Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wolves Sign Anthony Brown To Two-Way Deal

August 1st, 2017 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 1: The Timberwolves have officially announced their two-way deal with Brown, issuing a press release to confirm the signing.

JULY 25: The Timberwolves have reached an agreement on a two-way contract with free agent guard Anthony Brown, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). As our two-way tracker shows, it’s the first deal of its kind for Minnesota.

Brown, 24, was selected 34th overall in the 2015 draft by the Lakers and spent the 2015/16 campaign in L.A. However, Brown was a surprise cut last fall before the start of the regular season, failing to earn a spot on the Lakers’ 15-man roster when the team opted to keep a couple non-guaranteed players instead.

Brown had subsequent stints with the Pelicans and Magic, but spent most of the 2016/17 season with the G League’s Erie BayHawks, averaging 20.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 3.1 APG. He also posted an impressive .467 3PT%, making a greater percentage of three-pointers than two-point shots.

For more details on what two-way contracts are and how they work, be sure to check out our FAQ.

Wolves, Andrew Wiggins Discussing Five-Year, Max Extension

July 29th, 2017 at 5:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Wolves are working on signing Andrew Wiggins to a five-year, maximum salary extension, Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune reports. However, Hartman cautions that those talks are in the early stages at this point.

“First of all, I think he likes it here, we like him, he can get the very best contract from me, better than he can get from anyone else,” Owner Glen Taylor said. “I don’t think we have any trouble of offering him the max anyway.”

Taylor added that the team plans on extending Wiggins this offseason and doing the same with Karl-Anthony Towns next summer.

“We are talking to [Wiggins’] agent right now about extending him out another five years, so we can do that,” Taylor said. “Karl, we won’t do that until next year. Wiggins, we want to sign him to a long-term contract, we want to keep him here, and we’re negotiating with his agent. But we just started that negotiation, and we have quite some time to get that done.”

Taylor believes the negotiations should be harmonious since Wiggins will get the maximum amount possible under the new CBA. “We’re not really negotiating anything like that [money],” Taylor said. “There shouldn’t be any problem.”

The exact monetary amount of the extension won’t be known until next offseason when the 2018/19 salary cap details are calculated. Based on projections, a five-year, max extension for Wiggins would net him slightly under $148MM, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors recently shared.

At Least Six Teams Have Made Kyrie Trade Offers

July 28th, 2017 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

10:37am: The Heat have made no offer to the Cavs for Irving, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link). Wojnarowski is as reliable as NBA reporters come, so this may simply be a question of semantics — perhaps the Heat conveyed to Cleveland what they’d be willing to give up for Kyrie without officially putting an offer on the table. Either way, Miami looks like a long shot.

8:37am: The Spurs, Clippers, Heat, Knicks, Suns, and Timberwolves are among the teams that have made trade offers to the Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, about 20 teams have inquired with the Cavs about Irving, but far fewer have made legit proposals — some clubs are just monitoring the proceedings, while others don’t have the assets necessary to make a deal happen.

As Wojnarowski explains, there’s a discrepancy between the sort of package the Cavaliers are seeking and what Irving’s potential suitors are currently willing to offer. New GM Koby Altman is looking at the package Denver received in 2011 for Carmelo Anthony as a point of reference. The Nuggets acquired young players, win-now veterans, and draft picks in that swap. However, Cleveland’s potential trade partners prefer a “scaled-down” version of that structure, with fewer players and picks, like what the Bulls received for Jimmy Butler.

Here’s more from Woj:

According to Wojnarowski, the Cavaliers haven’t ruled out the possibility of bringing Irving to training camp, or even extending the process beyond December 15, when most free agent signees become trade-eligible. However, other clubs are skeptical that the Cavs will let the Irving saga continue well into the fall.
Teams around the league view the Suns and Celtics as the teams best equipped to make a deal for Irving. However, Phoenix hasn’t been willing to include Josh Jackson, and it’s not clear how aggressive Boston would be with its assets.
The Heat are open to parting with Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow in an offer for Irving, sources tell Wojnarowski. Still, Miami would likely have to make an “overwhelming” offer to get something done, given the history between the two franchises, Woj adds.
The Pacers had Irving as the No. 1 target on their trade board when they were shopping Paul George, and would have done a one-for-one deal, but the Cavaliers declined that option multiple times, sources tell Woj. The ESPN scribe also notes that a separate deal for George – involving Kevin Love instead of Irving – fell apart when the Cavs insisted on including lottery protection on a first-round pick they’d send to the Pacers. Indiana wanted the pick unprotected.
Team executives around the NBA are doing a ton of homework on Irving, and have been encouraged by what they’ve found — there’s a consensus that Irving has a history of late nights and partying, but it never affected his play and he has curbed those tendencies into his mid-20s, says Wojnarowski.

Andrew Wiggins Seeking Max Extension

July 28th, 2017 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, Andrew Wiggins is seeking a maximum salary contract extension in negotiations with the Timberwolves. Speaking to Ben Golliver of SI.com, Wiggins said he’s taking a “day by day” approach to contract talks. Asked if he believes he’s worth the max though, the former No. 1 overall pick replied, “I definitely do. Nothing less.”

Based on current salary cap projections for the 2018/19 season, Wiggins would be eligible to earn up to nearly $148MM on a five-year extension that would run through the 2022/23 campaign. The two sides are reportedly engaged in discussions on a potential deal, though as I noted last Friday when I examined Wiggins’ case for a new deal, it’s not clear if the Wolves have been willing to put that five-year max on the table.

Wiggins’ case for a max extension is an interesting one. He’s still just 22 years old, and is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 23.6 PPG. However, the fourth-year forward has been somewhat one-dimensional so far in his career — his defense has been uninspiring, and he doesn’t rebound or distribute the ball particularly well. He was also an unreliable outside shooter before upping his 3PT% to a more impressive .356 in 2016/17.

Nonetheless, given his scoring ability and his overall potential, Wiggins would almost certainly attract at least one maximum offer in restricted free agency in 2018. If he’s not willing to accept less than the max, the Wolves may have to decide whether it’s worth rolling the dice on the 22-year-old’s upside sooner rather than later, locking him up for as long as possible rather than risking another team giving him an offer sheet in 2018 that allows him to reach unrestricted free agency early.

Amidst Wiggins’ extension discussions, rumors of the Timberwolves’ interest in Kyrie Irving continue to swirl, and there’s a belief that it would be difficult for Minnesota to get a deal done without including Wiggins in its package. So far though, there has been no indication whether the Wolves are willing to include him in their offer, or how that would affect extension talks.

Northwest Notes: Westbrook, Wiggins, Irving, Nuggets

July 27th, 2017 at 3:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nearly a month has passed since the Thunder offered an extension to Russell Westbrook, writes Fred Katz of The Norman Transcript. Oklahoma City is hoping the reigning MVP will agree to extend his current contract by five years in a deal that would start with the 2018/19 season. Westbrook is eligible to receive 35% of the salary cap — currently projected at $102MM for that season — along with 8% raises each year. The deadline to accept the offer is October 16, the day before the regular season begins. Katz says the organization remains “cautiously optimistic” that Westbrook will agree to the extension.

There’s more news from the Northwest Division:

Extension talks continued this morning between the Timberwolves and Andrew Wiggins, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Wolfson doesn’t believe Minnesota would include Wiggins in a trade offer for Kyrie Irving.
Former Nuggets forward Mike Miller thinks Irving would be a good fit in Denver, relays Ashish Mathur of Amicohoops. In an appearance Wednesday on Altitude Radio, Miller, who spent a year with Irving in Cleveland, said the point guard is “definitely interested” in being traded to the Nuggets. “I’ve already asked that question,” Miller said. “… I think he will. I really do. Like anything else, when people look at cities, Denver’s an unbelievable city we all know that. And with what the organization has built there, he would be crazy not to and he’s definitely, definitely interested in it and I told him by putting this thing out there he has no choice.” Mathur speculates that Denver would have to offer Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Wilson Chandler and a draft pick to make the deal work.
Unless they can pull off a trade, the Nuggets are looking at only “minor tweaks” before the season starts, writes Christopher Dempsey of NBA.com. Denver’s roster is virtually filled with not much cap space remaining. Dempsey adds that the team achieved its top offseason priority of signing Paul Millsap.

Ian Clark Wants More Than Minimum; Wolves Still Interested

July 26th, 2017 at 6:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agent Ian Clark is still hoping for more than the minimum salary, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.

The Timberwolves are interested in signing the fourth-year guard shooting guard, who spent the past two seasons in Golden State. Tony Allen, formerly of the Grizzlies, remains another free agent possibility for Minnesota.

Clark has received multiple minimum-salary offers but is holding out for something better, according to Wolfson. The Wolves are operating just under the cap and already used their $4.3MM room mid-level exception on Jamal Crawford.

Clark appeared in 77 games for the Warriors last season, averaging 6.8 points per night and shooting a career-best 37% from 3-point range. He is seeking a raise from his 2016/17 salary of a little more than $1.015MM.

Trade Between Cavs, Knicks Appears Increasingly Unlikely

July 26th, 2017 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have been mentioned all offseason as a possible landing spot for Carmelo Anthony, and within the last few days, the Knicks were named among Kyrie Irving‘s preferred destinations. However, a trade between the Cavs and Knicks increasingly appears to be a long shot, according to reports.

As Ian Begley of ESPN writes, Anthony’s top choice continues to be the Rockets, and the star forward still expects the Knicks to find a way to get him at Houston. It’s possible Carmelo’s stance will change at some point, but he wields a no-trade clause and appears intent on waiving it for the Rockets rather than the Cavs, particularly if he wouldn’t have the opportunity to play with Irving in Cleveland.

According to Begley, the Knicks have no interest in including Kristaps Porzingis in any trade for Irving, so they’d likely need to include Anthony in a hypothetical Irving deal with the Cavs. Not having Carmelo’s approval is, of course, a major roadblock. But even with his go-ahead, it’s not clear if the two teams would be able to reach an agreement.

Begley suggests that some members of the Knicks’ front office would be willing to trade Anthony and multiple first-round picks for Irving, but the organization is not in full agreement on the idea of giving up multiple first-rounders in any trade.

Conversely, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops hears that the Cavs would be unwilling to move Irving for only Anthony and draft picks. Sources tell Amico that the Cavs may be removing themselves from the Carmelo sweepstakes in the wake of Irving’s trade request, since their trade objectives – and possibilities – have changed.

Even if the Knicks aren’t a viable trade partner for the Cavaliers, Cleveland should have no shortage of options for an Irving deal. Amico reports that at least seven teams have made “serious inquiries” on Irving, and Cleveland is making every effort to grant the point guard’s trade request. However, the Cavs are also in no rush to get something done, as they attempt to sniff out the best possible deal.

The Timberwolves are one of those teams exploring a possible Kyrie trade with “incredible seriousness,” says Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (via Twitter). However, Krawczynski remains unsure whether Minnesota would be open to including Andrew Wiggins in an offer for Irving.

Northwest Notes: Carmelo, Ferguson, Fredette

July 25th, 2017 at 9:45pm CST by marksuleymanov

Bill Simmons of The Ringer noted on Monday that the Thunder are “circling” Carmelo Anthony as the Knicks look for a suitable trade. Anthony’s camp has made it clear he does not want to remain in New York. His preferred destination being the Rockets, which would partner Anthony with Chris Paul and James Harden. However, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman examines the likelihood and outcome of Melo possibly ending up in Oklahoma City.

Since Anthony wields the power of a no-trade clause, it’s ultimately up to him whether or not a trade occurs. The Thunder have already acquired Paul George, teaming the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player with one of the league’s best players. One thing that could help facilitate a move is Anthony’s relationship Thunder assistant general manager Troy Weaver — who recruited Melo to Syracuse.

Even if Anthony warms up to the idea, a lot hinges on all sides finding the right trade. Also, due to their respective contractual situations, Anthony, George, and Westbrook could all hit free agency after next season, which could put the Thunder in the bad situation. However, if the three players can be teamed together and enjoy success, it could change a lot of things; Melo’s former coach at Syracuse, Jim Boeheim, remains an Anthony supporter.

“It’s a myth that he can’t play with good players,” Boeheim said to Horne. “And Russell will get along with anybody that will help him win.”

Below are additional notes surrounding the Northwest Division:

Terrance Ferguson is the final first round pick not to have signed a contract. The Thunder selected Ferguson with the 21st overall pick but Horne notes that one potential holdup could be his contract with the Adelaide 36ers in Australia, Ferguson’s previous team. Horne also delves into the salary cap ramifications of Ferguson signing his deal later than expected.
Jimmer Fredette has signed a two-year deal to return to China as he resumes his professional career. Before he made the decision, however, the Timberwolves considered signing the former 10th overall pick, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.
The Trail Blazers have moved their deadline to guarantee Pat Connaughton‘s 2017/18 contract from July 25 to August 31, per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (via Twitter).

Jamal Crawford Talks Trade, Free Agency Decision

July 25th, 2017 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

While Chris Paul and J.J. Redick were the most notable departures for the Clippers this offseason, the team also lost Jamal Crawford, who became a roster casualty when the club needed to move salary in order to complete a sign-and-trade deal for Danilo Gallinari.

Speaking to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Crawford spoke about the Clippers’ decision to trade him, his accelerated free agency process, and his decision to sign with the Timberwolves. Kennedy’s whole transcript is worth checking out, as is the corresponding podcast with Crawford, but here are a few of the veteran guard’s notable comments from their conversation:

On whether he was surprised by being traded:

“I did feel somewhat blindsided. I mean, we all knew this could potentially happen. We knew that it could be a very different team. Paul [Pierce] was retiring and we had so many free agents, from Blake [Griffin] to Chris to J.J. to Luc Mbah a Moute – that was four of our five starters. We knew that things might look different, but we didn’t think it would go to this magnitude and play out the way it did. … But this is a business. That’s life in the NBA. You have to just roll with the punches and make the best out of every situation.”

On why he strongly considered the Wizards or Cavaliers before joining the Timberwolves:

“With Washington, I felt like with them almost going to the Eastern Conference Finals last year – going to Game 7 [against the Celtics] – they’re a team on the rise. People don’t know this, but I was actually really close to signing with them last year before I decided to re-sign with the Clippers.

“Then, with Cleveland, they’ve obviously been the best team in the East over the last few years. Obviously having LeBron [James] there, having Kyrie Irving there [makes it attractive]. I’ve known Kyrie for a long time as well. They have all those guys there and they have Ty Lue, who I played for when he was an assistant coach on the Clippers. They also have Larry Drew as an assistant coach and I’ve played for him too. I had a lot of connections there and then just with how good they are, it’s intriguing. I mean, going to the last three NBA Finals speaks for itself.”

On the mutual interest between Crawford and the Lakers:

“They were one of the first teams to reach out once the buyout and everything was clear. They were really, really interested and I was interested too. I feel like they’re a team that’s on the rise and I think Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson are going to do great things.

“It made sense with my family already being in L.A. They wouldn’t have to adjust much and they could have the same routine, the same lifestyle, so that was all interesting to me. But after [the early talks], they started looking other places and I started looking at other teams and it kind of fizzled out a bit. They were a team I was really interested in early on, and they showed interest as well, but they wanted to be patient and see how some things played out. And, as you know, things can move really fast and I didn’t feel that I had the time to be able to wait for them.”

On choosing the Timberwolves:

“It was a tough call, but I knew it was the right call. Once I decided that this was it, I felt really, really good about my decision.

“I think we can be one of the best teams out there. I really do. We have to prove it, and it’s obviously been a long time since they’ve been in the playoffs. We know that we have a lot of work to do and that this won’t be easy because the West is stacked, as everyone knows. But for us, we’re really embracing the journey.”

Spurs Sign Matt Costello To Two-Way Deal

July 24th, 2017 at 5:44pm CST by Luke Adams

July 24: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

July 20: The Spurs are set to sign Summer League standout Matt Costello to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link). It will be the first two-way deal in the franchise’s history.

A Michigan State alum, Costello went undrafted in 2016, but caught on with the Hawks and spent training camp with the club. The big man didn’t make Atlanta’s regular season roster, but was signed – and then waived again – by the Grizzlies at the end of the preseason so that Memphis could gain his G League rights. Costello ultimately spent the season with Iowa, averaging 9.5 PPG and 10.3 RPG in 23 contests.

Costello showed off his rebounding prowess again this summer in Las Vegas, as his 12.0 RPG led all players in Summer League action. The 23-year-old played for the Timberwolves’ squad in Summer League, and according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), Minnesota also had significant interest in locking up Costello to a two-way contract. However, he’ll make the move to San Antonio, and figures to spend much of 2017/18 with the Austin Spurs.

For more information on how two-way contracts work and how much they pay, be sure to check out our FAQ.