Mike Conley Officially Rejoins Timberwolves
As expected, veteran point guard Mike Conley has re-signed with the Timberwolves. The transaction is listed in NBA.com’s official log, while Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) confirms that the two sides have completed a rest-of-season deal.
The Timberwolves sent Conley to Chicago in a salary-dump trade on February 3, with the Bulls flipping him to Charlotte along with Coby White a day later, just ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. The Hornets subsequently cut him, which cleared the way for the 38-year-old to return to Minnesota.
NBA rules prohibit a player who is traded and then waived to immediately re-sign with the team that traded him away. However, that restriction only applied to the Bulls, not the Timberwolves, since Conley was traded twice.
Word broke when Conley was still on waivers that he planned to rejoin the Wolves. The team waited until today to complete the signing in order to maximize its cap/tax savings by taking the full allotment of 14 days to get back to the NBA-mandated roster minimum of 14 players. Minnesota still has an open spot on its 15-man roster after signing Conley.
Conley, who is in his 19th NBA season, became the Wolves’ starting point guard when they acquired him at the 2023 trade deadline and maintained that role through last season. He ceded his starting job to Donte DiVincenzo this past fall and has averaged a career-low 18.5 minutes per night in 44 outings (nine starts) so far this season. His 4.4 points and 2.9 assists per game are also career lows, as is his 32.2% field goal percentage.
Despite Conley’s declining production, there were rumblings ahead of the trade deadline that the team wasn’t eager to move the veteran due to his locker room leadership. With that in mind, being able to move off of the guard’s $10.8MM expiring contract and then bring him back on a prorated minimum-salary deal represents the best of both worlds for the Wolves.
Assuming Conley did sign for the minimum, which is a safe bet, he’ll earn $1,148,727 for the rest of the season while the Wolves carry a cap hit of $725,834.
Conley will likely seeing his playing time decline a little in the season’s final two months after Minnesota acquired guard Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago at the trade deadline.
Roster Moves Required For Wolves, Nuggets, Celtics
NBA roster rules require teams to carry at least 14 players on standard contracts for most of the regular season. Clubs are permitted to dip below 14 players for no more than 14 days at a time and 28 days in total during a season.
[RELATED: 2025/26 NBA Roster Counts]
Several teams around the NBA dropped below 14 players on standard contracts earlier this month as a result of trade-deadline deals. While some have since made additions to get them back to the league-mandated minimum, there are a few exceptions who will have to make roster moves this week.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves went from 14 players on standard contracts to 13 on February 3, two days before this month’s trade deadline, when they sent Mike Conley to Chicago in a three-team trade that also involved the Pistons. That means they must re-add a 14th man on Feb. 17 — today.
It sounds like the Wolves’ new 14th man will look a whole lot like their old 14th man. Because Conley was subsequently flipped from Chicago to Charlotte before being waived by the Hornets, NBA rules don’t prohibit him from returning to Minnesota, and that’s reportedly the plan. Word broke back on Feb. 6 that Conley intended to re-sign with the Timberwolves after he cleared waivers.
At the time, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Conley and the Wolves were working on the timing of the deal. With Minnesota operating in luxury tax territory and the All-Star break around the corner, it made sense for the team to take advantage of its two-week allowance below 14 players and to give Conley a bit of a vacation before bringing him back. I expect he’ll officially sign on Tuesday.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets’ situation is pretty straightforward. They dipped from 14 players to 13 on Feb. 5, deadline day, when they traded Hunter Tyson to Brooklyn in order duck below the luxury tax line. They have until this Thursday (Feb. 19) to get back to the 14-man minimum, and there’s an obvious candidate to fill that roster spot: Spencer Jones.
The second-year forward, who is on a two-way contract, reached his limit of 50 active games prior to the All-Star break, but he suffered a concussion in that 50th game, which likely delayed his promotion to the 15-man roster.
Assuming Jones is fully healthy, it would be a surprise if anyone besides him is added to Denver’s 15-man roster on or before Thursday. If he still needs more time to recover, the Nuggets could add a veteran on a 10-day contract as their 14th man for the time being, but Jones’ promotion is happening sooner or later. The 24-year-old has started 34 games and averaged 23.6 minutes per night — Denver needs to make sure he’s eligible to play once he’s ready.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics, who had been carrying 14 players on standard contracts, made a series of trades on deadline day that saw them send out four players (Anfernee Simons, Xavier Tillman Sr., Chris Boucher, and Josh Minott) and bring back just one (Nikola Vucevic). They also promoted Amari Williams from his two-way contract to a standard deal on Feb. 5, but they’ve had just 12 players on their 15-man roster since then, so they’ll need to make two roster additions by this Thursday (Feb. 19).
Boston will have to operate very carefully to remain below the luxury tax line this season and has likely already plotted out the timing of its roster moves for the rest of the season. As we wrote in a post-deadline Front Office article, that plan will likely involve two-way players Max Shulga and John Tonje, since they’ll both count for the rookie minimum for tax/apron purposes if they’re promoted to standard contracts, whereas a rookie free agent wouldn’t due to the “tax variance” rule.
That doesn’t mean both Shulga and Tonje will be converted right away, but I expect at least one of them to be involved in Boston’s roster moves this week. A 10-day deal for Tonje along with a 10-day deal for a veteran free agent is one path the Celtics could take — that would allow them to dip back to 12 players for another two weeks after those 10-day contracts expire.
Anthony Edwards Named 2026 All-Star MVP
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was named All-Star MVP after his team – the USA Stars – defeated the rival U.S. squad – USA Stripes – 47-21 in the All-Star championship game. It’s Edwards’ first All-Star MVP award and his third All-Star appearance overall.
The first three games of the All-Star game rewarded the choice of format, with all three matchups decided by one possession.
In game one between USA Stars and Team World, Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) set the tone early, recording 14 points and three blocks while his teammate Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) contributed 10 points. Edwards led the Stars attack with 13 points, but it was Scottie Barnes (Raptors) who knocked down the game-winning three-pointer, completing a comeback to defeat his head coach, Darko Rajakovic, who was coaching Team World.
After the game, Edwards credited Wembanyama for doing what he said he would and amping up the intensity on the floor for everyone.
Game two between the two American teams also came down to the final shot, as Jaylen Brown (Celtics) led USA Stripes in scoring while Edwards and Cade Cunningham (Pistons) paced USA Stars with 11 points apiece. De’Aaron Fox (Spurs) hit the game-winning three-pointer for the Stars.
In game three, Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) took over for his home crowd, scoring 31 points in 12 minutes on 11-of-13 shooting while Wembanyama kept Team World in it with 19 points of his own. Leonard iced the game with a three-pointer over Towns to take USA Stripes to the championship game in a rematch with USA Stars.
In the fourth and final game, USA Stripes’ older legs appeared worn down by the previous two contests and the younger stars ran out to a 12-1 lead, led by Edwards and Tyrese Maxey (Sixers), who finished with a game-high nine points. They pushed the lead up to 26-9 on an Edwards three-pointer and eventually went on a 15-0 run, as Jalen Brunson (Knicks) and LeBron James (Lakers) were the only players to hit a field goal over the first seven minutes for USA Stripes. Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) finished the game with a team-high six points for USA Stripes.
Timberwolves Notes: Randle, DiVincenzo, Dosunmu, McDaniels
Julius Randle was among several Timberwolves players involved in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, and the speculation — combined with the disappointment of not making the All-Star team — seemed to weigh on him in recent weeks, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“Julius is a guy who plays with his heart on his sleeve,” head coach Chris Finch said. “He was kind of not himself recently. … He’s so important for us in so many ways. We just need him to come back to the pack, if you will.”
The veteran power forward had a triple double (18 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in Monday’s victory over Atlanta and followed that up with what Krawczynski calls his best performance of the season in Wednesday’s win over Portland, finishing with 41 points (23 in the fourth quarter) and seven rebounds while being locked in on defense. Randle’s teammates know they need the forward to be at his best to make another deep playoff run.
“It gets everybody going. He can get as many triple-doubles as anybody,” Naz Reid said. “He plays fast, plays strong, spaces the floor, he gets everybody else involved. I think that’s the key to winning, as well, just being super aggressive while also making sure everybody around you comes with you.”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- While Ayo Dosunmu has quickly made a strong impression with the team’s fans, Krawczynski expects Donte DiVincenzo to remain in Minnesota’s starting lineup. As Krawczynski writes, DiVincenzo isn’t a traditional point guard, but he brings consistent effort, energy and competitiveness, and has been a key member of a starting unit which ranks among the best in the league. The 29-year-old also has outstanding on/off numbers this season, Krawczynski notes.
- Dosunmu has helped unlock transition offense opportunities for Jaden McDaniels by constantly pushing the pace, Krawczynski adds. Finch wants McDaniels to attempt at least 10 shots per game, which has been an issue at times, but Dosunmu could help change that. “It’s been pretty good. He’s coming from Chicago, which plays super fast,” McDaniels said. “I know that some plays, he’s outrunning all of us. He’s helping us run, he’s helping us get better. I just like the energy he brings and the effort.”
- There has been a “collective weight” on the Timberwolves this season that wasn’t present in years past, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, who wonders how far the team will need to advance in the postseason to alleviate that pressure.
Blazers’ Cissoko Latest Two-Way Player To Reach Active Game Limit
Several teams will head into the NBA’s All-Star break with roster decisions to make before their schedules resume next week. One of those teams in the Trail Blazers, who deployed two-way player Sidy Cissoko for his 50th game of the season on Thursday in Utah.
Cissoko, who made his 24th start of the season and played 30 minutes in Portland’s win over the Jazz, has now reached the active game limit for two-way players and will no longer be able to suit up for the NBA team unless he’s promoted from his two-way contract to the Blazers’ standard 15-man roster.
Cissoko is one of several players in that boat, along with Nuggets forward Spencer Jones, Timberwolves guard Johnny Juzang, and Sixers forward Jabari Walker. All four two-way players have been active for 50 NBA games this season.
Cissoko and Jones have emerged as key contributors for their respective teams and will likely be promoted to standard contracts sooner rather than later. The Nuggets might have taken that route with Jones already if not for the concussion that sidelined him for the final three games before the All-Star break, which allowed the team to put off an official roster move for an extra couple weeks.
Denver has two openings on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to promote Jones, making the club’s decision even more straightforward.
That’s not the case in Portland though, where one of the team’s 15 players currently holding standard contracts will need to be cut if the Blazers want to promote Cissoko. If the team decides to convert both Cissoko and its other standout two-way player, Caleb Love (who is at 45 active games), two cuts would be required. Rayan Rupert and Matisse Thybulle have been mentioned as possible odd men out, but that’s not necessarily a given.
There’s less urgency for certain other teams whose two-way players have reached – or are fast approaching – their active game limits. For instance, while Juzang has been active for 50 games this season, he only actually saw the floor in 21 of them — he was a DNP-CD in the other 29. As such, it’s perhaps no surprise that the Wolves haven’t rushed to promote him to the standard roster. Juzang was on the inactive list for Minnesota’s last three games prior to the All-Star break.
Rockets two-way guard JD Davison is another player nearing his 50-game limit (he has five games left), but like Juzang, he hasn’t been a crucial part of his team’s rotation when he’s active. Davison has appeared in 24 games and been a DNP-CD in 21 others. With that in mind, Houston may not be in a rush to move him to the 15-man roster when he gets to his game limit.
It’s also worth noting that promoting a two-way player or leaving him in limbo aren’t the only two options a team has at its disposal after he reaches his active game limit. When two-way player Chris Youngblood found himself in that situation last week, the Thunder decided to waive him, recognizing that there was no room for him on their 15-man roster and wanting to give him the chance to explore other opportunities before the end of the season.
Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (six games left) and center Moussa Cisse (eight games left), Wizards big man Tristan Vukcevic (nine games left), Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens (nine games left), and Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea (10 games left) are among the other notable two-way players whose teams will have roster decisions to make in the coming weeks.
The full list of players who have already been converted from two-way deals to standard contracts can be found here.
Northwest Notes: Jones, Johnson, Nuggets, Dosunmu
It’s widely expected that the Nuggets will sign two-way player Spencer Jones to a standard contract once he clears concussion protocol, but there are still hurdles to clear before the move is completed. According to head coach David Adelman, the team and Jones have not yet come to terms on a deal, though that shouldn’t give fans any cause for alarm.
“The negotiation that’s going on there obviously is being slow-played because of (Jones’) concussion,” Adelman said (Twitter video link via DNVR Sports). “The negotiation, I’ve been updated by (vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer) and (executive vice president of player personnel Jon Wallace), but it’s slow-moving right now. But the concussion thing is real, we’ll probably have more information after the break. Right now, I think it’s just, let’s get him right and then let Ben and Jon and his agency and his people talk.”
Jones has already reached his 50-game limit with the Nuggets as a two-way player, so getting a deal done will be a top priority as the team moves forward into the final stretch of the season.
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets have been dealing with injuries all season, and this most recent stretch of games is no exception. That’s why Cameron Johnson‘s return to play is timely, Bennett Durando writes for the Denver Post. Johnson suited up last Saturday against the Bulls in his first action since December 23, scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. With Peyton Watson sidelined for at least a month, Aaron Gordon out for multiple weeks with a hamstring strain, and Jones in concussion protocol, Denver’s depth at forward has grown very thin heading into the All-Star break. Johnson feels good physically about his return. “It’s been a lot of time spent trying to get conditioning back up to where it is, and we track a lot of stuff over the course of (the recovery) to be able to come back and play in the mid to high 20s minutes, instead of having to be a lot lower,” the veteran wing said. “Obviously, with any situation, you come back and just try to feel your best. Sometimes, it’s not all the way 100. But I feel good enough to definitely go out there and compete.”
- After converting Jones, the Nuggets will have one more 15-man roster spot to fill, which they will look to do on the buyout market. Durando examines 10 options that could fit Denver’s needs. Lonzo Ball, Tyus Jones, and Chris Paul are all guards Durando thinks could help stabilize the Nuggets’ backcourt depth if they become available, while Khris Middleton, Kyle Anderson, Chris Boucher, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, and Georges Niang could all be useful wings and bigs, especially given the team’s injuries. Durando notes that Love has an existing relationship with Adelman, as they were together in Minnesota in the early 2010s. The team has previously been reported to have some level of interest in Ball.
- The Timberwolves‘ move to trade for soon-to-be restricted free agent Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline filled an immediate need, but the team is hoping that the deal yields returns that last much longer than this season, writes the AP’s Tyler Mason. “We’re certainly hopeful it’s a long-term match,” said team president Tim Connelly. “He wasn’t just identified for the next 30-plus games. He was identified because we think he’s a guy that could be a huge part of our core.”
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that the Timberwolves‘ pivot to Dosunmu came when it was clear that the Bucks were not reciprocating trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo in meaningful ways, and that pulling off the smaller deal helped ease the new ownership’s mind when it came to not wanting to break up the core of Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and Naz Reid. Krawczynski also writes that Nickeil Alexander-Walker‘s success with the Wolves is a helpful blueprint for Dosunmu and the style he will need to play to help elevate the team in similar ways. Dosunmu, for his part, is ready to compete at a higher level. “I want to be labeled as a guy who plays in the playoffs, a guy who’s a winning player, a guy who does whatever it takes to help the team win,” he said. “So now that I have the opportunity, don’t take it for granted.”
Post-Deadline Rumors: Morant, JJJ, Bulls, Missi, Celtics
The fact that Ja Morant wasn’t traded at last week’s deadline came as a bit of a surprise to him, according to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, who says the Grizzlies weren’t willing to accept a package similar to what Atlanta got for Trae Young.
The Grizzlies talked to the Heat, Timberwolves, and Bucks about Morant, but didn’t come close to making a deal, Azarly writes. League sources tell ClutchPoints that Ryan Rollins was a player Memphis and Milwaukee talked about, but the Grizzlies were averse to taking back Kyle Kuzma and/or Bobby Portis, who are both on multiyear guaranteed contracts.
According to reporting last week, Memphis signaled a willingness to take on long-term salary if it came attached to first-round draft compensation, but there’s no indication the Bucks would’ve put their lone tradable first-rounder on the table for Morant.
The expectation is that the Grizzlies will try to trade Morant again in the summer, and Azarly suggests that the point guard should be able to return from his left elbow injury not long after the All-Star break. As Azarly explains, even though Memphis has pivoted to a full-on rebuild and would benefit from piling up losses down the stretch, both the team and Morant himself would appreciate the opportunity to have the 26-year-old rebuild his trade value with a strong finish to the season.
Here are a few more leftover rumors from last week’s trade deadline:
- In addition to Golden State and Toronto – whose talks with the Grizzlies were previously reported – the Pistons and Hawks also “checked in” on Jaren Jackson Jr. before he was dealt to the Jazz, while the Suns and Hornets also had interest, says Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. There’s no indication that any of those teams made any real progress toward acquiring Jackson from Memphis.
- The Bulls, who acquired a total of eight second-round picks in their various pre-deadline deals, made an effort to flip some of those second-rounders to the Pelicans last Thursday in a deal for second-year center Yves Missi, Siegel writes. However, New Orleans was holding out for a first-round pick and ended up retaining Missi through the deadline.
- Sources who spoke to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) viewed the Celtics‘ swap of Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic as a “clear indicator” that Boston thinks forward Jayson Tatum will be able to return before the end of the season. Simons’ was the team’s fourth-leading scorer prior to the trade, but would’ve likely seen his role reduced in a rotation that featured a healthy Tatum.
Timberwolves’ Reid, Hawks’ Gueye Fined $35K
Timberwolves big man Naz Reid and Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye have been fined $35K apiece for their roles in an on-court altercation in Monday’s game in Atlanta, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
On the first possession of the fourth quarter, Gueye committed a defensive foul on Reid, who fell to the floor after being shoved by the Hawks forward. Upset by the play, Reid got up and confronted Gueye, which led to some shoving between the two players, who also grabbed and held each other’s jerseys “in an aggressive manner,” per the league (YouTube video link).
Coaches and players from both teams stepped in and were eventually able to deescalate the confrontation between Reid and Gueye. Both players received technical fouls and were ejected from the game, which the Timberwolves won by a score of 138-116. Now they’ve been hit with matching fines as well.
The $35K penalty will be felt more by Gueye, who is earning a minimum salary of $2,221,677 in the third season of a four-year contract with Atlanta.
Reid, who signed a five-year, $125MM deal last offseason that made him 2025’s highest-paid free agent, is earning $21,551,724 this season.
NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots
A number of free agent signings have been finalized in the days since last Thursday’s trade deadline, but there are still many teams around the NBA with one or more open spots on their respective rosters.
For clubs with just a single standard or two-way opening, there’s not necessarily any urgency to fill those spots, especially ahead of the All-Star break. But the clock is ticking for teams who have two or more openings on their standard rosters to make a move, since clubs are only permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for up to two weeks at a time.
These situations remain fluid, with more roster moves being finalized each day. But with the help of our roster count tracker, here’s where things stand for all 30 teams around the NBA as of Tuesday morning. As a reminder, teams are typically permitted to carry up to 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.
(Note: Teams marked with an asterisk have a player on a 10-day contract.)
Multiple open roster spots
- Teams with multiple 15-man openings:
- Boston Celtics
- Denver Nuggets
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Teams with one 15-man and one two-way opening:
- Golden State Warriors
- Sacramento Kings
The Celtics entered trade deadline week with 14 players on their standard roster and sent out four players (Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman Sr., and Josh Minott) while only taking back one (Nikola Vucevic). They promoted Amari Williams from his two-way contract to the standard roster to get to 12 players, but they still have three roster openings.
Given how tight their margins are below the tax line, the Celtics will likely use their full two-week allotment and wait until February 19 before making two additions to get back to the roster minimum of 14.
The Nuggets dipped to 13 players on standard contracts by trading Hunter Tyson last Thursday and also have until Feb. 19 to get back to 14. Two-way standout Spencer Jones has reached his 50-game limit and is the obvious candidate to be promoted into that spot, though he’s in the concussion protocol for now, so Denver may not to need to make that move until after the All-Star break.
The Timberwolves went from 14 players to 13 when they sent out Mike Conley on Tuesday of trade deadline week, so they have until Feb. 17 to reach the roster minimum again. It sounds like their old 14th man will likely become their new 14th man, with Conley expected to re-sign in Minnesota after being dealt twice ahead of last week’s deadline.
As for the Warriors and Kings, both clubs both briefly went down to 13 players, but they’ve since promoted two-way players Pat Spencer and Dylan Cardwell, respectively, so they’re back to 14 and there’s no urgency for them to make additional moves. Still, it’s worth noting that both teams technically have multiple roster openings, since they’ve yet to sign new two-way players to replace Spencer and Cardwell. Both Golden State and Sacramento are carrying 14 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals.
One open roster spot
- Teams with a 15-man opening:
- Brooklyn Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Houston Rockets
- Indiana Pacers
- Miami Heat
- New Orleans Pelicans
- New York Knicks
- Orlando Magic
- Phoenix Suns
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards *
- Teams with a two-way opening:
- Detroit Pistons
- Los Angeles Clippers *
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Philadelphia 76ers **
The Nets, Cavaliers, Rockets, Pacers, Heat, Pelicans, Knicks, Magic, and Jazz are all carrying 14 players on full-season standard contracts and three on two-way deals, with no reported signings pending. They’re each free to carry that open roster spot for as long as they want to, though some figure to fill it sooner rather than later.
The Suns, meanwhile, are in the same boat as those teams but might create a second opening on their 15-man roster in the near future — the expectation is that they’ll waive newly acquired guard Cole Anthony. If they do so, they’d have 14 days to add a replacement.
The Wizards have perhaps the most fluid situation of any team in this group. They have 13 players on standard, full-season contracts, with Keshon Gilbert on a 10-day deal that will expire during the All-Star break. It’s also possible that D’Angelo Russell, acquired in the Anthony Davis blockbuster, won’t be on the roster much longer, with buyout rumors swirling around him. If Washington parts ways with Russell and doesn’t re-sign Gilbert, the team would have three 15-man openings and would need to fill at least two of them.
The Pistons, Clippers, Bucks, and Sixers all currently have full 15-man rosters and one open two-way slot, but L.A. and Philadelphia will soon open up standard roster spots.
The Clippers have Dalano Banton on a 10-day deal through next Monday, while the 76ers have Charles Bassey and Patrick Baldwin Jr. on 10-day pacts through Saturday. Both teams are at or near their limit of “under-15” games for two-way players, so if they want to continue using their players on two-way contracts, they’ll need to ensure they maintain full 15-man rosters.
No open roster spots
- Atlanta Hawks
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls
- Dallas Mavericks
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies *
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Portland Trail Blazers
- San Antonio Spurs
- Toronto Raptors
The Hawks, Hornets, Bulls, Mavericks, Lakers, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Raptors are all carrying 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals. If they want to make a free agent addition during the season’s final two months, they’ll have to cut a player to do so.
In some of those cases, there’s an obvious release candidate on the roster. For instance, it’s believed to be just a matter of time until Toronto officially waives Chris Paul. A few of those clubs will also need to make room on their 15-man rosters to convert two-way players — Ryan Nembhard in Dallas and Sidy Cissoko in Portland are among the top candidates for promotions.
As for the Grizzlies, one of their 15 standard players – Lawson Lovering – is on a 10-day contract. His deal will expire after the team’s Feb. 20 game, opening up a roster spot in Memphis.
Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert Calls Out Teammates For Lack Of Effort
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert called out his teammates’ lack of effort following a 119-115 home loss to the floundering Pelicans on Friday.
“At some point, if the players don’t have accountability, someone has to have accountability for the players,” Gobert said, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “I’m on straight effort. I’m just talking straight effort. I’m not even getting to the basketball side of things, like there’s always mistakes are a part of the game, but the effort to me for a team that wants to play for a championship, it’s unacceptable.”
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year didn’t mention any player in particular. However, Krawczynski noted that while the team’s other stars — Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle — scored a combined 59 points, they didn’t appear locked in on the other end of the floor.
Gobert implored the coaches to bench players if they’re not giving their all.
“It should start with ourselves, but it seems like we don’t have that, so I think at some point (it has to come) from the coaches,” Gobert said. “It’s not an easy position for a coach to take guys out of the game. It’s not something that you want to do, but I think if the players don’t show any effort, at some point, no matter how talented we are as a team, if you don’t have that, you just can’t be a winning team.”
Minnesota has lost eight of its last 15 games, ranking 18th in the league defensively during that span. Gobert didn’t give himself a free pass after Pelicans forward Zion Williamson powered for 29 points, mostly near the rim.
“It starts with me. If I’m not showing effort, bench me,” Gobert said. “Take me out of the game. Everybody else will follow. Our best players, leaders, if we don’t show any effort, it doesn’t matter if you score 50, we’re not going to win.”
At 32-21, the Timberwolves sit in sixth place of the Western Conference standings, barely above the play-in line.
“We want to be a championship team. We want to lift that trophy in June,” Gobert said. “This is a lesson that we need to get right now. It starts at the top.”