Timberwolves Notes: McDaniels, Randle, Garnett
Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels sat out Tuesday’s game vs. New York due to a left oblique contusion, but it doesn’t appear the injury will necessitate a multi-game absence. After initially being listed as questionable to play on Thursday in Denver, McDaniels has been upgraded to probable, according to the team (Twitter link).
McDaniels is in the midst of a breakout year for Minnesota. The 25-year-old has always been considered a strong defender, having earned a spot on the All-Defensive second team in 2024, but he has emerged as a more dangerous offensive threat this season. His 15.0 points and 2.6 assists per game are career highs, as is his 40.0% mark on three-point attempts and his 86.8% free throw percentage.
We have more on the Wolves:
- Facing his former team on Tuesday, Julius Randle had just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting through three quarters, then led the Timberwolves to a victory over the Knicks by pouring in 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the final frame. While Randle admits he felt like he had something to prove last season in games against the team that traded him away, he said he has moved past that now, according to Jon Krawczynski and Fred Katz of The Athletic. “I’m over it,” Randle said. “I had a great time in New York, accomplished a lot of great things. The city was great to me, but I’m happy to be here in Minnesota, playing in front of the fans every day, being a part of this team. I’m home. Where I’m at is home. So I think I’ve kind of got past that, and I’m just happy where I am now.”
- In a separate story for The Athletic, Krawczynski takes a closer look at Kevin Garnett‘s return to the franchise, explaining that the Hall of Famer joining the Timberwolves as an ambassador was years in the making. Reconciling with Garnett following his feud with former team owner Glen Taylor was one of the top priorities for Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez when they came aboard. “Everywhere we went around, not only Minnesota, but all around the country, all Minnesota Timberwolves fans wanted to know was, when is Kevin coming back into the organization?” Rodriguez said.
- In case you missed it earlier in the week, Hornets guard Collin Sexton is reportedly among the players the Timberwolves have done their homework on as they consider possible trade targets to upgrade their backcourt.
Knicks Notes: Brunson, Kolek, Towns, Jemison
After sitting out Tuesday’s loss at Minnesota, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson will return for a Christmas Day showdown with Cleveland, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link). Brunson was unavailable against the Wolves due to “right ankle injury management,” and OG Anunoby didn’t play because of “left ankle soreness.” Neither player is listed on the injury report for Thursday.
Coach Mike Brown has been talking about reducing Brunson’s workload, but he was on the court for 38 minutes Sunday as he posted a season-high 47 points against Miami. He’s averaging 36.8 minutes over his last nine games, in addition to playing 41 minutes in last week’s NBA Cup final, which isn’t counted in official statistics.
“I want to play,” Brunson told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “But if Mike wants to do something, then obviously, we’ll talk about it. I have utmost faith and confidence in him. But obviously, when I’m out there, I want to play.”
Thursday’s game will feature a matchup of two of the East’s best guards in Brunson and the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, who’ve both been carrying the scoring load for their respective teams. Per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post, Brown views it as a good opportunity for Brunson to bolster his MVP case after winning NBA Cup MVP honors.
“When you talk about MVPs especially, but All-Stars as well, you have to find a way to impact the game,” Brown said. “Sometimes, your shot’s not going in, so how else can you do it? Well, you can try to do it defensively, you can try to do it rebounding offensively, rebounding defensively, running the floor to see if you can get an easy one. Jalen’s constantly trying to do those things.”
There’s more from New York:
- With Brunson unavailable on Tuesday, Tyler Kolek turned in the best game of his career, Schwartz states in a separate story. Making his first-ever start, the second-year guard posted 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes. “Anytime you get an opportunity like that, you try to take advantage of it,” Kolek said. “These guys got confidence in me to go out there and play my game and do what I do. It’s too bad, we just couldn’t get the win.” Schwartz observes that Kolek’s recent play might lessen the need for the Knicks to pursue a backup point guard on the trade market.
- Karl-Anthony Towns talked about his affection for Minnesota after scoring 40 points on Tuesday, Schwartz adds in another piece. Towns, who spent nine years with the Timberwolves before being traded to New York shortly before the start of last season, was greeted with a loud ovation during introductions and got a “shout-out” from Anthony Edwards in his post-game interview. “There’s nothing more valuable in this league, this job, than to be respected,” Towns said. “I left my heart, my soul here in Minnesota. For the fans to just, even after two seasons away, to respect me the way they do and to think of me so highly and to appreciate what I left on the court tonight, it means a lot. It really means a lot.”
- Trey Jemison got a rare chance to contribute in last week’s win over Indiana, logging more than 18 minutes in just his fourth appearance of the season. The third-year center, who’s already on his fifth NBA team, has benefited from the Knicks’ development program, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “My game is growing,” Jemison said. “From my position coaches to all my G League coaches, they are buying in and helping me set a higher standard for myself and it’s been great. … I love coming to work every day.”
Trade Rumors: Sexton, Wolves, Pelicans, Hawks, Bagley
Although the Hornets are willing to discuss potential trades, they still hope they can contend for a play-in spot and aren’t looking to simply sell off veterans, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). According to Fischer, veteran guard Collin Sexton and his expiring $19MM contract looks like Charlotte’s most logical trade candidate.
Minnesota is one team that has done its homework on Sexton, Fischer says, explaining that the Timberwolves appear to be trying to get a sense of their range of options at the point guard spot as they seek an upgrade on their current options. While sources tell Fischer that the Wolves are adamant about not including budding star Jaden McDaniels in any deals, rival executives suspect the back-to-back conference finalists will be more aggressive on the trade market than most other Western contenders.
As Fischer explains, teams like the Thunder, Nuggets, Rockets, and Spurs aren’t considered likely to make in-season splashes, so the only other club currently in the top six of the West that figures to be actively seeking meaningful upgrades is the Lakers. And it remains to be seen whether they’ll be able to acquire the sort of three-and-D player they’d love to add.
Here are a few more NBA trade rumors:
- As coveted as Pelicans forward Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III are, sources believe they’re unlikely to be moved at the trade deadline, writes Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. Rival scouts view Jose Alvarado, Saddiq Bey, Jordan Hawkins, and Jordan Poole as New Orleans’ more likely trade candidates, in that order, per Siegel.
- Although the Hawks have checked in on Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, there has been no momentum in those talks and there’s a sense that Atlanta is more likely to target a lower-salary replacement if the team builds a deal around Kristaps Porzingis‘ expiring contract ahead of the deadline, says Siegel. One hypothetical proposal put forth by league personnel would see the Hawks target a package like Nikola Vucevic and Coby White from the Bulls, though there’s no indication that the two teams have explored that sort of trade, Siegel clarifies, noting that it’s just an example of the type of move that would likely appeal more to Atlanta than going after someone like Davis.
- Siegel singles out Wizards big man Marvin Bagley III as a player to watch ahead of the deadline, writing that he has begun generating interest from teams looking to fortify their frontcourts.
Kings Reportedly Among Teams Monitoring Darius Garland
The Cavaliers have reportedly shut down trade inquiries on Darius Garland to this point, but that doesn’t mean rival teams aren’t monitoring his situation in case that stance changes. League sources tell Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com that the Kings are among the teams that have been keeping tabs on the two-time All-Star.
It has been reported for months that Sacramento has been looking for a long-term solution at point guard, and Afseth has heard the same. The Timberwolves are another team known to be in the market for a lead ball-handler, Afseth states.
However, it would be difficult for either club to put together a package that would entice Cleveland to part with Garland, per Afseth. It would be particularly tricky for Minnesota and Cleveland to make a deal since both teams are restricted in terms of the moves they can make due to the tax aprons.
According to Afseth, some rival teams have gotten the impression that Garland may prefer to take on a larger role rather than being a secondary or even tertiary offensive option playing alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Afseth hears opposing teams view Garland as the least risky of the high-profile point guards (Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, Trae Young) who have popped up in trade rumors in 2025/26.
“Darius is the safest option on the trade market for a team seeking a point guard upgrade,” a source told Afseth. “There are teams who think he can handle more being put on his plate.”
The 25-year-old missed the first seven games of the season following offseason toe surgery and aggravated the turf toe injury shortly after he returned to action, causing him to miss another five contests. He didn’t play anything close to his normal level over his first 12 appearances and seemed to be visibly bothered by the toe issue eight days ago.
Although the Cavs dropped their third straight game on Saturday, Garland had his best performance of the season, erupting for 35 points (on 14-of-27 shooting) and eight assists with Mitchell out due to an illness, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). Garland has been frustrated by the nagging injury, but he thinks he may have turned a corner.
“I’m getting healthy,” Garland said. “Trying to find my groove. … It’s trying to switch my mind to letting me actually do the things I’m used to doing. It felt good for the first time a couple games ago and tonight see the result.”
Garland had another big game on Monday and was more efficient with Mitchell back in action. In the win over Charlotte, Garland finished with 27 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), 10 assists, five rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes.
On the Wine and Gold Talk podcast following Saturday’s loss (YouTube link), Fedor expressed skepticism about the Cavaliers potentially trading Garland ahead of the February 5 deadline for multiple reasons. Not only does Cleveland appear to value Garland more than other teams, Fedor explained, but the Cavs would likely receive underwhelming offers for him because of his injury and down season to this point.
Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Brunson Named Players Of Week
Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
This marks the second career Player of the Week award for Jackson, who averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.7 blocks in 32.7 minutes per game and led Memphis to a 2-1 record during the week of December 15-21.
Jackson recorded a season-high 31 points and five blocks in the Grizzlies’ 121-103 road win last Monday against the Clippers and followed that with 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and three blocks in Memphis’ 116-110 road victory on Wednesday against Minnesota.
Brunson racked up 31.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game as the Knicks went 2-1 after their NBA Cup triumph. He had 47 points in the Knicks’ 132-125 win over Miami on Sunday.
It’s the second major individual award for Brunson over the past week. He was also named the MVP of the NBA Cup. He also becomes the first two-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season, having also earned the honor on December 1.
Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers), Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other nominees for the Western Conference Player of the Week award.
Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Derrick White (Celtics) were the other nominees in the East.
Wolves Notes: Finch, Conley, Edwards, Taylor
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch has been fined $35K by the NBA for “directing inappropriate language toward game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner” following his ejection in Friday’s game against Oklahoma City, the league announced (via Twitter). Finch was thrown out of the contest midway through the first quarter for expressing his displeasure over a lack of foul calls, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscription required).
According to Hine, it took several assistant coaches and security personnel to keep Finch away from the referees after he was tossed. Finch was irate that the Thunder weren’t whistled for a foul during a possession in which he claims Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were both grabbed and hit.
Finch didn’t address reporters following the game, but he explained the incident at Saturday’s practice, saying he “wanted to make my point” with the outburst.
“I thought early on, the tone was being set in the wrong direction, and I wanted to set about trying to change things,” Finch said. “All credit to the guys. They really responded, picked up the pieces. The staff did an incredible job navigating that game. The most important thing is we got the win and that our guys responded and played well over the last three and a half quarters.”
It was only the second career ejection for Finch, and his players were impressed by the tirade, with Randle calling it “top tier.”
“I don’t know what image he’s projected to y’all. I don’t know what they’re seeing, but Finchy is a hell of a competitor,” Randle added.
There’s more from Minnesota:
- The Timberwolves have upgraded Mike Conley to available for Sunday’s game with Milwaukee (Twitter link). The veteran guard has missed the past four games with right Achilles tendinopathy.
- In an interview with Shams Charania of ESPN (YouTube link), Edwards talks about the benefits of playing for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics. Edwards says it was inspiring to experience Stephen Curry‘s work ethic up close, and he learned how to be a better leader by watching his veteran teammates. “I think probably being with the USA team,” Edwards responded when asked about his leadership skills. “Just seeing like everybody got their own way of leading. You gotta learn how to talk to everybody. Some guys you can be super hard on and some guys you’ve got to pull to the side and talk to them one on one.”
- Former owner Glen Taylor is glad to see that Kevin Garnett will rejoin the organization as a team ambassador, even though he and Garnett never resolved the dispute that drove him away, Hine adds in a separate story. “I always thought he should be there,” Taylor said. “That he wanted to wait until now is fine. It’s his decision. Overall, I like the guy, respect the guy, and I’m happy for him.”
Northwest Notes: Joe, Wiggins, Blazers, Timberwolves
Isaiah Joe is back in action tonight for the Thunder after missing four games due to a bruised left knee. Alex Caruso said that Joe’s presence provides optimal spacing of the floor, Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman tweets.
Joe is averaging 12.9 points per game, with most of them coming from beyond the arc. He’s attempting 6.9 three-point shots per game and making 41.9% of them.
“He’s the anomaly for our team with spacing rules and cutting and moving stuff,” Caruso said. “He’s the one guy we tell to stand a couple feet behind the line and space the floor as far away from the basket as you can because he carries that threat.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Aaron Wiggins is also averaging better than 41% on his three-point tries for the Thunder this season. Wiggins has filled up the stat sheet, averaging a career-best 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. “He’s a guy who has mastered our system over time on both ends of the floor,” coach Mark Daigneault told Martinez. “He’s just a system monster. He’s finding different ways to impact the game. … He’s an impressive person from that standpoint. He can wear a lot of different masks.”
- Interim Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter has come up with a novel way of motivating his players to excel on the defensive end, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. They have started a new post-game ritual that recognizes defensive prowess. After each win, the Blazers’ coaching staff will select a player they deem to be the “best defender of the night,” and that player will write his name on a piece of paper and slide it into a small wooden box. At the end of the season, the players with the most entries will win a to-be-determined prize. “I wanted to do something for the group, (offer) a little reward for a good defensive day,” Splitter said.
- The Timberwolves haven’t played like an elite Western Conference team this season, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune opines. A case in point was their home loss to Memphis on Wednesday. “Our offensive decision-making was awful,” head coach Chris Finch said. “From shot selection to turnovers to execution it was just not very good.” The Wolves will get a chance to show they can still compete at that previous level on Friday when they face the Thunder, who defeated them 113-105 in late November.
Stein’s Latest: Kings, Harden, Kessler, Rozier, Jones, Payton
If executives around the NBA were asked which team is viewed as the most likely seller ahead of this season’s trade deadline, many would name the Kings first, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
“Active is the word I would use to describe them,” one exec said of Sacramento.
Few players on the Kings’ roster are off limits, with the team seemingly open to inquiries on anyone outside of fourth-year forward Keegan Murray and rookie Nique Clifford, Stein writes.
Sacramento has “certainly” made veterans Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan available, Stein continues, though the club is reportedly telling teams that it has no intention of attaching draft assets – or highly regarded guard Keon Ellis – to any of its higher-paid vets in order to accommodate a deal.
Stein has more to share from around the NBA:
- A number of teams are keeping a close eye on Clippers guard James Harden, a source tells Stein. Given L.A.’s disappointing record, Harden’s age (36), and his contract situation (he holds a partially guaranteed player option for 2026/27), the former MVP would make an intriguing trade candidate if the Clippers are open to moving him. Stein points out that the Timberwolves are among the teams seeking a play-maker on the trade market.
- Echoing recent reporting from Grant Afseth, Stein says the Pacers have registered interest in Walker Kessler, though he adds that the Jazz have shown no signs that they want to trade the big man ahead of his restricted free agency.
- Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA haven’t confirmed one way or another whether the Heat would be permitted to trade Terry Rozier while he remains on leave following his arrest in connection to a federal gambling investigation. However, Stein hears that the Heat are “quietly confident” that the league wouldn’t block them from making a deal that includes Rozier’s $26MM+ expiring contract for salary-matching purposes.
- Nuggets two-way forward Spencer Jones is being viewed as a near lock to have his contract converted into a standard deal later in the season, Stein reports. Denver has an open spot on its 15-man roster but is navigating the luxury tax line. Still, the club seems likely to promote Jones, who has been active for all 25 Nuggets games so far and has averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on .564/.448/.682 shooting in 10 games since entering the starting lineup.
- Like big man Christian Koloko, veteran guard Elfrid Payton has also recently joined the Spurs‘ G League affiliate in the hopes of making an impression on NBA evaluators at this weekend’s NBAGL Showcase, Stein notes.
Kevin Garnett Rejoins Wolves As Team Ambassador, Will Have Jersey Retired
1:20 pm: The Timberwolves have officially announced that Garnett has been hired as a team ambassador and will have his No. 21 jersey retired at a later date. Garnett said in a statement that he’s “thrilled to be back home.”
“The Big Ticket is back! Kevin Garnett is synonymous with the Minnesota Timberwolves,” Lore and Rodriguez said in a statement of their own. “Bringing Kevin home has been a priority since we acquired the teams. He is the greatest player in Timberwolves history, and his impact on our franchise and community is immeasurable. This is more than a reunion—it’s a statement about honoring our past while pursuing excellence and building one of the most admired sports organizations in the world. We couldn’t be prouder to welcome him home.”
8:48 am: Kevin Garnett is returning to the Timberwolves in an “all-encompassing” role, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reports that the former star forward will be involved with the team’s business, community, and fan engagement efforts, as well as content development.
The Timberwolves also intend to retire Garnett’s No. 21 jersey at some point within the next year or two, Charania adds.
A Hall of Famer who began his playing career in Minnesota, Garnett made 10 All-Star teams and won a Most Valuable Player award during his 12-year stint with the Timberwolves from 1995-2007. He later returned to the team for a season-and-a-half in 2015-16 before calling it a career.
However, Garnett had a bitter feud with former team owner Glen Taylor, so while he repeatedly professed a love for Minnesota and Timberwolves fans, he had a frosty relationship with the franchise after his retirement.
Garnett’s long-running beef with Taylor reportedly began when a plan to rejoin the organization once his playing days were over fell apart following the death of former Wolves president and head coach Flip Saunders. Garnett, who believes Taylor reneged on an agreement between them, said in 2020 that he would never forgive Taylor for it, adding, “I don’t do business with snakes.”
During the protracted process that eventually saw majority control of the Timberwolves change hands, multiple reports indicated that incoming owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez were eager to reconcile with Garnett and wanted to retire his jersey.
After a legal battle that saw Taylor try to retain control of the franchise, an arbitrator ruled in favor of Lore and Rodriguez, who were permitted to move forward with their purchase of Taylor’s remaining stake — the NBA’s Board of Governors officially approved that deal in June, clearing a path for Lore and Rodriguez to repair the team’s relationship with Garnett and bring him aboard in a formal capacity.
We don’t yet know what Garnett’s official title will be, and it remains possible that his role will evolve after he formally rejoins the team. However, Charania’s report doesn’t suggest that the longtime NBA star will be involved in the Wolves’ basketball operations department, which remains the domain of Tim Connelly.
Injury Notes: Herro, Jovic, Trae, Magic, Wolves, Dosunmu
Tyler Herro (right big toe contusion) is traveling with the Heat on their three-game road trip that begins in Brooklyn on Thursday and hopes to return to action at some point on that trip, but admitted there’s “a lot of swelling” in his toe, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Herro, who has missed three of the past four games due to the toe injury, played last Tuesday after taking a Toradol shot, then practiced during the team’s five-day break before being ruled out of Monday’s contest.
“I probably shouldn’t have practiced,” Herro said today. “That kind of like sparked things back up. So I’m just trying to control the swelling and the inflammation, and then from there I can kind of decide what I want to do from there.”
Forward Nikola Jovic, who was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion/laceration after taking a hard fall on Monday, told reporters on Wednesday that he considers himself week-to-week. However, he’s optimistic his absence won’t be a lengthy one and said he was relieved that his injury wasn’t worse.
“I was scared I broke my arm, because I didn’t feel anything and I just saw a lot of blood,” Jovic said. “And they were really scared, too, because I had a pretty deep and a big cut, too. I have stitches now. But it didn’t look good as soon as I went back, because I started feeling my arm. It feels good now. I can’t do a lot of stuff. I can’t really hold stuff right now. But it’s not broken, so I guess that’s the most important thing and I think I’ll be back really soon.”
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Hawks guard Trae Young, who has been out since October 29 due to a sprained MCL, appears to be nearing his return. Young was assigned to the G League on Tuesday to practice with the College Park Skyhawks, then recalled on Wednesday for a practice with the NBA squad, according to the team (Twitter links).
- Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain) and Moritz Wagner (ACL recovery) aren’t traveling with the Magic on their four-game Western Conference trip that begins Thursday in Denver, reports Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links). While the Wagner brothers remain in Orlando to focus on their rehab work, Jalen Suggs (left hip contusion) will join the team on its trip, though head coach Jamahl Mosley said the guard “wasn’t able to go and do much in practice” on Wednesday.
- After missing the Timberwolves‘ past two games, star guard Anthony Edwards (right foot injury maintenance) is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s matchup with Memphis (Twitter link). Veteran point guard Mike Conley, meanwhile, has been ruled out for a third straight game due to right Achilles tendinopathy.
- Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. Cleveland and hopes to be active following a two-game layoff, but both of his thumbs are sprained and taped up, and he has a bone bruise in his right thumb. Those injuries would eventually heal with rest, but Dosunmu intends to play through them, referring to it as a “pain tolerance thing” (Twitter links via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network and Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic).