Timberwolves’ Randle, DiVincenzo Could Return During Road Trip
The Timberwolves are embarking on a four-game road tilt that tips off Monday in Oklahoma City and wraps up on Sunday against Phoenix.
Shams Charania of ESPN reports (Twitter video link) that Minnesota could be getting some reinforcements during that stretch, with starting forward Julius Randle and starting point guard Donte DiVincenzo primed to return from long-term injuries.
Randle has been on the shelf with a groin injury since January 30. As Charania notes, the Timberwolves had gone 10-4 during their last 14 contests with Randle available, including a five-game win streak.
Randle, 30, has struggled somewhat to adjust to his new environs during his first season with Minnesota. In 48 healthy contests, the 6’9″ forward is averaging 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
DiVincenzo has been sidelined since January 15 due to a toe ailment. The Villanova alum was elevated to the starting lineup in his last six games before his injury absence and averaged 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest during that stretch.
Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, has been on the shelf since February 12 with a back injury and will not be back during this road trip.
Minnesota’s injury woes and general chemistry issues have led the club to a middling 31-26 record on the year so far, good for just the West’s No. 7 seed.
Kevin Garnett On Track For Role In Wolves’ Front Office?
Former Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett is expected to return to the organization in a front office role if and when Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are officially approved as the team’s majority owners, reports Charley Walters of The St. Paul Pioneer Press (subscription required; hat tip to Sportando).
[RELATED: Arbitrators Rule In Favor Of Lore, Rodriguez In Timberwolves Ownership Dispute]
Walters stated way back in 2021 that he was hearing buzz about the possibility of Garnett becoming “heavily involved” in the Timberwolves’ basketball operations department when Lore and Rodriguez formally completed their purchase of the club from longtime owner Glen Taylor.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, meanwhile, reported in 2022 that Lore and Rodriguez wanted to repair the organization’s relationship with Garnett, who feuded with Taylor after leaving Minnesota. Krawczynski said at the time that the incoming ownership group planned to retire Garnett’s jersey.
Lore and Rodriguez had appeared poised to take over majority control of the Timberwolves from Taylor during the spring of 2024, but that process was delayed when Taylor attempted to retain majority control of the franchise, claiming that the Lore/A-Rod group missed a payment deadline. That led to a legal battle that was resolved by an arbitration hearing earlier this month.
Although arbitrators ruled in favor of Lore and Rodriguez, the new ownership group will still need to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors before assuming control of the team.
Garnett’s long-running beef with Taylor began when a plan to rejoin the organization once his playing days were over fell apart following the death of former Timberwolves president and head coach Flip Saunders. Garnett, who believes Taylor reneged on an agreement between them, said in 2020 that he would never forgive the Wolves owner for it, adding, “I don’t do business with snakes.”
Garnett has repeatedly professed a love for Minnesota and for Timberwolves fans, so it makes sense that he’d be interested in rejoining the team in some capacity once Taylor is no longer calling the shots.
While Walters suggests that Garnett could be hired “as soon as” Lore and Rodriguez take over for Taylor, it’s unclear what sort of position he might take on. Walters’ 2021 report about the Hall of Famer potentially becoming “heavily involved” in the front office came a year before the club hired Tim Connelly as its president of basketball operations, so a role for Garnett may look different today than it would have four years ago.
Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Braun, Clingan, Randle, DiVincenzo
Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook hasn’t played in February, having missed seven games before the All-Star break due to a hamstring injury. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes, that forced Christian Braun into the starting lineup, where he immediately played some of the best basketball of his career.
In Westbrook’s absence, Braun averaged 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 59% from the field. However, with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon unlikely to move to the second unit, it makes for a difficult decision with the starting lineup.
Westbrooks has started 27 of his 48 outings in 2024/25, averaging 13.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game in total. When Gordon missed time with injury earlier this season, Westbrook and Braun started together. However, that is seemingly not going to be the case going forward, as Braun started alongside Jokic, Murray, Porter and Gordon for Thursday’s game.
“All I’ll say is that it’s great to have options,” coach Michael Malone said. “We have a healthy team, and obviously, Russell Westbrook’s done great things for us. Christian Braun, this last eight-game stretch, is playing just incredible basketball. And so people say, ‘Oh, that’s a tough decision.’ I look at it the opposite way. I’m really fortunate to have a tough decision to make where you have quality players that have really impacted winning. And that’s what it comes down to. It’s never about one player. It’s about what’s best for our team.”
In a separate piece, The Denver Post’s Sean Keeler writes that Braun starting is the correct decision, pointing to his impressive net rating in trios alongside Jokic and Murray.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets have placed no restrictions on Porter, Gordon or Westbrook coming out of the All-Star break, Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette tweets. Porter had been dealing with a hamstring injury while Gordon was putting up with a calf issue.
- With Deandre Ayton out for at least three more weeks due to a calf strain, Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan is slated for the starting job, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes. Clingan said he’s “definitely ready” for a larger role. “I think this is going to be a really awesome stretch for him just to grow up and learn and play against starting centers,” head coach Chauncey Billups said. “But more importantly, for him to continue to man that glass. Be a beast on the glass. Protect our rim. And he’s doing a much better job of catching and finishing and also play-making when he needs to.”
- Timberwolves offseason acquisitions Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have both been dealing with injuries, but seem to be getting at least somewhat closer to a return. Randle has been dealing with a groin injury and missed the Wolves’ eight games leading into the break. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link), he was recently cleared for five-on-five practices. As for DiVincenzo, Bontemps adds that he’s now able to participate in non-basketball activities. DiVincenzo hasn’t played since Jan. 15 because of a toe injury.
And-Ones: 2025 FAs, College Jobs, MCW, WNBA, More
A series of contract extensions have depleted the star-level talent in the NBA’s 2025 free agent class, but there will still be some notable names to watch this summer, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report and ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) detail.
Both Pincus and Marks have longtime NBA stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden atop their lists of 2025 free agents, with Marks positing that no player will have more leverage this offseason than Irving, given how badly the Mavericks need to retain the veteran point guard following the trade of Luka Doncic.
After James, Irving, and Harden, who have combined for 41 career All-Star appearances, the next tier of free agents consists of players like Myles Turner, Fred VanVleet, Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, and Timberwolves power forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Interestingly, Pincus has Reid ranked ahead of the three-time All-Star he backs up, placing Reid at No. 5 and Randle at No. 7 in his early FA rankings.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- As is typical at this time of year, a number of NBA coaches and executives are receiving interest for jobs at the college basketball level, notes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Fischer mentions Hornets executive Buzz Peterson and veteran player agent Jim Tanner as possible candidates for UNC’s general manager job and says Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Suns assistant David Fizdale, and Bucks assistant Dave Joerger are among the names to watch for the University of Miami’s head coaching position. Fischer adds that Kings assistant Luke Loucks has been linked to Florida State’s head coaching opening.
- Former NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams is involved in a bid to bring an WNBA expansion franchise to Boston, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. With expansion teams lined up for San Francisco, Portland, Toronto, and Cleveland, the WNBA will have 16 clubs by 2028, so it’s unclear whether or not the league will be looking to expand beyond that number right away.
- Passing along the results of a player poll from All-Star weekend, Joe Vardon of The Athletic notes that the 14 respondents were unanimously against the idea of 10-minute quarters floated last month by commissioner Adam Silver. However, 12 of those 14 players liked the new All-Star tournament format.
- The Lakers‘ and Pistons‘ G League affiliates completed a trade on Wednesday, with the South Bay Lakers acquiring forward Cole Swider from the Motor City Cruise in exchange for Chris Silva‘s returning rights and a 2025 first-round pick, per a press release. Silva is currently playing overseas, but Swider has been active in the G League and will begin suiting up for South Bay.
All-Star Notes: Wembanyama, Curry, Edwards, Giannis
The solution to fixing the competitive level in the NBA’s All-Star Game may be as simple as unleashing Victor Wembanyama, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Making his first appearance in the showcase Sunday night, the 7’3″ center displayed an intensity that got the attention of his fellow All-Stars.
“I thought he played like he plays in a game, seriously,” Damian Lillard said. “When I saw him, I was like, ‘He was not messing around.’ One time, he got fouled. The ref didn’t call it and he got mad. He knows one way, and you can tell that he’s going to play that way every time.”
Wembanyama vowed earlier this week to take the game seriously, something that has been an issue in recent All-Star contests regardless of the format. Playing on a team drafted by Charles Barkley, he saw just six minutes in the semifinal contest, posting six points, four rebounds, a block and a steal. He followed that with 11 points, three rebounds and a block in eight minutes in the championship round.
“My biggest takeaway is that it’s possible to give a hundred percent on that court, to play hard, to play your ass off,” Wembanyama said. “And, for me, it’s the only way to play basketball, and I think it’ll only make the game better.”
There’s more from the All-Star Game:
- Stephen Curry received 12 of the 14 MVP votes, making him the 15th player in NBA history to win the honor more than once, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Several players pointed out that the abbreviated format makes it harder for anyone to put up the gaudy numbers that are typically associated with All-Star MVPs. “In this type of format, nobody is going to have 50 points, or 30 points is even going to be hard to do unless you shoot it every time and make every shot,” Lillard said. “But you look at what jumps out. When was the crowd the loudest? What jumped off the floor? And that’s probably who your MVP is going to be. So, watching the game, it was like, ‘I’m pretty sure Steph is going to win it.’ … I don’t know how many points he had, it couldn’t have been that much, but I think it was the eye test.”
- Anthony Edwards sat out Sunday due to a groin injury, although the reason wasn’t announced until his team lost in the opening round. He didn’t want to risk aggravating the condition with so little at stake, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I’ve never been an All-Star Game type of guy, to like take it serious and go out there and try to guard somebody and get a stop,” Edwards said. “I’ve never been that type of guy. I just save it for the Timberwolves season, pretty much.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s suggestion to liven up the All-Star Game is to take it overseas, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “It would be fun,” Antetokounmpo said. “Having a game in the UK or a game in Paris. Or having a game in Greece, obviously is a small country, but why not. Having a game in China, an All-Star Game in China, and all the stars go there for a weekend and play the game.”
Northwest Notes: Daigneault, Edwards, Camara, Henderson
Mark Daigneault made a meteoric rise from an assistant on Billy Donovan‘s staff at the University of Florida to being a head coach at the All-Star Game. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater takes a deep dive into the Thunder coach’s career, noting that his former boss is proud of his accomplishments.
“It’s crazy how life works,” Donovan said. “I remember when he was sitting there, and we were having camp (at Florida), and he’s waiting to meet me. He’s 24, 25 years old, just wants a job, and he’s willing to work for free. And if you just said, ‘Hey, you’re going to be an NBA head coach and coaching the All-Star game.’ Nobody would’ve believed that, right?
“So, I just think it speaks to him and the people in Oklahoma City and the players and his staff. I’m just really happy for him because he’s a great guy.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Anthony Edwards has improved his three-point shot this season and now he’s using that threat to make him even more effective driving to the basket, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes. After averaging 2.4 free-throw attempts per game in December, Edwards took an average of 8.1 free throws in January and 11 per game in February. The Timberwolves star averaged just 20.5 points per game in December, but pushed that figure to 30.3 in January. In six February games, he’s averaging 34.3 PPG.
- Toumani Camara was included in a three-team blockbuster in 2023, moving from Phoenix to Portland ahead of his rookie season. He never got a chance to play for the Suns but he feels he would have thrived there, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Camara is averaging 10.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and has emerged as a defensive ace in his second season with the Trail Blazers. “I feel like the month I spent in Phoenix, a lot of people appreciated my game and stuff like that,” Camara said. “I was pretty confident in the space and environment I was in. I feel like the month I spent in Phoenix, a lot of people appreciated my game and stuff like that. I was pretty confident in the space and environment I was in.”
- Camara and Scoot Henderson have become the best of friends, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic, and the Trail Blazers teammates have lofty goals. “Me and Tou, we have told each other: ‘We are going to do this. We are going to be great together … and we are going to do it here, in Portland,’” Henderson said. “We haven’t told anyone, but we have those conversations.” Henderson, the No. 3 pick of the 2023 draft, has mainly come off the bench this season. He’s averaging 12.4 points and 5.3 assists in 26.5 minutes per game.
Pacific Notes: Durant, Edwards, James, Harden
The Suns got off to an 8-1 start but it’s been a rocky ride since that point. They entered the All-Star break with a 26-28 record, 11th in the Western Conference. At All-Star media day on Saturday, Kevin Durant gave his take on why they’ve faltered, as The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin relays.
“We started well,” he said. “I feel like we definitely could be playing better. I feel like there’s a couple factors. We had some guys in and out of the lineup. We’re not rebounding well, turning the ball over. I think just fundamental stuff I think we’ll be better. If we fix that coming out of the break, I think we’ll have a better chance to win some basketball games.”
Durant believes the club will finish strong, citing the recent additions of Nick Richards and Bol Bol to the starting five.
“We made a couple lineup changes, too, that will help us out, adding more size to our starting lineup, so that may help, as well,” Durant said. “Our last few games, we’ve just been playing a better brand of ball. Even though we lost two, I feel like we’re just playing a better brand of ball, a more sustainable brand with the lineup switches like that.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- The Timberwolves reportedly made a last-ditch attempt prior to the trade deadline to engage in talks with the Suns regarding Durant. Fellow Western Conference All-Star Anthony Edwards couldn’t believe the Suns even entertained offers for Durant, according to Rankin. “Yeah, I was super surprised,” Edwards said. “Didn’t think Phoenix would be trying to trade him.”
- LeBron James will become the third player in NBA history to appear in an All-Star Game after turning 40. James will also be making his 21st appearance in the game and he’s humbled by the opportunity. “Special thanks to my fans that voted me in their portion,” the Lakers forward said, per Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. “The coaches, the players who had anything to do with me being a part of it. It’s always special and very humbling and I don’t take it for granted being an All-Star. It’s something that, when I was a kid, I always watched the All-Star Game and had the opportunity to do and I always wanted to be on that floor. But it’s always special. I’m pretty happy about it.”
- James Harden is making his first All-Star appearance since 2022. The Clippers guard was confident he could reach that level again, he told Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “I never doubted it,” Harden said. “It was me just, you know, finally being healthy and getting back to my zone. Getting back to who I am and here I am.” Harden is averaging 21.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game this season.
Adam Silver Discusses Doncic Trade, Other Topics In All-Star Press Conference
NBA commissioner Adam Silver was as surprised as anyone when news broke that Luka Doncic had been traded to the Lakers two weeks ago, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. At his annual All-Star Weekend press conference, Silver said he wasn’t given advance notice from anyone about the deal.
He also refused to second guess the Mavericks, who have received an enormous amount of criticism for parting with Doncic, especially from their own fans.
“I can say one thing for sure: Whether or not history will ultimately judge this as a smart trade, they did what they thought was in the best interest of their organization,” Silver said. “I have absolutely no knowledge or belief there were any ulterior motives, no doubt in my mind that the Dumont-Adelson families bought that team to keep it in Dallas. I have no doubt whatsoever that they’re committed to the long-term success of that franchise.”
Silver added that he’s “empathetic” toward Dallas fans who are upset about the deal, which looks even worse since Anthony Davis was injured in his first game with the team.
“Time will tell whether it was a smart trade,” Silver said. “But they should believe in their organization.”
Silver addressed several other topics during his meeting with reporters, according to Reynolds:
- The Hornets contacted the league office after the Lakers rescinded their trade for Mark Williams, but Charlotte hasn’t filed a formal appeal. “Let’s see what Charlotte decides to do here,” Silver said. “But I think either way, it’s gotten our attention. We understand that in the back and forth of teams and trades that the extent we can reduce uncertainty, that’s a positive thing.”
- The league is waiting for a response from Timberwolves majority owner Glen Taylor after an arbitration panel ruled in favor of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez this week. Silver said he doesn’t see any reason why the sale of the team wouldn’t be approved, but he doesn’t want to speak for the Board of Governors. “I mean, that’s Glen’s decision to make,” Silver said. “I haven’t talked to him directly about that. I think, though, that A-Rod, certainly Marc Lore, are well-known to the league at this point. They’ve already been vetted and approved as minority owners. I think they understood that the league had no role in this arbitration. That was something they had agreed to as part of their purchase agreement.”
- The league decided against a repeat of last year’s All-Star Weekend shooting contest between Stephen Curry and WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu, with Silver explaining, “Last year was so magical, that competition, that it started to feel forced. And I think there was concern from all of us that we just weren’t feeling it.”
- Silver cited progress in the NBA’s television ratings, although he admitted that he’d like to see them higher. He added that the league measures its audience in several ways and is enjoying “record popularity” on social media.
Northwest Notes: SGA, Markkanen, Timberwolves, Shannon
Thunder superstar point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as a perpetual MVP candidate. Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman wonders if the three-time All-Star can turn into the NBA’s next generational standout on his own terms.
Gilgeous-Alexander has prioritized an exhaustive workout regimen over building out a particularly robust off-court sponsorship portfolio.
“I just live my life,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I come to work every day. I hoop. I interact with my fans. I love my family, call my friends. I do everything normal people do. I’m nobody special. I’m just like the rest of y’all, for y’all wondering what I’m like.”
The 6’6″ guard has led Oklahoma City to a 44-10 record, tied with Cleveland for the best in the league. Eight games clear of the No. 2-seeded Grizzlies, the Thunder appear poised to secure the No. 1 seed in the West for the second consecutive season.
As the team’s leader, Gilgeous-Alexander has been a huge part of that success. Across 53 games this season, the Kentucky alum is averaging 32.5 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per night.
“Being the face of the league would be special,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s, again, something I can’t control, but it’s something that would be amazing. At the end of it, I can just try to be the best basketball player I can be, the best person I could be, the best role model I could be for all the kids growing up trying to play basketball.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen has had a down season for Utah, itself en route to its third straight lottery during his tenure with the team. To hear him explain his statistical dip, Markkanen is thinking about the 13-42 Jazz’s future, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. The Arizona alum is adjusting his shot profile to be ready for more competitive games. “We’ve been working on, like, not getting just wide-open catch shoots all the time,” Markkanen said. “I’m trying to shoot more contested threes. Lightly contested, from behind dribble handoffs, and when they’re lazy switching. Stuff that I haven’t really shot before.” Larsen observes that the numbers bear this out, as Markkanen is attempting one fewer open three-pointer per game this season. Across 41 bouts, the 27-year-old is averaging 19.6 points per game on .432/.353/.869 shooting splits. Markkanen just inked a lucrative four-year contract extension last summer.
- After Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore won a Timberwolves ownership arbitration ruling Monday against Glen Taylor, Chris Hine and Jeff Day of The Minnesota Star Tribune take stock of what’s next for Minnesota’s evolving ownership situation.
- Timberwolves rookie wing Terrence Shannon Jr. has recently emerged alongside lottery pick Rob Dillingham as a useful bench cog for the West playoff hopefuls, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Shannon’s aggressive post play has impressed head coach Chris Finch, although consistent minutes have been tough to come by. “He loves finishing with reckless abandon, and we need that,” Finch said. “It’s a part of the reason we identified him in the draft. We had other guys that maybe were younger guys, but we wanted somebody who was a little bit more physically and mentally ready to play right away.”
Projected NBA Taxpayers For 2024/25
Ten NBA teams are still operating in luxury tax territory in the wake of last Thursday’s trade deadline, but this season’s total projected luxury tax payments – and the clubs projected to be taxpayers – have declined significantly in recent weeks.
As of January 23, a total of 14 teams projected to be taxpayers, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter links) observes, with the 16 non-taxpayers on track to receive about $17.8MM apiece, which would have been the largest payout in NBA history.
But the Cavaliers, Pelicans, Clippers, and Sixers all ducked the tax line with their pre-deadline moves, while a few other teams remained in the tax but took steps to significantly reduce their end-of-season bills. Milwaukee, for instance, had been projected to pay about $74.8MM in tax penalties, but has since reduced that figure by more than half, according to Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom.
Here are the current projected tax penalties, per Pincus’ data:
- Phoenix Suns: $152.26MM
- Minnesota Timberwolves: $84.85MM
- Boston Celtics: $53.45MM
- Los Angeles Lakers: $52.53MM
- New York Knicks: $36.45MM
- Milwaukee Bucks: $32.66MM
- Denver Nuggets: $20.36MM
- Golden State Warriors: $12.36MM
- Dallas Mavericks: $6.39MM
- Miami Heat: $4.18MM
Total: $455.49MM
These numbers will fluctuate a little before the end of the season. For instance, the Lakers recently increased their projected bill when they signed Alex Len to a rest-of-season contract, and the Warriors will need to make multiple roster additions in the near future, which will cause their bill to rise. Various contract incentives that go earned or unearned could also impact the end-of-season tax figures.
Based on the current figures from Pincus, each non-taxpayer is projected to receive a payout of about $11.4MM. That figure is determined by cutting the total league-wide tax penalties in half, then dividing them evenly among the non-taxpaying teams (in this case, 20 clubs).
As significant as the Suns’ tax penalty projects to be, especially for a team currently flirting with .500, it won’t be a single-season record — Golden State has actually exceeded $152.26MM in tax payments in each of the past three years (2022-24).
Assuming these are the 10 teams that finish the season in tax territory, the Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, and Suns would all be subject to repeater penalties in 2025/26 if they’re taxpayers again next season.