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.
Timberwolves Notes: Edwards, McDaniels, Lineup, Dillon
Star guard Anthony Edwards didn’t sound concerned after the Timberwolves were blown out in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Spurs, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.com. Minnesota briefly tied the game in the third quarter before San Antonio reeled off a massive run in the third quarter.
“I don’t see nobody in our locker room that’s too worried,” Edwards said. “There’s another basketball game. Come out, put your boots on and get ready to go to war.”
Here’s more on the Timberwolves, who are on the brink of elimination heading into Friday’s Game 6:
- Foul trouble has plagued Jaden McDaniels throughout the series, Slater notes, and Edwards acknowledged that needs to change for the Wolves to be successful. The 2023/24 All-Defensive second-teamer picked up five fouls and played just under 30 minutes in Tuesday’s lopsided loss. “Everything starts with Jaden McDaniels, trying to keep him out of foul trouble,” Edwards said. “He’s so important to the team. It hurts everybody when he gets in foul trouble. Some tough calls being made out there against him. Not too much we can say.”
- Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert have struggled in the second-round series, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who wonders if head coach Chris Finch might insert Naz Reid into the starting lineup in place of one of those veterans for the do-or-die Game 6. While a lineup change is a possibility, Minnesota’s primary issue has been committing too many game-plan mistakes against a sharp San Antonio team that has taken full advantage of those miscues, Krawczynski writes. “It’s a little bit everything — not knowing the game plan, executing on offense,” Edwards said. “We know they’re gonna come out to be physical defensively. We know how to go against that. And then us defensively, we know our coverage, what we’re supposed to be doing when they’re in pick-and-roll, and I think we’re just not doing it enough.”
- The Timberwolves have hired Michael Dillon to be their new chief financial officer and chief operating officer, per a team press release. Dillon, who was most recently CFO of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, also spend eight years with MLB’s Houston Astros.
Timberwolves Notes: Edwards, Reid, Wembanyama, Gobert
Anthony Edwards left his teammates in awe by scoring 36 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, during Game 4 of the Timberwolves’ second-round series against the Spurs, according to The Associated Press’ Dave Campbell.
Edwards missed the clinching Game 5 against Denver in the first round due to a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise. He’s gutted through all four games against San Antonio, playing 40 and 41 minutes in the past two games entering Tuesday’s Game 5.
“Honestly, I think he would just now be coming back if he was like a normal human being, but he’s not,” guard Mike Conley said. “We’re thankful for what he’s sacrificing for us and putting us on his back,” Conley added. “We expect it from him. He expects it. So we just try to keep him healthy, keep him going forward.”
“We’re lucky to have him. He’s special, no doubt, especially given what he’s been fighting through over the last month and a half,” coach Chris Finch added.
Here’s more on the Timberwolves:
- Edwards drew some extra motivation on Sunday. His thoughts centered around his mother, Yvette Edwards, who died from cancer on Jan. 5, 2015. It was his first career win on Mother’s Day. “I just wanted to win for my mom,” he said, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “It was that simple.”
- Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama was ejected in the first half of Game 4 after elbowing Naz Reid. It was a powerful blow but Reid wound up playing 31 minutes and contributing 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists. “If only y’all knew who my mom and my grandmother are,” he told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “I get a lot of my toughness from them. My mom used to walk damn near an hour and 45 minutes to work. That’s what my mom taught me. You get knocked down, get right back up.”
- Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert have a deep bond. Gobert first met the Spurs star when the latter was 13 years old. The Frenchmen have had to put their friendship aside in this series, Anthony Slater of ESPN writes. “[We talk] in regular times. We say ‘hi’ [on the court]. Our families see each other. But we are focused,” Gobert said.
Victor Wembanyama Ejected From Game 4 As Wolves Even Series
The Spurs lost Victor Wembanyama to his first career ejection after he received a flagrant foul 2 following an elbow to the neck and jaw of Timberwolves big man Naz Reid, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. The incident occurred with 8:39 remaining the second quarter of Sunday’s Game 4 in Minnesota (YouTube link), which the Wolves went on to win to even the series at two games apiece.
According to Wright, Wembanyama was initially called for an offensive foul but it was upgraded to a flagrant 2, which comes with an automatic ejection, upon review. The star center seemed confused about the penalty on the broadcast, appearing to ask teammate Harrison Barnes what it meant, Wright notes.
The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year only had four points and four rebounds in 12 minutes after dominating and joining exclusive company in Game 3 with 39 points (on 13-of-18 shooting), 15 rebounds and five blocks in 37 minutes.
The incident will be reviewed further by the league office to determine if additional punishment may be warranted.
After the five-point loss, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson defended the 22-year-old big man, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter links). While Johnson didn’t condone the elbow to Reid, he said Wembanyama was defending himself.
“It’s getting to a point that if the people that are in charge of controlling the game and protecting the physicality of the game don’t do that, then at some point he’s going to have to protect himself,” Johnson said. “… He’s going to have to protect himself if they’re not…It’s disgusting….I just think that the amount of physicality that people play with him at some level you have to protect yourself.”
Johnson added that he thought a possible suspension for Wembanyama “would be ridiculous.”
“There was zero intent,” he said (Twitter link via Orsborn).
Chris Finch Calls Tony Brothers ‘Unprofessional’ After Game 3 Loss
Speaking to reporters following Friday’s loss to San Antonio, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch blasted crew chief Tony Brothers for confronting him during a fourth quarter stoppage in play, according to Chris Hine of The Star-Tribune (subscription required). The disagreement began when Finch tried to call a timeout, but Brothers didn’t acknowledge him right away.
“Pretty unprofessional, huh?” Finch said. “I wanted the time out. I had called it three seconds earlier, and I wanted the timeout. I said. ‘I want my three seconds back.’ Because he clearly heard me. He looked my way, ignored me, went on with the play, and then gave me it. It almost cost us the turnover.”
Brothers responded by walking toward Minnesota’s huddle with a heated retort for Finch, adds Anthony Slater of ESPN. Naz Reid stepped in to calm things down, but the argument didn’t end there.
Before the timeout ended, Finch approached Brothers to ask where the ball would be inbounded and claimed that Brothers “lost it” in response. Bones Hyland and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni intercepted Brothers again before the argument could escalate any further, and eventually tempers cooled (Twitter video link from Bleacher Report).
Wolves star Anthony Edwards, who was standing next to his coach during the final stages of the exchange, attributed it to the intensity of playoff basketball.
“Competition at the highest level,” he said. “We wanna win. Finchy wanna win. Tony Brothers is Tony Brothers. We all love him.”
There’s no word from the league office yet on whether Finch will be fined for his remarks. Any disciplinary action will likely be announced before Game 4 Sunday evening.
As Slater notes, it’s the second straight night that featured harsh criticism of an official. Lakers coach JJ Redick expressed displeasure with how the game was called after losing to Oklahoma City on Thursday, and guard Austin Reaves claimed referee John Goble was “disrespectful” during an in-game interaction.
Donte DiVincenzo Undergoing Surgery For Ruptured Achilles
Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo has formally been diagnosed with a ruptured right Achilles tendon after undergoing an MRI, the team announced in a press release.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported that DiVincenzo had suffered a torn Achilles. The injury occurred in the first quarter of Saturday’s Game 4 victory over Denver.
According to the Wolves, DiVincenzo is undergoing surgery on Sunday afternoon in New York. Dr. Martin O’Malley will be the surgeon after performing a similar surgery last year for Jayson Tatum, notes Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).
The 17th overall pick in the 2018 draft, DiVincenzo started all 82 regular season games for Minnesota in 2025/26. The 29-year-old averaged 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.4 minutes per game while shooting 37.9% from long distance and providing his typical solid defense.
As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes, the Wolves had a mix of emotions after Game 4. They were sad to lose DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards, who is expected to miss multiple weeks due to a left knee injury, but pleased with the way they performed in their absence to take a 3-1 series lead.
“Just proud of the guys, stepping up, fighting for each other — literally and figuratively,” head coach Chris Finch said. “These teams don’t like each other, there’s just no secret. You play each other this many times where things are at stake, even a Christmas Day game is a battle, felt like a playoff game. It’s how it goes.”
Backup big man Naz Reid said the Wolves will be thinking of DiVincenzo and Edwards as they look to close out the first-round series against their Northwest Division rival on Monday, Krawczynski adds.
“I think they’ll be with us,” Reid said. “They understand. We understand. We know what it takes. It’s not going to be easy, not at all. We gotta go out there and do what we gotta do.”
DiVincenzo is entering the final season of his contract, which will pay him about $12.5MM in 2026/27. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next year unless he signs an extension before then.
Wolves Notes: Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Nuggets Series
Unlike fellow stars Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards didn’t have his request for an “extraordinary circumstances” exception approved and won’t be eligible for end-of-season awards this spring. Edwards missed time over the course of the season due to hamstring, foot, and knee injuries, as well as an illness, and ended up appearing in 61 total games, including 60 of at least 20 minutes, falling shy of the 65-game criteria.
Based on the NBA’s announcement on Thursday, it sounds as if Doncic and Cunningham were deemed award-eligible because they got closer to the 65-game threshold and missed time for reasons beyond typical basketball injuries — Doncic was inactive for two games when he traveled to Slovenia for the birth of his child in December, while Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung in March. Still, the league’s lack of specificity in defining what constitutes “extraordinary” circumstances has created some confusion.
“It sure would be nice to hear an explanation as to why Anthony was denied his 65 games, particularly when you look at the history of Anthony, who plays all the time and has played all the time,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said on Thursday, per Jon Krawcznyski of The Athletic (Twitter link). “I’m not sure why we have a rule if we have an appeals process that is overturned in two-thirds of the cases that were held before it. It feels more like a suggestion than a rule.
“Again, (Doncic and Cunningham) are super deserving and their injuries are legitimate. It has nothing to do with them, but so are Anthony’s and Anthony’s situation. We’ve never rested him. That’s not how he’s been. It just feels a little unfortunate that he was the only one left out.”
Edwards’ business manager Justin Holland also weighed in on the ruling, as Shams Charania of ESPN relays (via Twitter).
“Anthony and I appreciate the (NBPA) appealing his case,” Holland said. “For me personally, I’m a bit confused at the clemency for Cade who missed time for something that happened on the court, and not Ant, who missed time for an infection, but ultimately you already know Ant isn’t trippin’ over it AT ALL. He was mad he didn’t get to 65, but not because he missed out on awards — he was mad because it meant he didn’t get to play in all 82, which is what he always tries to do for his teammates and fans. You know the only thing he wants is a ring!”
As Holland alludes to, though Cunningham’s collapsed lung isn’t a common condition for an NBA player, it’s believed to have stemmed from an in-game collision, while Edwards was reported to be dealing with a toe infection when he missed multiple games in December and January.
We have more on the Wolves:
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic traces the progress that Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid have made since the 2019/20 season, when Edwards and McDaniels were rookies and Reid was a second-year player. As Krawczynski details, there were plenty of signs even when they were just 19 or 20 years old that they would eventually become impact players. “Despite Ant shooting poorly, you saw that all of these guys were difference-makers,” a former front office executive said. “Even with a horrific loss, you saw that there was something. The gym was empty, no one in the world probably saw that game. … In the end, we knew there was something positive.”
- The Timberwolves displayed a concerning lack of focus and intensity at times during the season, writes Dave Campbell of The Associated Press, with Edwards admitting that it sometimes felt as if the team – which has appeared in back-to-back conference finals – was “just trying to get through the season to get to the playoffs.” However, there’s confidence among Wolves players that the club’s inconsistent energy level won’t be an issue during the postseason. “When our group doesn’t have a choice, usually it shows up, and so once again it’s all in our hands. It’s all in our power,” center Rudy Gobert said. “We’re facing a great opponent, and we know that if we don’t come out hungry, we don’t have a chance.”
- Ahead of the first-round series between the Wolves and Nuggets, Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette examines the many connections between the two organizations, detailing how Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, Finch, lead assistant Micah Nori, and guard Bones Hyland all previously worked or played in Denver. Additionally, Wolves assistant Elston Turner was a longtime lieutenant under David Adelman‘s father Rick Adelman, while one of the Nuggets’ top front office executives, Jon Wallace, is a former Minnesota staffer.
Wolves Notes: Reid, Dosunmu, DiVincenzo, Garnett
The Timberwolves lost Thursday night at Detroit, but there’s hope that Naz Reid may have finally broken out of his prolonged slump, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Reid scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in 31 minutes while shooting 4-of-9 from three-point range as Minnesota put up a fight against the East’s top team before falling by five points.
“I’m dealing with some injuries and just trying to make things happen,” Reid said. “Just trying to compete at a high level and do what I can do.”
Reid, who captured Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2024 and finished fifth in the voting last season, has been an important element of the Wolves’ success with his play off the bench. That has been lacking lately, Krawczynski notes, as he was shooting 21% from beyond the arc over his previous 14 games and had only reached six rebounds three times during that span.
Krawczynski states that Reid seemed to be “sulking” during Monday’s game at Dallas, lacking his normal effort on defense and hanging his head every time he was called for a foul. Ayo Dosunmu made an effort to get the ball to Reid late in that game, and the positive effects appeared to carry over.
“I thought he was really good defensively and active on the glass. … I thought he was really active, especially in that second quarter,” coach Chris Finch said. “As it is, then he started making shots.”
There’s more on the Wolves:
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reveals what Reid said to referee Scott Foster last week to earn a quick ejection and a $50K fine for “questioning the integrity of game officials.” Sources tell Mannix that after a call went against Minnesota in overtime of a game against Houston, Reid snapped at Foster, “Ya’ll need to stop cheating, bro,” which crosses the line of what players are permitted to say.
- Dosunmu posted a triple-double on Monday with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists, leading Michael Rand of The Star-Tribune (subscription required) to speculate on whether he belongs in the starting lineup ahead of Donte DiVincenzo when the team is fully healthy.
- After announcing in December that franchise legend Kevin Garnett would rejoin the organization as a team ambassador and have his number retired, the Wolves revealed Friday morning that the retirement ceremony will take place next season. Garnett will also be part of Fan Appreciation Night on April 12, marking his first appearance at Target Center since 2018. “I can’t wait to come home,” he said. “Coming back for me is about what’s next. I’ve spent time with (new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez), and you can feel the difference. The energy is real. The vision is real. They’re building something that lasts, with a team on the court that’s hungry to win. I’m excited to be back in the building with the fans. Minnesota, let’s go!”
Wolves’ Naz Reid Fined $50K By NBA
Timberwolves big man Naz Reid has been fined $50K for “questioning the integrity of game officials,” the NBA announced on Friday (via Twitter).
Reid received a technical foul and was ejected for the incident, which occurred with 4:13 remaining in overtime during Wednesday’s comeback win over Houston (Twitter video link via ClutchPoints).
A former undrafted free agent, Reid was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2024 and is among the frontrunners for the award again this year. In 70 appearances (26.1 minutes per game) in 2025/26, the 6’9″ center/forward has averaged 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block on .466/.372/.732 shooting splits.
Reid is earning approximately $21.6MM in the first season of a five-year, $125MM contract, so the fine won’t significantly impact his financial outlook.
Northwest Notes: Hyland, Wolves, Watson, Markkanen, George
Bones Hyland has provided a heavy dose of fun for a Timberwolves team that badly needs it, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Pressed into a larger role with star guard Anthony Edwards and several other players injured, Hyland has responded by averaging 20 points per game over his last four outings, including a 23-point performance in Sunday’s win at Boston. He has also been displaying his vibrant personality, which includes exuberant celebrations and verbal jousting with opponents.
“It feels good to be here,” Hyland said in a post-game interview with NBC. “Everyone loves each other. We go out shopping together. We eat together. It’s a fantastic team, phenomenal team. Everyone can step up and contribute to winning. That’s what we’re doing right now, creating the vibes for the playoffs.”
Krawczynski states that Hyland’s enthusiasm is a welcome addition for a Minnesota team that has been fighting to stay out of play-in territory after two straight trips to the Western Conference Finals. He describes them as a “brooding group” that tends to quietly handle the ups and downs of a long season. But Hyland, whom Krawczynski calls the team’s “Chief Vibes Officer,” stands out from his teammates and is enjoying his time in the spotlight until Edwards returns.
“We can’t fill Ant-Man’s shoes. He’s a superstar,” Hyland said. “He’s the head of our team. Trying to fill in his shoes would be tough, but we’ve got a lot of guys on our team that can step up and come out here and put on a show. That’s what we did tonight.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division: