Western Notes: Kings, Warriors, DiVincenzo, Sorber
UConn forward Alex Karaban headlines a group of six prospects set to work out for the Kings on Friday, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Karaban, a senior who was automatically eligible for the draft, goes 31st overall in the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and comes in at No. 30 on ESPN’s big board.
The other five draft prospects are Ryan Conwell (Louisville), Otega Oweh (Kentucky), Toibu Lawal (Virginia Tech), Tyler Nickel (Vanderbilt), and Mark Mitchell (Missouri). All are in ESPN’s top 100, with Conwell (No. 36) the only other player aside from Karaban in the top 50.
Sacramento controls the seventh, 34th and 45th picks in next month’s draft, Anderson notes.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- The Warriors hosted six prospects — Trey Campbell (Northern Iowa) Oscar Cluff (Purdue), Carson Cooper (Michigan State), Jaden Henley (Grand Canyon), Elias Ralph (Pacific), and Jalen Warley (Gonzaga) — for a pre-draft workout on Thursday, per an announcement from the team (Twitter link). Boilermakers center Cluff (No. 63) is the top-ranked player in that group, according to ESPN, with Henley (No. 72) also in the top 100.
- Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Donte DiVincenzo was the “heart and soul of so many things we do” after the veteran guard tore his right Achilles tendon in the first round of the playoffs, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. It was a brutal blow for the 29-year-old, who brought a consistent toughness and competitiveness to Minnesota. Now he faces an uncertain future, as he’s likely to miss most — if not all — of next season as he enters the final year of his contract, which will pay him $12.5MM in 2026/27. “He’s trying to get back as soon as possible, and I think he’s going to have a great recovery, the way he’s treating it and the attitude he has about it, getting right, getting better, it’s just great to see,” Jaden McDaniels said. “I mean, we all love Donte. Hopefully he’s going to have a speedy recovery.”
- Thomas Sorber has missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL, but the Thunder big man is still getting his NBA education on the sidelines and hopes to play in Summer League in July, per Dan Woike of The Athletic. “I’m still reading the scouting report. I’m still seeing who’s a hot shooter, who to worry about, who not to worry about,” Sorber said. “Just trying to get the game plan in my head so when I am ready next year to play, then I’ll be able to, you know, already have it under my belt.” The 20-year-old center was the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft.
Free Agent Rumors: Duren, Kessler, Reaves, Dosunmu, More
Jalen Duren of the Pistons and Walker Kessler of the Jazz will be two of the top centers on the free agent market this offseason, but both will be restricted and the expectation is that they’ll remain with their current clubs, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
Duren looked headed for a potential maximum-salary contract after a regular season breakout that saw him earn a spot on the All-NBA third team and rank second in Most Improved Player voting. An underwhelming postseason showing may have hurt his earning potential a little, according to Bontemps, but scouts and executives consider him likely to get a new deal that approaches $40MM per year.
“If he wants to get a max, they’ll tell him to go get one,” one Eastern Conference executive told Bontemps. “But he’s Cade (Cunningham)‘s guy, so they’ll have to play it the right way.”
Meanwhile, the Jazz added Jaren Jackson Jr. to their frontcourt during the season, but neither he nor Lauri Markkanen is expected to play the majority of his minutes at center, so Kessler remains an important part of the future in Utah. The belief around the league is that he’ll be able to negotiate a contract worth in the neighborhood of $25-30MM annually, Bontemps says.
“It appears Utah is gearing up to keep him,” an East scout told ESPN. “I don’t see an obvious fit in free agency for someone to try to get him. They’re going to be in an interesting spot next season, and I’m excited to see how they navigate all of it.”
Here are a few more notes and rumors on some of this summer’s top free agents:
- Scouts and executives who spoke to ESPN don’t expect Austin Reaves to get his full max (roughly $239MM over five years) from the Lakers, but they wouldn’t be surprised if he receives $40MM per year. “I’d be pretty surprised if the first year (salary) starts with a three instead of a four,” an Eastern Conference scout said, “but the Lakers need to keep him, and by all accounts he wants to be there, so I think they make it work.” The Nets, one of the few teams with the cap room necessary to make a run at a player like Reaves, is considered a rival suitor to monitor, sources tell Bontemps.
- Sources around the NBA believe guard Ayo Dosunmu will re-sign with the Timberwolves on a deal worth a little more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($15MM), though that may require the team to part with injured guard Donte DiVincenzo to avoid going too deep into tax/apron territory, Bontemps notes.
- Rival scouts and executives would be surprised if the Knicks let unrestricted free agents Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet get away, especially if they win a title. “You have to bring (Robinson) back,” an East executive said. “If they win the Finals, they’re not losing anybody. And, even if they don’t, I don’t see how they let him walk.” Both players are candidates for two-year deals, since New York projects to operate above the second tax apron for the next couple years anyway, Bontemps observes.
- Trail Blazers center Robert Williams is expected to generate significant interest after his healthiest season in years, given how much teams are valuing size, Bontemps writes, adding that the range for his starting salary may be in the vicinity of $10-15MM. “The injury history will scare a lot of teams off,” a Western Conference executive said. “But when he plays, he’s good. You just can’t expect him to start for you because he won’t be on the court if you play him that many minutes. He’ll be good value if — a huge if — he can stay on the floor.”
- While Peyton Watson‘s recurring hamstring issues this past season are a concern, the expectation is that the Nuggets will find a way to give him a new contract in the $20-25MM range in restricted free agency, per Bontemps. “They could easily just pay him and pay the tax, but we know how the Kroenkes operate,” a West scout said. “That means sending out either (Cameron) Johnson or (Christian) Braun, and I don’t know where that lands. The injury stuff is a concern, but so is how they struggled without him.”
Wolves’ Connelly Discusses Offseason, Finch, Dosunmu, More
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at his end-of-season press conference, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly repeatedly stated that there was “more good than bad” for the franchise in 2025/26, but made it clear he wasn’t satisfied with a season that ended with a second-round playoff exit, per Dave Campbell of The Associated Press.
“We have a lot of confidence in our guys, but it would be disingenuous to sit in front of this group and say we’re happy with the sixth seed, we’re happy with not being a home-court playoff team, we’re happy that our last three closeout games have been lopsided,” Connelly said. “We have to be realistic about what we have, which is way more good than bad, but we know that we’re not good enough right now.”
During his exit interview over the weekend, Timberwolves forward Naz Reid suggested to reporters that “moodiness” was an issue for the team, and Connelly stressed on Tuesday that consistency and “emotional maturity” will be a priority going forward, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes.
“There’s too many nights when we were not as locked in as we should be, and that’s unacceptable, plain and simple,” Connelly said.
Connelly, who surrendered a massive package for Rudy Gobert during his first year on the job in Minnesota, has a well-earned reputation for being willing to take big swings on the trade market. While he declined to get into specifics about what sort of moves he might be looking to make this summer, he vowed to be “as aggressive as possible” and said the front office wouldn’t be afraid to “mess up loudly,” according to Campbell.
“I’d rather get fired for trying than sit here and just do the job in survival mode,” Connelly said, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “So risky, I think, is if you’re a championship-level team and make a huge trade. I don’t know what level of risk there is when you’re bounced in the second round. I think we’re open to it. Certainly, we’re not driven by it.”
Here’s more from Connelly’s presser:
- Connelly lauded head coach Chris Finch for the job he did with the Timberwolves this season, especially in the first round of the playoffs, Krawczynski notes. “It’s not an easy job,” the Timberwolves’ president said. “He was masterful, I think, in the Denver series. We’re not here without Finchy. The playoff success we’ve had. I’m just thankful that he’s a partner and thankful that he’s our head coach.”
- Getting a new deal done with unrestricted free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu will be a priority for the Timberwolves, according to Connelly. “Ayo’s our most important free agent,” he said, per Hine. “He’s a guy we thought we knew pretty well, and we liked him from afar. Now seeing him day to day, we love him. I think he fits in not just on the court but off the court. I think his best basketball is in front of him.”
- As Campbell relays, Connelly acknowledged that the Wolves will need to add more shooting to their roster with Donte DiVincenzo expected to be sidelined for most or all of next season after tearing his Achilles last month. There’s still no specific timeline for DiVincenzo’s return. “We think he’s going to be back,” Connelly said. “We don’t know when.”
- 2025 first-round pick Joan Beringer didn’t have a major role as a rookie, but the Timberwolves are excited about what he can bring to the table going forward, according to Hine. “We think his future is unbelievably bright,” Connelly said. “I would think he’ll be a multi-position defender. He’s a guy that has the complete faith and buy-in of not just our coaching staff, but, most importantly, the other players on the team believe in him. So, we think he’s going to be a really impactful piece moving forward.”
- Rumors earlier in the spring indicated that Connelly was one of Dallas’ front office targets but that he would likely sign an extension with the Timberwolves. Although he didn’t address the possibility of a new deal on Tuesday, Connelly expressed no desire to leave Minnesota, writes Krawczynski. “I go to work happy every day, got great partners,” the veteran exec said. “It’s been awesome. Just keep trying to get better. At some point, we want to have this press conference after a (championship) parade … But it’s a great place to work. I just want to get better. It’s unfair to sit up here and be critical of players and how can we add. I need to do a better job for this organization.”
Wolves Notes: Edwards, Offseason Changes, Reid, Dosunmu
The course for the Timberwolves‘ season was set by a strategic decision coach Chris Finch made shortly before opening night, Chris Hine of The Minnesota Star Tribune writes in a subscriber-only piece. Finch replaced veteran point guard Mike Conley in the starting lineup with Donte DiVincenzo, making Anthony Edwards the team’s primary ball-handler. Although he believed in the move at the time, Finch referred to it at Saturday’s end-of-season press conference as an “original sin” that the team could never overcome.
“Flipping Ant to the point guard spot just on the eve of the season, it certainly helped with Donte,” Finch said. “But it probably didn’t put everybody in the best position there, Ant included.”
Hine states that the adjustment wound up affecting the team on and off the court. Conley posted the worst season of his career before being traded in February and ultimately re-signed; Edwards’ pairing with Julius Randle never became as smooth as the organization had hoped; and Edwards’ increased play-making responsibilities seemed to impact his defense.
The lack of an experienced point guard to make sure everyone felt like they were contributing to the offense created a “moodiness” that several players referenced during their exit interviews. Hine cites a “detrimental impact” if certain players weren’t getting the shots they expected, even when the team was winning.
Sources told Hine that it didn’t take much for players to get into a “funk” and affect the team’s overall performance. Finch points to better “connectivity” as one of the themes for the offseason, and Naz Reid notes that the West’s top two teams, the Thunder and Spurs, seem to be on the same page more than the Wolves are.
“Being consistent, not moody, and having that competitive edge we had last year and the year before,” Reid told reporters. “… You can’t get anywhere if you’re fighting yourself, so I think that’ll help for sure.”
There’s more from Minnesota:
- The Wolves are expected to explore major changes this offseason, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. He notes that president of basketball operations Tim Connelly opted to keep the core of the team together after losing in the conference finals last year but is expected to aggressively seek trades this summer. Minnesota was among the teams that contacted the Bucks about Giannis Antetokounmpo before the deadline, and that pursuit will likely resume over the next few weeks. Krawczynski reports that talks with Milwaukee seemed to affect the locker room, particularly Randle, who was rumored to be headed out in a potential deal.
- Krawczynski expects changes to focus on the frontline, where Rudy Gobert ($36.5MM), Randle ($33MM) and Reid ($23.3MM) will combine to make nearly $95MM next season. Center Joan Beringer showed promise as a rookie, and the Wolves will want to give him more playing time in his second year.
- Reid was playing with a lingering shoulder injury he experienced around the All-Star break, Hine tweets. “There were times I couldn’t even shoot the ball, for real,” he said.
- Re-signing Ayo Dosunmu, who was acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline, should be an offseason priority, states Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Wolves hold Bird rights on Dosunmu, who will be eligible for to sign a three-year, $52.4MM extension until June 30. Marks points out that the team would have to unload at least $58.5MM in salary to be able to re-sign Dosunmu to a deal in that range without triggering a second apron hard cap.
- Edwards is also extension-eligible this summer, Marks adds, but only at $121.6MM over two seasons. He’s likely to wait a year and could be in line for $300MM over four seasons in 2027 if he earns a spot on the All-NBA team.
Sixers Notes: Morey, McCain, Trade Deadline, Embiid, Front Office Candidates
Daryl Morey’s post-trade assessment that “we sold high” when he sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in February continues to be mocked in Philadelphia, writes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. While Jake Fischer has reported that trade wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey in Philadelphia, the deal – combined with the failure to get another player to replace McCain in the rotation – may have factored into the executive’s dismissal this week as the Sixers‘ president of basketball operations.
The only return in that deal with the Thunder was a first-round pick originally belonging to Houston that wound up at No. 22 in this year’s draft. McCain’s roster spot was given to Cameron Payne, who had been playing in Serbia, but he was waived after suffering a hamstring strain in the final week of the season. Two-way player Dalen Terry was promoted to take his place and saw minimal playing time in the postseason.
Morey approached the deadline looking for “cost-effective role players with multiple years of control,” a source tells Aaronson, and his top target was Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins. Morey was hoping to land Wiggins as part of the McCain deal, but Philadelphia would have needed to include multiple other players to make the trade work. OKC held onto Wiggins, and Aaronson notes that McCain has played a role in pushing him out of the Thunder’s rotation.
Aaronson also hears that Morey offered multiple second-round picks to the Bulls for Jalen Smith, but Chicago opted to keep him. Two other prime targets were Rockets forward Tari Eason and Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, who both remained with their teams through the deadline. Aaronson’s source said the Sixers made attempts to land the Mavericks‘ Naji Marshall, the Timberwolves‘ Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors‘ Brandin Podziemski and the Suns‘ Ryan Dunn as well. None of those players wound up being traded.
Morey liked the potential fit of Ayo Dosunmu, who has been a valuable contributor in Minnesota’s playoff run, according to Aaronson’s source, but didn’t prioritize him because of his expiring contract. Aaronson reports that the team also had some interest in Vit Krejci, who was sent from Atlanta to Portland four days prior to the deadline in exchange for two second-round picks. Philadelphia had numerous second-rounders to offer, but Morey reportedly didn’t want to commit to a deal with so much time remaining before the deadline.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Morey’s relationship with star center Joel Embiid appeared to deteriorate throughout the season, Aaronson adds. Embiid expressed displeasure with management at the trade deadline and again when he was held out of a game in early April, and he refused to comment directly on Morey when asked about their relationship during the playoffs.
- Bob Myers, who will be leading the search to replace Morey, could probably have the job if he tells managing partner Josh Harris that he wants it, Aaronson suggests in a separate story. If Myers opts to remain in his current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Aaronson identifies a few other candidates, including Elton Brand, who served as Morey’s top assistant, and Vince Rozman, who spent 16 years with the organization before joining OKC’s front office in 2022. Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who were both finalists to run Chicago’s front office, are also on the list, along with Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin and prominent agents Austin Brown and Alex Saratsis.
- In a mailbag column, Aaronson examines some options for the Sixers in free agency and explains why the team shouldn’t try to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Donte DiVincenzo Undergoing Surgery For Ruptured Achilles
Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo has formally been diagnosed with a ruptured right Achilles tendon after undergoing an MRI, the team announced in a press release.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported that DiVincenzo had suffered a torn Achilles. The injury occurred in the first quarter of Saturday’s Game 4 victory over Denver.
According to the Wolves, DiVincenzo is undergoing surgery on Sunday afternoon in New York. Dr. Martin O’Malley will be the surgeon after performing a similar surgery last year for Jayson Tatum, notes Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).
The 17th overall pick in the 2018 draft, DiVincenzo started all 82 regular season games for Minnesota in 2025/26. The 29-year-old averaged 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.4 minutes per game while shooting 37.9% from long distance and providing his typical solid defense.
As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes, the Wolves had a mix of emotions after Game 4. They were sad to lose DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards, who is expected to miss multiple weeks due to a left knee injury, but pleased with the way they performed in their absence to take a 3-1 series lead.
“Just proud of the guys, stepping up, fighting for each other — literally and figuratively,” head coach Chris Finch said. “These teams don’t like each other, there’s just no secret. You play each other this many times where things are at stake, even a Christmas Day game is a battle, felt like a playoff game. It’s how it goes.”
Backup big man Naz Reid said the Wolves will be thinking of DiVincenzo and Edwards as they look to close out the first-round series against their Northwest Division rival on Monday, Krawczynski adds.
“I think they’ll be with us,” Reid said. “They understand. We understand. We know what it takes. It’s not going to be easy, not at all. We gotta go out there and do what we gotta do.”
DiVincenzo is entering the final season of his contract, which will pay him about $12.5MM in 2026/27. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next year unless he signs an extension before then.
Anthony Edwards To Miss Multiple Weeks With Knee Injury
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been diagnosed with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Edwards underwent an MRI after injuring his left knee in Saturday’s Game 4 victory over Denver. While the four-time All-Star avoided ligament damage, he’s still expected to be sidelined multiple weeks, according to Charania.
The former No. 1 overall pick sustained the injury late in the second quarter (Twitter video link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). Edwards jumped to contest a layup by Cameron Johnson, and Johnson’s forward momentum caused Edwards to move backward in the air. Edwards landed awkwardly and his left knee buckled. He immediately grabbed at his knee on the ground.
Edwards entered the playoffs dealing with a nagging right knee injury, which caused him to miss extended time at the end of the regular season. He averaged 18.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks through four playoff games, but struggled with efficiency, posting a shooting slash line of .358/.258/.857.
It’s another tough blow for the Timberwolves, who lost starting guard Donte DiVincenzo to a torn right Achilles tendon early in the first quarter of Saturday’s win. Head coach Chris Finch was emotional when he discussed DiVincenzo’s impact after the game, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
“I mean, it’s …,” Finch’s voice cracked as he talked about DiVincenzo. “Yeah, I feel completely devastated for Donte. He was playing so well. He’s having such a great season. He’s the heart and soul of so many things that we do. You could just see the look in his eye when it happened. You kind of knew.”
With DiVincenzo and Edwards out, trade deadline acquisition Ayo Dosunmu carried Minnesota’s offense in the second half, finishing with a career-high 43 points ahead of unrestricted free agency this summer, Thompson writes. Dosunmu was 13-of-17 from the field, including 5-for-5 from long distance, and knocked down all 12 of his free throws.
“I didn’t know he was that damn good,” Julius Randle said of Dosunmu. “I don’t remember playing against him as much. I feel like when I was in the East and he was with Chicago, that was those DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine teams. … I don’t know if the opportunity was there as much. But damn, I’m glad we got him.”
Minnesota will look to close out its first-round matchup against the Nuggets on Monday, when the series returns to Denver. The Wolves hold a 3-1 lead, but will be missing two of their best players for the rest of the series.
Donte DiVincenzo Suffers Torn Right Achilles
9:41 pm: DiVincenzo’s injury has been confirmed as a torn right Achilles, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The recovery process typically takes about a year, so DiVincenzo may be forced to miss all of next season. He’s under contract for $12.54MM in 2026/27 and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
9:27 pm: The Wolves have also ruled out star guard Anthony Edwards for the rest of the game with a left knee injury after a collision with Denver’s Cameron Johnson late in the second quarter (Twitter video link from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). Scotto adds that DiVincenzo left the arena in a wheelchair.
8:33 pm: Donte DiVincenzo has been declared out for the rest of Game 4 after suffering a lower right leg injury early in the first quarter, the Timberwolves announced (via Twitter).
DiVincenzo collapsed to the court after attempting a three-pointer a little more than a minute into the contest (Twitter video link from ESPN). He grabbed at the leg and signaled to the team’s bench for assistance.
There was no contact on DiVincenzo’s injury, which raises concerns about possible Achilles damage. However, no diagnosis has been made by the team.
DiVincenzo averaged 14.3 PPG in the first three games of the series and has been particularly effective in Minnesota’s two victories. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the Game 2 win at Denver while shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He followed that up with 15 points, four rebounds, seven assists and four steals in Game 3.
Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland both figure to see expanded roles if DiVincenzo is unable to return during the series, and Terrence Shannon Jr. may be inserted into the rotation as well.
Northwest Notes: Jokic, McDaniels, Wolves, Lillard
The 27 points and 15 rebounds that Nikola Jokic recorded on Thursday essentially matched – or exceeded – the averages he posted during the regular season, but it was a forgettable Game 3 for the Nuggets star, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN. Denver was outscored by 21 points during Jokic’s 35 minutes of action and he made just 7-of-26 shots from the floor as the team fell behind Minnesota 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
“I’ve never seen him shoot what he shot today,” Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said. “That’s an outlier type of game.”
The Nuggets will need more from Jokic to get past a tough first-round opponent, especially since the availability of a pair of key role players remains an open question heading into Game 4. Aaron Gordon (calf soreness) sat out Game 3, while Peyton Watson (hamstring strain) has yet to play at all since the postseason began.
As Slater relays, head coach David Adelman told reporters after Thursday’s loss that he and his coaching staff had to prepare two separate game plans for Game 3, since it wasn’t clear until close to tip-off whether or not Gordon would be able to play. Adelman is hoping to get clarity earlier on the status of Gordon and Watson ahead of Saturday’s Game 4.
“I do think out of fairness to the team we do want to know who is going to play that next game,” Adelman said. “It just helps you because guys know the expectation of what’s going to be that night, as opposed to today when we were scrambling a bit.”
We have more from around the Northwest, including a couple items on Denver’s opponent:
- After making headlines by dubbing Denver’s entire team “bad defenders” after Game 2, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels backed up his trash talk with a huge Game 3, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. McDaniels scored 20 points, pulled down 10 rebounds, and played smothering defense on Nuggets star Murray. “Jaden is one our intense and most ornery competitors,” head coach Chris Finch said. “I didn’t have any worry that he wasn’t going to come out and try his darnedest to back up whatever was said.”
- In a separate story for The Athletic, Krawczynski explores the role that Timberwolves assistant James White plays in Minnesota and the impact that he has had on McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo, who both credit White with helping them have big seasons. “To have somebody like that in your corner that I can call anytime of the day to pick his brain on life stuff, basketball stuff, whatever or just shoot the s— with him,” DiVincenzo said of White. “That’s the stuff that we need. When things are hard, you have certain people you can lean on, and he’s definitely one of them.”
- When Damian Lillard decided to sign with the Trail Blazers last summer, the sense was that the veteran guard was prioritizing familiarity over the chance to contend, but the Blazers are showing he was right to believe in the roster, writes Bill Oram of The Oregonian (subscription required). Exploring whether there’s any chance Lillard could play in the postseason, Oram cites a source who says the 35-year-old is “close” to being cleared following his Achilles recovery but that a potential return wouldn’t happen until a later round or “deep, deep” into the Spurs series. “I wouldn’t rule anything out or get too excited about anything,” a source told Oram.
Wolves Notes: Reid, Dosunmu, DiVincenzo, Garnett
The Timberwolves lost Thursday night at Detroit, but there’s hope that Naz Reid may have finally broken out of his prolonged slump, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Reid scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in 31 minutes while shooting 4-of-9 from three-point range as Minnesota put up a fight against the East’s top team before falling by five points.
“I’m dealing with some injuries and just trying to make things happen,” Reid said. “Just trying to compete at a high level and do what I can do.”
Reid, who captured Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2024 and finished fifth in the voting last season, has been an important element of the Wolves’ success with his play off the bench. That has been lacking lately, Krawczynski notes, as he was shooting 21% from beyond the arc over his previous 14 games and had only reached six rebounds three times during that span.
Krawczynski states that Reid seemed to be “sulking” during Monday’s game at Dallas, lacking his normal effort on defense and hanging his head every time he was called for a foul. Ayo Dosunmu made an effort to get the ball to Reid late in that game, and the positive effects appeared to carry over.
“I thought he was really good defensively and active on the glass. … I thought he was really active, especially in that second quarter,” coach Chris Finch said. “As it is, then he started making shots.”
There’s more on the Wolves:
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reveals what Reid said to referee Scott Foster last week to earn a quick ejection and a $50K fine for “questioning the integrity of game officials.” Sources tell Mannix that after a call went against Minnesota in overtime of a game against Houston, Reid snapped at Foster, “Ya’ll need to stop cheating, bro,” which crosses the line of what players are permitted to say.
- Dosunmu posted a triple-double on Monday with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists, leading Michael Rand of The Star-Tribune (subscription required) to speculate on whether he belongs in the starting lineup ahead of Donte DiVincenzo when the team is fully healthy.
- After announcing in December that franchise legend Kevin Garnett would rejoin the organization as a team ambassador and have his number retired, the Wolves revealed Friday morning that the retirement ceremony will take place next season. Garnett will also be part of Fan Appreciation Night on April 12, marking his first appearance at Target Center since 2018. “I can’t wait to come home,” he said. “Coming back for me is about what’s next. I’ve spent time with (new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez), and you can feel the difference. The energy is real. The vision is real. They’re building something that lasts, with a team on the court that’s hungry to win. I’m excited to be back in the building with the fans. Minnesota, let’s go!”