Category: Minnesota T-Wolves Blog

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Timberwolves sign Joe Ingles

The Minnesota Timberwolves back in the first week of July signed forward Joe Ingles.

Last season with the Orlando Magic, Ingles, 6-9, appeared in 66 games and averaged 4.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 17.2 minutes per game. His top performance of the season came at the Miami Heat on Jan. 12 when he scored a season-high 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including a season-best 4-of-8 from deep, six assists and a season-high three steals.

In 10 seasons in the NBA, with the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks and Magic, Ingles has totaled 5,707 points, 2,184 rebounds and 5,566 assists throughout 704 games (313 starts). He is a career 44.8% shooter from the field, including 41.0% from three.

The Adelaide, Australia native, has seen action in 57 postseason matchups (40 starts) during six trips to the playoffs. He holds playoff career averages of 8.5 points on 44.1% shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 27.4 minutes per game.

Ingles will wear #7 for the Timberwolves.

Timberwolves sign Head Coach Chris Finch to contract extension

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed Head Coach Chris Finch to a multi-year contract extension.

“I’d like to thank Glen, Becky, and the entire organization for their continued support and commitment to me and the team,” said Finch. “I’m proud of the way we’ve been able to establish a great culture here with the Timberwolves and I look forward to continuing to lead this organization and make our fans proud.”

“Chris is a wonderful coach, and an even better person,” said President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly. “We are thrilled that he is being rewarded with a well-earned extension. Under his guidance the team has improved every year, he’s the perfect leader for our organization.”

Finch guided the Timberwolves to a 56-26 record in 2023-24, the second-highest win total in franchise history. Minnesota secured the third seed in the Western Conference, marking the third consecutive year clinching a spot in the NBA Playoffs, the most consecutive seasons making the playoffs since eight straight appearances from 1996-2004.

Timberwolves win big, force a Game 7 with Nuggets

Per the Denver Post:

After an exchange of blowouts that has lasted six games, there’s no telling what could happen in the seventh.

Jamal Murray’s shooting efficiency reverted to Game 2 form, Michael Porter Jr. was held to single-digit scoring for a third consecutive game and the Nuggets were crushed, 115-70, by the Timberwolves in a potential close-out Game 6 on Thursday night. It set a new franchise low in playoff single-game scoring.

Anthony Edwards bounced back with 27 points and three steals. Jaden McDaniels supplied 21 points on 10 shots as Denver gave him the Aaron Gordon treatment, living with his shots. And the two Minnesota wings combined to quiet the Nuggets’ second and third options at the defensive end. Murray shot 4 for 18, totaling 10 points. Porter scored eight on 3-of-9 shooting.

Nikola Jokic’s 22 points weren’t enough to overcome the lack of supporting offense. He registered only two assists, matching a season low (at Minnesota in March).

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Naz Reid wins 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Naz Reid is the recipient of the John Havlicek Trophy as the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Reid has been named the NBA’s top reserve for the first time and becomes the first player to win the award with the Timberwolves. He is also the third player to earn the honor after not being selected in the NBA Draft, joining John Starks (1996-97) and Darrell Armstrong (1998-99).

In his fifth NBA season, Reid averaged career highs of 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.2 minutes in 81 games (14 starts). He made 169 three-pointers, exceeding his total from the previous two seasons combined (132). Reid also shot a career-high 41.4% from three-point range.

Reid helped the Timberwolves (56-26) finish with the second-best record in franchise history.

Karl-Anthony Towns injured, out at least four weeks

The Minnesota Timberwolves yesterday announced the following injury update on forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns.

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) taken yesterday on Towns revealed a Left Knee Lateral Meniscus Tear. Towns will undergo surgery early next week on the torn meniscus and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. Further updates will be provided when available

Timberwolves sign Mike Conley to contract extension

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guard Mike Conley to a contract extension.

Per the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the deal is “a two-year contract extension worth $20.75 million overall.”

Conley, 36, is in the midst of his 17th season in the NBA, second with the Timberwolves, seeing action in 50 games (all starts), averaging 10.6 points on 44.4% shooting, including a career-best 44.2% from deep, 2.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 28.9 minutes per game. Conley has a career-high 6.08 assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking second in the NBA. Since 1977-78 (min. 50 games played), no player 36 years of age or older has had an assist-to-turnover higher than Conley this season.

Per the St., Paul Pioneer Press, “Conley has been a lynchpin for Minnesota’s massive success. The point guard — with his ball movement generation, lethal outside shooting and capable defending — has proven to be the missing piece that tied the Timberwolves’ two-big experiment together and turned Minnesota from a laughingstock into a title contender.”

The Ohio State University product has tallied four point/assist double-doubles this season and has dished out 10+ assists on five occasions. In the 118-103 Jan. 18 victory vs. Memphis, Conley added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep and a season-high-tying 10 assists. His performance marked his second 15+ point/10+ assist game this season (52nd career), both coming against the Grizzlies, and his first such game doing so while shooting 63.0%+ from the field (fifth career). While dishing out 10 assists against Memphis, he did not commit a single turnover, the second time this season with 10 assists and zero turnovers (Jan. 12 vs. Portland) and the 16th in his career. In the Timberwolves 128-91 win at Portland on Feb. 15, Conley ended the game with seven points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals and a career-high-tying three blocks. It marked the second time over the last five seasons where Conley has had multiple blocks and multiple steals in the same game (also Oct. 24, 2022, Utah at Houston). At 36y-125d years old, he became the second-oldest player in Timberwolves history with 3+ blocks in a game.

For his career, the 6-1 guard has appeared in 1,075 career regular season games (1,038 starts) with the Grizzlies, Utah Jazz and Timberwolves, averaging 14.5 points on 43.9% shooting, 3.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Conley has seen action in 78 career playoff games (all starts) and has averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.

Conley is one of only seven active players and 19 in NBA history to total more than 15,000 points, 6,000 assists, 3,000 rebounds and 1,000 steals (James Harden, Jrue Holiday, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook).

Pistons trade Monte Morris to Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have acquired guard Monte Morris in a trade with the Detroit Pistons for forward Troy Brown Jr., guard Shake Milton and a 2030 second round pick.

Morris, 28, has appeared in 348 regular season games (166 starts) in seven NBA seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Pistons, averaging 10.4 points on 47.9% shooting, including 38.9% from three, 2.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. In 62 games (61 starts) last season with Washington, the 6-2 guard averaged 10.3 points on 48.0% shooting, a career-high 3.4 rebounds and a career-best 5.3 assists. At the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, he ranked second in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.4).

The Flint, Mich. native has appeared in 48 playoff games (10 starts), averaging 9.5 points on 45.1% shooting and 3.5 assists. His best playoff performance came in Game 6 of the First Round of the 2021 Playoffs when in 32:58 minutes of action off the bench, Morris finished with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting and nine assists. He became the second player in Nuggets history to finish a playoff game with 20+ points and 9+ assists off the bench.

Morris was originally drafted out of Iowa State by the Nuggets with the 51st overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Signed as a free agent with the Wolves on July 8, 2023, Brown Jr. played in 37 games (three starts) for Minnesota where he averaged 4.2 points in 11.1 minutes of action per game. In 334 career games (87 starts) with the Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Timberwolves, he holds averages of 6.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

Signed as a free agent with the Timberwolves on July 8, 2023, Milton played in 38 games for Minnesota where he averaged 4.7 points in 12.9 minutes of action per game. In 292 career games (45 starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers and Timberwolves, he holds averages of 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Timberwolves injury updates on Jaden McDaniels and Jordan McLaughlin

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the following injury updates on forward Jaden McDaniels and guard Jordan McLaughlin.

McDaniels, who experienced a right ankle sprain at the 7:30 mark of the first quarter in the Nov. 20 117-100 victory over the New York Knicks, was re-evaluated by Dr. Kelechi Okohora and has been confirmed to be progressing well throughout his rehabilitation program with no setbacks. He has been cleared to participate in individual on-court player development basketball and strength training activities.

McLaughlin, who experienced a right knee MCL sprain in the third quarter of the Nov. 2 114-109 victory over the Boston Celtics, has been progressing well throughout his rehabilitation program with no setbacks. He has been cleared to participate in full, five-on-five on-court basketball activities.

Karl-Anthony Towns clutch for Timberwolves in win over Pelicans

Per the Pioneer Press:

As he’s been during much of his recent stretch of strong offensive play, Karl-Anthony Towns was quick and decisive when it mattered most Saturday in New Orleans.

With Minnesota trailing by one in the final 10 seconds of the game, Towns quickly attacked the smaller Dyson Daniels, got to the edge of the paint and threw a floater off the glass to give Minnesota a one-point edge.

“It was a real skilled move. He’s got a lot of skill,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch told reporters postgame. “We’ve really been harping on him trying to clean up his game offensively. And he’s got so much talent that if he just focuses on the simple things done really, really well, he doesn’t need to kind of create a lot of extra activity around his game. … And he’s really taken to that, so that would be a clear example.”

Brandon Ingram missed a decent look a few seconds later, and Minnesota escaped New Orleans with a 121-120 victory Saturday.

FULL ARTICLE

Warriors forward Draymond Green suspended for incident with Rudy Gobert

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended five games without pay for escalating an on-court altercation and forcibly grabbing Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The length of the suspension is based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts.

In addition, Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels and center Rudy Gobert have each been fined $25,000 for their roles in the incident, which started when Thompson and McDaniels became entangled and were grabbing and pulling at one another’s jerseys, and continued when Gobert entered the situation and wrapped up Thompson.

Thompson and McDaniels were each assessed a technical foul and ejected, while Green was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected.

The incident occurred with 10:17 remaining in the first quarter of the Timberwolves’ 104-101 win over the Warriors on Nov. 14 at Chase Center.

Green will begin serving his five-game suspension on Thursday, November 16 when the Warriors host the Oklahoma City Thunder.