MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MAY 21: President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas of the Minnesota Timberwolves introduces Ryan Saunders as the new head coach during a press conference on May 21, 2019 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting
Minnesota Timberwolves
With the 2019 NBA Draft and its whopping 23 transactions (some still awaiting the new cap year) in the rearview mirror, the 2019 NBA Free Agency period is now on deck. The NBA moved up some of the normal dates on things related to free agency, such as when teams can schedule meetings and when
No one but Karl-Anthony Towns was safe on draft night. The Timberwolves spent much of Thursday discussing trade options for the No. 11 overall pick with the Pelicans. Robert Covington was rumored to be a part of the package for the No. 4 pick. When that fell through, the Timberwolves found a new swing partner.
The 2019 NBA Draft started off with more trade activity than expected as most experts even predicted a record-breaking night as far as trades were concerned. With many big-name stars on the move pre-draft, rumors galore and the pending free agency period, all 30 teams were looking to maneuver in a way that best suited
With the NBA Draft less than nine days away, things in the NBA are starting to heat up as NBA teams zero in on trade scenarios and the players they will ultimately have a real shot at drafting. There is a very important disclaimer/concept worth re-stating. Rumors, like the ones we’ll dig into in a
DENVER, CO – APRIL 10: Head Coach Ryan Saunders of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on during the game against the Denver Nuggets on April 10, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and
MEMPHIS, TN – NOVEMBER 25: Assistant coach Juwan Howard of the Miami Heat smiles while watching the team warm up before a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedExForum on November 25, 2016 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is
The Minnesota Timberwolves need to step out of their comfort zone, and they’re primed to do that with Gersson Rosas coming in as president of basketball operations. The Minnesota Timberwolves completed a cycle of interviews for their new president of basketball operations earlier this week. On Wednesday afternoon, after a second interview with owner Glen
As they look at another reset in key areas and try to get back to the playoffs, here are five offseason needs for the Minnesota Timberwolves The acquisition of Jimmy Butler on draft night in 2017 yielded the desired result, as the Minnesota Timberwolves won 47 games and ended a lengthy playoff drought in 2017-18.
A full search for a new coach is in order for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Dave Joerger has practically fallen into their laps. One of the surprises of the 2018-19 NBA season was the Sacramento Kings, who remained in the playoff conversation until the final weeks and wound up with their best record (39-43) since
Moving right along in Basketball Insiders’ yearly lottery-bound recaps, your talented and perennially disappointing Minnesota Timberwolves are up next. Our ‘Fixing Series’ aims to diagnose team-wide issues and offer future plans of attack heading into the offseason. And for what the Timberwolves lacked in the realm of consistent basketball, they made up for it in
Welcome to The Whiteboard, your daily source for the previous day’s best NBA content from around the internet, plus an original column. Catch The Whiteboard here on The Step Back, and subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Karl-Anthony Towns had a quiet start to the 2018-19 NBA season, which
How seamless has Dario Saric’s conversion been in Minnesota from spot-up shooter to rim-running threat? Saric himself didn’t even realize it. And yet, the numbers reflect a far more aggressive Saric since the Timberwolves acquired Saric back in November in the Jimmy Butler trade, especially since Ryan Saunders took over as Minnesota head coach in
Welcome to The Whiteboard, your daily source for the previous day’s best NBA content from around the internet, plus an original column. Catch The Whiteboard here on The Step Back, and subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Andrew Wiggins owes Jimmy Butler a debt of gratitude for leaving the
In recent campaigns, the importance of a good, reliable bench unit has soared out the window as the rise in superteams grew larger. This is not to say that the Golden State Warriors regret not having a consistent Sixth Man of the Year contender in their second unit because, well, their back-to-back championships speak for
The Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t given their fans a whole lot of reasons to cheer this year, so they have moved on to jeers. The Minnesota Timberwolves have certainly been entertaining this season, but not always for the right reasons. An extremely public battle between Jimmy Butler and the organization occupied headlines for well over a
The Minnesota Timberwolves have reportedly parted ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau, and fans are taking it pretty well on Twitter. It’s the end of the road for Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota. According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania, the Timberwolves fired the embattled head coach and will replace him, in the interim at least,
The Minnesota Timberwolves are going to have some big decisions to make this summer. Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau hasn’t changed his stripes. He’s been known to keep his players on the floor for an excessive amount of minutes in the past, and Friday night was no different. With Jeff Teague out with an
Back by the popular demand of pretty much only myself, it’s the second annual edition of Around the NBA in 15 Trades. We’re taking all 30 teams in the lead up to the Feb. 7 trade deadline and finding a happy middle ground for prosperous barterdom. Last night, Victor Oladipo suffered a serious knee injury. After
Ever since he came into this league, Brandon Ingram has had ginormous and arguably unfair expectations. Being selected second overall in what was believed to be a two-man draft is one thing. Being selected by one of the league’s most storied franchises along with that is another. Those two combined is sure to generate a
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 4: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves smiles against the Orlando Magic on January 4, 2019 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images
Nearly two months after the ugly Jimmy Butler situation was finally resolved, the Minnesota Timberwolves have fired Tom Thibodeau. It isn’t surprising that the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to fire Tom Thibodeau after his botched handling of the Jimmy Butler trade situation and the Wolves’ disappointing 19-21 record. The exact timing is a little weird, though.
In most American professional sports, divisions — the grouping of regionally similar teams for the common goal of producing storylines and rivalries that drive narratives and cash flow — have some meaning. In the NFL, for example, division champions, the team who wins the most games that season amongst the grouping of four teams, are
It’s almost January and the 2018-19 NBA season is nearly halfway over. And while lots of attention is already being paid to Zion Williamson and the 2019 NBA Draft class to-be, let’s look back to June and the 2018 NBA draft and grade the rookies on their performances thus far, while making an educated guess
Former Chicago Bulls PG Derrick Rose heard some familiar chants at the United Center, but the circumstances were quite different and frankly uncomfortable. The crowd at the United Center rained down chants of MVP on Derrick Rose last night. This was a bit weird and uncomfortable for a lot of reasons. It’s obviously odd for
Is there any word that excites fans more about an individual player than “potential?” Hardly anyone comes into this league a finished product. With rare exceptions like Tyreke Evans and Michael Carter-Williams, almost every player that makes it in the NBA gets better after their rookie season. Some young players need more time than others.
Trade season is fast approaching and rumors are running rampant across in the NBA. Just in the past month, we’ve had three trades executed, including two blockbuster moves that will surely make an impact on the association, regarding this year and in the future. The chatter is about to heat up, even more, this weekend.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – NOVEMBER 16: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Utah Jazz at the Wells Fargo Center on November 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Jazz 113-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting
Think back to the flagship genes of recent Defensive Player of the Year winners. Rudy Gobert is the NBA’s premier rim protector. Draymond Green can literally defend every position, is brilliant both on and off the ball and boasts unparalleled IQ and intensity. It’s why he’s an all-time great on that end. Kawhi Leonard engulfs
As this season began, several NBA teams had to make huge decisions about offering extensions to players nearing the end of their rookie contracts. Twenty games later, how are those decisions looking? Before this year’s Halloween deadline for NBA teams to sign players in the fourth year of rookie contracts signed in 2015 to extensions,