Category: Minnesota T-Wolves Blog

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Hornets guard LaMelo Ball wins 2020-21 NBA Rookie of Year award

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is the recipient of the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced today.

He is the third player to win the annual award with Charlotte, joining Larry Johnson (1991-92) and Emeka Okafor (2004-05).

Ball received 84 first-place votes and earned 465 total points from a global panel of 99 sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards received the other 15 first-place votes and finished in second place with 309 points. Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton finished in third place with 114 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

Ball averaged 15.7 points, 6.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.59 steals in 28.8 minutes in 51 games (31 starts), leading all rookies in assists and steals and ranking second in points and rebounds. He is the seventh rookie to average at least 15.0 points, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.50 steals in a season since steals became an official statistic in the 1973-74 season, joining Magic Johnson (1979-80), Penny Hardaway (1993-94), Steve Francis (1999-00), Chris Paul (2005-06), Michael Carter-Williams (2013-14) and Ben Simmons (2017-18). Ball was one of two NBA players to reach all four of those averages this season, along with Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler.

On Jan. 9, Ball recorded 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists against the Atlanta Hawks at 19 years, 140 days old, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to have a triple-double. In other standout performances, Ball posted a career-high 34 points, eight assists and zero turnovers against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 5 in his third career start, and he had 30 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 1. Despite missing 21 games with a wrist injury, Ball finished with the second-most assists (313) and third-most three-pointers made (92) by a rookie in Hornets history.

Ball was selected as the NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in each of the first three months of the season (December/January, February and March). He was also named to the U.S. Team for the 2021 NBA Rising Stars rosters.

Charlotte selected Ball with the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Ball played for the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League during the 2019-20 season, where he was named the NBL Rookie of the Year.

The NBA Rookie of the Year trophy is named in honor of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Eddie Gottlieb, one of the NBA’s founders. Gottlieb coached the Philadelphia Warriors to the 1946-47 championship in the league’s first season.

On the state of the Timberwolves

The Timberwolves remain a work in progress. Via the Star Tribune:

Objectively, this season was a failure. The Wolves began with modest hope, then finished 23-49.

Subjectively, you can see the makings of a quality team, an entertaining team, perhaps the best Wolves team since the roster included not only Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell, but also Ndudi Ebi, Latrell Sprewell, Quincy Lewis, Fred Hoiberg, Oliver Miller, Michael Olowokandi, Mark Madsen and “the other” Ervin Johnson, just in case you forgot how any given roster can look like the cast of a “Survivor”-like game show.

Making the dangerous assumption that the Wolves will be relatively healthy next season, their starting five — even without a top-three draft pick — would be D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Karl-Anthony Towns.

That’s more than good enough in the categories of athletic ability, three-point shooting and ballhandling, and the Wolves’ improvement on defense toward the end of this season might be an indication that defense won’t be the embarrassment that it was before Ryan Saunders was fired.

Their leading scorers in 2020-21 were Towns at 24.8 points per game, Beasley at 19.6 ppg, Edwards at 19.3 ppg, and Russell at 19.0 ppg. Everyone else averaged under 12 ppg.

Update on pending sale of the Timberwolves

Here’s the latest on the pending sale of the Minnesota Timberwolves, via the Star Tribune:

Glen Taylor has been close a few times to selling his stake of the Timberwolves, but no deal has crossed the finish line.

That appears to be changing.

Taylor, 80, has an agreement for the $1.5 billion sale of the Wolves and Lynx to former baseball star Alex Rodriguez and tech entrepreneur Marc Lore, a source confirmed.

The sides previously agreed to a 30-day exclusive negotiating window last month, but talks between the sides never ceased when that window expired nor were there any major stumbling blocks to getting a deal done. An announcement sealing the deal could come soon.

The next step in the process will be to have the NBA approve the sale, which is likely to take weeks.

The Timberwolves are 22-48 this season, though of course that has little bearing on a team’s value. NBA teams have massive and still-growing value, and the chance to own one is an incredible opportunity.

Injury updates on Timberwolves’ Malik Beasley and Jarrett Culver

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the following medical updates on guards Malik Beasley and Jarrett Culver:

On Monday, Apr. 26, Beasley underwent follow-up imaging at Mayo Clinic Square for an evaluation of his left hamstring injury. He continues to progress positively and resumed on-court workouts on Tuesday, Apr. 27. He will continue to be evaluated weekly by the Timberwolves medical staff.

In 37 games (36 starts) this season, Beasley is averaging 19.6 points on 44.0% shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

Culver initially suffered a right ankle injury on Jan. 25 and was evaluated by Dr. Aaron Krych at Mayo Clinic Square. After an initial period of non-operative management and continued symptoms, imaging revealed a loose body and the decision was made to proceed with operative management. Culver will undergo arthroscopic surgery with debridement of scar tissue and loose body performed by ankle specialist Dr. Richard Ferkel on Friday, May 7 in Los Angeles. He will be sidelined the remainder of the season.

In 34 games (seven starts) this season, Culver is averaging 5.3 points on 41.1% shooting, 3.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists.

NBA postpones tonight’s Nets vs. Timberwolves game in Minnesota

STATEMENT FROM THE NBA

The National Basketball Association announced today that in light of the tragic events in the Minneapolis area yesterday, tonight’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center has been postponed. The decision to postpone was made by the NBA after consultation with the Timberwolves organization and local and state officials.

Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Daunte Wright during this difficult time.

Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore reportedly finalizing deal to buy Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly being sold.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski via Twitter, “former Major Leaguer Alex Rodriguez and billionaire Marc Lore are finalizing a deal to purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves from majority owner Glen Taylor, sources tell ESPN. Taylor will continue full control of team for two years before Rodriguez and Lore take over in 2023.”

Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley out with hamstring injury

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) taken today at Mayo Clinic Square on Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley revealed a grade 3 left hamstring injury. Beasley will be sidelined between 4-6 weeks and will be reassessed in three weeks. Further updates to his progress will be issued when available.

In 37 games (36 starts) this season, Beasley is averaging 19.6 points on 44.0% shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

Per the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “guard D’Angelo Russell did return to the lineup Monday at Target Center against Sacramento. Russell had left knee surgery and missed the past 30 games.”

Timberwolves trade rumors one day before deadline

Here’s the latest on the Timberwolves, via the Star Tribune:

With the NBA trade deadline set for 2 p.m. Thursday, the Timberwolves continued to be active in what one source has said is a slow-moving trade cycle, with the league seeming to wait on a few big pieces to move before other dominoes follow in their suit.

Magic forward Aaron Gordon and Atlanta forward John Collins are among the players the Wolves have been inquiring about in the weeks leading up to the deadline. The Wolves are gauging the market to see if there’s a power forward they could partner with Karl-Anthony Towns, but there are a few complicating factors the Wolves have to overcome to get any deals done, and it’s perhaps why no deal has happened yet.

The Timberwolves are 10-33 this season, which is the worst record in the Western conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are Karl-Anthony Towns at 23.6 points per game (in just 23 games played), Malik Beasley at 20.5 ppg, D’Angelo Russell at 19.3 ppg (in just 20 games played), and rookie Anthony Edwards at 16.7 ppg.

A glance at the Timberwolves as the NBA trade deadline approaches

Better days for the Timberwolves will presumably be ahead. Via the Star Tribune:

Gersson Rosas made no secret when he took the job as Timberwolves president that the primary way he was going to restructure the Wolves was through trades.

Minnesota has never been a free-agent destination in the NBA, and Rosas wasn’t naive enough to think he could change that overnight for big-ticket players. Instead, trades, the way Rosas’ former team in Houston became a contender in landing James Harden, were going to drive the roster overhaul.

D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez, Ricky Rubio and Jarred Vanderbilt all came to the Wolves via trade, and the draft pick that eventually turned into Jaden McDaniels also came in a trade.

The March 25 trade deadline is nearing, and reports are circulating of the Wolves’ reported interest in Atlanta’s John Collins and, to a lesser extent, Orlando’s Aaron Gordon. Hall of Fame NBA reporter Jackie MacMullan said on Bill Simmons’ podcast recently that she heard from sources the Wolves were “dying” to get Collins.

It would not be surprising if the Timberwolves were to trade literally anyone on the roster. Prepare for rumors to fly high these next 10 days.

Timberwolves hire former Raptors assistant Chris Finch as new head coach

Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas today announced he has named Chris Finch as the Timberwolves Head Coach.

“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.”

“I would like to thank Glen Taylor and Gersson Rosas for this incredible opportunity to be the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves,” said Finch. “I look forward to working hand and hand with Gersson to build and lead a team that Timberwolves fans will be proud of. We have excellent pieces in place and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Known as one of the best offensive coaching minds in the NBA, Finch has coached the likes of Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, James Harden, Nikola Jokić, Zion Williamson and Kyle Lowry.

Finch, 51, has over 24 years of NBA and G League experience, serving most recently as an assistant coach under Nick Nurse and the Toronto Raptors this season. Prior to that, he made coaching stops with the New Orleans Pelicans as associate head coach from 2017-20, the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach from 2016-17 and the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach from 2011-16. Finch was named the head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rocket’s G League affiliate in 2009. He led the Vipers to back-to-back G League Finals appearances, compiling a 67-33 (.670) record in his two seasons. After leading Rio Grande Valley to the 2010 G League Championship, Finch received the Dennis Johnson Trophy as the league’s best head coach.

The Reading, Pennsylvania native played overseas in the British Basketball League (BBL) for the Sheffield Sharks from 1993-97 before coaching the same team from 1997-2003. Finch was named the BBL Coach of the Year in 1998-99. He continued to coach overseas for 12 years including in Germany and Belgium.

Finch also served as the head coach of Great Britain’s National Team from 2006-13, where he led the national team in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He also led them to a European Championship berth in 2009 and 2011, the team’s first appearances since 1981.

A Franklin & Marshall College graduate in 1992, Finch was as a two-time All-American, and was inducted into the F&M Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He started the final 115 games of his collegiate career and compiled a 102-13 record (.887), which stood as the most career wins as a starter in NCAA Division III history.