Category: Minnesota T-Wolves Blog

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Gorgui Dieng interview

Gorgui Dieng interview

A few quick words with Gorgui Dieng of the Minnesota Timberwolves:

Gorgui Dieng interview

Q. Thinking back to when you were a kid, picking up a basketball for the first time, do you remember that, when this sport kind of hit you and that was your thing?

GORGUI DIENG: I think I started playing at 16. I played basketball late.

Q. How did it happen? How did you start?

GORGUI DIENG: My sister and my brother, they were playing basketball. And I watched  basketball court in the soccer field was like (Inaudible) they said that’s a good sport. Because, you know, they don’t want  I didn’t know. One day I guess I started paying attention more to the game and it started getting fun.

Q. And growing up like that, starting late, did you ever think that the NBA was actually a possibility for you?

GORGUI DIENG: Yes. When I went to basketball camp, I got a chance to meet Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh. We were pretty much  they were a little bit taller than me. And they were like, wow, I can be just that  excuse me, I believe in it and I made it.

Q. How happy are you now waking up maybe in a different hotel out of home, wherever you are, realizing you’re an NBA player, making money playing basketball?

GORGUI DIENG: I think it’s just luck. I’m maybe not the best player coming from Senegal, but I’m just lucky to be that guy.

Timberwolves trade Mo Williams and Troy Daniels to Hornets for Gary Neal

Timberwolves trade Mo Williams and Troy Daniels to Hornets for Gary Neal

Timberwolves trade Mo Williams and Troy Daniels to Hornets for Gary Neal

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has acquired guards Mo Williams and Troy Daniels, along with cash considerations, from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for guard Gary Neal and Miami’s 2019 second-round draft pick. In addition, the Hornets have released Elliot Williams from his 10-day contract. The Hornets roster remains at 15 players.

“We are excited to be adding two quality players to our organization,” Cho said. “Mo Williams is a proven NBA player who gives us additional versatility and depth in the backcourt, both while Kemba Walker is out and after Kemba returns. Troy Daniels is an outstanding shooter who we are already familiar with from having had him in our training camp last season.”

The 47th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Williams is in his 12th NBA season. He has played in 750 career games for the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves. An Eastern Conference All-Star in 2008-09, Williams has career averages of 13.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 29.7 minutes, while shooting .436 from the field (3758-8611), .382 from beyond the three-point line (998-2611) and .869 from the free-throw line (1442-1660). He ranks sixth among active players in career free-throw percentage and 24th in NBA history.

Williams played in 41 games for Minnesota this season, starting 19, with averages of 12.2 points, 6.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 28.0 minutes. He shot .403 from the field (180-447), .347 from beyond the three-point line (59-170) and .851 from the free-throw line (80-94). Williams scored in double figures in 23 of the 41 games, including eight games of 20 points or more, and handed out double-figure assists nine times, tallying eight double-doubles. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week for Jan. 12-18 after scoring a career-high 52 points on Jan. 13 at Indiana.

Troy Daniels

Daniels is in his second NBA season, having played in 41 career games for Houston and Minnesota after not being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. Daniels, who was in training camp with Charlotte prior to the 2013-14 NBA season, has a career average of 3.4 points on .358 shooting from the field (49-137), including .355 from beyond the three-point line (38-107). He began this season in Houston before being traded to Minnesota on Dec. 19 as part of a three-team deal.

Daniels also saw action in 48 games last season for Houston’s NBA D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he was selected for the D-League All-Star Game and earned Third Team All-D-League honors. He averaged 21.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 35.4 minutes, while shooting .422 from the field (232-766), .402 from beyond the three-point line (240-599) and .816 from the free-throw line (146-179). Daniels led the D-League in three-point field goals and three-point field goal attempts and ranked third in total points scored.

gary neal

Currently in his fifth NBA season, Neal was acquired last February in a trade with Milwaukee. He played in 65 games for Charlotte, averaging 10.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 22.1 minutes. Neal saw action in 43 games for the Hornets this season, with averages of 9.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.7 minutes.

Ricky Rubio still regaining full health

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on the Timberwolves, who are happy to have flashy point guard Ricky Rubio back, even if his ability to contribute is still limited as he regains full health:

Not surprisingly, Ricky Rubio was held out of Sunday’s game against the Pistons. Wolves coach Flip Saunders said that Rubio, who has played in three games since returning from a severe left ankle sprain, has not been cleared to play in back-to-back games until at least after the All-Star break. Rubio will play Monday against Atlanta at Target Center.

Saunders said the rough-and-tumble game Rubio had in Friday’s victory over Memphis made the decision to sit Rubio an easy one.

“He got his knee hit a little bit, and his ankle re-twisted a little bit,” Saunders said. “We thought it best to give him a couple days off.”

Both Rubio and Shabazz Muhammad are expected to play Monday. Muhammad, who is coming back from an oblique muscle strain, missed his 16th game Sunday.

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a second 10-day contract. He was previously signed to his first 10-day contract on Jan. 28.

Brown, 24, has appeared in four games (one start) with Minnesota, averaging 4.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game. He played a career-high 47:55 against Cleveland on Jan. 31, dishing out a career-high nine assists.

Originally drafted by Minnesota with the 52nd pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown appeared in three preseason contests with the Wolves before being waived on October 25, 2013. He signed with Philadelphia a month later, averaging 2.5 points and 1.6 assists in 8.6 minutes over 26 games.

Brown started this season in the NBA D-League, playing in 19 games (17 starts) with the Grand Rapids Drive and averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. For his efforts, Brown was named to the NBA D-League All-Star team yesterday. In his career, Brown has appeared in 39 games (31 starts) in the D-League and holds career averages of 17.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per game.

Ricky Rubio set to return for Timberwolves

Ricky Rubio set to return for Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves, owner of an NBA-worst 8-39 win-loss record, are set to welcome exciting, flashy point guard Ricky Rubio back into the mix. They won’t suddenly become a winning team — that’s not in the cards this season — but Rubio at the very least makes them a more fun squad. Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting:

Ricky Rubio set to return for Timberwolves

Only four days a Timberwolf, newly signed Lorenzo Brown played all but five seconds during Saturday’s crackling 106-90 loss to Cleveland because the Wolves had not another single healthy point guard available, not even emergency backup Robbie Hummel.

By the time they play at Dallas on Monday, the Wolves could have three, possibly four ready to play at least some minutes at that position.

That includes, of course, Ricky Rubio.

He’s aiming to make his return after missing 42 games and nearly three months because of a severely sprained ankle that damaged muscle and bruised bone.

Wolves coach Flip Saunders said after Saturday’s game he’s hopeful both Rubio and veteran Mo Williams, out the past three games because of a hip he injured in Atlanta more than a week ago, can play some minutes to spell Brown, who has played 95 minutes in three games since the team signed him on Wednesday out of the D League.

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to 10-day contract

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to 10-day contract

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown to 10-day contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a 10-day contract.

Originally drafted by Minnesota with the 52nd pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown appeared in three preseason contests with the Wolves before being waived on October 25, 2013. He signed with Philadelphia a month later, averaging 2.5 points and 1.6 assists in 8.6 minutes over 26 games.

This season Brown has played in 19 games (17 starts) with the D-League’s Grand Rapids Drive, averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Brown has appeared in 39 games (31 starts) in the D-League and holds career averages of 17.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per game.

In a related transaction, the Timberwolves released center Miroslav Raduljica from his 10-day contract. Raduljica appeared in five games with Minnesota and averaged 1.6 points and 1.0 rebounds.

Robbie Hummel has broken hand

Robbie Hummel has broken hand

The Minnesota Timberwolves tonight announced that Robbie Hummel suffered a non-displaced fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his right hand. The injury occurred at the end of the third quarter of tonight’s game at Atlanta. An x-ray taken at Philips Arena confirmed the injury. He will be out indefinitely.

In 36 games (four starts) this season, Hummel is averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game.

Timberwolves sign Miroslav Raduljica to second 10-day contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed center Miroslav Raduljica (pronounciation: rah-DOO-liht-zah) to a second 10-day contract. He was previously signed to his first 10-day contract on Jan. 8.

Raduljica has appeared in three games with Minnesota, averaging 2.7 points and 1.0 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game.

After going undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, Raduljica was originally signed by Milwaukee on July 26, 2013. The 7-footer spent the 2013-14 season with the Bucks, averaging 3.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 9.7 minutes in 48 games. Raduljica was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on Aug. 26, 2014, and was subsequently waived on Aug. 29. The 27-year-old signed with Shandong of the Chinese Basketball Association on Sept. 19, 2014, and averaged 18.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 26.4 minutes in 14 games this season.

Mo Williams scores 52 points

Mo Williams scores 52 points in game vs Pacers

Mo Williams scores 52 points

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mo Williams scored 52 points in a 110-101 win over the Indiana Pacers Tuesday.

In his 52-point game, Williams shot 19-of-33 from the field, including 6-of-11 from three-point range, hitting 8-of-9 free throws. He added four rebounds and seven assists.

Teammate Andrew Wiggins added 20 points, though on 16 shots.

Guard C.J. Miles scored 22 points for Indiana in the loss.