Category: Minnesota T-Wolves Blog

The Minnesota Timberwolves have exercised the fourth-year options on guard Anthony Edwards and forward Jaden McDaniels.

Edwards, 21, wrapped up his second season in the NBA after appearing in 72 games (all starts) and averaged 21.3 points on 44.1% shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and a team-high 1.5 steals in 34.2 minutes per game. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, led all second-year players in scoring with 22.7 ppg (tying for 19th league-wide), while leading all sophomores last season in 40+ point games (3) and tied for the most 30+ point games (9). The Atlanta native led all second-year players in three-pointers made per game (3.0) and total points (1,533), ranked third in total steals (105), fifth in total blocks (46) and ninth in total rebounds (343).

Highlights from Edwards’ second season included scoring 40 points (14 in the fourth quarter) on 14-of-27 shooting, including 5-of-13 from three and nine assists during the Wolves’ 109-107 win against Portland on Jan. 25. The performance marked his second 40+ point game of the season (fourth career). He added a season-high-tying three blocks and three steals to become the first player in NBA history to reach 40 points, nine rebounds, five three-pointers, three blocks and three steals in a single game. With his fourth career 40+ point game, Edwards tied Luka Dončić and Kevin Durant for the second-most 40+ point games in NBA history before turning 21 years old. In his 100th career game Edwards notched 38 points on 14-of-21 shooting, including a career-high and franchise record 10-of-14 from deep during Minnesota’s 124-107 win at Denver on Dec. 15. He became the youngest player (20 y, 132d) in NBA history to connect on 10+ threes in a game. Additionally, with his 38 points during that game, he eclipsed 2,000 career points, becoming the seventh player in NBA history to score 2,000 points in his first 100 games at age 20 or younger, joining Carmelo Anthony, Dončić, Durant, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Zion Williamson.

McDaniels, 22, enters his third season in the NBA after finishing up his second year where he appeared in 70 games (31 starts). He saw increases in almost every statistical category, averaging 9.2 points on 46.0% shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.8 minutes per game. Among all rookies, the Federal Way, Wash. native ranked third in total blocks (54) and fifth in blocks per game (0.8). The Wolves originally acquired the draft rights to the 6-9 forward from the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 20, 2020. He was drafted in the first round (28th overall) by the Los Angeles Lakers of the 2020 NBA Draft.

A highlight from the Federal Way, Washington native’s second season included registering a career-high 22 points on 9-of-9 shooting, marking his second career game with 20+ points on Jan. 30 vs Utah. There has been only one other player in Timberwolves history to shoot perfect from the field (min. nine field goals attempted), joining Dante Cunningham on Feb. 2, 2013 vs. New Orleans Hornets.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived guard Matt Lewis, guard Emmanuel Mudiay and forward Phillip Wheeler.

Lewis, 6-3, spent last season with the Iowa Wolves where he appeared in 32 regular season games (all starts) while averaging 11.1 points on 42.7% shooting, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He most recently played for the Timberwolves’ entry in the 2022 2K23 NBA Summer League where he saw action in five games (one start) and averaged 9.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Lewis ranks among the career leaders in several categories at James Madison, including third in points (1,928) and eighth in assists (341).

Mudiay (MOO-dee-ay), 6-3, played in two games for the Sacramento Kings last season. In seven seasons in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz and Kings, Mudiay has tallied 3,299 points, 884 rebounds and 1,143 assists throughout 302 games (165 starts). The Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo native was named to the 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie Second Team after appearing in 68 games (66 starts) while averaging 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game for the Nuggets. Mudiay spent part of the 2021-22 season playing for Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania.

Wheeler, 6-6, spent time last season in the NBA G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Mexico City Capitanes where he saw action in eight games (two starts) and combined to average 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. The Rumson, N.J. native spent the rest of the 2021-22 season with the Quebradillas Pirates in Puerto Rico, averaging 16.9 points on 51.3% shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guard Matt Lewis, guard Emmanuel Mudiay and forward Phillip Wheeler.

Lewis, 6-3, spent last season with the Iowa Wolves where he appeared in 32 regular season games (all starts) while averaging 11.1 points on 42.7% shooting, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He most recently played for the Timberwolves’ entry in the 2022 2K23 NBA Summer League where he saw action in five games (one start) and averaged 9.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Lewis ranks among the career leaders in several categories at James Madison, including third in points (1,928) and eighth in assists (341).

Mudiay (MOO-dee-ay), 6-3, played in two games for the Sacramento Kings last season. In seven seasons in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz and Kings, Mudiay has tallied 3,299 points, 884 rebounds and 1,143 assists throughout 302 games (165 starts). The Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo native was named to the 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie Second Team after appearing in 68 games (66 starts) while averaging 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game for the Nuggets. Mudiay spent part of the 2021-22 season playing for Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania.

Wheeler, 6-6, spent time last season in the NBA G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Mexico City Capitanes where he saw action in eight games (two starts) and combined to average 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. The Rumson, N.J. native spent the rest of the 2021-22 season with the Quebradillas Pirates in Puerto Rico, averaging 16.9 points on 51.3% shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have converted the contract of center Luka Garza to a two-way contract.

Garza, 6-10, appeared in four preseason games for the Wolves averaging 7.3 points on 61.1% (11-of-18) shooting, including 66.7% (4-of-6) from three and 2.3 rebounds per game. His top performance of the preseason came against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 15 when he scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves’ 118-113 win.

He spent last season with the Detroit Pistons where he averaged 5.8 points on 44.9% shooting and 3.1 rebounds per game in 32 games (five starts). He played in 16 games (all starts) last season for the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise and averaged 20.6 points on 51.8% shooting and 9.5 rebounds per game.

The Washington D.C. native spent four seasons at the University of Iowa, where he ended his college career as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer (2,306 points), marking the seventh-highest scoring total in Big Ten history. Garza earned unanimous 2020-21 National Player of the Year honors after averaging 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 blocks and 31.6 minutes per game in 31 games during his final season. Additionally, he was named a two-time unanimous All-America First Team selection (2020-21 and 2019-20) and two-time Big Ten Player of the Year (2020-21 and 2019-20).

Garza was originally selected by the Pistons with the 52nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived guard PJ Dozier, forward CJ Elleby and guard A.J. Lawson.

Dozier, 6-6, was originally signed by the Wolves on Sept. 26. He spent the last three seasons with the Denver Nuggets where he averaged 6.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in 97 games (six starts). In five seasons in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Nuggets, Dozier has tallied 671 points, 318 rebounds and 189 assists throughout 105 career games (six starts).

Elleby, 6-6, totaled two points and five rebounds in two appearances for the Timberwolves during the 2022 preseason. The Federal Way, Wash. native spent last season with the Portland Trail Blazers where he averaged 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in 58 games (28 starts, including starting 28 of the Trail Blazers’ final 30 games). In two seasons with Portland, he accumulated 407 points and 259 rebounds.

Lawson, 6-6, saw action in three preseason games for the Wolves where he scored eight points and handed out six assists. He most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2022 NBA Summer League where he averaged a team-high 15.6 points on 51.9% from the field including 50.0% from three and 6.0 rebounds per game. He played 10 games (all starts) this past summer for the Guelph Nighthawks of the Canadian Basketball League (CBL) and averaged 16.5 points on 44.3% shooting and 5.4 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per game.

The Timberwolves roster stands at 17 players.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been fined $40,000 for using offensive and derogatory language on social media, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

Edwards has acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will host an open practice, dubbed Fan Fest, on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2:00 p.m. at Target Center.

Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch and his staff will lead an open practice and scrimmage. It will be the first chance that fans can watch players including Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards together on the court. It will be the first time the team will take the Target Center court together ahead of the 2022-23 season.

“We are thrilled to welcome our community to Target Center for Fan Fest,” said Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx CEO Ethan Casson. “After an exciting play-off experience, we are eager for another inspiring season of Timberwolves basketball.”

Doors open at 2:00 p.m. and fans will see on-court contests and can shop new merchandise including the latest Statement Edition Collection at the Timberwolves Team Store in Target Center. The team will take the court at 3:00 p.m. for open practice.

Fan Fest tickets are required for entry. All tickets are complimentary with a $1 per ticket processing fee. Get tickets at: www.Timberwolves.com/fan-fest.