Lauri Markkanen

Jazz Fined $100K By NBA

March 12th, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link) that it has fined the Jazz $100K for violating the league’s player participation policy.

According to the statement from the league, Utah did not properly make forward Lauri Markkanen available in its March 5 clash with Washington, in addition to other recent contests.

The NBA implemented its player participation policy in response to concerns about the rise of load management in recent years. As we outline in our glossary entry on the subject, the league can penalize a club for sitting out a star player in a nationally televised game, resting that player in road games, or shutting him down when he’s healthy, among other infractions.

Markkanen qualifies as a star and is affected by the player participation policy because he was an All-Star in 2023.

If the NBA fines Utah for another player participation policy violation this season, that second infraction would cost the team $250K, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter).

It’s safe to assume the Jazz have been resting their leading scorer in an effort to improve their lottery odds. Ironically, Markkanen is having his least productive season yet among his three years in Utah.

Still, the seven-footer is averaging a solid 19.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.6 APG and 0.8 SPG in the 43 games he has played. He inked a new four-year contract extension last summer to stay with Utah through 2027/28.

At 15-50, the Jazz are the only team that has been eliminated from postseason consideration as of this writing and are on track to finish as one of the NBA’s three worst teams, which would give them the maximum possible odds at earning this year’s No. 1 overall pick (14%).

Jazz Reportedly Consider Rebuild To Be In Early Stages

March 7th, 2025 at 7:02pm CST by Luke Adams

After trading away Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell during the 2022 offseason, the Jazz won 37 games in ’22/23 and 31 in ’23/24. This season, they’re on pace for just 20 wins, which would be the lowest total in franchise history.

However, according to Sarah Todd of The Deseret News, the Jazz don’t view 2024/25 as the third year of their rebuild. Instead, they consider it part of their multiyear tear-down process. “In their eyes,” Todd writes, “the rebuild hasn’t started.”

As Todd points out, the Jazz still had several veterans on their roster after moving on from Gobert and Mitchell and have since traded many of those vets too, including Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, Kelly Olynyk, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Simone Fontecchio.

Additionally, although Utah has drafted in the lottery in each of the past two years, the team didn’t have a top-eight pick in either of those drafts and none of its five first-round picks from 2023 or 2024 have established themselves as clear foundational pieces, Todd notes.

Given that context, it makes sense that the front office isn’t ready to pivot toward contending in 2025/26. Instead, hanging onto their 2026 first-rounder is a priority for the Jazz, according to Todd. That pick is top-eight protected and will be sent to Oklahoma City if it lands at No. 9 or lower. If that pick lands in the top eight, Utah would keep it and would no longer owe draft assets to the Thunder.

That means another tanking season in 2025/26 appears highly likely for the Jazz, Todd writes. Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link) has heard the same thing.

Of course, there’s a scenario in which the Jazz land a player like Cooper Flagg in this year’s draft and find themselves with too much talent on their roster to be an obvious bottom-feeder next season. If that happens, Todd writes, the Jazz might be more inclined to trade a player like Lauri Markkanen or Walker Kessler to ensure they hang onto their 2026 pick.

While the Jazz may find marketing value in spinning the past three seasons as a “tear-down” instead of a “rebuild,” I expect many fans in Utah will view the distinction as a semantic one and focus more on the fact that it has been a while since the organization has prioritized winning games.

As Larsen writes for The Salt Lake Tribune, several season ticket holders are upset about an announcement from the team that the price of their tickets are going up 2025/26. Some fans reported that prices have risen by up to 8%, Larsen writes, though the Jazz claim that most increases are closer to 3% or less and that the highest is about 6%.

“It’s extremely frustrating that I’m paying more than I was when we were the No. 1 seed and that it is far more expensive to be a season ticket holder than to just buy tickets from SeatGeek every game,” one season ticket holder told Larsen.

“Paying full price to watch a team play G League players and lose on purpose is already so disrespectful to your fan base,” another season ticket holder said, adding that he’s canceling his tickets for next season. “To then have the audacity to raise prices on season ticket holders, after being dead last in the West, shows how little this organization cares about the fans.”

Northwest Notes: SGA, Markkanen, Timberwolves, Shannon

February 14th, 2025 at 11:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

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.”

Jazz Notes: Tanking, Markkanen, Mills, Williams, Collins

January 23rd, 2025 at 7:26am CST by Luke Adams

Several Jazz players who have sat out recent games likely would’ve been playing more if the team were contending for a playoff spot, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.

That group includes Lauri Markkanen, who missed four consecutive games due to back spasms, and John Collins, who was out for eight straight due to left hip injury management. Third-year center Walker Kessler sat out a game last week in a non-back-to-back situation due to “rest.”

As Larsen writes, the Jazz are in full-on tank mode, which is probably the right long-term move for the franchise, given the challenges of attracting free agents to Utah and the need to build through the draft. Still, Larsen isn’t in favor of the NBA system that incentivizes losing and sought out a pair of Jazz veterans to get their thoughts on tanking.

“I don’t think losing, or purposefully losing, should be part of professional sports,” said Markkanen, who signed a long-term extension with Utah in August. “I feel like athletes always want to compete. I understand why some organizations around the NBA are doing it, but I feel like it sucks, in my opinion. There should be a better way to build rosters. That’s the way it’s been, so I understand it, but that’s my opinion.”

Veteran guard Patty Mills conveyed a similar sentiment.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve always played for purpose. I play for purpose, that’s for sure. So when purpose isn’t there, it’s definitely hard,” Mills said. “It’s obviously a business, and everyone realizes when you get to this stage. There are situations that will happen that will remind you of that. At the end of the day — it’s a business call for sure — our job is to go out there and help develop, help teach, especially these young guys, how to be professionals.”

Here’s more on the Jazz, who fell to 10-32 with a loss in Oklahoma City on Wednesday:

Jazz rookie Cody Williams, who left Monday’s game vs. New Orleans due to what the team referred to as a left ankle sprain, was wearing a boot and was on crutches in the locker room after the game, according to Larsen, who suggests (via Twitter) the No. 10 overall pick may be facing a “decently long” absence. Williams wasn’t available for Wednesday’s game in OKC.
In a separate Salt Lake Tribune story, Larsen highlights Collins’ return from his eight-game injury absence, noting that the big man’s performance on Wednesday certainly didn’t hurt his trade value — Collins had 22 points and 12 rebounds vs. the Thunder and was a plus-12 in 26 minutes in a game Utah lost by nine points. Larsen also explores whether rumors linking Collins to the Kings make sense.
Appearing on the Jazz’s game broadcast on Wednesday, general manager Justin Zanik explained the thinking behind the team’s decision to trade three “least favorable” first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 and 2029 to the Suns in exchange for Phoenix’s unprotected 2031 first-rounder, as Larsen relays. “The way it makes sense for us is that we now have another shot at a pick that has a lot of variability. The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does,” Zanik said. “It balances out what we want, but we’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft, but it also is about the quality of the swings, and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now.”

Jazz Notes: Juzang, Williams, Harkless, Markkanen

January 12th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz‘s matchup with the Heat on Thursday gave them a first-hand look at the sort of player they envision as a model for third-year wing Johnny Juzang, writes Kevin Reynolds of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Head coach Will Hardy referred to Heat forward Duncan Robinson as the “poster boy” for the type of unheralded prospect who earns a spot in the NBA with his reliable three-point shooting and length on defense. Like Robinson, Juzang went undrafted out of college, and Hardy said this week that he spoke to the former UCLA standout when he arrived in Utah about how he could stick in the NBA.

“We had a pretty honest conversation about what I felt like he needed to do to make it,” Hardy said. “He was sort of an all-around scorer in college, had the ball a lot. Johnny has two really great gifts. He can really shoot and he is in really good shape. We felt like him becoming a real threat from the three-point line, and making that the centerpiece, would allow him to stick.”

Juzang played sparingly while on a two-way contract during his first two seasons with the Jazz, appearing in just 38 total contests. But he showed enough to earn a multiyear deal this past offseason that includes a guaranteed $3.1MM salary in 2024/25.

The remaining three seasons on the 23-year-old’s contract are non-guaranteed, so he’ll have to continuing proving to Utah’s front office that he deserves his roster spot. He’s off to a promising start this season, having averaged 7.3 points per game with a .400 3PT% through 32 appearances (17.8 MPG), including 9.2 PPG with a .446 3PT% since the start of December.

Here’s more on the Jazz:

Juzang missed Saturday’s game in Phoenix due to a fracture in his right hand, but the club doesn’t believe that injury will require a lengthy absence. As Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune relays (via Twitter), the Jazz stated that once the inflammation subsides, they “anticipate he will be able to play with the fracture as pain tolerates.”
Saturday’s 13-point performance against Phoenix was a promising sign for rookie Cody Williams, who has badly struggled offensively in the first half of the season, Larsen writes for The Tribune (subscription required). Williams’ ball-handling and footwork still need work, but he has shown good touch near the basket out to about 15 feet, Larsen observes. His 13 points on Saturday represented a career high and he was a plus-7 across 22 minutes in a game Utah lost by eight points.
Elijah Harkless, who signed a two-way contract with Utah at the start of January, made his NBA debut on Saturday vs. the Suns, Larsen notes in the same story. While Harkless has been shooting the ball well this season in the G League, making 40.8% of his three-pointers, he’s best known for his defense. Asked last week by Larsen to introduce his game to Jazz fans, Harkless replied, “I’m competitive. Best on-ball defender on the planet.” He went scoreless with four rebounds in nine minutes on Saturday.
In case you missed it in our Community Shootaround discussion on Saturday, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was among the players labeled by scouts and executives who spoke to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link) as one of the season’s disappointments so far. “He’s probably not super motivated because the team is tanking,” one executive said of Markkanen, who signed a long-term extension with Utah in August. “But his numbers and his overall level is down across the board.”

Community Shootaround: First Half’s Pleasant Surprises, Disappointments

January 11th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The fact that Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has been able to play in 19 games so far this season is an achievement in itself, given that he missed the previous two-and-a-half years while dealing with ongoing knee problems. As Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps write for ESPN.com (Insider link), what’s even more impressive is how impactful Ball has been during his time on the court.

Although his numbers, including 5.8 points per game on .359/.318/.750, don’t look especially strong, Ball is once again making the sorts of winning plays that don’t show up in the box score. Chicago has a +6.9 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -5.0 mark when he’s not.

“Someone is going to get him next year and look smart,” one executive said to ESPN of Ball, who is on an expiring contract.

Ball is among several players identified by Windhorst and Bontemps as the pleasant surprises of the first half of the 2024/25 NBA season. Here are a few more of the names on that list:

Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: “He’s been everything the Knicks were hoping for and more, and his absence has left a larger hole than the Wolves would’ve ever thought,” a scout told ESPN.
Cade Cunningham, Pistons: “When the Pistons gave him the max, there were quite a few people who thought it was a risk, and he’s been very strong,” a general manager said.
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: “What he’s doing is just ridiculous,” an executive said. “Say whatever you want about him meeting expectations; if he gets that roster to the playoffs, he should get MVP votes. And he might.”
Norman Powell, Clippers: “He’s gotten more minutes and shots, but no one would’ve believed he’d take this leap at this stage of his career,” an exec said to ESPN.

James Harden (Clippers), Dyson Daniels (Hawks), and Cameron Johnson (Nets) are among the others mentioned by ESPN’s duo.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, Heat teammates Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez, and Sixers center Joel Embiid are among the season’s biggest disappointments, as identified by Windhorst, Bontemps, and the sources they spoke to. Here are a few more of the players in that group:

Paul George, Sixers: “Philly probably knew there was a chance they’d have a rough PG year on this contract but they probably thought it would be year four — not year one,” an executive said.
Kyle Kuzma, Wizards: “I know he’s dealt with an injury,” one scout told ESPN, “but I think this has been the most disappointing season of his career.”
Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers: “I thought it was a guarantee he’d play much better this year than last and show some things,” an exec said. “I’ve been wrong. His numbers are down, and the eye (test) confirms it.”

We want to know what you think.

Which NBA players have you been most pleasantly surprised or disappointed by so far this season? Are there any names on ESPN’s lists – or scouts’ and executives’ comments – that you strongly agree or disagree with?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Jazz Notes: Sensabaugh, Markkanen, George, Williams, Harkless

January 2nd, 2025 at 8:16pm CST by Luke Adams

After appearing in just 32 games during his rookie year with the Jazz, Brice Sensabaugh has already nearly matched that total in his second season, earning minutes off the bench in 26 of Utah’s 32 contests so far. Sensabaugh still isn’t playing a major role, but he has been more effective during his time on the court, making 45.0% of his shots from the field and 38.0% of his three-pointers after posting a .390 FG% and .296 3PT% last season.

Speaking to Grant Afseth of RG.org, Sensabaugh admitted that the learning curve has been steep as he continues to adjust to the NBA after thriving in his lone college season at Ohio State.

“The games come fast, and it’s all the best players in the world, so you really have to lock into the details,” Sensabaugh said. “Taking time to watch film with the coaches and preparing ahead of games is important. You play teams multiple times, so you adjust. Doing your work early on defense and being in the right spot helps you avoid playing from behind.”

Sensabaugh added that remaining in Salt Lake City during the 2024 offseason and working closely with the team’s coaching staff has helped him understand what he needs to do to earn minutes and what the Jazz want to see from him going forward.

“They’ve been transparent with what they want from us. We have a bunch of meetings and conversations outside of practice to clarify things,” Sensabaugh said. “Being around the whole summer and getting our real work in Utah has helped a lot, especially for the young guys. We know what the coaches want, and if we keep building together, I think we can be special for sure.”

Here’s more out of Utah:

Should the Jazz be worried about Lauri Markkanen‘s decline in shooting efficiency or Keyonte George‘s defense? In the view of Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, the latter is more concerning than the former, since Markkanen is facing more defensive attention than ever and has been forced to take more difficult shots. George, on the other hand, has statistically been the worst defensive player on the league’s worst defensive team — Utah’s league-worst 119.7 defensive rating drops to a team-worst 123.6 during George’s minutes. George has good size for a guard (6’4″, with a wingspan of nearly 6’8″) and should be better defensively, according to Larsen, who says it’s imperative that the 21-year-old improve on that end of the court.
Cody Williams‘ offensive numbers through his first 19 NBA games (3.5 PPG on .312/.238/.643 shooting) have been brutal, so it was encouraging to see him go off for a season-high 36 points on 13-of-21 shooting for the Salt Lake City Stars on Wednesday, writes Larsen. Larsen suggests it might be better for Williams’ development, at least for now, to have him taking 20 shots per game in the G League rather than “being along for the ride” at the NBA level.
The two-way contract that Elijah Harkless signed with the Jazz on Wednesday is for two years, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means it will cover not just the rest of the 2024/25 season but ’25/26 as well, giving Utah the option of hanging onto Harkless beyond this season without having to negotiate a new deal.

Northwest Notes: Kessler, Markkanen, Murray, Hartenstein

November 23rd, 2024 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Jazz turned in their best defensive performance of the season Saturday, and it’s no coincidence that Walker Kessler was back on the court, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. After missing six games due to hip bursitis, Kessler returned to the starting lineup and provided a strong interior presence to shut down the Knicks.

Larsen notes that Utah limited New York to a season-worst 103.9 offensive rating, and when the Knicks were forced to set up their half-court offense, that rating dropped to a remarkable 69.7. Larsen adds that with Kessler serving as a deterrent, New York only attempted 11 shots at the rim in the entire game.

Kessler has also become a greater threat on offense in his third NBA season, Larsen states. His ability to roll to the rim frequently caused New York’s offense to collapse and set up open three-point shots.

“Obviously he’s a big target down there on the block, and he’s understanding that too, that he’s a big target,” Lauri Markkanen said. “So people are swarming him when he gets to the basket, and he’s smart enough to make those reads.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

The Jazz are utilizing Markkanen differently now than they were earlier in the season, Larsen observes in the same piece. They had been using him as a screener and letting him attack from the elbow after a defensive switch. However, opponents were countering that with double teams and forcing him to pass. Now Markkanen is coming off screens more often and making quick decisions once he touches the ball.
Jamal Murray‘s inconsistent shooting may be shortening the championship window for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, contends Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. Murray was 4-of-16 in Friday’s loss to Dallas and hasn’t been producing the way the team had hoped when it gave him a $209MM extension during the offseason. Add in a poor defensive rating, and Keeler suggests it may be time to consider benching Murray late in games. “We’ve got to find a way,” coach Michael Malone said after the loss. “And I have to find a way to help to get Jamal going.”
Isaiah Hartenstein‘s season debut this week provided an emotional lift for the Thunder, who had been getting bullied by larger teams with their top three big men sidelined, per Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. The free agent addition played 29 minutes off the bench, posting 13 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. He also formed an imposing defensive combination alongside Alex Caruso. “He breathed some life into us,” coach Mark Daigneault said.

Injury Notes: Vassell, Brogdon, V. Williams, Jazz, Bulls

November 7th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs are optimistic that swingman Devin Vassell could make his season debut on Saturday vs. Utah, Shams Charania of ESPN said on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).

A former lottery pick who is in the first season of a lucrative long-term extension, Vassell’s 2024/25 debut has been delayed by offseason foot surgery. But it sounds like he’s fully healthy now, with his return “imminent,” according to Charania.

Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link) first reported that Vassell would be back as soon as Saturday.

Here are several more injury notes from around the NBA:

Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon appears to be inching closer to a return. The former Sixth Man of the Year underwent thumb surgery last month, and while he’s still wearing a wrap, he has progressed to shooting with his right hand, which is an encouraging sign, per Chase Hughes of The Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link).
The Grizzlies have dealt with numerous injuries once again to open ’24/25. One injured player — third-year wing Vince Williams — is getting back into shape. Memphis assigned him to the team’s G League affiliate on Thursday to practice. Williams will be immediately recalled following the practice session, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter). Williams, who is recovering from a stress reaction in the upper portion of his left tibia, is on track to make it back to game action in about one-to-three weeks.
The Jazz should get some reinforcements back on Thursday in Milwaukee. Lauri Markkanen (back), Jordan Clarkson (heel) and Isaiah Collier (hamstring) have all been upgraded to probable, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Markkanen has missed Utah’s past three games, while Clarkson has missed the past two. Collier, a first-round pick earlier this year, has yet to make his regular season debut.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan recently provided a minor injury update on Lonzo Ball, who is dealing with a sprained right wrist. As K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network relays (via Twitter), Donovan said Ball is still wearing a splint and there’s no timetable for his return.
Bulls wing Zach LaVine has been downgraded to doubtful for Thursday’s game vs. Minnesota due to an adductor strain, Johnson tweets, indicating the two-time All-Star is likely to miss his third consecutive game. However, it’s possible LaVine might return on Saturday vs. Atlanta, Johnson adds.

Northwest Notes: Markkanen, Braun, Alexander-Walker, Avdija

November 2nd, 2024 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen has been ruled out for a second consecutive game, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who tweets that Markkanen will be unavailable on Saturday in Denver. Utah’s leading scorer also missed Thursday’s loss to San Antonio after exiting Tuesday’s game vs. Sacramento early due to low back spasms.

According to Larsen (Twitter link), Markkanen doesn’t anticipate a lengthy absence, indicating today that he believes he’ll return to action at some point during the team’s current road trip. That trip will include stops in in Chicago (on Monday), Milwaukee (Thursday), and San Antonio (next Saturday) before Utah returns home on November 12.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Christian Braun has impressed the Nuggets in his new starting role so far this season, but he blamed himself for helping to spark a late Timberwolves rally on Friday, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. He and Rudy Gobert were each assessed with a technical foul following a brief dust-up instigated by Braun’s celebration of a big dunk over the four-time Defensive Player of the Year (Twitter video link). The Wolves, down by eight points at the time with 5:14 left, ended up winning by three. “Momentum changed like that, after the tech,” Braun said, suggesting he views the incident as a learning experience. “… It should have been a positive, and then I get the tech, and that turns it to a negative. … I’ve gotta be smarter after I make that play. Get back on defense.”
Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has come a long way since being sent to Minnesota at the 2023 trade deadline as a throw-in alongside Mike Conley, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who takes a closer look at Alexander-Walker’s impact after he helped Minnesota steal a win from Denver on Friday. The 26-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
After being acquired in an offseason trade, Deni Avdija is off to a miserable shooting start with the Trail Blazers, making just 33.9% of his field goal tries, including 14.3% of his three-pointers, in his first six outings. As Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes in a subscriber-only story, Avdija – who had a key blocked shot late in Wednesday’s one-point win over the Clippers, is making an effort to help the team in other ways during his shooting slump. “I feel like I’m still trying to get in rhythm with everything,” he said. “Opening the season a little bit on the slow start for me personally but I’m trying to contribute with other things.”

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