Latest On Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Bucks are seeking clarity regarding what several teams are willing to offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo before reaching a final decision on a trade, league and team sources tell Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
The Celtics, Timberwolves and Magic are among the teams involved in negotiations, according to the authors’ sources. The Trail Blazers have also expressed interest in acquiring Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee seems to prefer using Portland as a third team to help facilitate a deal and reclaiming some of the draft picks it sent away in the 2023 Damian Lillard trade.
The Heat, who made an aggressive pitch for Antetokounmpo prior to the trade deadline, are still viewed as the frontrunners across the league, according to Amick and Nehm. Many sources expected a deal with Miami to be completed in February before the Bucks pulled out, and the current package is expected to include Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., either Pelle Larsson or Kasparas Jakucionis and draft assets that could involve up to three first-round picks. The authors note that Herro unfollowed the Heat on Instagram this week, creating speculation that a deal was about to get done.
Sources who spoke to Amick and Nehm cited “a sense of distrust” from some teams lingering from the way Milwaukee conducted trade discussions leading up to the deadline. It was the first time that general manager Jon Horst actually welcomed league-wide offers for Antetokounmpo, and the team seemed willing to make a deal. However, skepticism mounted about the Bucks’ “level of sincerity” as the deadline drew close, and the two-time MVP ultimately wasn’t moved.
Amick and Nehm cite the Celtics as posing “a serious threat” to Miami’s pursuit of Antetokounmpo, as league sources tell them that he would be willing to commit to a four-year, $275MM extension with Boston. Jaylen Brown would likely be headed out in that scenario, with the Bucks expected to flip him elsewhere in exchange for younger players and draft picks if it winds up being a two-team deal.
Amick and Nehm describe the Wolves as “an emerging option” for Antetokounmpo. It’s been repeatedly stated that he prefers to stay in the Eastern Conference, but league sources tell the authors that the Bucks are interested in what Minnesota could offer. They hear that Milwaukee would want Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Terrence Shannon Jr. and the team’s two tradable first-round picks (No. 29 this year and their 2033 selection). However, the Wolves consider McDaniels off limits, according to Amick and Nehm, along with young center Joan Beringer. It’s also not certain, they add, that Antetokounmpo would sign an extension with Minnesota.
Sources tell Amick and Nehm that some teams are asking the Bucks to present them with offers that they would consider acceptable, rather than going back and forth with proposals. The hope is not only to get clarity from Milwaukee’s side, but to minimize the number of players whose names get leaked to the media. Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam indicated last month that the team hopes to resolve Antetokounmpo’s future by the start of the draft, so that leaves 11 more days for the machinations of a deal to play out.
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.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Rumors: Bucks, Heat, Wolves, Lakers
Although they entertained trade offers for the superstar forward, the Bucks ultimately decided to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo past Thursday’s deadline, pushing a decision on his future into the offseason.
The two-time MVP made an interesting social media post on Thursday afternoon (Twitter link). He wrote, “Legends don’t chase. They attract ” alongside a video clip from “The Wolf of Wall Street” in which Leonardo DiCaprio’s character repeatedly says, “I’m not leaving,” among other obscenities.
Sources close to Antetokounmpo reiterated to Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime (Twitter video link) that the 31-year-old “never requested a trade.”
“Obviously (Antetokounmpo) has been applying pressure over the last couple of years in hopes that the Bucks would turn this roster into a championship (contender),” Haynes said. “He wants to contend for a title for years and years in his prime.
“But right now he’s happy. I was told that he’s committed and focused on getting back healthy from that calf injury. He’s progressing really well, to the point where he might even play in the All-Star game on February 15.”
Here are some more Giannis-related rumors:
- A source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald that the Heat were informed “very late” Wednesday night that Milwaukee would likely be retaining Antetokounmpo beyond the deadline (Twitter links). According to Jackson, Milwaukee considered the Heat’s offer and Miami was willing to “do what it took” to acquire the nine-time All-NBA member, but the Bucks preferred to wait and see what types of packages they could get in the summer. While the Warriors reportedly got the impression earlier this week the Bucks didn’t plan to trade Giannis, that was not was not how the Heat viewed the situation until late Wednesday, Jackson adds.
- One team that was in pursuit of Giannis told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN that Milwaukee never gave a threshold it wanted met in a deal, leaving the unnamed club skeptical that the Bucks ever intended to trade Giannis this week (Twitter video link).
- Antetokounmpo recently made it known he was interested in teaming up with Anthony Edwards on the Timberwolves, team and league sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. According to Krawczynski, the Wolves canvassed the league to see what they could get for multiple key rotation players, but talks with the Bucks never reached an advanced stage. Krawczysnki hears that while new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez were intrigued by the possibility of a Giannis trade, they also weren’t convinced that dealing away Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Joan Beringer would have been a “prudent” decision, given Antetokounmpo’s age and injury history.
- The Lakers intend to make a “hard push” for Antetokounmpo in the summer, sources tell Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. The Lakers will have three first-round picks to trade in the offseason, as opposed to the one they had access to prior to the deadline. Turner hears New York and Miami are Giannis’ preferred landing spots, but the 13-year veteran hasn’t ruled out the Lakers as a possibility.
Bulls Trade Ayo Dosunmu To Timberwolves
The Bulls have officially traded guard Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves, the Wolves and Bulls have confirmed in a pair of press releases.
Third-year forward Julian Phillips heads to Minnesota in the deal along with Dosunmu, with the Bulls acquiring 2024 first-round pick Rob Dillingham, third-year forward Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) first reported that the two teams were finalizing a deal involving Dosunmu, while ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter links) confirmed that an agreement was in place and provided the full details.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the four second-rounders are as follows:
- Either the Nuggets’ or Warriors’ 2026 pick (whichever is least favorable).
- The Cavaliers’ 2027 pick.
- Either the Timberwolves’ or Warriors’ 2031 pick (whichever is most favorable).
- Either the Suns’ or Rockets’ 2032 pick (whichever is most favorable).
The Timberwolves have been on the lookout for a way to upgrade their backcourt for much of the season. Veteran Mike Conley, the starting point guard for most of last season, saw his production fall off significantly, while youngsters like Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. didn’t take the sort of steps forward the team hoped they would. That resulted in Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo taking on more ball-handling responsibilities.
Although Dosunmu isn’t a true point guard, he’ll give Minnesota another player capable of handling the ball, initiating the offense, and making outside shots. The Chicago native is in the midst of a career year, with averages of 15.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game and an excellent shooting line of .514/.451/.857 through 45 outings (10 starts).
It’s a disappointing end to Dillingham’s tenure with the Wolves — the club gave up an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap in order to draft him eighth overall in 2024, but he didn’t develop into a reliable rotation player, averaging just 4.0 PPG and 1.9 APG on .398/.346/.657 shooting in 84 regular season appearances (10.0 MPG).
While Dillingham may benefit from a change of scenery, Dosunmu could become a fixture in Minnesota’s backcourt if the team can find a way to lock him up beyond this season. The 26-year-old is on an expiring $7.5MM contract and is eligible until June 30 for an extension worth up to about $52.4MM over three years. If he and the Wolves don’t reach an agreement by then, he’ll reach unrestricted free agency, with Minnesota holding his Bird rights.
It’s worth noting that this move shouldn’t take the Wolves out of the running for Giannis Antetokounmpo, their top trade target, but there’s widespread skepticism that the Bucks star will be moved before the deadline.
As for the Bulls, besides taking a shot on Dillingham, they continue to add to their collection of future draft assets. They’ve now completed or agreed to six separate trades this week and have acquired nine second-rounders in those deals, increasing their total count to 14, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Although Dosunmu and Coby White are headed to new NBA homes, Chicago still has a backcourt logjam. Josh Giddey and Tre Jones remain on the roster, with newcomers Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Anfernee Simons, and now Dillingham joining the mix. Still, an unbalanced roster may not be an issue for the Bulls in the short term, given that they appear to be focused on building for the future rather than maximizing their playoff chances this season.
According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), the Bulls expressed interest in rookie big man Joan Beringer during their conversations with the Wolves, but Minnesota is high on the 19-year-old Frenchman and was unwilling to include him in its offer for Dosunmu.
Chicago will cut into its projected 2026 cap room a little as a result of this deal. While Miller has a $2.4MM team option for 2026/27, Dillingham’s $6.9MM salary is fully guaranteed. The Bulls will have until October 31 to decide whether or not to exercise Dillingham’s $8.8MM team option for the ’27/28 season.
Timberwolves Notes: Deadline, Hyland, Beringer, Edwards
The Timberwolves had an uneven start to the season, but they hold the NBA’s best record (17-6) since Thanksgiving and they made an emphatic case for the front office to have a quiet trade deadline in Tuesday’s blowout victory in Milwaukee, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Playing without Rudy Gobert (suspension) and Anthony Edwards (foot), the Wolves annihilated the Bucks, cruising to a 33-point victory that “felt like a statement” to the world — and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly — that the current roster may not need any upgrades ahead of February 5, Krawczynski writes.
“We don’t need anything,” one player told The Athletic after the game. “We’re a really, really good team.”
According to Krawczynski, Minnesota’s front office has been evaluating trade options for “weeks.” Team sources tell The Athletic the Wolves are unlikely to pursue high-priced point guards like Ja Morant or LaMelo Ball because they want to stay under the second tax apron and don’t want to gut their depth.
Krawczynski suggests a more likely move may be to add a reserve wing or guard who can help alleviate some of the pressure Edwards faces at the end of games.
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- Two players who made a significant impact on Tuesday were fifth-year guard Bones Hyland and center Joan Beringer, Krawcznski notes. Hyland, who finished with 23 points, five assists and a remarkable plus-41 in 21 minutes, has emerged as reliable bench option over the past several weeks, while rookie Beringer was playing his first meaningful minutes of the season — he had 12 points, five rebounds and was plus-30 in 30 minutes. Head coach Chris Finch suggested it’s possible Beringer could have a rotation role going forward. “We can. People are going to have to sacrifice minutes, but if he plays like this, then we should be benefiting from everybody,” Finch said. “We will step-by-step this. Since draft night, we’ve long believed in this kid. This is just the beginning.”
- In an interview with Spencer Davis of R.org, former first-round pick Hyland says he has matured since he was drafted 26th overall by Denver in 2021. “I would say the biggest thing is maturity, understanding the business side of basketball, and just understanding the patience of basketball, too,” Hyland said. “I feel like some guys get carried away with losing their mind, losing their mental battle with basketball. I feel like once you beat that, everything comes to be much easier for you on the court. I feel like I beat that, and now, it’s just taking care of the basketball part and just trying to go out there and be the best basketball player I can be for Minnesota.”
- Edwards will miss his second straight game on Friday at Houston due to right foot injury management, the Wolves announced (via Twitter). According to Krawczynski (Twitter links), Finch referred to the star guard as day-to-day on Thursday morning. Krawczynski hears there are no long-term concerns with Edwards’ injury.
Western Notes: Powell, Beringer, Two-Ways, Booker, Suns
Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban shot down a report indicating that big man Dwight Powell will likely retire at the end of this season, tweeting that it’s “not true.”
Powell, 34, no longer plays a significant role in Dallas, but has been with the Mavericks for over a decade and has appeared in 20 of the club’s 25 games so far this season, averaging 10.9 minutes per night.
Powell is on a $4MM expiring contract in 2025/26, so if he does intend to extend his career beyond this season, he’ll need to sign a new deal. In all likelihood, he’ll be a minimum-salary player going forward.
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- The Timberwolves assigned rookie center Joan Beringer to the G League for the first time this season on Tuesday, per the team (Twitter link). Beringer has played limited minutes at the NBA level so far this fall, so he’ll get an opportunity to take on a more significant role for the Iowa Wolves when they face the Motor City Cruise this Friday.
- Two-way contracts recently signed by LJ Cryer (Warriors), Malevy Leons (Warriors), and Tyler Smith (Rockets) are all for two years, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Golden State and Houston will have the option of retaining those players on their two-way deals through the 2026/27 season. However, it’s somewhat rare for a player to play out a full two-year, two-way contract, as most are either promoted or waived before the deal expires.
- After Suns head coach Jordan Ott indicated over the weekend that Devin Booker has a chance to return to action on Wednesday from his groin injury, the team officially upgraded the star guard to questionable for its NBA Cup showdown with Oklahoma City, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
- ESPN’s Baxter Holmes shares the latest details on the legal battle between Suns owner Mat Ishbia and a pair of minority shareholders, Scott Seldin and Andy Kohlberg. While attorneys for Seldin and Kohlberg are taking aim at Ishbia’s majority control of the franchise, a spokesperson for Ishbia dismissed the claims in the lawsuit as “ridiculous,” according to Holmes. “Unwilling to take responsibility and invest in the team, these guys are resorting to threats and publicity stunts to get Mat to buy them out just so they make more money,” that spokesperson said.
Timberwolves Notes: McDaniels, Edwards, Shannon, Beringer, Conley
Forward Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points as the Timberwolves notched their fifth straight victory on Saturday, a 109-106 win over the Clippers. He is averaging a career-high 16 points per game while shooting 48.5% from three-point distance.
McDaniels has been primarily viewed as a top-notch perimeter defender during his career but now his offensive game is coming along, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic details. McDaniels is applying some of the lessons he learned from Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard when they worked out together in the offseason.
“Just not letting the defense speed you up, play at your pace at all times,” McDaniels said. “And that’s something I took from him and just staying at your own pace. I don’t want to give out too much because, you know.”
His teammates are appreciative of his all-around contributions.
“What he’s bringing to us is huge,” guard Donte DiVincenzo said. “Throughout the game, sometimes we’re all looking for a spark and he delivers. Sometimes we’re looking to put our foot on the neck and he delivers. And sometimes we’re looking for just some steadiness throughout the game. He’s been doing everything we’ve asked him to do and what’s expected of him.”
We have more on the Timberwolves:
- Star guard Anthony Edwards and Terrence Shannon Jr. are listed as questionable to play against the Suns on Monday due to illness, Krawczynski tweets. Neither player attending the team’s shootaround this morning.
- Adjusting to the NBA game is just one of the things first-round pick Joan Beringer is learning this season. The French-born center is also trying to get comfortable with the English language while taking driving lessons. The Star Tribune’s Chris Hine talked to Beringer and some of the team’s coaching staff about the challenges the 19-year-old rookie has faced. Beringer has appeared in nine games off the bench.
- Veteran point guard Mike Conley has been coming off the bench for Minnesota this season, but he has been on the floor during crunch time in four of the past five games that were within five points in the last five minutes, John Schuhmann of NBA.com notes. Conley made two free throws to tie Saturday’s game with the Clippers in the final minute, then set up Naz Reid’s game-winning three-pointer by attacking a close-out and getting into the paint.
Northwest Notes: Murray, Strawther, Thunder, Kessler, Beringer
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray exited Monday’s game vs. Dallas due to a right ankle sprain, but it doesn’t sound as if the injury will require an extended absence. In fact, it may not cost Murray any games at all, as he has been listed as questionable to play on Wednesday in Indiana, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette.
While the update on Murray is good news for the Nuggets, the team is still down multiple starters (Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon), and is also missing reserve wing Julian Strawther, who could have been in line for an increased role if he were healthy. As Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes (subscription required), Strawther will miss a ninth consecutive game on Wednesday due to a back injury, and it doesn’t sound as if he’s all that close to returning.
“He’s been doing minimal movement stuff,” head coach David Adelman said on Monday. “He was on the exercise machines today. I think it’s just a process of the (treatment) working and then seeing where it leads to, just through activity. (But) not basketball activity or physicality. So at this moment, I really don’t have any update on him, other than it was good to see him moving around.”
According to Adelman, there wasn’t a specific play on the court that caused Strawther’s injury.
“It wasn’t in-game. It was an off day after a game,” Adelman explained. “He just woke up with pain, and then it got considerably worse, to the point where anybody that’s had back issues — I have — it sucks. Like, you can’t do anything. No mobility. So we’re just trying to work our way through it.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Do the 21-1 Thunder have a legitimate chance to set a new NBA record by winning 74 games in 2025/26? Exploring that question, Sam Amick of The Athletic takes a look at how this year’s Thunder compare to the 73-win Warriors and notes that at least one member of that 2015/16 team believes Oklahoma City could break Golden State’s record. “I do think they’re capable,” Warriors forward Draymond Green told Amick on Tuesday. “You just need so many things to go right, though — from health, (although) they kind of plow right through health (issues), so it don’t matter, it seems. You need a lot of breaks to go your way, but they’re on the right track. I think 73 wins took some years off my life. But like I said, they’re capable of a lot.”
- In a feature story for ESPN.com, Anthony Slater does a deep dive on one key contributor to the Thunder‘s success, exploring Chet Holmgren‘s lengthy recovery from a fractured pelvis last season and outlining why the center and his teammates believe Holmgren will keep getting better.
- Jazz center Walker Kessler has remained “very engaged” while he recovers from a season-ending shoulder injury, taking part in practices and film sessions, head coach Will Hardy said this week, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Kessler isn’t traveling with the team on road trips, but that will likely happen eventually. “We’ll address the travel part a little bit further into his rehab,” Hardy said. “… I want Walker around the team. Rehab can be very isolating, and I don’t think that’s good for Walker. But that’ll be a little bit further down the road as his rehab gets more established.”
- Timberwolves rookie Joan Beringer hasn’t gotten a chance to play much this fall, but a Western Conference scout tells Grant Afseth of RG.org, “People in that building rave about how willing he is to learn.” For his part, Beringer says he’s focused on making a defensive impact and not trying to do too much in the instances when he gets a little playing time. “If I play five, six, seven minutes, I try to be good in my role, and the coach pushes me in this way,” the 19-year-old big man said.
Wolves Notes: Randle, Reid, McDaniels, Beringer
The Timberwolves were missing starting forward Jaden McDaniels on Wednesday, and Anthony Edwards‘ shooting slump continued — he made just 6-of-20 shots from the floor, including 1-of-8 three-pointers, and has now shot just 10% (3-of-30) from beyond the arc over his past four games.
Still, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes, the Wolves built a 27-point lead against the lowly Wizards behind big-time production from forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid, who signed lucrative new multiyear contracts with the team in free agency over the offseason. The duo combined for 60 points and 15 rebounds, though Minnesota’s lead dropped all the way to five points in the fourth quarter before the club put the game away.
“We got lucky, to be honest,” Randle said after the victory. “Really our edge and our activity and our aggressiveness — all that stuff, we kind of just left it in here at halftime. We’ve got to be better and more mature than that.”
Reid agreed with that assessment, responding, “Yes and no” when he was asked if he was happy with the win.
“Not like that,” Reid said. “It’s still an NBA team. Obviously, I don’t want to just roll over them. But we still got to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We know better than to put ourselves in that situation.”
Here’s more on the Wolves:
- Reid, whose five-year, $125MM deal was the most lucrative contract signed by any free agent this year, got off to a slow start, with averages of 10.8 PPG and 5.0 RPG on .421/.321/.647 shooting through his first 11 games. But he’s rounding into form (20.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, .552/.483/.750 shooting in his past four games) and is showing why the Timberwolves value him so highly, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “He’s a starter coming off the bench for us. He’s one of the best bigs in the league,” teammate Donte DiVincenzo said. “The way he can space the floor, the way he can handle the ball, it gives us such a unique wrinkle to what we can do. We can play him with so many different guys.”
- McDaniels, who has a sprained left wrist, missed his first game in nearly two years on Wednesday, snapping a streak of 157 consecutive regular season appearances. There’s no “firm read” yet on the severity of that injury, tweets Krawczynski. Head coach Chris Finch told reporters that imaging on the injury came back relatively clean and that the team will be monitoring McDaniels to see how his wrist responds to treatment in the next few days.
- Timberwolves rookie big man Joan Beringer, who just turned 19 last Tuesday, has only seen garbage-time action in the NBA so far, logging 37 total minutes across nine appearances. According to Finch, the plan is to assign Beringer to the G League at some point in the near future so that he can get some run with the Iowa Wolves (Twitter link via Hine).