Mike Conley

Northwest Notes: Markkanen, K. George, A. Mitchell, Wolves

December 1st, 2025 at 11:17pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Jazz are incentivized to tank again in 2025/26 so they keep their top-eight protected first-round pick instead of sending it to Oklahoma City, rival teams have gotten the impression Utah would like to be competitive again in the relative short term, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story (subscriber link).

According to Stein, it’s difficult for some teams to gauge the true intentions of new head of basketball operations Austin Ainge, but most of the opposing front offices Stein has spoken to have become “increasingly convinced” the Jazz would rather make a trade to enhance their core around Lauri Markkanen rather than deal away the Finnish star, who is averaging a career-best 27.9 points per game this season.

There has been speculation that Utah could look to move Markkanen within the next year, and Ainge didn’t entirely shut down that possibility in October. The 28-year-old forward is signed to a lucrative long-term contract which runs through the 2028/29 season.

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After struggling mightily in Sunday’s lopsided loss to Houston — he played through an illness and went scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting and committed eight turnovers in 19 minutes — Keyonte George bounced back in a major way in Monday’s victory over the Rockets, finishing with 28 points (on 8-of-14 shooting), eight assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes. The third-year guard is having a breakout season for the Jazz, averaging 22.5 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds on .440/.325/.898 shooting through 19 games (33.9 minutes per contest). George credits an open conversation with head coach Will Hardy at the conclusion of 2024/25 for changing his mentality and raising his expectations, he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “Our relationship is on a whole other level now. My exit interview was brutal. Will shot it to me straight,” George said. “Will calls me late at night and tells me little things like, ‘Play defense,’ and then he hangs up. But also, we got to the realization where we have some great dialogue. He doesn’t like some stuff and I try to communicate what I was thinking and the group was thinking. That is important for me. With the position I’m playing, I’m a second him on the floor. He can’t play. So, I’m thinking for the group trying to execute what he wants every single possession. Our relationship from my first year to now it’s completely different.”
Ajay Mitchell, a 2024 second-round pick, unexpectedly received immediate rotation minutes while on a two-way contract last season with the Thunder. A toe injury forced him to miss a significant portion of his rookie year, but the Belgian guard was still promoted to a standard contract in February and then signed a team-friendly multiyear deal as a restricted free agent over the summer. Mitchell tells Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required) that his lengthy absence helped prepare him for year two, and the former UC Santa Barbara star has made tremendous strides in his second season, boosting his production across the board and improving on both sides of the ball. “He’s just a really good basketball player,” reigning MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “His feel for the game is what jumps out right away. He just understands how to play. It’s almost like when you’re playing with him, it’s like a pickup game. He doesn’t need a play called for him. He doesn’t need too much structure. He just goes out there and figures out a way, makes the right basketball play, plays hard and wins. He makes it easy for me.”
Down four points entering the fourth quarter on Sunday, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch rolled out a lineup featuring Mike Conley, Donte DiVincenzo, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Naz Reid and swung the tide of momentum to a win, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. That five-man group had only played 15 minutes together this season entering Sunday, but blitzed San Antonio during its six minutes together last night. “We’re a hard team to beat when we’re all involved, and it shows,” said Reid, who scored eight of his 15 points in a fourth quarter in which the Wolves outscored the Spurs by 20 points with him on the floor. “If we could do that more consistently, we’re going to be a really, really hard team to beat. It’s fun, especially when you’re doing it at home, getting the crowd involved and all that good stuff. It’s fun basketball.”

Northwest Notes: K. George, Bailey, A. Mitchell, Wolves

November 28th, 2025 at 11:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Third-year guard Keyonte George is having a breakout season for the Jazz, putting up career highs in every major counting stat while improving his offensive efficiency and competing harder on the defensive end, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.

George, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer, spoke to Larsen about the work he put in during the offseason to level up his game. He also discussed his relationship and on-court partnership with star forward Lauri Markkanen.

“Yeah, me and Lauri had a long, long, like three-hour conversation at his house right before camp,” George said. “We just laid it all on the floor: some of his individual goals, some of my individual goals. As far as the team: What is our goal? What would a good season, you know, look like for us? And obviously, we know there’s no expectations on our team, but I think just us talking that out was good. We constantly go to dinner on the road, we’re constantly having dialogue. Walking off the court, going on to the court, timeouts, we’re always talking to each other.

“Obviously, being with him for three years now, I understand his game a little bit more, and know some of the actions, know what side of the floor he wants the ball on. I know, like, for example, even though a man might be in front of him, I know I can kick the ball up the floor if he’s right in front of me, knowing that he’s got two directions to drive. So I’ve just honestly been giving him the ball in space and kind of letting him just be him. And then the catch-and-shoots, like you already know, he’s gonna let it rise. So if I can just give him the ball in space and throw it on time, on target, he’s able to get it off faster.

“I’ve got a whole ‘nother level to get to, but I’m obviously happy with my progress, not just with myself, but with the team. The results haven’t been where we want them to be, but we’re starting to realize the game within the game, and that’s when we’ll be able to get over the hump, whenever we continue to figure that out and play well.”

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Rookie forward Ace Bailey sustained a right knee contusion in Friday’s game against Sacramento and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, per the Jazz (Twitter link via Larsen). Bailey, the fifth overall pick in the 2025 draft, has been playing well since he entered Utah’s starting lineup a few weeks ago, averaging 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals on .523/.383/.778 shooting in the eight games leading up to Friday’s win (25.1 minutes per contest).
Second-year Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell also exited Friday’s game an injury — a left knee contusion — and did not return, the team announced. The Belgian combo guard is among the early frontrunners for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
After letting games slip away against Sacramento and Phoenix, Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley led a team dinner Tuesday night where several issues were discussed. Chris Hine of The Star Tribune has more details on the meeting, which involved more than just talking about the Wolves’ late-game troubles. “It’s OK to eat, enjoy each other and watch other basketball games and talk basketball and not be all about business all the time,” Conley said. “Sometimes you need that.”

Northwest Notes: J. Williams, Presti, Wolves, C. Williams

November 26th, 2025 at 7:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

In Wednesday’s pregame press conference, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault offered an update on Jalen Williams‘ progress as he recovers from wrist surgery, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. There’s still no timetable for Williams to resume playing, but Daigneault said he’s maintaining a positive attitude while working his way through rehab.

“Day-to-day, and he’s doing a great job,” Daigneault said. “There’s so much invisible work that goes into a return to play that you guys don’t get the opportunity to see and we don’t even get the opportunity to see.”

Oklahoma City has remained on top of the league without Williams, carrying a 17-1 record into tonight’s game against Minnesota. The fourth-year forward was a third-team All-NBA and second-team All-Defensive selection last season, but he’s ineligible for any postseason honors this year because he has already missed too many games.

Daigneault said he got a first-hand look at Williams’ rehab efforts when he arrived at the practice facility at 8:15 am Wednesday and saw the 24-year-old doing physical therapy work in preparation for an on-court workout.

“That’s the work you have to put in day after day without the immediate carrot of playing when you’re going through a rehab,” Daigneault added. “But that’s why having guys with the maturity that we have is so important. (Thomas) Sorber has done a great job with that. (Nikola) Topic has done a great job with that. Chet (Holmgren) has done it a couple of different times. (Williams) is doing it just the way we want him to do it.”

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Thunder general manager Sam Presti took inspiration from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Caro in building a championship roster, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Caro has written numerous historical works, including an in-depth profile of Lyndon Johnson’s time in the U.S. Senate. “One of my favorite authors, Robert Caro, has a great saying about research, where he says, ‘You have to turn every single page,’ and I really like that relative to what it is that we have to do in order to discover the team,” Presti said. “We have to really understand and go through every iteration to ensure that we’re not shutting off potential pathways that could really help us or get us to another level, whether it’s now or in the future. … I think by turning every page, you give yourself every opportunity.”
After letting games slip away against Sacramento and Phoenix, Timberwolves guard Mike Conley led a team dinner Tuesday night where several issues were discussed, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Julius Randle described the gathering as “not optional.”
The Jazz have sent 2024 first-round pick Cody Williams to the G League, the team’s Salt Lake City affiliate announced (via Twitter). Williams’ playing time has been declining lately — he logged just three minutes in Sunday’s game and was a DNP-CD on Monday.

Wolves To Start DiVincenzo, Move Conley To Bench

October 22nd, 2025 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Donte DiVincenzo will open the 2025/26 season as the Timberwolves‘ starting point guard, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

The move means that veteran point guard Mike Conley will shift to a bench role, though he’ll remain a “vital piece” for the team, according to Haynes.

Conley has appeared in 171 games for the Wolves since being acquired from Utah in a mid-season trade at the 2023 deadline, starting 164 of them. The seven-game stretch in which he came off the bench occurred in January 2025, when head coach Chris Finch made this same lineup change, with DiVincenzo starting in Conley’s place. That experiment came to an end when DiVincenzo injured his toe and was sidelined for over a month.

Conley, who is entering his 19th year in the NBA, turned 38 earlier this month and can no longer be counted on to regularly play 30-35 minutes per night at this stage in his career. He averaged a career-low 24.7 MPG last season and contributed 8.2 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per contest. It looks like removing him from the starting five is a way for Finch and the Wolves to better manage his playing time rather than a signal that they don’t trust him in that role anymore.

For what it’s worth, the five-man lineup consisting of DiVincenzo, Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert had a +4.6 net rating in 213 minutes last season. That same group with Conley in DiVincenzo’s place posted a +3.2 mark in 714 minutes.

Northwest Notes: Jazz, Blazers, Conley, Edwards, Thunder

October 22nd, 2025 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Tony Jones of The Athletic about the Jazz beginning construction on a new practice facility outside of downtown Salt Lake City, team owner Ryan Smith expressed optimism about the direction of the franchise, despite the fact that its win total has declined in each of the past four seasons.

“I think (new president of basketball operations) Austin (Ainge) is a star. I think (head coach) Will (Hardy) is a star,” Smith said. “I think we have one of the most exciting front offices in the league. We have a lot of picks and a lot of flexibility.”

After racking up 52 victories in 2020/21, Smith’s first year on the job, the club has won 49, 37, 31, and 17 in the years since then, embarking on a full-fledged rebuild during that time. While Smith is eager for the Jazz to begin reversing that trend and climbing back up the NBA standings, he acknowledged he can’t rush the process and has to exercise some patience.

“The picks aren’t coming fast enough for me, but I know this is the NBA. You have to grow the talent,” he told Jones. “We have brought in a lot of people who have a lot of rings. So, the ultimate goal is to win titles. That’s what matters. I understand that’s also the goal of every other team, so it’s really difficult and winning happens rarely. We just have to hit on these picks and keep stacking good decisions. It’s good to have Taylor (Hendricks) back. Walker (Kessler) is coming along. We just have to grow the guys.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest Division:

Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) evaluates the extensions the Trail Blazers completed this week with Toumani Camara and Shaedon Sharpe, dubbing Camara’s four-year, $81MM deal a win-win for the forward and the team, while suggesting that Sharpe’s four-year, $90MM contract represents more of a “calculated risk” for the two sides. As Highkin writes, Sharpe still has All-Star upside entering his age-22 season, but there’s certainly no guarantee he’ll reach that ceiling.
Retirement isn’t a consideration in the short term for Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley, who said ahead of his 19th NBA season that he’s “looking forward to trying to get to 20 and see what happens,” according to Sam Yip of HoopsHype. “There hasn’t been a day that I have felt like I should retire yet,” Conley said within a larger Q&A. “… I think it’ll come to a point where you get kind of overwhelmed with the amount of work you have to do in order to stay at par to keep up with these guys, that it just becomes too much. But so far it’s not there, so hopefully we can squeeze a little bit more juice out of this thing.”
In an in-depth story for The Athletic, Jon Krawczynski examines Anthony Edwards‘ drive to continue improving and his determination to win an NBA championship after being ousted in the Western Conference Finals in each of the past two years. Edwards is listed as questionable to play in Wednesday’s season opener in Portland due to back spasms, per the Timberwolves (Twitter link).
Did the defending champion Thunder peak last season, will they peak this season, or are the best years for this core still ahead of them? Zach Kram of ESPN considers that question, outlining why all three possibilities are viable. Oklahoma City picked up its first win of the season in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, beating Houston by one point in a double-overtime thriller after Thunder players received their championship rings.

Wolves Notes: Conley, Randle, DiVincenzo, Reid

October 3rd, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

After dealing with multiple health issues – including a wrist injury – last fall, Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley feels much better entering the 2025/26 season, having been able to do his normal work during the offseason, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes.

“Completely different summer,” Conley said. “More what I’m used to, being able to work every day. As soon as we got out of the playoffs, I was back just being able to get into my routines and scheduled everything out like I normally do. I feel right on schedule for training camp and in shape ready to go. So it was a breath of fresh air to be able to work again and shoot basketballs and do all that, that I wasn’t able to do the summer before.”

Conley, who will turn 38 next Saturday, set career lows in several statistical categories in 2024/25, including points (8.2) and minutes (24.7) per game, as well as usage rate (14.4%). However, he has been more assertive in training camp, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who notes that Conley believes he can bounce back and be more effective than he was last season if he gets a few more opportunities to initiate the offense.

“To be the best version (of myself), it’s having the ball, I think,” Conley told reporters on media day. “That doesn’t mean I need to shoot it. I don’t need to shoot, but as a point guard, I’ve grown up playing the position in the way I play it. You have a better feel for the game when you are initiating, when you’re controlling a little bit more, dictating how the game is flowing. You get kind of stagnant when you sit in certain areas, maybe sit in the corner for too long, or don’t touch the ball for a couple possessions, or four or five minutes.”

Of course, Conley often shares the floor with a pair of high-level scorers in Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, who both need the ball in their hands to be effective as well. But the veteran point guard made it clear he doesn’t want to take scoring opportunities away from either of those players, suggesting he can help get them easy points in fast-break situations.

“We talk about it all the time, and it’s something that I tell them every time,” Conley said, per Krawczynski. “If I get the ball, I promise y’all, I’m not trying to go shoot this thing. I promise you, if you run, I’m gonna throw it up to you. I want to play quarterback, all-time quarterback. That’s what I want to do.”

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A year after being unexpectedly traded from New York to Minnesota as training camp was about to begin, Randle has a new three-year contract in hand and feels at home as a Timberwolf, according to Krawczynski. “Now it just feels very settled,” Randle said ahead of his second season in Minnesota. “I would say even this summer and leading up to the season is probably the happiest I’ve been in a really long time as far as just career, family, everything. … My work-life balance, or just my ability to separate the two, have been a lot better since I’ve been here.”
Timberwolves wing Donte DiVincenzo didn’t play for Italy at this year’s EuroBasket tournament due to the turf toe issue that affected him last season and required him to play with a plate in his shoe. However, he told reporters this week that he feels “110 percent” ready for the coming season, per Hine. “I had the option to get surgery. I elected not to,” DiVincenzo said. “Surgery would have put me out, I think, five, six months, and we put a plate in the shoe to restrict that mobility of my toe. … Because now the season ended, I pulled the plate out of my shoe. I want to get back to being my normal self, and so it’s all precautionary. There’s nothing to worry about to start the season.”
An offseason that should have been a rewarding one for Naz Reid, who signed the most lucrative contract of any 2025 free agent ($125MM over five years), took a tragic turn last month when his sister was shot and killed in New Jersey. The Wolves big man, a fan favorite in Minnesota, entered training camp this week with a heavy heart, as Krawczynski writes for The Athletic. “I’ve been (getting) better, been on the up and up,” Reid said. “A lot of people around me are supporting. Things don’t really go as planned in life, but you know, there’s a lot of situations where … like I said before, I’ve got a lot of support and it helps a lot.”

Wolves Notes: Randle, Beringer, DiVincenzo, Identity

September 5th, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Timberwolves‘ decision last summer to trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo ended up being a rare win-win deal, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski writes in a mailbag article.

Randle not only turned in a very positive second half to the season and first-round series against the Lakers, but thanks to his (relatively) smaller cap hit, he allowed the team to prioritize building its depth in a way it wouldn’t have with Towns’ salary, which was worth $5MM more than Randle and DiVincenzo combined last season.

This flexibility was used this offseason to get under the second apron without having to part with key players like Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, or recently extended Naz Reid. Doing so with Towns in the fold would have been nearly impossible, and would have forced the Wolves into even harder choices than they already had to make when it came to retaining their players.

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Another important pickup from the trade with the Knicks was the Pistons’ lottery-protected pick, which ended up conveying and becoming Joan Beringer, thanks to Detroit exceeding expectations. Krawczynski writes that while it’s likely that Beringer plays some minutes for the G League affiliate in Iowa early in the year, the team has made clear it expects him to spend much of this season with the main club as a depth piece behind Gobert, Randle and Reid.
While DiVincenzo’s debut season in Minnesota was inconsistent, Krawczynski notes that there were positive moments, especially during a small stretch when he was asked to play point guard for the team. DiVincenzo averaged 17.5 points per game and shot 42% on three-pointers in a six-game run where the Wolves went 4-2. Given Mike Conley‘s age, Krawczynski says it’s entirely possible DiVincenzo gets a crack at the fifth starter spot. The Wolves also have sophomore point guard Rob Dillingham waiting in the wings, but it’s unclear if the 20-year-old is ready to take that leap on a team with title aspirations.
The Wolves have managed to walk the tightrope of being back-to-back Western Conference Finalists while also building a strong core for the future, led by Anthony Edwards and also including Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Dillingham, each of whom is 26 or younger. Given the team’s flexible outlook and recent track record of success, Krawczynski has deemed this the Golden Age of Timberwolves basketball. While there are still decisions for new owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore to figure out moving forward, they have a strong foundation to ensure the team is competitive for years to come.

Wolves Rumors: Durant, Ownership, Connelly, FAs, Conley

May 30th, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves and Suns both operated above the second tax apron during the 2024/25 season, which means it would have been extremely difficult for the two teams to construct a trade that sent Kevin Durant to Minnesota at the February deadline. Still, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast that the Wolves made a real effort to land the star forward four months ago (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM).

“It became clear to me in talking to the parties involved just how serious the Wolves were about trying to trade for Kevin Durant at the trade deadline,” Windhorst said.

Windhorst goes on to acknowledge that the pre-deadline Wolves weren’t playing as well as they eventually performed down the stretch and in the first two rounds of the playoffs, so their level of interest in Durant may not be the same this offseason as it was at the time. And even with some money coming off their books this offseason, a deal for a player earning $54.7MM would be tricky to pull off.

Still, Windhorst notes that president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has a history of taking big swings on the trade market, making the Wolves a potential team to watch if Durant is on the trade block.

“I’m not arguing that Durant’s going to end up in Minnesota,” Windhorst said. “I’m just saying, if you look at Tim Connelly, he made the big (Rudy) Gobert trade. He made the big Julius Randle and (Donte) DiVincenzo trade. He’s shown the propensity to make big deals.”

The Timberwolves plan to be aggressive in building their roster around Anthony Edwards this offseason, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who writes that the new ownership group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez has put together a “deep-pocketed group” of partners and would be comfortable continuing to pay luxury tax penalties going forward.

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The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to vote to formally approve the Lore/Rodriguez ownership group sometime in late June, sources tell Krawczynski. The new owners plan to more aggressively invest in the business side of the franchise, Krawczynski continues, which includes making plans for a new arena.
Two team sources reiterated to The Athletic that there’s optimism about the Wolves’ ability to work out a new contract with Connelly, who has an opt-out clause in his current deal this offseason. According to Krawczynski, while Lore and Rodriguez are involved in major roster decisions, they trust Connelly to make the moves he believes are necessary. Connelly’s easy-going personality has “helped relax what could often be a nervous, downtrodden basketball operations department,” Krawczynski adds.
With Randle, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all potentially reaching free agency this summer (Randle and Reid hold player options), Krawczynski believes the likeliest outcome is that two of those three players will remain in Minnesota, with one of them departing.
Mike Conley spoke after the Wolves’ Game 5 loss on Wednesday as if he plans to return for his 19th season, but he’ll likely take on a reduced workload, so it’s crucial that the Wolves find another productive point guard, either in-house (ie. Rob Dillingham) or by bringing in a veteran, says Krawczynski. “I think my role is one that I’ve been willing to do anything,” Conley said. “Just play any amount of minutes, start, come off the bench. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do. Whatever is best for the team.”

Timberwolves Notes: Offseason, Game 5, Conley, Edwards, Free Agents

May 29th, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Fresh off reaching their second consecutive Western Conference Finals, the now-eliminated Timberwolves have some interesting questions to answer this summer. Mark Deeks of HoopsHype and Bobby Marks of ESPN explore several of those questions in their respective offseason previews for the team.

Deeks notes that, provided big men Julius Randle and Naz Reid both pick up their player options, the Timberwolves will have seven players drawing eight-figure salaries. Deeks believes that all of the current players under contract are earning solid deals relative to their on-court value. That said, he posits that a trade is likely if Randle picks up his option.

While Deeks notes that Reid could be signed to a contract extension following the draft, he seems likely to earn more if he declines his option and hits free agency.

Marks observes that a limited free agent market could compel both players to opt in to their deals, and notes that almost half of the NBA’s teams could have major cap room in 2026.

According to Marks, the growth of rookie wing Terrence Shannon Jr. might make another Minnesota free agent, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, expendable. With 16 clubs projected to have the ability to offer Alexander-Walker the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, his future in Minnesota looks more tenuous.

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The 30-point blowout loss to Oklahoma City that ended the Timberwolves’ season could obscure what was otherwise an exciting 2024/25 run, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “Once that buzzer sounds and you’re just able to feel everything, it hurts,” Randle said. “It hurts. So, really, that’s where I’m at right now. It’s almost like a grieving stage of the season and it hurts, really. But we’ll be back.” After trading five-time All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to New York for a package headlined by Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves’ ability to return to the West Finals was in doubt. However, Randle shined in the first two rounds of the playoffs, averaging 23.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 5.9 APG and submitting a strong defensive effort. The bloom came off the rose against the Thunder, when the 6’9″ vet averaged 17.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.0 APG. Center Rudy Gobert‘s offensive limitations were also exposed against the Thunder throughout the series. He was limited to just two points in 19 minutes of action during Game 5.
Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, 37 and in his 18th season, has been eliminated in three conference finals over the course of his career. The former All-Star conceded that missing out on his first-ever NBA Finals appearance yet again was painful, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “When I was walking off the floor I was thinking, ‘Not again,’” Conley told Spears. “I know how hard it is. It hurts a lot. I wanted it so bad. I wanted it for these guys.”
After a disappointing Game 5 performance, three-time All-NBA Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards expressed confidence that he would return to a big postseason stage soon, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m 23,” Edwards said. “I get to do it a whole bunch of times. I’m hurt more so for Mike. I came up short for Mike. We tried last year, we couldn’t get it. We tried again this year. We’ll try again next year.”
Timberwolves stars Randle, Reid and Alexander-Walker all discussed their potential impending free agencies following their official elimination, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Reid suggested that he would likely decline his option and hit unrestricted free agency, looking for a long-term deal either with the Timberwolves or another team. “I think the work has been put in,” Reid said. “Obviously, I’ve got a long way to go with being only 25, but for sure. I think that’s what the future looks like for me.” Although Reid considers himself a starting-level player, he is apparently open to remaining a reserve in Minnesota. Randle and Alexander-Walker claimed to not have though much about their offseason decisions yet.

Wolves Notes: Game 5, Conley, Edwards, Randle, Defense

May 28th, 2025 at 7:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves understand what’s at stake as they prepare for tonight’s Game 5 in Oklahoma City, writes Cassidy Hettesheimer of The Star Tribune (subscription required). Minnesota narrowly missed a chance to tie the series on Monday, which means three straight wins will now be necessary to reach the NBA Finals. Two of those will have to come at the Paycom Center, where the Thunder won by 26 and 15 points to open the series.

“We’re just trying to get another home game and trying to play in front of our home crowd again,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “Everybody has counted us out all year. We’ve been through a lot. We’re together as a locker room. We don’t care what the media is going to say.”

This is the second straight year the Wolves have reached the Western Conference Finals, and Hettesheimer notes that they were expected to be in a better position this time. Last year, Minnesota was exhausted after coming off a seven-game series with Denver and lost to Dallas in five games. This time, the Nuggets took OKC to seven games while the Wolves had time to rest after a five-game series with Golden State. Despite that, Minnesota is back in the same position, staring at a 3-1 deficit.

Jaden McDaniels believes the key to Game 5 will be getting off to a fast start and not letting the Thunder build up momentum in front of their fans.

“At home, they start super well, so we’ve just got to [slow] their little run at the beginning,” he said. “We’ve got to play tougher, playing stronger and just hold them to one shot.”

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Veteran guard Mike Conley is counting on Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle to bounce back after subpar performances in Game 4, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). OKC’s swarming defense held Edwards to 16 points on 5-of- 13 shooting and Randle to five points on a 1-of-7 night. “We need our best guys to be our best guys,” Conley said.
Randle seems to have found a home in Minnesota, which is the fourth stop in his 11-year career, McMenamin observes in a full story. He notes that the surprise trade that sent Randle to the Wolves in October reunited him with head coach Chris Finch, who was an assistant in New Orleans earlier in Randle’s career, and he has bonded with president of basketball operations Tim Connelly over their shared love of cuisine. Randle’s comfort level could become important this summer, as he holds a $30.1MM player option and may be interested in a long-term contract.
The most disappointing part of Minnesota’s performance in the two conference finals has been the failure of its vaunted defense, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. The Wolves weren’t able to control Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving last year, and the Thunder are averaging 115.3 points through the first four games of this series.

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