I don’t know. Keep feeding him.” Russell told Wolves beat reporter Dane Moore.

Russell finished the game with 20 points and seven assists.

With guard Anthony Edwards sitting out with knee tendinitis, KAT prioritized setting the tempo and raising the competitive spirits for the entire team.

“You’re playing the Golden State Warriors; you know how everyone feels about that. You wake up with a different energy and a different vibe.” Towns said to ESPN.

DLo in the 4th is automatic. (via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/h7QKIyqt5G

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 2, 2022

The Timberwolves will travel to Oklahoma City in a matchup against the Thunder to extend their winning streak to seven games. Through the leadership of Anthony Towns, Edwards, and Russell, the Timberwolves have emerged as a playoff threat. As of Wednesday, Minnesota is squarely in the play-in battle at the seventh seed in the Western Conference standings.

If the standings remain, the T-Wolves will make their first playoff appearance since 2018, when they were gentlemen swept by the Houston Rockets.

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“I mean, it’s funny, you see all the stories that are out there, and all that stuff, and obviously we all see it,” Embiid said when asked playing Harden before a shooting per ESPN. “It’s completely different than what you see out there. He’s a great person, a great personality, always smiling, fun to be around. Everything, really.”

“His presence on the team and on the floor has really changed a lot since he got here. So I’m just excited for that to continue on the court, and I think that’s going to help us a lot.”

James Hardens 76ers debut went off seamlessly. The Beard led Philly to a 133-102 win over the Timberwolves.

Harden posted 27 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds on 58 percent shooting in 35 minutes. This is the 6ers first game since the All-Star break concluded, and Harden’s first time back on the hardwood after a hamstring injury sidelined him for eight games, half of which came before the blockbuster tradeline deal between Philly and Brooklyn.

James Harden is set for his @sixers debut!

PHI @ MIN
8pm/et • League Passhttps://t.co/CgrjmCx2iJ pic.twitter.com/nAdeO1Ecut

— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2022

The opening quarter couldn’t have gone any better for Philly after the 76ers started the game on a 15-0 run.

During that run, Harden also got the first bucket of his 76ers career after razzling and dazzling his way to the rim off a baseline drive. The Beard not only showed that his burst is back, but he also highlighted his physical play shrugging off Anthony Edwards to complete the hoop and the harm for the three points.

Harden with the godly stutter step crossover into the AND1. Who’s excited for Harden’s new chapter in Philly?

(via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/3izzkmbAan

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 26, 2022

Next to Embiid, the two featured weapons of the 76ers offense combined for 31 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in the first half. The two All-Stars also dominated at the free-throw line going 16/19 from the line. Harden himself scored 17 points, five dimes, and grabbed three assists.

Harden couldn’t escape the first half without hitting his signature side step-back three either, adding insult to injury after drawing a foul on Jared Vanderbilt.

.@JHarden13‘s signature move. pic.twitter.com/hwwJ7ByJty

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 26, 2022

With a 65-49 lead going into the half, the 76ers experiment with the former MVP seemed to have energized the team. The third quarter is when Philly created full separation, building a lead as large as 27 after a reverse layup from Embiid.

they don’t call it the Target Center for nothin’ pic.twitter.com/HCDioRPUMU

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 26, 2022

When it was all said, the 76ers ended the night not having to sweat the details after dominating the Timberwolves by as much as 35 points. Harden’s debut couldn’t have gone better as he finished the night with his first double-double as a 76er and ended the night with a +/- score of +35.

back to back. pic.twitter.com/IEV0Zufh3I

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 26, 2022

The 10-time All-Star and Embiid combined for 61 points. Tyrese Maxey was also a huge benefactor of the attention Harden draws, scoring 28 points and tallying four steals.

Joel Embiid and James Harden combined for 61 points tonight. pic.twitter.com/O4I7vR7F8d

— theScore (@theScore) February 26, 2022

The next time the 76ers and Harden plays will be against the Knicks on Monday. Between now and Sunday, the good feelings will persist as Philly looks to be an even bigger threat to come out of the Eastern Conference and play in the Finals. At 36-23, the 76ers are third in the East.

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Despite Towns’ 41 percent shooting from distance this season and 39.6 percent career average, he was considered a long shot to win. Even with the number of long-distance shots KAT attempted this season, no one counted on the Wolves center in the shoot-out. 

First Round:

The early favorites going into the competition were Trae Young, Patty Mills, and Desmond Bane.

The #MtnDew3PT contest field is stacked!

It’ll be raining triples tonight in Cleveland… tune in at 8:00pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/aL9t3nLRfV

— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022

Bane took himself out of the competition early by tallying 18 points. Then Luke Kennard set the bar for the first round dropping 28 points to put pressure on the rest of the field. Then Towns became the most significant threat for the title, surprising many by putting up 22 points of his own.

Young provided some drama of his own by almost getting eliminated in the first round. He had to finish the round with a flurry to slide past Patty Mills by one point to get into the second round with 22 points.

Final Round:

KAT was the first shooter in the finals, and the way he shot the ball, everyone in the arena, including Ice Trae and Kennard, knew the competition was over. He made history and put on a show while doing it.

Towns concluded the event in epic proportions, taking home the shoot-out trophy in historic fashion by putting up 29 points beating renowned shooters Kennard and Young. KAT’s score broke the record for most points scored in the final round previously held by Devin Booker, who scored 28 back in 2018. 

The reigning champ is not only the first center to ever win the event, but the first big man since Kevin Love in 2012 to take home the award.

Karl-Anthony Towns is a career 39.6% three-point shooter, and now he has the hardware to match

Check out some of the best three-pointers from the 2022 #MtnDew3PT Champion Karl-Anthony Towns! pic.twitter.com/sMouEd4Brz

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022

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With Patrick Beverley close to free agency with an expiring contract, the team is putting him on the trading block along with Malik Beasley with eyes for a specific guard.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Timberwolves are looking at a Boston Celtics guard to replace Beverley in the future.

“Before Patrick Beverley reaches free agency, Minnesota is exploring trade avenues involving its veteran point guard in addition to the Timberwolves’ conversations regarding Malik Beasley. Marcus Smart has been mentioned as a recent target for Minnesota who would fill Beverley’s integral role in the Wolves’ starting lineup.” 

Marcus Smart is considered a younger version of Patrick Beverley at 27-years-old as a scrappy guard who exercises the most of his abilities on the court on a consistent basis. He also is a much more expensive version with a contract that won’t expire until the end of the 2025-26 season and with a remaining guaranteed amount of nearly $100 million.

If the Wolves front office decides to make the move, it’s a definite push for the playoffs where they haven’t been since the 2017-18 season.

This season, Smart is averaging 11.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, while Patrick Beverley is averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 board, and 5.0 dimes.

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According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Pacers’ Caris LeVert has drawn the eye of two NBA teams, but the asking price may be too high.

“Caris LeVert has known suitors in Cleveland and New York, but so far Indiana has requested multiple first-round picks for the 27-year-old guard as well, sources said.”

LeVert is in his seventh season in the NBA and his second with the Pacers, joining via trade from the Brooklyn Nets last season.

Over his career, LeVert has averaged 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, but those numbers have taken a jump since joining Indiana. LeVert has posted 19.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game through 64 games since becoming a Pacers.

While LeVert could be on the move, Fischer reports that center Myles Turner still looks to be the most likely candidate to find himself traded before the deadline, with a laundry list of teams interested including “Dallas, Minnesota, New York, Sacramento, Charlotte, and Portland.”

Fischer reports in the same article that Indiana has put in calls for several players themselves. The Pacers seem to be looking for help on the wing, with Fischer reporting interest in acquiring Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday, or Jeremy Lamb.

The NBA trade deadline is now less than a month away, taking place on Thursday, Feb. 10.

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Those rumors continued this week when ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on “The Scoop W/ Doogie” podcast that the Minnesota Timberwolves have offered an extensive number of trades to the 76ers for Simmons.

“From what I understand, the Wolves have pretty much offered every asset package they could possibly offer for Ben Simmons except for Anthony Edwards and Karl (Anthony)Towns,” Windhorst said.

In the same episode, Darren Wolfson, the host of the podcast, said that Simmons remains “on the Wolves radar” despite the lack of a deal thus far.

Simmons has yet to appear in a game for the 76ers this season, sitting out citing mental health issues and a back injury since the preseason. Prior to this season, Simmons has more than proved his worth on the court, being named to three All-Star teams, two All-Defensive teams, and one All-NBA team in just four full seasons in the league.

However, the Timberwolves may not even need Simmons as they have shown to be a much-improved team so far this year. Minnesota is currently in the thick of a playoff fight sitting at eighth in the Western Conference with a record of 20-20.

The 76ers, despite the absence of Simmons, are still putting together a strong season, and sit at fifth in the Eastern Conference currently with a record of 23-16.

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Following the game, Edwards was asked how he felt about the decision from Finch, to which Edwards responded that while he was upset, his head coach was right, according to Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“I get mad for sure. I be wanting to say something to him. But it’s pointless. He right. Can’t do nothing but be better when I get back in,” Edwards said to Hine. “That’s why I said he right. I get mad, but he right. At the end of the day, I can’t do nothing but take the constructive criticism and come back and show him that I can do it.”

The decision to bench Edwards paid off for Finch, as the Timberwolves went on to win the game 122-104 and Edwards himself ended up as the game’s leading scorer, dropping 28 points and four assists. And this was without the help of Timberwolves All-Stars Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell, both of whom were inactive for the game.

Edwards is posting an excellent sophomore season for Minnesota, averaging 22.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Thanks in part to Edwards, the Timberwolves are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, sitting ninth in the West with a record of 17-20, just three games back of the fifth seed Denver Nuggets. Edwards has a chance to make up for his defensive effort on Wednesday when Minnesota resumes play against the OKC Thunder.

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“He definitely gets stats. He chases stats.” Towns said, “But I think he’s a hell of a player. I don’t care what anyone says. Do you know how hard it is to get a triple-double? And he plays hella hard. I just think sometimes he plays too quick, he tries to do too much.”

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The comments quickly went viral, catching the ire of Draymond Green, who was a chief rival of Westbrook when the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder were rivals for Western Conference supremacy. Green publicly responded on social media to what could be perceived as backhanded compliments after KAT later said that he didn’t care about personal stats, making it clear that good stats in a loss are pointless.

“I once watched from the bench due to us beating the Twolves ass, and he was in the game down 20 with 2 mins to go.” Green commented, “Come on, man. Stop talking to people about the ‘bros’ and yelling this is a ‘brotherhood.’ SMH.”

After beating the Suns on Christmas, the Warriors own the top record in the League, 27-6. The Timberwolves are ninth in the West with a 15-17 record and are looking to stay above water while they wait for Anthony-Towns and Anthony Edwards to clear protocols.

The post Draymond Green Comes to the Defense of Russell Westbrook appeared first on SLAM.

Isaiah Thomas was nothing short of AMAZING tonight. @isaiahthomas

42 points | 8 assists | 6 rebounds | 5 3PT pic.twitter.com/qBO1IelI0f

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 16, 2021

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Grand Rapids Gold added Shabazz Muhammad to the roster for the G League showcase against the Ignite on Sunday.

It’s the highly touted G League Ignite against the @NBAGrandRapids Superteam starring Lance Stephenson, Mario Chalmers, Nik Stauskas and the freshly signed Shabazz Mohammad — and coached by Jason Terry — here at the @nbagleague Showcase in Las Vegas. Let’s hoop … pic.twitter.com/QvHnPGNgyQ

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 20, 2021

The Utah Jazz’s former 2013 first-round draft pick (draft right traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 21st pick) is hoping the G League’s showcase event will spark an NBA comeback. It’s not the first time Muhammad has played in the showcase. In 2014, he was part of the All-Showcase team when the Wolves sent him to the NBA Development League to play with the Iowa Energy.

Shabazz last appeared on an NBA court in 2017-18, playing 43 games with Minnesota and the Milwaukee Bucks. Since then, he has played in the Chinese Basketball Association.

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Despite dominating the rookie class for most of the year statistically, scoring 19.3 points and grabbing 4.7 rebounds per game in just over 32 minutes per game with the Minnesota Timberwolves (4-8) , Edwards finished second in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award voting behind Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, who led the league’s rookies last season in assists per game.

Recently Edwards mentioned that he had a bigger award in mind with the same confidence he had when he told Stephen Curry he may score 50 points against his Golden State Warriors.

Ant: “Hey Steph, I might get 50.” @theantedwards_ was locked in last night pic.twitter.com/zm2dVy4NPt

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 11, 2021

“I don’t care about that,” Edwards told NBA.com. “I’m happy ‘Melo got it. They were saying our Draft class wasn’t going to be good, anyway. So, it didn’t bother me that I didn’t get it.”

“I’m trying to be MVP,” Edwards said. “I’m not really worried about Rookie of the Year.”

It already looks as if Edwards is working toward his goal.

Through 12 games, he’s averaging 24.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists which is an improvement to his rookie numbers of 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. His career-high scoring game of 48 points put him in a club with Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Luka Dončić and former Hawks star John Drew as the only NBA players to have three 40-point plus games before the age of 21.

For the Minnesota Timberwolves to become a playoff contender, they need their star second-year player to continue to try to attain his high aspirations. The Timberwolves play the Suns (9-3) Monday.

The post Anthony Edwards: ‘I’m Trying To Be MVP’ appeared first on SLAM.

In a Wednesday 123-110 loss to the League-leading Warriors (10-1), the budding T-Wolves star exploded for a career-high 48 points, five boards, five helpers, and two steals on 16-27 shooting from the field and 7-13 from beyond the arc.

The monster performance made Ant-Man the third-youngest player to register a 45-5-5 game since Brandon Jennings and LeBron James accomplished the feat.

“I’m not mad at tonight,” Edwards told the Star Tribune. “Forget the points, just how we was down 20, the way that we fought as a team, overall, I loved that. That gave me energy to keep going. I was tired, man. I was exhausted.”

Edwards joined another exclusive list with his third career 40-point game before turning 21-years-old. The only players who have reached the mark more are Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant, who have one more such, and James, who has five more.

Big night for @theantedwards_

The only players with more 40-point games before turning 21 are LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant. pic.twitter.com/0NU8fptwSp

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 11, 2021

The 48-point night is also the sixth highest single-game effort in franchise history behind Karl-Anthony Towns (56), Mo Williams (52), Kevin Love and Corey Brewer (51 points apiece), and Derrick Rose (50)

The Timberwolves will look to bounce back Friday against the Lakers (7-5)

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Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns ended up expressing some concern over the team’s recent form, looking back on past seasons.

“We’re on a three-game slide right now in the NBA. If I know one thing about slides here in Minnesota, it could go from three to 18 to 19, 20 really quick,” Towns told reporters, including the Star Tribune’s Chris Hine, on Wednesday night.

The Timberwolves started the season 3-1, but after losing three straight to the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic, they’ve dropped to 3-4 and are tenth in the Western Conference.

Towns has had a great start to the season, averaging 23.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

The Timberwolves will have the chance to correct course on Friday night when they take on the Clippers at home for the second straight game. The Timberwolves fell to the Clippers on Wednesday night 126-115.

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Both players were selected in the 2020 NBA Draft, with the highly-touted Edwards winding up as the first overall pick and McDaniels landing with Minnesota in the first round as well (28th overall).

After a slow start, the explosive Edwards turned in a spectacular rookie season, averaging 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He finished as a runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting to Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball.

McDaniels, a lanky, athletic and versatile player, demonstrated tremendous promise as a rookie and projects to be at least a nice role player for the Wolves going forward. He averaged 6.8 points per game off the bench last season, and got better as his role and minutes on the team grew.

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A league source said the Timberwolves, Pacers, Cavaliers, Pistons, Raptors and Spurs are still inquiring about Ben Simmons’ availability.

Simmons vs. Sixers: An inside look at a messy NBA divorce https://t.co/pF1YNcWHBK via @phillyinquirer

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) October 2, 2021

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who are reportedly unwilling to give up Karl Anthony-Towns or Anthony Edwards in any deal for Simmons, as well as Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and the San Antonio Spurs have all reached out to the Sixers in hopes for a potential deal. There were earlier rumors about a deal with Golden State but Warriors owner Joe Lacob questioned Simmons’ fit on the team.

The next chapter of this ongoing story comes Monday, when the 76ers open up their preseason with a matchup against the Raptors. The team already has held $8.25 million of Simmons’ salary on October 1st. If Simmons misses Monday’s game, he faces a fine of roughly $227,000 and will continue for every game he is not present going forward.

Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game for the Sixers last year. His second place finish in the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year voting showcased the two way talents that helped him make his third-straight All-Star appearance.

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Defense often comes down to effort and making the offensive player uncomfortable. For a guy like Beverley, sticking as close as he can to who he’s defending is a top priority. 

“People don’t like to be touched and I like touching a lot of people,” said Beverley of his defensive mindset in a recent interview. 

On a Timberwolves team that hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2017-18 season, Beverley will be a key veteran. His defensive mindset will be crucial, as several of the young players on the roster have it figured out offensively, but lack the defensive efficiency. 

Beverley will look to get Minnesota off to a good start when they kick off their regular season on Oct. 20 against the Rockets. 

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Now, heading into the 2021-22 season, the Timberwolves have signed Bolmaro to his rookie scale deal, setting the stage for him to begin his first NBA season. 

Bolmaro just turned 21 years old earlier this month, but already has quite a bit of professional experience. Last season, he averaged 4.9 points in 13.1 minutes per game overseas. Additionally, Bomaro spent some time with the Argentinian national team at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. 

Minnesota has a ton of young talent, with Bolmaro being yet another piece to develop. At 6-foot-7, he’s got great size for a guard. 

The post Minnesota Timberwolves Sign Former First Rounder Leandro Bolmaro appeared first on SLAM.

With that in mind, Beverley was acquired by the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer and is set to be in a different situation than he’s used to. However, that doesn’t mean he expects anything less than greatness.

In a recent press conference, Beverley talked about the extremely high expectations he has for the Timberwolves this season. “I’ve made the playoffs every year since I’ve been in the NBA, and I don’t expect that to change,” said Beverley.

There’s no question that Beverley is a winner, but this Timberwolves team is quite different from the Clippers. While they have a ton of young talent, they were among the worst teams in the NBA last season.

In terms of being a mentor to young guys on the team and bringing energy with a defensive mindset, Beverley will be a solid contributor in Minnesota this season. However, unless things look very different for the Timberwolves than they did last season, he’s in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time in his career.

Last season with the Clippers, Beverley averaged 7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in primarily a starting role.

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Jon Krawczynski gave insight into the Timberwolves’ perspective on Simmons on The Athletic NBA Show last week. 

According to Krawczynski, Minnesota doesn’t want to trade Anthony Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns in any Simmons deal, calling those guys ‘deal-breakers’. Furthermore, while they’d be more likely to part ways with D’Angelo Russell, they’d prefer not to include him in a package for Simmons either. 

Without those three players in a deal, there’s not many appealing packages from Philadelphia’s perspective. With their desire to win now even after moving Simmons, future draft picks will only go so far. In this situation, Malik Beasley would have to be the centerpiece of the deal, which is likely why no deal has been close to this point. 

If the Timberwolves were able to pull this off, a core of Simmons, Towns, Russell and Edwards would become an immediate playoff contender. 

The Sixers have had a high asking point for Simmons to this point, so it will be interesting to see what they ultimately get in return for him. Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game while making his third-straight NBA All-Star team. This is exactly why Philadelphia isn’t interested in selling low on him. 

The post Minnesota Not Interested In Moving Towns or Edwards In Any Simmons Deal With Philadelphia appeared first on SLAM.

Edwards stood at 6-foot-4 when selected by Minnesota with the top pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, but is now closer to 6-foot-6. 

Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch recently spoke to of Christopher Hine of The Star Tribune, confirming the growth spurt of the young superstar. 

Edwards is having fun with the growth spurt and has even made a few jokes about it recently with Finch. 

“Don’t let me get to 6-6 or I’ll be Michael Jordan,” Edwards jokingly told his coach. 

A player like Edwards has so much talent as it is, so an extra couple of inches will only expedite his development. He’s the type of prospect that could be the best player on the Timberwolves within the next few seasons. 

As a rookie, Edwards averaged 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. 

The post Anthony Edwards Continues to Grow Heading Into 2021-22 Season appeared first on SLAM.

Just two days later, the Grizzlies made a secondary move, re-routing Beverley to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez, as first reported by Wojnarowski. 

This gives Minnesota a tough-nosed veteran guard as they attempt to make a playoff push in the 2021-22 season. 

The Grizzlies in return were able to acquire Culver, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. While he’s had problems staying healthy and has a questionable jumper, perhaps a new situation will get his career back on track. 

Memphis is putting together one of the most impressive young rosters in the NBA. Last season, Culver averaged 5.3 points and 3.1 points in 14.7 minutes per game. 

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Bulls restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen tells Finnish journalist @AJ_Sipila he wants out of Chicago: “We have offers from several different teams. I want a fresh start to my NBA career somewhere else.”

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 6, 2021

 Markkanen had the best shooting season of his career, shooting 48 percent from the floor and 40.2 percent from beyond the arc. That kind of shooting drew attention from teams like the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics. For these teams to acquire him, it would likely have to be done through a sign and trade.

However with the Bulls wanting compensation for Lauri Markkanen’s services, he remains a free agent and with most teams already using up their cap space, Markkanen may have no choice but to accept a one-year qualifying offer that would pay him approximately $9 million. Then after the season, he could become an unrestricted free agent which is something Markkanen reportedly has no interest in. 

As of now, the Bulls own his rights as a restricted free agent, with the ability to match any offer. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the price of a sign and trade for the Bulls is a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal with Markkanen with a request to find a third team in the deal so they won’t have to take any salary back.

According to Marc Stein, the New Orleans Pelicans may be Lauri’s last chance out of Chicago this offseason.

The Pelicans have expressed interest in Lauri Markkanen and hold a sizable trade exception ($17 million) to take the restricted free agent in on a contract he seeks, sources say.

The post Lauri Markkanen Faces Uncertain Free Agency With Teams Interested appeared first on SLAM.

Horas de trabajo. Esfuerzo. Compromiso con #LaFamilia.

JUANCHO IS BACK.@juanchiviris41 #SomosEquipo pic.twitter.com/KG94rpq278

— Baloncesto España (@BaloncestoESP) July 19, 2021

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas explained the franchise’s decision in a team-released statement:

“We support our international players’ decisions to play with their National teams and appreciate the passion of Juancho and the Spanish Federation to represent their country,”

“Unfortunately, we are dealing with an active injury. Based on our team physician’s recommendation, Juancho needs time to recover from and rehabilitate his injury, and that timeline restricts Juancho’s availability to participate in the Tokyo Olympics.”

Spain did not appeal Minnesota’s decision and replaced Hernangomez with Xabi Lopez-Arostegui.

According to The Athletic, Hernangomez was “deeply disappointed” by his team’s decision.

Hernangomez was left deeply disappointed and hurt by the Wolves’ decision, sources told The Athletic, which will leave some damage repair to be done before training camp opens in September.

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On Tuesday, the NBA Board of Governors approved Rodriguez and Marc Lore as limited partners for both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Rodriguez, a three-time MVP and 14-time All-Star in the MLB, and Lore’s ownership group now owns 20 percent of the Timberwolves and Lynx, which is just the first step in the group’s path to total ownership. In 2022, the group will have the opportunity to purchase an additional 20 percent and can become majority owners by 2023 (when they can purchase another 20 percent of the franchise).

Rumors have been active that Rodriguez’s intention with the T’Wolves is to move the team to Seattle, where he spent the first few seasons of his MLB career. However, for now, those remain only rumors.

The current owner of Minnesota’s professional basketball franchise, 80-year-old Glen Taylor, will remain with the franchise for the time being.

The Timberwolves have had a rough go of it over the past few years, with only one playoff appearance since 2005 despite having a respectable assortment of high-end talent. In 2020-21, Minnesota finished 23-49 and 13th in the Western Conference after going 19-45 in the previous season.

The post Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore Approved as Limited Partners of Timberwolves and Lynx appeared first on SLAM.

The roster, which features some of the most young and promising players in professional basketball, will be coached by Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, Gonzaga University head coach Mark Few and Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley.

A roster of 13 young @nba standouts & 4 veteran players with international experience make up the 2021 USA Men’s Select Team that will train with #USABMNT July 6-9.

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 1, 2021

The roster features seven rookies from the 2020 NBA Draft class in Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Saddiq Bey (Detroit Pistons), Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings), Immanuel Quickley (New York Knicks), Isaiah Stewart (Detroit Pistons), Patrick Williams (Chicago Bulls) and Obi Toppin (New York Knicks).

Sophomores and three-year pros Miles Bridges (Charlotte Hornets), Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), Keldon Johnson (San Antonio Spurs), Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves), P.J. Washington , (Charlotte Hornets) enter the mix as well, giving the US Select Team an intriguing stable of talent.

Four players on the roster—John Jenkins (Bilbao Basket, Italy), Cam Reynolds, Josh Magette (Darüşşafaka Tekfen, Turkey) and Dakota Mathias— all have NBA experience, and currently either play overseas or are unsigned.

Managing Director of Team USA Basketball Jerry Colangelo noted he felt confident in the program’s selection of the aforementioned players.

“This USA Select Team continues the legacy established by previous Select teams of helping prepare our USA National Team for the Tokyo Olympic Games,” said Colangelo, USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director.

“With all the uncertainty of how many of our Olympic Team members will be available for the USA training camp because of the overlap with the NBA Finals, we chose a USA Select Team consisting of many of the top young NBA players and four players who not only own international experience, but who played recently for USA Basketball in important national team qualifying competitions.

If we need to add players to fill out our roster for any of our exhibition games, we feel this USA Select Team has an excellent variety of skilled players to choose from.”

Since the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program was developed in 2006, there have been six Select Teams fostered to help with preparation for events (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2021.)

The inaugural roster featured then up-and-coming players such as Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson, David Lee and J.J. Redick.

Team USA’s Select Team begins their Olympic journey on July 25, where they will be competing in the Group A bracket.

The post Team USA Select Team Roster Announced for Tokyo Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

Ball, the third pick in 2020 NBA Draft class, had a storied high school career at Chino Hills, a televised journey to play semi-professional ball in Lithuania and an impressive stint with the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL, where he averaged 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

He was faced with lofty expectations immediately upon arriving into the league as his brother, Lonzo, was the second overall pick in the 2017 draft, and his entire family has been at the center of the basketball world’s attention following he, Lonzo, and eldest brother LiAngelo’s dominance at Chino Hills. 

LAMELO WINS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (per @wojespn) pic.twitter.com/85pxM6CIej

— Overtime (@overtime) June 16, 2021

Impressively, Ball leapt up and over any bar expected from him this year.

His crafty playmaking, jaw-dropping passes through (and up-and-over) traffic, and his ability to slither through lanes and into the paint for feathery lay-ups have confounded defenses.

While only playing 51 games this season due to a wrist injury, Ball posted averages of 15.7 points (on 43.6 percent shooting from the field and 35.2 percent from three), 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. 

LaMelo Ball ROTY season:

15.7 PPG
5.9 RPG
6.1 APG
1.8 3PG
44/35/76%

He and Luka Doncic are the only rookies in NBA history to average 15/5/5 and 1.5+ threes in a season. pic.twitter.com/H1A3bMc8Vf

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 16, 2021

Melo’s stats are even more impressive when compared against his peers and rookies of olde.

Going into the All-Star Break, Ball was the only rookie in the past 60 years to lead all rookies in points, rebounds, assists and steals. It’s worth noting Ball did this without starting a game until Feb. 1.

His per-36 stats (19.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists) were only matched or surpassed by six players: Luka Donic, James Harden, Lebron James, the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, and Russell Westbrook. To that point, Ball joins Doncic as the only rookies in NBA history to average 15+ points, 5+ assists, 5+ rebounds and 1.5+ 3-pointers per game.

Prior to the season and following his injury, Ball’s status as a shoo-in for the award was in question.

In fact, any in the NBA community believe Minnesota Timberwolves rookie (the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft) Anthony Edwards was deserving of the award. Edwards played in 21 more games than Ball, and averaged 19.3 points, 2.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from 3-point range.

However, what was likely the deciding factor was Ball’s ability to contribute to a winning team. Whereas Edwards’ Timberwolves only won 23 games despite being led by a preeminent talent in Karl-Anthony Towns, Ball helped lead a Charlotte team that considered first-time starters Terry Rozier and Devonte Graham their best players last season to 33 wins (and a spot in the play-in tournament).

With a full offseason ahead of him and a Rookie of the Year award for his trophy case, the sky’s the limit for the youngest Ball brother.

The post Charlotte Hornets Guard Lamelo Ball Wins 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year Award appeared first on SLAM.

Rumors are now beginning to form that Rodriguez wishes to move the Minnesota-based franchise to Seattle, where Rodriguez began his MLB career.

“There’s buzz now that Kevin Garnett, who is said to be worth more than $200 million, will be heavily involved in the Timberwolves basketball department if he joins franchise investors Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore if/when they gain full control in 2023,” wrote Charley Walters of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. “The word is Garnett, the ex-Timberwolf, wants the franchise to remain in Minnesota but Rodriguez wants to move it to Seattle, where he played for seven seasons.”

Former Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett has also long been rumored to get involved in the purchasing of the franchise, but his group lost out on the opportunity to purchase the team.

The NBA has long been rumored to want to expand to Seattle, with reports of expansion to there and Las Vegas becoming a real possibility.

The Timberwolves had yet another disappointing season in 2020-21, missing the playoffs and ending the season with a record of 23-49.

The post Alex Rodriguez Rumored to Want to Move Timberwolves to Seattle appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, A-Rod and Lore have reportedly reached an agreement to purchase the franchise for $1.5 billion from current-owner Glen Taylor. Reports also say that the deal includes the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.

Shams followed up his initial report with another tweet, adding that the paperwork is expected to be signed “shortly”, and both Rodriguez and Lore are “50/50 partners.”

Former MLB star Alex Rodriguez and tech entrepreneur Marc Lore have reached agreement to purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves from Glen Taylor for $1.5 billion, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 13, 2021

According to the Star Tribune, Taylor is expected to remain the owner until 2023. He purchased the franchise in 1994 for approximately $90 million, per CNBC.

The post Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore to Reach Agreement to Purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lynx appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the exclusive 30-day negotiating window Rodriguez and Lore were given to purchase the Timberwolves from Taylor has ended without a formal deal. He would go on to report that both parties are continuing to negotiate in an attempt to reach an agreement and it is possible that an extension to the window could be worked out, but one isn’t currently in place.

This isn’t the first time this has happened with Taylor looking to sell the franchise. He’s orchestrated several of these exclusive negotiating windows with prospective owners over the past handful of years, most recently last year with former Memphis Grizzlies minority owner Daniel Straus. That deal ultimately feel through, hence Taylor looking to currently sell the team to Rodriguez and Lore.

With the future ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves in doubt, it will be interesting how the next few weeks play out with the sale of the team. When Rodriguez and Lore initially entered the negotiation window, the deal was expected to be around $1.5 billion.

The post Alex Rodriguez-Led Group Hasn’t Closed Timberwolves Deal Yet appeared first on SLAM.

This stellar performance made him just the third teenager in NBA history (LeBron James and Kevin Durant) to notch a 40-5-5 game.

Since the March All-Star break, Edwards has taken things to a whole new level, averaging 23.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game at just 19 years old. 

According to Basketball Reference, Edwards joins Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Blake Griffin and Donovan Mitchell as the only rookies in the last 25 years to have multiple 40-point games in a season. 

While the Timberwolves are still quite a ways from being a contender, the future is extremely bright with rookie Anthony Edwards playing alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.

The post Anthony Edwards Is In A Class Of His Own appeared first on SLAM.

After playing against Edwards on Sunday night, Paul George spoke to Justin Russo of CLIP & ROLL and other members of the media, giving high praise to the rookie.

“You talk about a three-level scorer. He’s elite. I see star, All-Star, possibly superstar. Sky’s the limit for the kid.”

In this particular game against the Clippers, Edwards finished with 23 points, six rebounds and three assists. Even with the great individual perimeter defenders they have, the Clippers struggled to slow the rookie down.

On the season, Edwards is averaging 18.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Although he’s just 19 years old, Edwards has been a legit contributor and one of Minnesota’s best players.

With LaMelo Ball returning from injury in the next week or so, the Rookie of the Year race will likely come down to the wire over the final month of the season.

The post Paul George Calls Anthony Edwards A Potential Superstar appeared first on SLAM.

The shirts read, “with liberty and justice FOR ALL.”

With liberty and justice 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡. pic.twitter.com/s8y9wpvqd5

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 13, 2021

With Liberty And Justice 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙡𝙡 pic.twitter.com/zExc6MTKFU

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 13, 2021

This is the second incident of Minneapolis police officers killing an unarmed Black man that has sparked national protests, with the killing of George Floyd occurring in May of last year. Derek Chauvin, the officer responsible for Floyd’s death, is currently on trial.

UPDATE: The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Potter will be charged with second-degree manslaughter.

The shooting of Wright has sparked protests across the United States. The Timberwolves postponed their Monday night game against the Nets to Tuesday night due to the incident as well.

Both teams held a moment of silence before tipoff in honor of Wright.

The Timberwolves and Nets held a moment of silence pregame to honor Daunte Wright. pic.twitter.com/AvdThLbQ4W

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 13, 2021

Multiple players and coaches across the League have spoken up about the recent tragedy, including the NBPA and Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich.

“We mourn the death of Daunte Wright and pray for his family and loved ones during this extremely difficult time,” the NBPA said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the entire Minneapolis community as they struggle to process this latest tragedy together with the ongoing trial of Derek Chauvin.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich just gave an angry, emotional response when asked about fatal shooting of Daunte Wright by a police officer near Minneapolis. He talked guns, policing and blasted Gov. Greg Abbott. (Pt. 1) pic.twitter.com/VVBr9hRzSw

— RJ Marquez (@KSATRJ) April 12, 2021

“It just makes you sick to your stomach,” Popovich said on Monday night, according to KSAT’s RJ Marquez. “How many times does it have to happen? As sick to our stomachs as we might feel, that individual is dead! He’s dead! And his family is grieving, and his friends are grieving. And we just keep moving on as if nothing is happening.”

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers also shared his frustrations:

“[It’s] frustrating, as it should be for… I think we got to stop saying it’s frustrating for all Black Americans,” Rivers said, per Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice. “I think we should be frustrated by all Americans. I don’t know if it was a mistake or not, I saw the body cam video like everyone else, but I just know the frustration is a real thing for everybody and for us.”

Celtics’ Jalen Brown, who has continued to step up and use his voice for activism and racial justice, said after the team’s 116-115 win against the Trailblazers on Tuesday that he had “nothing basketball to talk about.”

“Yeah, you’re going to have to pardon me. I know that we’re here to talk about basketball, but I got nothing basketball to talk about. Inhumane events have recently made headlines over the last week, last month, last years,” Brown said, via CBS Boston. “And at this point, we shouldn’t be pleading or persuading people to see things for what they are. We know what this system is and we know what it’s capable of.”

“If you’re watching this, listening or tuning in, I just want you to know that your life has value. So much value. But they’re trying so hard to make you feel otherwise,” Brown continued. “My life has value. My life had value before I played for the Celtics, and it will long after.”

“At some point, you realize what you’re dealing with,” he said. “The power has and always will be with the people. You gotta stand up and fight. What other solution do we have? That’s really all I got. See you guys later.”

—

For ways to support and donate to Daunte Wright’s family, read here.

For a list of resources and ways to support the Black Lives Matter movement, read here.

The post Timberwolves-Nets Wear Shirts Pleading for Justice Following Shooting of Daunte Wright appeared first on SLAM.

In the NBA’s continued efforts to raise awareness of social justice issues and advocate for justice and peace, “conversations are ongoing about the possible postponement” of tonight’s matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves, according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Adrian Wojnarowski. The MLB’s Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox have already postponed.

ESPN reporting with @wojespn: In the aftermath of a police shooting that’s caused unrest in Minneapolis, conversations are ongoing about the possible postponement of the Nets-Timberwolves game tonight. The Twins-Red Sox game has been postponed. Decision expected this afternoon.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) April 12, 2021

Last fall, players and teams from the WNBA, NBA and MLB would all take a similar measure after the tragic death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man whose death sparked outrage and protests.

Update: The NBA has announced that the Nets-Timberwolves game has been rescheduled for today, at 4 PM EST.

The NBA announces that Nets at Timberwolves, postponed Monday, will take place today at 4 PM ET at Target Center: pic.twitter.com/MZejGRcUE2

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 13, 2021

The post Nets-Timberwolves Game May Be Postponed in Protest to Daunte Wright Tragedy appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, Beasley will miss four-to-six weeks with a left hamstring injury.

He was having a great year, averaging 19.6 points per game on .399 from deep. While he isn’t a superstar player, Beasley is without a doubt one of the most explosive scorers in the NBA. 

With an injury that will keep Beasley sidelined for nearly the remainder of the season, expect to see increased scoring from both Russell and rookie Anthony Edwards. If the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to have a strong end to the season, replacing Beasley’s scoring output will be critical. 

The post Malik Beasley Set To Miss Four-To-Six Weeks With Hamstring Injury appeared first on SLAM.

However, Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have been bright spots for the downtrodden franchise, with the duo making history on Thursday night against the Phoenix Suns.

In the comeback victory, Edwards dropped a career-high 42 points on 15-31 shooting from the field for Minnesota with Towns not far behind, scoring 41 points on 15-24 shooting.

The performance was just the second time in Timberwolves history in which two players scored at least 40 points in the same game, with Towns and Andrew Wiggins also accomplishing the feat in April 2017.

For Edwards in particular, the night was special as he became the third-youngest player in NBA history (19 years, 225 days) to have a 40-point performance, behind All-NBA forward LeBron James (19 years, 88 days) and Kevin Durant (19 years, 200 days). Subsequently, Edwards is also the youngest player to score 40 point in Timberwolves history.

Following his sensational outing, the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft gave perhaps the quote of the year, saying “I put in the work. I work in the dark, it should come to the light.”

The post Anthony Edwards Becomes Third-Youngest in NBA History to Score 40+ Points appeared first on SLAM.

That puts Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman directly in the spotlight, with both having an up-and-down seasons that have paled in comparison to LaMelo’s.

For Edwards at least, the conversation is less of a question about his potential than where the two players are at in their respective careers.

Already a starter, Edwards has averaged 15.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steal per game while demonstrating an elite level of athleticism and downhill explosion that’s eerily reminiscent of future Hall of Fame guard Dwyane Wade.

However, Edwards has had a rough go of it as a jump shooter, knocking down just .381 percent of his shots from the floor and .315 percent of his 3-point attempts.

For those wondering, Timberwolves superstar Karl-Anthony Towns — the face of the franchise and a player known to be both candid and outspoken — is of the mindset that Edwards being selected with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft was “the right decision for [Minnesota] as a franchise.”

While Edwards seems to take offense to the ongoing debate, KAT’s support of his young teammate speaks volumes about himself, Edwards and the Timberwolves franchise as a whole.

In addition, while Ball has played the best of all rookies in his class, Edwards was the most natural fit (of he, Ball and Wiseman) for a Minnesota team that already had Towns at center and prized facilitator in Ricky Rubio. As guard Malik Beasley’s future with Minnesota was in question in the offseason before signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Timberwolves, Edwards provided them with a safety net as well.

All in all, it’s difficult to say that Edwards wasn’t the right pick for Minnesota, no matter how well Ball is playing for Charlotte.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: Anthony Edwards Being Drafted with No. 1 Pick ‘the Right Decision’ appeared first on SLAM.

A galled Garnett, who directed his ire towards Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, would say that “some of these special players that helped build these [freaking] franchises like a home can never own them, only rent.”

Garnett initially announced his interest in purchasing the franchise last year in July via Twitter.

It’s unclear why Garnett and his group are no longer contenders to buy the franchise. However, the contentious relationship between the 15-time All-Star and Taylor is seen as a major factor.

Sportico reported in July that Timberwolves’ owner Glen Taylor was exploring a potential sale of the franchise, but there has been no sale of the team thus far. Taylor himself told The Athletic that he had never actually spoken to Garnett about his interest in buying the organization.

Consequently, Garnett’s critical comments towards Taylor, saying, “thanks Glen for being yourself and what I know you to be” leads to just as many questions as possible answers.

While The Big Ticket may no longer be in the running to buy the Timberwolves, he did hint at continuing to look for ownership opportunities in the league, writing, “guess it’s time to focus on other places, #Seattle #Vegas.”

Garnett played 14 total seasons in Minnesota, playing in 970 games, appearing in 10 All-Star Games and winning the 2003-04 MVP award during his tenure there. One of the most dynamic players of his era, is still the Timberwolves’ franchise leader in games, points (19,201), rebounds (10,718) assists (4,216), steals (1,315) and blocks (1,590).

The Timberwolves, currently last in the NBA with a record of 7-29, have appeared in the playoffs only once since KG was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2007.

The post Kevin Garnett Announces He Won’t Be Timberwolves Owner, Blames Glen Taylor appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the first step towards this could be acquiring a solid power forward. He recently reported that Minnesota has shown interest in power forwards around the league, including Atlanta’s John Collins and Orlando’s Aaron Gordon. With that in mind, both Gordon and Collins have significant asking prices in the marketplace.

On paper, Minnesota already has an extremely talented young core with D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Malik Beasley and Anthony Edwards. While it’s unclear if one of these core pieces would have to be moved to acquire Gordon or Collins, they would both be excellent fits with the Timberwolves. 

An efficient, productive power forward would do Minnesota a lot of good, especially on the defensive end of the floor where Karl-Anthony Towns has proven to struggle a bit. As the upcoming trade deadline approaches, it appears that the Minnesota Timberwolves could be active on the market. 

The post Timberwolves Targeting John Collins, Aaron Gordon Ahead of Trade Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

The U.S. Team will be headlined by LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets), Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies) and Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) — four potential superstars with flair to match their talent. The quartet will be joined by James Wiseman (Golden State Warriors), Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings), De’Andre Hunter (Atlanta Hawks) and Keldon Johnson (San Antonio Spurs).

The World Team will be comprised of R.J. Barrett (New York Knicks), Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards), Facundo Campazzo (Denver Nuggets), Luguentz Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder), Brandon Clarke (Memphis Grizzlies), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (New Orleans Pelicans), Deni Avdija (Washington Wizards), Theo Maledon (Oklahoma City Thunder), Precious Achiuwa (Miami Heat) and Mychal Mulder (Golden State Warriors).

As with the 2020-21 NBA All-Star rosters, there has been rapid response and passionate debates about whether any players were left off that should have been in. Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose game is easy on the eyes and has been productive for an improved Cavs team, is one such player.

However, while those players may not have received the recognition they (or their fans) desired, those that were awarded the honor of being on the Rising Star were undoubtedly deserving of their spots.

Traditionally, the Rising Stars Game would be played during All-Star Weekend but this year, there won’t be a physical game. The 2020-21 All-Star Game, Skills Challenge, Slam Dunk Contest and 3-Point Contest will all take place on Mar. 7 and aired on TNT.

The post 2020-21 Rising Stars Roster Unveiled by NBA Top Shot appeared first on SLAM.

It wasn’t a move that was exactly a stunning development, as Saunders’ squad appeared far too talented on paper to be so poor of a team.

On top of that, this is an era where head coaches leashes are much shorter when it comes to franchises that have a perennial All-NBA player as it’s chief cornerstone.

Be that as it may, franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t find out about the news until everyone else did, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski:

“I learned when y’all found out. I was eating pizza with my father and the news came out and we were all shocked.”

Within an hour of the news breaking about Saunders, the Timberwolves hired former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Chris Finch as his replacement.

While drastic in-season changes could have far-reaching effects on the perception of players, Towns still sees himself being a member of the franchise for the rest of his career in a trend of loyalty that’s caught hold of this generation of players.

“I’m a very loyal guy to a fault. I would love to finish my career here in Minnesota…I want to build something great here. I want to build a legacy in Minnesota.”

Towns, a two-time All-Star, is currently averaging 22.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game while shooting .397 percent from beyond the arc. 

The post Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I Want to Build a Legacy in Minnesota’ appeared first on SLAM.

The move came after the Timberwolves lost to the Knicks 103-99. After the game, Gersson Rosas, President of Basketball Operations, informed Saunders of the decision.

“We would like to thank Ryan for his time and commitment to the Timberwolves organization and wish him the best in the future,” said Rosas. “These are difficult decisions to make, however this change is in the best interest of the organization’s short and long-term goals.”

The Timberwolves have now lost 8 out of their last 9 games, as well as having the worst record in the NBA at 7-24.

During his two and a half year tenure, Saunders went 43-94. It was a tough task for Saunders, son of the late great Flip Saunders, as he only got to coach his two All-Stars, Towns and Russell, in five of those games since 2019.

Three years removed from a playoff appearance, the Timberwolves seem to be looking for a fresh start. On Monday, they announced the hiring of new head coach Chris Finch.

Welcome to Minnesota, Coach Finch! pic.twitter.com/YOzvuKRQcp

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) February 22, 2021

Finch, who was serving as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors, has a strong relationship with Rosas. They both worked together in Houston (2011-2016), where Finch was an assistant and Rosas was an operations executive (per NBA.com).

“I am excited to announce Chris Finch as our next head coach,” said Rosas. “Chris brings a wealth of basketball experience from his time in the NBA, G League, and Internationally. He is one of the most creative basketball minds in the NBA, has success maximizing players, and I am excited to see him bring our team to the next level and beyond.”

It’s an interesting move as this marks the first time since 2009 that an active assistant became a head coach for a new team, mid-season.r

However, there is certainly potential brewing in Minnesota. Finch will make his head coaching debut Tuesday night, against Giannis and the Bucks.

The post T-Wolves Cut Ties With Ryan Saunders—Hire Raptors Assistant, Chris Finch appeared first on SLAM.

He leads all rookies in scoring to this point and has earned a spot in the starting lineup for the Timberwolves. Edwards is currently averaging 14.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per contest. 

Edwards recently spoke to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski and talked about how he watches Dwyane Wade film quite a bit to add new pieces to his game. 

“He’s one of the greatest shooting guards to ever play so if I can mimic him…”

Wade is a fan of Edwards and went to Twitter to express his approval of his game and wished him the best of luck. 

Anthony Edwards clearly has high expectations for himself looking up to guys like Dwyane Wade. As he continues to develop, he could become the best player on the Minnesota roster in a few years. 

The post Dwyane Wade On Anthony Edwards: ‘I Would Love To See Ant-Man Set A Higher Bar Than I Have’ appeared first on SLAM.

To make things worse, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Russell will “undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body in his left knee and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks.” Russell had suffered a left knee injury while playing in Brooklyn. 

With that in mind, the Timberwolves will need others to step up in Russell’s absence. On Tuesday, rookie Anthony Edwards exploded for 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in a loss against the Lakers. Perhaps filling this scoring void will be an opportunity for Edwards to develop. 

The post D’Angelo Russell To Miss 4-6 Weeks After Knee Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

Edwards, the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, finished the contest with 15 points (on 5-13 shooting from the field, 3-7 shooting from 3-point range and 2-2 shooting from the free-throw line.) The Atlanta native also tallied four rebounds, three assists, one turnover and two personal fouls in 29 minutes, while posting a plus-minus of -25 in what was a 25-point loss for Minnesota.

Just 19 years old, Edwards has posted averages of 13.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.9 turnovers in 25.4 minutes per game this season, shooting .357 from the floor, .313 from three and .825 from the charity stripe.

While Edwards’ first career start — like the Timberwolves’ season as a whole — leaves a lot to be desired, his raw talent flashes consistently. Getting in the gym, diversifying his scoring moves and practicing his long-range shooting will take him a long way. As will additional in-game reps and film study, which will allow his awareness to catch up to his NBA-ready body.

Edwards, who has the fourth-highest scoring average among his teammates, currently has the highest scoring average among all rookies.

The post Anthony Edwards Makes First Career Start appeared first on SLAM.

Often criticized during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves for his approach to the game, Wiggins has become—more or less—an all-around player. Not one who’s asked to carry a team but one who still leaves an indelible imprint on the game, for better or worse.

Lately, it’s only been for the better.

Having been traded for the second time in his career, it’s not as if Wiggins is unfamiliar with new environments or processing what would likely be mixed feelings about the move. Yet, hearing Wiggins’ thoughts about being traded to Golden State shows a level of maturity—of understanding and acceptance—that speaks volumes.

Per the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Chris Hine:

“Looking back, I feel like [the trade] worked in the best favor for both teams,” Wiggins said. “Golden State needed a wing that could defend and just play his game, and Minnesota—they needed someone that could play with KAT, create with KAT, play make. They needed a PG, you know? I feel like it worked out in the best favor for both.”

In terms of team fit, Wiggins is on the money. A star big man like Karl-Anthony Towns would always fit well with an upper-echelon point guard; as most do. The Warriors, in the wake of Klay Thompson’s injury and Kevin Durant’s departure, needed a wing with the raw talent of a player once dubbed as Maple Jordan.

Still, the biggest winner of the trade is Wiggins himself.

At 25-years-old, he’s just now entering his prime. With growth in the right environment, he may prove himself to be the player he was capable of being all along.

The post Andrew Wiggins: Warriors Trade ‘Worked Out in the Best Favor for Both’ appeared first on SLAM.

Expect Ricky Rubio and D’Angelo Russell to ramp up as they acclimate to sharing time in Minnesota’s backcourt, that may be a critical piece of the puzzle if this team hopes to compete for a playoff spot.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Jarred Vanderbilt	5.5p, 6.5r, 3.5a
Malik Beasley	17.0p, 4.8r, 1.0a
Naz Reid	9.5p, 3.8r, 2.0a
Ed Davis	1.3p, 4.3r, 0.7a	–
Jarrett Culver	8.0p, 7.5r, 0.5a	–
Karl-Anthony Towns	19.0p, 11.5r, 5.0a
Josh Okogie	8.0p, 3.3r, 1.7a
Jake Layman	3.5p, 1.3r, 0.5a
Jordan McLaughlin	3.0p, 1.5r, 5.0a
Juancho Hernangomez	2.0p, 3.3r, 0.0a
D’Angelo Russell	17.3p, 2.5r, 4.3a
Ricky Rubio	9.5p, 2.3r, 4.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

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We broke down the Timberwolves’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary of the Timberwolves’ offseason.

Biggest Questions

• Will Malik Beasley be suspended in the upcoming season? Under investigation for several charges, there’s a chance the Wolves could be without him for a stretch of the upcoming season.
• Is D’Angelo Russell a servicable number two option on a playoff team? With an entire offseason to settle in, there will be high expectations for him playing alongside Karl-Anthony Towns this season.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Minnesota Timberwolves: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

Not only were they able to take Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 pick, but Minnesota was also able to add several other key pieces as they look to be a playoff team once again.

Timberwolves Roster Additions

Biggest Acquisitions

• Anthony Edwards: A one-and-done player out of Georgia, Edwards has an NBA-ready body. His build should allow him to be a productive player on both sides of the ball. Although the 2020 draft class was considered weak, the opportunity to take who you think is the best player in the entire group is never something you take for granted.
• Ricky Rubio: Ricky Rubio will be a member of the Timberwolves once again in the upcoming season. There is no question that he is still a starting-caliber point guard in this league, whether he ends up starting or not.

Timberwolves Roster Subtractions

Biggest Losses

• James Johnson: Johnson is an underappreciated player in the NBA. He brings toughness and grit to his team on both ends of the floor, while also being productive as a player. With his size and versatility, Minnesota will miss his ability to play multiple positions.
• Jordan McLaughlin: Coming out of nowhere last season, McLaughlin ended up being one of the biggest surprises of Minnesota’s season. Coming off of the bench, the 24-year-old guard was able to do the most per minute on the floor than nearly any other player on the team.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

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The 25-year old was selected by the Denver Nuggets as the 15th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, and has emerged as a solid offensive contributor since his early playing years. After getting traded to the Timberwolves in 2019, he stepped up this season: averaging a career-high 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 42% from the three.

The Wolves are solidifying quite the roster this offseason, having just drafted the No.1 overall pick, Anthony Edwards, and signed deals with Beasley, Juancho and vet Ricky Rubio.

Rubio told The Athletic that he’s ready to help lead the team’s young roster:

“It started to really make more sense for me to really connect the puzzle and get to Minnesota and help a young team with a lot of talent and already have done really good things,” Rubio said. “I feel like I can fit in the puzzle.”

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According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks will receive Omari Spellman, Jacob Evans and a future second-round pick in exchange for Davis. The Knicks acquired two second-round picks for taking on Davis and will now get another as they ship him away.

For Minnesota, this gives them veteran depth at the center position as they look to make a playoff push in the upcoming season. On top of the draft compensation they will receive, New York gets two 23 year old players they can look to develop.

The post Knicks Flip Ed Davis To Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

Beasley was acquired by the Wolves at the trade deadline last season.

More to come.

The post Timberwolves to Sign Malik Beasley to Four-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Hagans will split time between the franchise’s big league club in Minneapolis and their G League affiliate in Iowa. He’ll have 50 games’ worth of service time in the NBA.

Hagans spent two years with Kentucky and averaged 11.5 points and 6.4 assists per game in his sophomore season. He’ll arrive in Minnesota with a reputation for defense as well. Hagans was the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2018-19.

The post Ashton Hagans to Sign Two-Way Deal with Wolves appeared first on SLAM.

Bolmaro was selected by New York with the No. 23 pick.

Bolmaro played EuroLeague ball the past two seasons, both with FC Barcelona.

The move gives Minnesota a playmaking forward while allowing the Knicks to gain an additional draft asset for a mere two-pick downgrade.

With the No. 25 pick in the draft, the Knicks drafted Immanuel Quickley out of Kentucky. He’ll join Obi Toppin in New York.

The post Minnesota to Acquire Leandro Bolmaro in Exchange For Picks appeared first on SLAM.

That’s what everyone is trying to figure out, as the T’Wolves seem as if they’re starting to view their lottery pick as a burden rather than a blessing. Whether Minnesota will trade the pick or use it to select one of the projected top three picks is still an unknown but the Timberwolves will still come out on top, as they’ll undoubtedly get better no matter what they do.

Minnesota is embarking on a new era, trading away former first overall pick Andrew Wiggins for D’Angelo Russell. With D-Lo and Karl-Anthony Towns the current franchise cornerstones, the Wolves have a great chance of adding to their core and finding the player that bits best between the pieces they already have with three picks in the upcoming draft.

Related: Full Minnesota Timberwolves 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Timberwolves Draft Needs

For Minnesota to maximize their opportunities this offseason, the 2020 NBA Draft will be crucial.

Russell and KAT are a strong and dynamic offensive pairing but Minnesota is lacking defensively with those two are their best players. Their defensive deficiencies are further enhanced by the absence of Robert Covington (who was sent to the Houston Rockets in a four-team trade that ultimately allowed Minnesota to land Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez).

After trying to locate their third star with the first overall pick, the Timberwolves need to focus on establishing a stronger defensive presence as they rank 28th in opponent’s points per game. The Timberwolves are destined to be a team with big names and no real success unless they can stop somebody.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

What The Mocks Are Saying

Projected Roster

Team-by-Team NBA Draft Guides

More: SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Preview

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Ball reportedly shot the ball well, which is important considering that his jumper is one of the main concerns about his game.

Projected no. 1 pick LaMelo Ball conducted an individual workout in Southern California today with the Minnesota Timberwolves, owners of the no. 1 pick, a source told ESPN.

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 12, 2020

LaMelo Ball had previously met with Minnesota's head coach, Ryan Saunders, and lead decision maker, Gersson Rosas, but this was his first private workout with a NBA team after conducing several interviews. A source present at the workout said Ball shot the ball well. https://t.co/z6SJOXVG5e

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 12, 2020

Ball is a gifted ball-handler and passer with phenomenal length for the point guard position at 6-8. Although there are concerns about his jump shooting, defense and intangibles, he’s displayed a unique feel for the game that could make him a future NBA star.

The 19-year-old Ball bypassed the college route as a five-star prospect and signed a two-year contract with the NBL’s Illawarra Hawks in hopes of becoming the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

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According to The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor, Minnesota have had talks with the Hawks about acquiring the sixth overall pick.

In such a deal, O’Connor speculates that Minnesota would trade the 17th pick and Jarrett Culver—the sixth overall pick in last year’s draft—to the Atlanta.

Sources: The Timberwolves are attempting to acquire a second lottery pick. They’ve had talks with the Hawks for #6. A possible deal could include Jarrett Culver and #17.

A number of teams are interested in Atlanta’s #6 pick—the Pelicans and Celtics being among them, sources say.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) November 11, 2020

While Minnesota may have already had discussions with Atlanta, O’Connor adds that the Timberwolves will have competition from multiple teams.

O’Connor pinpoints two prospects—forward Patrick Williams and point guard Tyrese Haliburton—that the Timberwolves could have their eye on.

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Although there is no frontrunner to make for an easy choice, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas isn’t concerned. Rosas recently told Eric Woodyard of ESPN that he’s confident that he and his staff will make the right decision come draft day.

“There’s no guy that has separated himself from the pack from public or external view, but I’m very confident that as we go through this process, the talent will rise to the top and we’ll be confident about identifying one guy as the best guy, the best talented player with the most upside and most ability for our organization.”

The Wolves will have a ton of flexibility during the draft as they also own the No. 17 and No. 33 picks in the 2020 NBA Draft as well. If there isn’t a guy they love at No. 1, they certainly could trade back or package several of their picks for assets that are already in the league or future picks. Rosas says that his staff has been looking at prospects all across the board as there are so many different scenarios that could play out with their picks.

“For us, we typically study the draft from 1 to whatever number we feel like is a draftable player. We’ll evaluate those guys for trade scenarios, trade back, trade out, for undrafted free-agent opportunities, for minor league opportunities, so we really beat up the draft board as much as can all the way up until the draft.”

Holding the No. 1 overall pick in an NBA draft is always a good thing. However, in a draft where the top guy isn’t obvious, expect the Minnesota Timberwolves to explore all options.

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According to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, the T’Wolves “are high on Toppin.”

This hardly sets them apart from any other team, as Wasserman mentions that “practically every scout and executive Bleacher Report has spoken with has expressed confidence in his potential, fit and character.”

Nonetheless, with Toppin receiving such a favorable review from Minnesota, it’s worth nothing that their opinion on him could be a driving force in their Draft Day decisions.

If they don’t feel as if Toppin should be taken with the first overall pick, they could trade back in the draft. After all, Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman are projected to be the top three picks and the Timberwolves could not only get the prospect they want at a lower price but they could acquire important assets by moving down in the lottery.

However, if Minnesota decides to go ahead with Toppin as the top pick in the NBA Draft, it could be the biggest Draft Day surprise since the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Anthony Bennett No. 1 back in 2013. Toppin would enter his rookie season with lofty expectations and though he should play well off of D’Angelo Russell and Karl Anthony-Towns offensively, he may not look like the typical franchise cornerstone.

For the teams picking behind the Timberwolves, decisions may become that much tougher.

Do the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets pass on LaMelo Ball, the best playmaker in the draft? Will James Wiseman or Anthony Edwards fall outside the top-five?

While unexpected, nobody could deny Toppin’s credentials, as the 22-year-old big man won the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award and was the 2019-20 AP Player of the Year as a sophomore at Dayton. The belief is that his offensive skillset will translate well at the NBA level and with a premium being placed on scoring, Toppin’s draft stock only goes up.

The post Timberwolves High on 2020 NBA Draft Prospect Obi Toppin appeared first on SLAM.

For that reason, the Wolves might be interested in trading the No. 1 pick for “a win-now player,” as The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor reports.

Executives around the NBA say the Timberwolves prefer to trade down or out of this pick to bring in a win-now player to help Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.

In September, Bleacher Report‘s Jonathan Wasserman also suggested that Minnesota’s priority is to trade the No. 1 pick.

The Timberwolves must decide how well a top prospect would fit with their star duo of Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell. Because KAT and Russell primarily play center and point guard, respectively, it would seem to diminish the potential impact of James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball.

In Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves’ decision is no less complicated. Last season, shooting guard Malik Beasley averaged 20.7 points per game after being traded to Minnesota. The 2019-20 season was also shooting guard Jarrett Culver‘s rookie season for the Wolves.

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In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

Dead Money

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000
• Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• Do the Timberwolves guarantee all three of their non-guaranteed players? Naz Reid is a no-brainer. He became a rotation player by season’s end and now looks like a backup for Karl-Anthony Towns. Jaylen Nowell will probably be guaranteed as well. He’s got enough upside on a small enough contract. Jarred Vanderbilt is more of a question mark. Given the Wolves have no chance of cap space, they’ll probably bring him back as well.
• Will Minnesota be forced to match an offer sheet for either Malik Beasley or Juancho Hernangomez? Both Beasley and Hernangomez could be interesting targets for the cap space teams this summer. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see either fetch an offer sheet and for the Timberwolves to have to swallow hard on matching.
• Does Minnesota stick with the first overall pick? Teams rarely trade out of the first pick. Minnesota has a lot of holes and there are no surefire stars. Could they trade back slightly and pick up some additional assets?

Projected Team Salary

$159,373,622

Minnesota’s offseason is dependent on what they do at the draft and with their own restricted free agents. Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez played well after being acquired at the trade deadline. The should both be back, but big offer sheets could make the Wolves question matching. Kelan Martin and Jordan McLaughlin were two of the better Two-Way players, so they should both be back as well. And the draft holds plenty of intrigue, as Minnesota currently holds the first and 17^th picks in the first round. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$50,233,622(23^rd out of 30). $34,206,846 under the Luxury Tax.

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

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Taylor, a long-time business and political figure in the state, has told The Athletic that he’s only interested in potential ownership groups that would commit to keeping the team in Minnesota. The Timberwolves arrived on the scene as an NBA expansion team in 1989.

According to Ben Golliver of the Washington Post, Taylor bought the franchise for around $90 million back in the mid-1990s.

Since then, like all NBA franchises, the value of the Wolves organization has increased dramatically, especially since the monumental new television broadcasting contract the league signed with ESPN and TNT back in 2014.

The three most recent franchises that have changed hands all sold for at least $2 billion. Those teams, the Los Angeles Clippers ($2B, 2014), Houston Rockets ($2.2B, 2017) and Brooklyn Nets ($2.4B, 2019), were sold under different circumstances, however.

Sure, all three teams have considerably larger markets, but perhaps more significant is the changing economic landscape that the NBA faces in 2020.

A geopolitical strain on the league’s relationship with China last summer, coupled with the global uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic has completely voided the notion of a comparable precedent.

That uncertainty could contribute to the franchise price tag dipping below the $1.3 billion valuation put on the famously small market Memphis Grizzlies back in 2018 when majority owner Robert Pera bought an additional 30% of his own team from minority owners.

Among the parties interested in bidding on the franchise is an ownership group that includes iconic Timberwolves star and future Hall of Famer, Kevin Garnett.

Garnett announced his interest in buying into the franchise on his social media accounts this week. Garnett’s relationship with Taylor has been rocky in the past – he’s refused to let the team retire his jersey, among other things – but that could have little bearing on a potential sale otherwise beneficial to both parties.

As recently as April, Garnett told Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press about his interest in buying a franchise for the Seattle region and reactivating basketball in the pacific northwest. Naturally, that conversation came to mind when the Timberwolves news broke.

There’s little reason to believe that Garnett would buy the organization he became a household name with only to turn around and relocate the franchise out of state, or even if it was possible, but the conversation of returning a basketball team to the area has nonetheless gained momentum given headlines about the city’s forthcoming Seattle Kraken hockey team.

As things stand, despite the fascinating narrative, there’s no certainty that Garnett ever does end up as part of the ownership group that eventually lands the franchise but Taylor’s interest in selling the team is significant for hoops fans regardless.

Basketball fans should eagerly await the result of this sale if for no other reason than to get a tangible look at how the league’s business model has withstood recent adversity.

If the sale leads to a bidding war that drives the price significantly higher than the floated $1 billion ballpark, that’s one thing, but if falls flat, we could see the tone of the league’s economic landscape shift for the first time since the honeymoon phase that’s encompassed the last few franchise sales.

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Twenty-three years later, Minnesota is hoping that the trio of a Saunders on the sidelines, a multi-faceted big man and a scoring guard can lead them back to NBA relevance.

When the Timberwolves drafted Kevin Garnett straight out of high school in 1995, there were questions if then-general manager Kevin McHale had lost his mind. Garnett detractors saw him as too skinny and immature to have an impact in the NBA. The story back then was, this kid might take years to develop.

It took about half a season for Garnett to start changing minds.

Garnett would go on to play over 900 regular season games over 12 seasons in his initial stint in Minnesota. (Garnett would retire as a Timberwolf in 2015-16). He established himself as the best player in franchise history.

Eventually, Garnett’s No. 21 jersey will hang in the rafters in Minnesota alongside those of Malik Sealy, who tragically died following the 1999-2000 season in a traffic accident, and Flip Saunders, who passed away in 2015 after battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Saunders took over as the Wolves’ head coach partway through Garnett’s rookie season. It was Saunders who put Garnett in the starting lineup, a position Garnett would never relinquish for his next 11 years in Minnesota.

That first year, the Wolves won 26 games. They were hardly setting the NBA world on fire, but things were starting to heat up. That summer, the accelerant was added to cause things to burst into flames.

At the 1996 NBA Draft, McHale swung a trade with the Bucks to send the draft rights to Ray Allen and a 1998 first-round pick to Milwaukee in exchange for the draft rights to Stephon Marbury. (Oddly enough, Minnesota would later reacquire that same first-round pick and use it to draft big man Rasho Nesterovic.)

Marbury came to the Wolves with the reputation of having a big game and an even bigger personality. After just one year at Georgia Tech, the New York City product declared himself ready for the NBA. The brash point guard was seen as the perfect complement to Garnett. After missing out on the playoffs in the first seven seasons of their existence, Minnesota was all-in behind their two young studs.

The results were immediately felt on the court. Marbury didn’t actually score in his first game, but Garnett had 17 points, nine rebounds, six assists, four blocks and three steals. The Wolves upset perennial playoff team San Antonio that opening night on their way to a 40-42 record and the franchise’s first playoff appearance.

For a team that hadn’t sniffed a .500 record at any point since entering the NBA as an expansion team in 1989, it was a major step forward. Getting swept by the Houston Rockets in the first round didn’t even matter. The next season, things were even better.

In 1997-98, the Timberwolves went 45-37, posting the club’s first winning season. Tom Gugliotta actually led that Minnesota in scoring before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, but it was the team’s two 21-year-olds who led the team on the floor. In his third season, Garnett had become a full-blown menace. He averaged 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 steals and made his second All-Star appearance.

Marbury was the ideal running mate for Garnett. He ran the offense with 8.6 assists per game, while scoring 17.7 point per night. Behind the blossoming duo, Minnesota eventually pushed the Seattle SuperSonics to a decisive Game 5 in the playoffs’ first round before bowing out. The future was never brighter for the Timberwolves.

The following summer, the NBA owners would lock the players out. The previous year, Garnett and the Wolves had agreed to a six-year, $126M contract extension. That was the largest such deal in NBA history at the time. Many speculated that massive contract directly led to the lockout. For Minnesota, it would have further-reaching impacts.

By the time the abbreviated 1999 season started in early-February, Marbury was unhappy in Minnesota and requested a trade. Pending who you believe, Marbury wanted to be closer to his family in New York or wanted to play in a bigger market. Regardless, Marbury was dealt to the New Jersey Nets in mid-March, ending he and Garnett’s partnership after just two-plus seasons.

While Minnesota would retain their status as a playoff team for six more seasons, and Garnett and Marbury would both find individual success, the Wolves never became the title contender it looked like they would with the duo in place. Years later, Garnett was dealt to the Boston Celtics. As things in the NBA have a way of coming back around, Garnett and Marbury would team up in Boston for Marbury’s final NBA season in 2008-09.

Garnett would go on to play for eight more seasons, eventually reuniting with Saunders in Minnesota for the 2014-15 season. When Saunders fell ill and eventually passed, Garnett was devastated at the passing of his long-time friend and mentor.

Fast forward over 20 years, and the Wolves are again making a run at pairing a star duo of a big man and a guard with Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. Once again, it’s a Saunders leading the team on the sidelines, as Flip’s son Ryan has taken over as Minnesota’s head coach.

Like it was with Garnett, the big man has a head start on the guard as the team’s franchise player. Towns is in year-one of a five-year, $158 million contract extension. So, much for Garnett’s mega-deal crippling the NBA financially for all-time!

Russell joined the Wolves after a four-year journey that saw him go from the Lakers to the Nets to the Warriors. He was signed and traded to Golden State on a four-year, $117 million deal this summer as a free agent.

That contract was always seen as a bridge deal for the Warriors, who flipped Russell to Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins and a first-round pick at the trade deadline. And it helped Russell eventually get to the place he always wanted to be.

Unlike their predecessors, Towns and Russell have long-wanted to play together. The two have been close friends since before entering the league as the first and second picks of the 2015 NBA Draft. Towns and Russell even talked about teaming up this summer, when Russell was a free agent, but no deal could be struck at the time.

Towns and Russell have only played together for one game so far, as Towns suffered a fractured left wrist. That one game was encouraging as Towns and Russell combined for 45 points against the Toronto Raptors. The hope is the pair will give Minnesota a versatile offensive attack that can score both inside and outside.

There won’t be any sort of immediate playoff appearance for Minnesota’s new star duo, as the Wolves are already way behind in the playoff race for this season.

Going forward, the Wolves have faith that Ryan Saunders, Towns and Russell can form a trio to lead them back to the postseason just like Flip Saunders, Garnett and Marbury did once upon a time.

This time around, the Timberwolves hope the duo’s stay in Minnesota lasts for more than two-plus seasons.

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The Wolves initially acquired Crabbe in January in exchange for point guard Jeff Teague but now the 27-year-old will be free to sign with whomever. Given that the release comes before the Sunday deadline, he’ll retain his playoff eligibility.

While Crabbe’s contract has been passed around a number of times since he signed it with the Portland Trail Blazers back in the summer of 2016, he’s an established three-point shooter that shot over .375 in the four seasons prior to this one.

Crabbe averaged 13.2 points per game with the Brooklyn Nets in 2017-18.

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Starting with the 2017-18 season, the NBA adopted a stringent policy on load management. To that point, teams had grown increasingly aggressive giving players days off throughout the season, none more so than the San Antonio Spurs.

While the NBA agrees that player health is paramount, the league also recognizes a responsibility to their fans and television partners. After several of the league’s star players were sat during nationally televised games, Adam Silver knew he had to fix a small problem before it became a big one.

The league agreed to lengthen the season (by seven days) in order to reduce the amount of back-to-back games each team would play and to drastically cut the amount of times teams would play three games in four nights. Over the past three seasons, the NBA schedule has seen major reductions in both categories. The league has also worked with teams, arenas and its TV partners to build a schedule that reduces travel as much as possible, especially for teams on the West Coast.

With his team out of the playoff picture, Minnesota coach Ryan Saunders decided to give Russell a night off in a game where the Wolves were heavy underdogs. The Nuggets ended up rolling to a victory as both Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns sat, the latter of whom missed the game due to a fractured left wrist.

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Russell, 24, says “you can’t put guys in a box when that’s their thing.”

Minnesota Timberwolves bench boss Ryan Saunders, however, has made it clear that midrange jumpers are “not the shot we’re striving to get.”

Per The Star Tribune:

“There’s a fine line of making those shots you take, trying to relieve the pressure off coach eliminating those shots from me,” Russell said. “But once you make them, and he feels confident with you making them, I think you can’t put guys in a box when that’s their thing.”

Russell has a point there because he made an absurd 54.9% of his long twos with Golden State this season.

“It’s going to take time to break some of those habits, and when guys do play open gym, it’s their time,” Wolves coach Ryan Saunders said during the preseason in response to a question about shot values.

“We’ve noticed a number of guys have a midrange shot, but they understand that’s not the shot we’re striving to get.”

Related Karl-Anthony Towns: D’Angelo Russell ‘Big Incentive’ to Stay in Minnesota

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The Los Angeles Clippers will work out Minnesota Timberwolves forward Evan Turner while he awaits a buyout with the organization, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports.

Turner was traded to Minnesota from the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the trade deadline and hasn’t yet suited up for the Wolves in an actual game. The workout will take place with the Wolves’ blessing, which isn’t surprising given the circumstances.

Turner was initially shipped from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Hawks in a one-for-one trade but didn’t make much of an impact during the first half of the campaign in Atlanta. Still, the versatile 31-year-old is a former No. 2 pick with a unique skill set and considerable experience.

If the Clippers like what they see and choose to sign Turner, they’ll be able to slot him into one of the two roster spots they have available. The Clippers traded Derrick Walton Jr. to Atlanta to free up a roster spot at the deadline and more recently requested waivers on Isaiah Thomas.

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The two teams have been dancing around a potential trade for weeks but the Warriors were reportedly not pleased with what the Wolves were initially able to offer.

The agreed upon trade will send Russell to Minnesota to team up with friend Karl-Anthony Towns while the Warriors recoup Andrew Wiggins, whose contract had to be included to make the deal legal, a protected first-round pick in 2021 and a 2022 second-rounder.

Also involved in the trade are Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman, who will head to Minnesota.

Related: View SLAM’s complete 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Tracker

The protected first that the Warriors will acquire will have top-3 protection on it in 2021 and will become unprotected entirely in 2022 if it doesn’t convey.

The move comes amid mounting evidence that Towns, the Timberwolves cornerstone, is growing more frustrated by the day. The pairing of Towns and Wiggins didn’t yield success on the court and now, at least, he’ll get the opportunity to try to win some ball games alongside Russell.

While Wiggins was the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Russell is the one that has developed into a star.

Russell’s stint with the Brooklyn Nets established him as a reliable offensive focal point and you could argue that he gives the Wolves a similar offensive catalyst to what they had briefly with Jimmy Butler.

What isn’t clear yet is why the Warriors had a sudden change of heart. The acquisition of Wiggins doesn’t give the team any additional financial flexibility considering that he’s under contract through 2023-24.

Alas, on paper the idea of an athlete such as Wiggins chipping in on a dominant Warriors team that will return Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson next season is a scary thought. A move to the Bay Area could be the best thing for Wiggins’ career.

It is possible that Golden State’s apparent unwillingness to deal Russell was simple posturing, as the deal they ultimately agreed to isn’t any more lucrative than the one that was in play ahead of the four-team mega-trade that eventually went down involving the Denver Nuggets instead.

More to come.

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The biggest name involved in the deal is Clint Capela but what’s most important about the pact is how four different teams with four different motives ended up checking off items on their wish list.

We’ll jump into the details of the still evolving deal below:

Atlanta Hawks

In: Clint Capela, Nene

Out: Evan Turner, BKL’s 2020 1st, GSW’s 2024 2nd

The Hawks were on the hunt for a long-term five and managed to get a highly respected one with an excellent contract and plenty of team control. Capela averaged 16.6 points and 12.7 rebounds per game last season, earns $14.9M this year and makes less than $20M per year through 2022-23.

Atlanta acquired Evan Turner from the Blazers in the offseason for his $18M expiring deal. The draft pick they’re parting ways with is a top-14 protected pick from Brooklyn (via the Allen Crabbe trade that led up to the draft).

The move eats into Atlanta’s cap room this summer given that Capela is with them long-term and Turner wasn’t going to be but they’ll still have plenty of cash to play around with in a weak free agency class.

In order to execute the trade, the Hawks will need to first waive a player and free up the roster spot. They could also unload another player in the deal if they find a willing partner. (Edit: they waived Chandler Parsons)

Houston Rockets

In: Robert Covington, Jordan Bell, GSW’s 2024 2nd

Out: Clint Capela, Nene, Gerald Green, HOU’s 2020 1st

The Rockets have had some success with a super small-ball lineup of late and are now entirely committed to employing it full time. Houston will part with their only truly reliable five and hope that P.J. Tucker is enough to sustain them at the position.

Alas, Daryl Morey wouldn’t have parted with an asset without a reason and the club yields one of the game’s most respected perimeter defenders with three-point range in Robert Covington.

Don’t sleep on Jordan Bell as a contributor for a Rockets team that helped Kenneth Faried thrive in half a season last year.

Another significant part of this deal for Houston is the amount of money it will save the previously tax-bound squad. In one fell swoop, the Rockets have gone from over the tax threshold to roughly $6M under.

Minnesota Timberwolves

In: Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez, Evan Turner, Jarred Vanderbilt, BKL’s 2020 1st

Out: Robert Covington, Jordan Bell, Noah Vonleh, Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier

The Wolves desperately attempted to get Golden State involved in this deal so they could land D’Angelo Russell but couldn’t offer an enticing enough package in time.

What they’ll get instead is a promising pending RFA in Malik Beasley, a substantial expiring contract in Evan Turner and a semi-decent first-round pick.

The Wolves may still attempt to persuade the Warriors to give them Russell and this trade could give them more flexibility in doing so but even if that doesn’t pan out, they’ve still converted a 30-year-old Covington into a 23-year-old Beasley, significant cap relief and a draft asset that could fall in the teens.

Denver Nuggets

In: Gerald Green, Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh, HOU’s 2020 1st

Out: Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez, Jarred Vanderbilt

The Nuggets, blessed with considerable roster depth, were faced with the reality that it would be difficult to retain Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez, not just financially but logistically with a finite number of minutes available.

With this deal the Nuggets bring back several affordable deep bench pieces and a late first-round pick. The team may have been able to hold out for more from Beasley but they may not be done dealing.

Austin Kent is a News Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @AustinKent.

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Update #1, 12:25 AM: The four-team trade between the Hawks, Rockets, Timberwolves and Nuggets has been agreed upon, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

The Hawks will acquire Clint Capela, as previously reported, and Nene. The Rockets will acquire Robert Covington.

The Timberwolves will now acquire Malik Beasley, Juan Hernangomez and the top-14 protected Brooklyn 1st-rounder that Atlanta was in possession of. The Nuggets acquire Gerald Green, Keita Bates-Diop and Houston’s 2020 1st.

The Golden State Warriors have moved on from trade discussion regarding D’Angelo Russell with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports, but that won’t necessarily derail the first component of a potential multi-team trade in the works.

Earlier today we wrote about how the Hawks, Rockets and Timberwolves were in discussions to send Clint Capela from Houston to Atlanta, Robert Covington from Minnesota to Houston and an expiring contract from Atlanta to Minnesota.

In his latest tweet, Charania reports that Evan Turner is a name in play for the Wolves. Turner has an $18.6M expiring contract. Naturally, as The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on prior, there would likely be draft assets headed to Minnesota.

That three-team deal was the first step of what was being floated as a potential two-step, four-team scenario. That would give Atlanta the additional frontcourt depth they seek while giving Houston reinforcements on the perimeter. The deal was also framed as a way for Minnesota to acquire assets that could be then flipped to Golden State in exchange for Russell.

The sense now, per Charania and Wojnarowski, is that the gulf between the Warriors and Wolves is too significant. It’s important to remember that there isn’t a ton of urgency for Golden State to part with their summer sign-and-trade acquisition if they’re not pleased with the return. After all, the Warriors still haven’t gotten an extended look at Russell in a backcourt together with a healthy Stephen Curry.

The Wolves, to their credit, seem intent on attempting to accrue enough assets to offer a compelling enough package, one that could potentially include multiple draft assets like their own first-round pick and at least one other that they would acquire in the three-team swap (likely Brooklyn’s top-14 protected pick that the Hawks possess).

Such a deal would also need to include enough outgoing salary to fit with what the Wolves would be onboarding in Russell’s $27.3M pact. That could be Andrew Wiggins and his $27.5M but he’ll be on the team payroll through 2022-23 which diminishes the appeal.

A package built around draft assets and Wiggins doesn’t offer Golden State any short-term cap relief like one built around expiring contracts would.

All told, this hasn’t been enough to convince Golden State to pull the trigger thus far and that may not change before the deadline.

Interestingly, Minnesota’s inability to parlay their haul into Russell may not lead them out of the trade entirely. Now Wojnarowski adds that another fourth team could emerge, potentially the Denver Nuggets.

It’s unclear what the Wolves would seek from the Nuggets, or how else Denver might be looped into the deal but SLAM’s Chris Crouse reported earlier today that Minnesota has shown interest in both Malik Beasley and Gary Harris.

We’ve heard previously that the Wolves seek a pair of first-round picks for Covington. They could be getting one from Atlanta but Denver doesn’t have a 2020 pick of their own to extend.

Consider Minnesota and Denver’s involvement the bottleneck as we inch closer to the Thursday trade deadline.

Austin Kent is a News Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @AustinKent.

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