Timberwolves Rumors

Wolves’ Connelly Talks Second Apron, Core, Offseason

June 3rd, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite having an opt-out clause in his contract, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly spoke on Monday as if he’ll be with the organization for the foreseeable future. He also expressed optimism about the team’s ability to retain players like Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker this offseason.

Randle and Reid hold player options, while Alexander-Walker will be an unrestricted free agent. Bringing back all three could put Minnesota back into second tax apron territory, which is where they spent the 2024/25 season. Connelly acknowledged that the team doesn’t necessarily want to make a habit of maintaining a payroll that high.

“I think optimally you can dip your toe in (to the second apron) but you don’t want to be there too consistently, because it just gets so punitive,” Connelly said (Twitter video link via Dane Moore). “It’s not just super expensive – and we had great ownership that allowed us to spend a lot, a lot of money – but it’s so restrictive with deal-making. So how can we insure that we’re as nimble as possible? I wouldn’t say it’s a steadfast, ‘We’re definitely going to be out of (the second apron).’ But if we’re going to be in it, we’re going to be in it for a good reason.”

All indications are that incoming owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez will be comfortable continuing to pay luxury tax penalties going forward, but as Connelly points out, a second-apron team faces major roster-building limitations.

For instance, while the Timberwolves reportedly pursued Kevin Durant at the 2025 trade deadline, actually making a deal for the Suns star would have been impossible unless Minnesota could have moved below the second apron, allowing the team to aggregate salaries to match Durant’s maximum-salary contract.

The Wolves have a path out of the second apron this summer, which could put them in better position to make a play for a high-priced star like Durant. Connelly didn’t rule out the possibility of pursuing a major deal in the coming weeks or months, but also expressed confidence in the team’s current core, per Dave Campbell of The Associated Press.

“We feel very happy with the core we have. We don’t feel like there’s tremendous pressure to do much,” Connelly said. “But until you’re raising the (championship) trophy, you’ve got to be as active and as creative as possible to get to the point where you’re the final team.

“… Those organizations that can show patience tend to have a really high level of success. But patience shouldn’t lead to risk aversion. If there’s something that if we have to shake it up and make us a better team, we’re certainly open to that.”

Wolves’ Tim Connelly On Minnesota: ‘It Feels Like Home’

June 2nd, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly reportedly has an opt-out clause in his contract this offseason, but it sounds like he intends to stay in Minnesota.

“It feels like home. … I think you guys are stuck with me,” Connelly told media members today, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The news doesn’t come as a surprise. Multiple reporters — including Brian Windhorst, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Michael Scotto, and Krawczynski — have indicated that signing Connelly to a new contract was a priority and the team was optimistic an agreement would be reached. Connelly is said to have a good working relationship with new majority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who are expected to be approved by the league’s Board of Governors later this month.

Connelly was rumored to be a top target of the Hawks in their search for a new head of basketball operations and was also linked to the Nuggets’ vacancy. Connelly ran Denver’s front office from 2013-22, putting its championship core together, though he technically missed out on that title by leaving a year early.

The 49-year-old has pulled off some blockbuster trades since he was hired by the Timberwolves in 2022, acquiring Rudy Gobert from Utah later that year and sending Karl-Anthony Towns to New York last October in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop (who was later waived) and a first-round pick.

The Wolves have made the playoffs each of the past three seasons with Connelly as the head of basketball operations, including — most recently — back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Here are a few more highlights from Connelly’s press conference:

Randle, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could all be free agents this summer — Randle and Reid hold players options for 2025/26, while Alexander-Walker is unrestricted. Connelly says the team is “cautiously optimistic” it will be able to bring back all three rotation players, as Krawczynski relays (via Twitter). “We’re very appreciative of what the market might look like,” Connelly said. “We’re pretty cautiously optimistic we’re in a good place with all of the guys. Most importantly, they want to be here.”
Connelly praised head coach Chris Finch for the “great” job he has done over the past couple years, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “It’s not easy what we’ve tasked him with the last couple of years (multiple major trades),” Connelly said. “… It’s a testament to his intelligence, his ability to be creative and to coach any group we put in front of him.”
Connelly was also complimentary of Finch’s coaching staff for its adaptability and player development skills, according to Krawczynski (Twitter link). “Someone is going to smartly hire (assistant) Micah Nori as a head coach soon.”
Connelly thinks Anthony Edwards will have a “challenging” offseason in front of him as the Wolves attempt to take the next step, but he’s confident in the star guard’s two-way ability (Twitter video link via Scotto) “The sky is the limit,” Connelly said of Edwards. “We think he’s going to be one of the best players of all time, and we think he’s on that track.”

Timberwolves Notes: Randle, Reid, Durant

June 1st, 2025 at 4:04pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Timberwolves forward Julius Randle has emerged as perhaps the most intriguing potential free agent of the 2025 offseason, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

After trading five-time All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for a package headlined by Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves made the Western Conference Finals for a second straight season, with Randle playing a major role in the team’s first- and second-round series wins over the Lakers and Warriors.

Bringing in Randle and DiVincenzo added play-making around incumbent All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards while giving the Timberwolves significantly more financial flexibility to try to re-sign free agent wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker and potential free agent Naz Reid this summer.

Sources tell Fischer that the Timberwolves viewed Randle as a better fit than Towns next to Edwards due to the veteran forward’s ability to score downhill and pass from the post.

As Fischer writes, it took the Timberwolves a year to fully integrate Rudy Gobert following their 2022 deal for the Frenchman, so they may be optimistic about Randle’s potential to get even more comfortable and continue meshing with Edwards in year two. However, Randle – who has a $30.9MM player option for 2025/26 – could also function as a potential salary-matching piece if Minnesota opts to renew its trade-deadline pursuit of Kevin Durant.

There’s more from Minnesota:

Reid is expected to decline his $15.1MM player option and hit unrestricted free agency, according to Fischer. Although far more teams are projected to have major cap space next summer as opposed to 2025, Reid could earn some long-term security on a new deal now. He had a solid run during the 2024/25 regular season, but was a bit inconsistent during the playoffs.
According to Fischer, the Timberwolves reached out to at least one Eastern Conference squad in an effort to get help acquiring Durant from the Suns before the trade deadline. Minnesota’s interest in the 15-time All-Star was said to be significant. The 2014 MVP may no longer be quite the defender he was during his Oklahoma City/Golden State prime, but he remains one of the best scorers in the game today, even at the relatively advanced age of 36. After Phoenix finished outside of the playoff mix with a 36-46 record, it seems quite possible a Durant trade could be on the table again this summer.
In case you missed it, Orlando is viewed as a candidate to get involved in the bidding for Alexander-Walker this summer.

Thunder Notes: Caruso, Daigneault, Alexander-Walker, Finals Odds

June 1st, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Alex Caruso is the only Thunder player who has been to the NBA Finals, but he didn’t get the full experience, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Although Caruso was a member of the title-winning Lakers team in 2020, the end of that season and the entire playoffs took place in a closed setting at Disney World in Orlando. That meant no fans, no travel and nothing to match the excitement that will be in the air when this year’s Finals get underway Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

“The Finals in the bubble still had the tangible feel of a Finals,” Caruso said. “You knew what was up for grabs. That adrenaline before the game, obviously, I don’t think it would probably be the same adrenaline level that you feel with fans, just being on the other side of it now. But understanding what’s at stake was still very apparent.”

Caruso was in his third NBA season during that COVID-interrupted campaign. Now 31, he’s the oldest player on an OKC team that’s the second-youngest to reach the Finals in the past 70 years. Considering the Thunder’s dominance throughout the season — 80-18 overall and 43-7 on their home court — Caruso doesn’t believe he’ll have to inspire his teammates for the challenge ahead.

“You don’t have to do anything special. You just have to be who we are,” he said. “That’s worked for us throughout this whole year. So, I’m just continuing to emphasize with the guys, just do what we’ve done all year. Compete at a high level, play together, play as a team. When we do that, we’re pretty good.”

There’s more from Oklahoma City:

The Thunder wrapped up the Western Conference title last Wednesday and will have been off for more than a full week by the time the NBA Finals start on Thursday, notes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. It’s the second extended break of the playoffs for OKC, and coach Mark Daigneault is working to keep his players in the right mindset. “You don’t want to be so wise that you’re overcautious,” he said. “You don’t want to be so confident that you’re overconfident. You kind of have to hold those two things, the confidence and the urgency or the wisdom. You have to hold those things in balance.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker could be a perfect offseason addition for the Thunder if they can work out a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves, contends Michael Stamps of Sports Illustrated. The free agent guard is the cousin of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they play together on the Canadian national team.
The Thunder are heavy betting favorites heading into the NBA Finals, according to an ESPN story. Oklahoma City has -750 odds to be the next NBA champion, while Indiana is listed at +525.

Magic Viewed As Possible Suitor For Nickeil Alexander-Walker

May 31st, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

There are “rumbles in circulation” that the Magic are a team to watch as a suitor for free agent guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker this offseason, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Alexander-Walker, who was traded from Utah to Minnesota at the 2023 deadline as part of a bigger three-team deal, has emerged as a reliable rotation player for the Timberwolves over the past two seasons.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 26-year-old has averaged 8.7 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game, with a .438/.386/.787 shooting line. He has also served as one of Minnesota’s top point-of-attack defenders and has been extremely durable, having not missed a game in over two years.

While the Timberwolves would certainly like to have Alexander-Walker back on the roster next season, they may face a financial squeeze after operating above the second tax apron this year, which could open the door for rival suitors to make a run at him.

The six-year veteran is coming off a $4.3MM salary and has never earned more than $5MM in a season, but appears to be in line for a significant raise. Several teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) figure to have interest, and Jake Fischer reported in February that some executives believe Alexander-Walker could earn up to $20MM per year on his next contract.

Whether the Magic will be in position to make an aggressive offer to Alexander-Walker remains to be seen. They have roughly $175MM in guaranteed money committed to 11 players for next season and the luxury tax line projects to come in just under $188MM, so if they want to make a play for the Wolves guard while staying out of the tax, they’d probably have to shed some salary.

Orlando has long been viewed as a team likely to seek backcourt help this summer, though much of that speculation has centered around the Magic targeting more of an offensive-minded player to complement defensive ace Jalen Suggs. While Alexander-Walker doesn’t really fit that bill, he has been a more reliable three-point shooter than Suggs in recent years.

Pistons Have Interest In Naz Reid, Myles Turner

May 31st, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are “known to covet” a big man who can space the floor, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports in his latest Substack article (subscription required) that the team is said to have interest in both Naz Reid and Myles Turner.

Reid followed up his Sixth Man of the Year campaign in 2023/24 with another strong season for the Timberwolves in ’24/25, averaging 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 27.5 minutes per game across 80 outings (17 starts). He has made 39.5% of 5.4 three-point attempts per game over the past two seasons.

Turner, who was drafted 11th overall by the Pacers in 2015 and has been the team’s starting center for the last decade, averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 30.2 minutes per contest across 72 games this season. The 29-year-old knocked down a career-high 39.6% of 5.5 three-pointers per night and has played a key role in getting the Pacers within one game of an NBA Finals appearance.

It remains to be seen whether the Pistons have a viable chance to land either player, Stein acknowledges.

Reid holds a $15MM player option for next season and the Timberwolves have made it known they’d have strong interest in working out a new deal with him if he declines that option, Stein writes.

As for Turner, multiple reports have indicated that Indiana is well positioned to re-sign the longtime Pacer in unrestricted free agency this summer, and Stein confirms that the team has conveyed a willingness to go into the tax next season to keep its roster together.

As we detailed earlier this week, the Pistons could potentially create nearly $17MM in cap room without making any cost-cutting moves, but it would mean renouncing their rights to key free agents like Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schröder. If the club operates over the cap, it could offer the full mid-level exception, worth a projected $14.1MM, to a free agent, but wouldn’t be able to exceed that figure without a sign-and-trade.

Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and Paul Reed handled big-man duties for Detroit in 2024/25. While that trio was effective, none of the three is a threat from beyond the arc — they made a combined 25 three-pointers on the season, with Duren not attempting a single one.

Wolves Rumors: Durant, Ownership, Connelly, FAs, Conley

May 30th, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves and Suns both operated above the second tax apron during the 2024/25 season, which means it would have been extremely difficult for the two teams to construct a trade that sent Kevin Durant to Minnesota at the February deadline. Still, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast that the Wolves made a real effort to land the star forward four months ago (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM).

“It became clear to me in talking to the parties involved just how serious the Wolves were about trying to trade for Kevin Durant at the trade deadline,” Windhorst said.

Windhorst goes on to acknowledge that the pre-deadline Wolves weren’t playing as well as they eventually performed down the stretch and in the first two rounds of the playoffs, so their level of interest in Durant may not be the same this offseason as it was at the time. And even with some money coming off their books this offseason, a deal for a player earning $54.7MM would be tricky to pull off.

Still, Windhorst notes that president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has a history of taking big swings on the trade market, making the Wolves a potential team to watch if Durant is on the trade block.

“I’m not arguing that Durant’s going to end up in Minnesota,” Windhorst said. “I’m just saying, if you look at Tim Connelly, he made the big (Rudy) Gobert trade. He made the big Julius Randle and (Donte) DiVincenzo trade. He’s shown the propensity to make big deals.”

The Timberwolves plan to be aggressive in building their roster around Anthony Edwards this offseason, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who writes that the new ownership group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez has put together a “deep-pocketed group” of partners and would be comfortable continuing to pay luxury tax penalties going forward.

Here’s more on the Wolves:

The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to vote to formally approve the Lore/Rodriguez ownership group sometime in late June, sources tell Krawczynski. The new owners plan to more aggressively invest in the business side of the franchise, Krawczynski continues, which includes making plans for a new arena.
Two team sources reiterated to The Athletic that there’s optimism about the Wolves’ ability to work out a new contract with Connelly, who has an opt-out clause in his current deal this offseason. According to Krawczynski, while Lore and Rodriguez are involved in major roster decisions, they trust Connelly to make the moves he believes are necessary. Connelly’s easy-going personality has “helped relax what could often be a nervous, downtrodden basketball operations department,” Krawczynski adds.
With Randle, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all potentially reaching free agency this summer (Randle and Reid hold player options), Krawczynski believes the likeliest outcome is that two of those three players will remain in Minnesota, with one of them departing.
Mike Conley spoke after the Wolves’ Game 5 loss on Wednesday as if he plans to return for his 19th season, but he’ll likely take on a reduced workload, so it’s crucial that the Wolves find another productive point guard, either in-house (ie. Rob Dillingham) or by bringing in a veteran, says Krawczynski. “I think my role is one that I’ve been willing to do anything,” Conley said. “Just play any amount of minutes, start, come off the bench. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do. Whatever is best for the team.”

Timberwolves Notes: Offseason, Game 5, Conley, Edwards, Free Agents

May 29th, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Fresh off reaching their second consecutive Western Conference Finals, the now-eliminated Timberwolves have some interesting questions to answer this summer. Mark Deeks of HoopsHype and Bobby Marks of ESPN explore several of those questions in their respective offseason previews for the team.

Deeks notes that, provided big men Julius Randle and Naz Reid both pick up their player options, the Timberwolves will have seven players drawing eight-figure salaries. Deeks believes that all of the current players under contract are earning solid deals relative to their on-court value. That said, he posits that a trade is likely if Randle picks up his option.

While Deeks notes that Reid could be signed to a contract extension following the draft, he seems likely to earn more if he declines his option and hits free agency.

Marks observes that a limited free agent market could compel both players to opt in to their deals, and notes that almost half of the NBA’s teams could have major cap room in 2026.

According to Marks, the growth of rookie wing Terrence Shannon Jr. might make another Minnesota free agent, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, expendable. With 16 clubs projected to have the ability to offer Alexander-Walker the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, his future in Minnesota looks more tenuous.

There’s more out of Minnesota:

The 30-point blowout loss to Oklahoma City that ended the Timberwolves’ season could obscure what was otherwise an exciting 2024/25 run, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “Once that buzzer sounds and you’re just able to feel everything, it hurts,” Randle said. “It hurts. So, really, that’s where I’m at right now. It’s almost like a grieving stage of the season and it hurts, really. But we’ll be back.” After trading five-time All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to New York for a package headlined by Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves’ ability to return to the West Finals was in doubt. However, Randle shined in the first two rounds of the playoffs, averaging 23.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 5.9 APG and submitting a strong defensive effort. The bloom came off the rose against the Thunder, when the 6’9″ vet averaged 17.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.0 APG. Center Rudy Gobert‘s offensive limitations were also exposed against the Thunder throughout the series. He was limited to just two points in 19 minutes of action during Game 5.
Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, 37 and in his 18th season, has been eliminated in three conference finals over the course of his career. The former All-Star conceded that missing out on his first-ever NBA Finals appearance yet again was painful, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “When I was walking off the floor I was thinking, ‘Not again,’” Conley told Spears. “I know how hard it is. It hurts a lot. I wanted it so bad. I wanted it for these guys.”
After a disappointing Game 5 performance, three-time All-NBA Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards expressed confidence that he would return to a big postseason stage soon, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m 23,” Edwards said. “I get to do it a whole bunch of times. I’m hurt more so for Mike. I came up short for Mike. We tried last year, we couldn’t get it. We tried again this year. We’ll try again next year.”
Timberwolves stars Randle, Reid and Alexander-Walker all discussed their potential impending free agencies following their official elimination, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Reid suggested that he would likely decline his option and hit unrestricted free agency, looking for a long-term deal either with the Timberwolves or another team. “I think the work has been put in,” Reid said. “Obviously, I’ve got a long way to go with being only 25, but for sure. I think that’s what the future looks like for me.” Although Reid considers himself a starting-level player, he is apparently open to remaining a reserve in Minnesota. Randle and Alexander-Walker claimed to not have though much about their offseason decisions yet.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Named Western Conference Finals MVP

May 29th, 2025 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was unanimously named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference Finals following Wednesday’s series win over Minnesota, earning all nine votes from a panel of media members (Twitter link).

Gilgeous-Alexander, who was also the NBA’s regular season MVP for 2024/25, averaged 31.4 points, 8.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 36.4 minutes per game across five games vs. the Timberwolves.

While his 45.7% field goal percentage and 31.8% mark on three-pointers were both well below his usual rates, the 26-year-old was the engine of Oklahoma City’s offense and was a +43 during his 182 minutes of action in the third-round series.

Jalen Williams (22.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, .494/.462/.833 shooting) and Chet Holmgren (18.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 BPG, .567/.368/.714 shooting) also had big series for the Thunder, fueling a dominant all-around performance that sends the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance since 2012.

The conference final MVP is a relatively new award, having been introduced by the league in 2022. Stephen Curry won the inaugural award in 2022, followed by Nikola Jokic in 2023 and Luka Doncic in 2024.

The player who is named the Western Finals MVP receives the Magic Johnson trophy.

Wolves Notes: Game 5, Conley, Edwards, Randle, Defense

May 28th, 2025 at 7:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves understand what’s at stake as they prepare for tonight’s Game 5 in Oklahoma City, writes Cassidy Hettesheimer of The Star Tribune (subscription required). Minnesota narrowly missed a chance to tie the series on Monday, which means three straight wins will now be necessary to reach the NBA Finals. Two of those will have to come at the Paycom Center, where the Thunder won by 26 and 15 points to open the series.

“We’re just trying to get another home game and trying to play in front of our home crowd again,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “Everybody has counted us out all year. We’ve been through a lot. We’re together as a locker room. We don’t care what the media is going to say.”

This is the second straight year the Wolves have reached the Western Conference Finals, and Hettesheimer notes that they were expected to be in a better position this time. Last year, Minnesota was exhausted after coming off a seven-game series with Denver and lost to Dallas in five games. This time, the Nuggets took OKC to seven games while the Wolves had time to rest after a five-game series with Golden State. Despite that, Minnesota is back in the same position, staring at a 3-1 deficit.

Jaden McDaniels believes the key to Game 5 will be getting off to a fast start and not letting the Thunder build up momentum in front of their fans.

“At home, they start super well, so we’ve just got to [slow] their little run at the beginning,” he said. “We’ve got to play tougher, playing stronger and just hold them to one shot.”

There’s more on the Wolves:

Veteran guard Mike Conley is counting on Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle to bounce back after subpar performances in Game 4, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). OKC’s swarming defense held Edwards to 16 points on 5-of- 13 shooting and Randle to five points on a 1-of-7 night. “We need our best guys to be our best guys,” Conley said.
Randle seems to have found a home in Minnesota, which is the fourth stop in his 11-year career, McMenamin observes in a full story. He notes that the surprise trade that sent Randle to the Wolves in October reunited him with head coach Chris Finch, who was an assistant in New Orleans earlier in Randle’s career, and he has bonded with president of basketball operations Tim Connelly over their shared love of cuisine. Randle’s comfort level could become important this summer, as he holds a $30.1MM player option and may be interested in a long-term contract.
The most disappointing part of Minnesota’s performance in the two conference finals has been the failure of its vaunted defense, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. The Wolves weren’t able to control Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving last year, and the Thunder are averaging 115.3 points through the first four games of this series.

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