Rob Dillingham Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Kessler, Hendricks, Hyland, Braun, Gordon, Strawther

December 9th, 2025 at 9:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jazz center Walker Kessler indicated to the media that his season-ending left shoulder injury stems back to his college days at Auburn. Kessler only played five games before surgery was required.

“I’ve had a posterior labrum tear on my left shoulder since Auburn. I think the Tennessee game, I tore it and just kind of tried to play through and strengthen it,” Kessler said, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “The doctor explained it … there’s no amount of strength that’ll keep it from slipping out again and again. So he told me, ‘You got to have the surgery.'”

If he didn’t address the problem, Kessler could have endured many more issues with the shoulder during his career.

“Another thing is, the more you sublux it, the more risk of injury (there is), of destroying everything around it: you know, the rotator cuff, the anterior labrum, and so that’s why it was necessary,” Kessler explained.

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

After suffering a severe leg injury last season, Taylor Hendricks has been in and out of the Jazz rotation and is now getting reps in the G League, Larsen notes. “I think right now, the G League minutes are so important for Taylor, because he needs as many repetitions as he can get at the reactive part of the sport that you just can’t replicate when you miss a year,” coach Will Hardy said. “Getting your body used to making those decisions and reacting and fully trusting your body in those moments is where we’re trying to get to with Taylor.” The 2023 lottery pick has appeared in 13 games with Utah this season.
Bones Hyland has at least temporarily displaced Rob Dillingham in the Timberwolves rotation, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “We’re 24 games in, and I thought it was time to try something different,” coach Chris Finch said. “(Hyland)’s been patient. He’s been playing really well in practice, doing everything we ask him to do. We need a spark there.” Hyland, who signed a one-year contract during the offseason to return to Minnesota, had 14 points and three assists in 16 minutes against Phoenix on Monday.
Nuggets coach David Adelman doesn’t expect Christian Braun (ankle) or Aaron Gordon (hamstring) to return to action before Christmas, Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette tweets. Julian Strawther (back) is a little bit further along in his recovery process. He played some half court 3-on-3 after Tuesday’s practice.

Bontemps’ Latest: Davis, Morant, Markkanen, Kings, Nets, More

November 21st, 2025 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Mavericks decide to move Anthony Davis prior to the trade deadline, the expectation is that the return would resemble what Phoenix got for Kevin Durant rather than a haul that features several first-round picks, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. In other words, Dallas probably shouldn’t count on getting more than a couple solid players and a single first-rounder.

Although many of the sources who spoke to Bontemps had trouble coming up with many suitors who would make sense for Davis, a few of those sources speculated about whether the Bulls might make a play for the Chicago native.

“I could see it,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN. “(Josh) Giddey has worked well with (Nikola) Vucevic, but he could use a roll man to throw it up to.”

Bontemps’ sources put Ja Morant in a similar boat as Davis, predicting that the Grizzlies will explore the trade market for the point guard but will have trouble finding a package they like.

According to Bontemps, people around the NBA are also keeping a close eye on Lauri Markkanen, who is having a bounce-back season with the Jazz on the heels of a down year in 2024/25. After averaging 19.0 points per game on .423/.346/.876 shooting in 47 games last season, Markkanen has put up 30.6 PPG on .485/.385/.885 shooting through 14 outings this fall, so he’d have more trade value now — if Utah is open to dealing him.

“He’s putting up monster numbers,” a West executive said. “They’re running everything through him. If he goes to a place that he’s an additive piece … you have to have the right team around him to go after him.”

Here are a few more highlights from Bontemps’ look at all 30 NBA teams:

Scouts around the league are speculating about Doug Christie‘s job security in Sacramento and are waiting to see if the Kings begin looking to trade veterans like Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and/or Zach LaVine. “They’re a disaster,” an Eastern Conference scout told Bontemps. “They’re going nowhere fast. They just have to put a rock on the accelerator and keep going into the tank … they’re expensive, bad and aging.”
Multiple executives who spoke to ESPN believe the Nets have the least talented roster in the NBA. Brooklyn is off to a 2-12 start, with its only victories coming against fellow bottom-feeders Washington and Indiana.
There’s skepticism about whether 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham can become the Timberwolves‘ point guard of the future, Bontemps writes. Dillingham is still just 20 years old but is off to a slow start in his second season, having shot just 37.3% from the floor, including 20.0% on three-pointers. “I’m not sure that’s ever going to work,” one scout said. “Maybe things come around, but it’s hard to see it.”
According to Bontemps, there was “virtually no talk” during the preseason about a possible rookie scale extension for Jalen Duren, with the Pistons and the big man believed to be far apart on a potential deal. Duren, who turned 22 on Tuesday, has taken a significant step forward in the early going this season, with averages of 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and appears to be in line for a significant payday next summer.
Scouts have been impressed by the work first-year head coach Jordan Ott has done with the Suns, who are outperforming expectations so far with a 9-6 record and could be a playoff contender. “They’ve been way better than I thought,” a Western Conference scout said. “They’ve got enough pieces around Devin (Booker) where they’ll win the games they should win. (Ott) has them playing the right way and competing.”

Timberwolves Notes: Randle, Finch, Defense, Dillingham

October 26th, 2025 at 1:45pm CST by Rory Maher

In an interview with Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, forward Julius Randle explains why he re-signed with the Timberwolves this summer. In addition to seeking stability and happiness both on and off the court, Randle says his strong relationship with head coach Chris Finch also played a significant factor in his decision.

“I just think Finch ultimately trusts in me as a player,” Randle said. “I think he knows how I approach the game and how I work. I think that builds trust. It’s the same thing with him. I know that every night, Finch’s ultimate job and motivation is that for every game, he’s going out there to win.

“Finch is a hell of a competitor. He wants to win at every single thing. He wants to win every single game. I know coming into the game that is his mindset. And myself, I want to win just as badly. So the trust is always going to be there.

“It’s also understanding too that, through adversity, how he showed up for me as well. That was important for me, knowing that he had my back. He was a big reason for me coming to Minnesota. He wanted me here. So that’s my guy, man. I’ll ride with Finch all day, for sure.”

Medina’s interview with Randle covers several other topics, including his relationships with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert, the team’s belief that it can win a championship, and more. It’s worth checking out in full for any fans of Randle and/or the Wolves:

There’s more from Minnesota:

Randle previously spoke about this offseason as being perhaps the happiest one he’s had in the NBA. Medina asked him why it was so enjoyable. “Just balance, man,” Randle replied. “I think I was able to refresh. I took about a month just to spend time with the family and travel and vacation and all of that different type of stuff. I was feeling refreshed and motivated, basketball-wise. You’re coming into a season knowing that you’re competing for a championship. So I think that makes the training fun because you got a lot of motivation behind it. I just woke up every day excited to be able to do what I love to do. Knowing that I’m coming to a spot where I’m appreciated and somewhere I’m able to enjoy coming to work every single day, that was important for me.”
The Timberwolves have made the Western Conference finals each of the past two seasons largely due to their stellar defense, which ranked first and sixth in the league during those campaigns. However, their defensive effort has been sorely lacking through most of the first two games of 2025/26, writes Jon Kraczynski of The Athletic. “Honestly, it was just effort,” Donte DiVincenzo said after Friday’s lopsided loss to the Lakers. “Collectively, we know we didn’t bring the effort. A team that we knocked out of the playoffs is going to come in with more hunger. … They wanted to rip your head off. I think we just didn’t match their energy tonight.”
Second-year guard Rob Dillingham has been out of the rotation in the early going, and when he was put in for garbage-time minutes on Friday, he suffered a broken nose nose after taking an elbow to the face, Krawczynski adds. The 20-year-old is questionable for Sunday’s matchup vs. Indiana, per the league’s latest injury report.

Wolves Exercise 2026/27 Options On Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr.

October 18th, 2025 at 5:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves have picked up the third-year options for guards Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., the team announced in a press release.

The decisions guarantee Dillingham’s $6,889,320 and Shannon’s $2,801,640 salaries for the 2026/27 season. They will both be eligible for rookie scale extensions after that season ends.

Selected out of Kentucky with the eighth pick in last year’s draft, Dillingham appeared in 49 games as a rookie, averaging 4.5 points, 1.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 10.5 minutes per night while shooting 44.1% from the field and 33.8% from three-point range.

Shannon, the 27th pick out of Illinois, got into 32 games and put up 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 10.6 minutes per night with .482/.355/.810 shooting splits.

Both players may see increased minutes this season as Minnesota relies more on its younger guards to ease the strain on 38-year-old Mike Conley. The loss of Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency should also open up some more backcourt minutes.

We’re tracking all the 2026/27 rookie scale option decisions here. They are due by October 31.

Northwest Notes: SGA, Bailey, Dillingham, Miller, Cooke

October 14th, 2025 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t see himself playing until he’s 40 like current stars LeBron James and Chris Paul, he said within a GQ Sports cover story, per Yang-Yi Goh (subscription required).

“I definitely think I can,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I won’t, though. A hundred percent.”

The reigning MVP just turned 27 in July, so he certainly has time to change his mind between now and the final years of his NBA career. However, he went on to explain that family considerations would be the main reason why he doesn’t think he’d want to extend his playing days that long.

“I won’t want to miss that much of my kid’s life,” he told Goh. “I won’t want to be away and miss his first basketball game every year, his first soccer game, football game, piano lesson, chess lesson, whatever it is. And there’s a certain point in your career where you reach your peak.

“I don’t fault guys for still playing. They love the game. But I just feel like I play this game, ultimately, to see what the best version of me can be. Once I figure that out and I start going down, then it’s like, Okay, well, what am I playing for now? As soon as that happens, I’ll be on the first ship out.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest Division:

Jazz rookie Ace Bailey is dealing with “some tendonitis” in both of his knees, Will Hardy said after the No. 5 overall pick was removed from Monday’s game vs. Portland. However, Utah’s head coach didn’t sound overly concerned about the issue. “He’s not going to be getting imaged or anything like that,” Hardy told reporters, including Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). “It’s just trying to take care of him. He was a little sore during his second stint (on the court).”
After playing a limited role as a rookie, second-year Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham is working on making the adjustments necessary to earn more regular minutes in 2025/26, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune details. “I want to play,” Dillingham said. “So whatever I got to do to play, whatever (head coach Chris Finch) wants me to do — pass the ball, pick up (on defense), I’m just gonna have to do.” Finch offered more details on what he and the staff have told Dillingham to focus on: “Be ready to make shots off the ball, particularly when you’re playing out there alongside guys like Julius and Ant who are going to have the ball in their hands a lot. Keep it simple and use your speed, which is what we need you to do and what you have naturally comes to you.”
Timberwolves forward Leonard Miller, who suffered a finger injury early in training camp, was cleared for full-contact, five-on-five basketball activities on Monday, the team announced in a press release. Miller started on Monday against the Guangzhou Loong Lions and played well in a Minnesota blowout, racking up 15 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes of action.
The Oklahoma City Blue and Rip City Remix have completed a trade, tweets Rylan Stiles of SI.com. The Thunder‘s G League affiliate acquired the returning rights for Isaac Nogues and Henri Drell, along with a 2026 second-round pick, from the Trail Blazers‘ affiliate, in exchange for Javonte Cooke‘s returning rights. Cooke signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Portland two weeks ago, while Nogues and Drell are currently playing overseas.

Timberwolves Notes: Hyland, Dillingham, Gobert, Beringer, Zikarsky

October 6th, 2025 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Bones Hyland led the Timberwolves in scoring as they opened the preseason Saturday with a win over Denver and he could be making a strong case for regular playing time, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Hyland finished with 18 points, three assists and one turnover in 22 minutes, building on a strong performance during training camp.

Hyland is currently third on the depth chart at point guard behind Mike Conley and Rob Dillingham, according to Krawczynski, who notes that Minnesota has a lot invested in Dillingham after trading up to select him with the eighth pick in the 2024 draft. He saw limited playing time as a rookie, appearing in 49 games and averaging 4.5 points and 2.0 assists in 10.5 minutes per night.

Hyland re-signed with the Wolves in September after joining the team in late February on a two-way contract. He formed a bond with Dillingham last season and has been supportive of his younger teammate.

“He kind of reminds me of myself,” Hyland said. “We’re both shifty. We’re both slim-framed. We both have heart. … He really is like a little brother to me.”

There’s more from Minnesota:

Rudy Gobert looked sharp in the preseason opener and said he feels good after skipping international basketball this summer, Krawczynski adds. After playing in the 2024 Olympics, Gobert bypassed an opportunity to represent France at EuroBasket. “As much as I love it, I had to make the decision this summer to focus on recharging the batteries,” he said. “It also allows me to work differently — work on my body, get stronger. As a competitor, it’s never easy. But you’ve also got to be smart about thinking about what’s best for your body and your mind.”
First-round pick Joan Beringer had an impressive debut with 14 points and four rebounds in nearly 24 minutes. On the downside, Krawczynski notes that he committed five fouls and was often overpowered by Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas. “He’s so strong,” Beringer said of Valanciunas. “I couldn’t move him.”
Second-round pick Rocco Zikarsky also had an intriguing game with eight points and nine rebounds in 13 minutes, Krawczynski observes. The 7’3″ Australian center is on a two-way contract and is expected to spend most of the season in the G League.
The Wolves wrapped up a calm training camp, and the drama-free approach could be a positive sign for the regular season, suggests Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.

Western Notes: Wolves, Hyland, Dundon, Durant, Suns

August 14th, 2025 at 3:58pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Due to their proximity to the second tax apron, the Timberwolves may only carry 14 players on standard contracts to open the 2025/26 season, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. While Minnesota has checked in on several free agent guards, including Cameron Payne, Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet, all signs point to Bones Hyland being the frontrunner for the 14th spot, Krawczynski reports.

Hyland signed a two-way contract with the Wolves last season, appearing in four games. As Krawczynski notes, Hyland was a former first-round pick by president of basketball operations Tim Connelly.

While breaking down the roster, Krawczynski writes that Johnny Juzang — who agreed to a training camp deal with the Wolves — is a long shot to make the cut but that Luka Garza forced his way onto the team with similar odds last year. Young players like Jaylen Clark, Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. are expected to have larger roles this season, Krawczynski adds.

We have more from the Western Conference:

A group led by the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon reached an agreement on Wednesday to buy the Trail Blazers. That group includes Sheel Tyle, co-CEO of Collective Global who is married to Dr. Sejal Hathi, the head of Oregon Health Authority, Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report writes (Substack subscriber link). The group’s local connection through Tyle is one of a few reasons why it stood out among the bidders, per Highkin.
After suggesting in a recent podcast that the Rockets might be reluctant to sign Kevin Durant to a maximum-salary extension, Tim MacMahon said on an NBA Today appearance that there isn’t any urgency to complete a multiyear agreement. MacMahon said the Rockets have other matters to attend to, including an extension for Tari Eason. “Kevin Durant is their best player, he’s not necessarily their priority,” MacMahon said. “That’s not an insult to him, their priority is making sure they have as long of a runway as possible while trying to cash in on this window that they created by getting Kevin Durant.“
Plenty of “ifs” stand in the way of the Suns making the playoffs, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports writes. While they could be a surprise team if things break the right way, Bourguet has them just on the outside looking in of the Western Conference playoff picture for next season, sitting at No. 11 in his conference power rankings. The Suns basically remade their depth after trading away Durant and waiving Bradley Beal, adding the likes of Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams via trades.

Pablo Prigioni To Remain With Timberwolves

July 26th, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran assistant coach Pablo Prigioni has decided to remain with the Timberwolves amid interest from the Knicks, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

According to Begley, Prigioni – who has been on the Wolves’ staff since 2019 – cited family reasons for his decision to stay in Minnesota. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) noted earlier this week that Prigioni is “highly thought of” within the Wolves’ organization and has been working closely with 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham.

A former NBA point guard who spent two-and-a-half seasons in New York as a player from 2012-15, Prigioni transitioned to coaching following his retirement in 2017. He spent one season on Brooklyn’s bench in 2018/19 before landing with the Wolves.

Prigioni, 48, was originally hired under Ryan Saunders, but carried over to Chris Finch‘s staff in 2021 and has now been with the Timberwolves for six seasons in total. The Knicks were recently granted permission to speak to Prigioni as they look to fill out their coaching staff under new head coach Mike Brown.

As the Knicks continue to consider their options on the coaching market, one candidate who is “squarely on their radar” is Clippers assistant Brendan O’Connor, according to Begley, who says O’Connor is known for his defensive acumen.

Even if the Knicks were to hire O’Connor away from L.A., they’d likely remain on the lookout for another assistant who could help with their offense, Begley adds.

Fischer’s Latest: RFAs, Smart, Vucevic, Brogdon

July 25th, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to sharing the latest updates on Nets guard Cam Thomas, NBA insider Jake Fischer checked in on the other three most notable remaining restricted free agents during his Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday, discussing Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes.

Fischer stated that he doesn’t expect there to be resolution on either Giddey or Grimes this month (YouTube link) and expressed a belief that Grimes, Kuminga, and Thomas will eventually agree to short-term deals with their respective teams rather than long-term contracts (YouTube link).

While that leaves Giddey as the most likely player of the quartet to work out a longer-term agreement, Fischer added that he thinks Giddey’s dynamic with the Bulls is the “most strained” of the bunch right now, due to how the negotiations have played out so far (YouTube link).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Before Marcus Smart agreed to a buyout with Washington and signed with the Lakers, the Wizards had “a ton” of trade discussions about the former Defensive Player of the Year, per Fischer (YouTube link). The Bucks, Hawks, and Heat were among the teams that spoke to the Wizards about possible deals involving Smart, according to Fischer, who says that Washington and Miami talked at one point about a trade that would’ve included Terry Rozier.
Responding to a question about the possibility of the Bulls trading Nikola Vucevic, Fischer stressed that there isn’t much of a market for the veteran center (YouTube link). “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade,” Fischer said. “Depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There just really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vucevic trade market in a while.”
Fischer views the Timberwolves as perhaps the most logical landing spot for free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon (YouTube link). Fischer acknowledges that that Minnesota wants to give youngsters Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. more opportunities to establish themselves as rotation players, but notes that the team could use another veteran option to complement Mike Conley, who will turn 38 in October. “I think Minnesota still stands as a really good situation for Malcolm Brogdon and one that he’s been monitoring, one that the Wolves have checked in on,” Fischer said. “I’m not making a prediction, but I think that’s a good situation for Malcolm Brogdon.”

Northwest Notes: Shannon, A-Rod, Avdija, Hansen

July 22nd, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Terrence Shannon Jr. was named to the All-Summer First Team on Tuesday. The Timberwolves guard stood out in Las Vegas and he’ll look to parlay that success in his second NBA season, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.

Shannon could be as the main candidate to fill the void left by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who averaged 25.3 minutes per game last season and signed with the Hawks as a free agent. Shannon will battle Jaylen Clark and Rob Dillingham for those minutes. A late first-round pick in 2024, the 24-year-old appeared in 32 regular season games as a rookie.

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

A conversation with Magic Johnson early in his pro baseball career inspired Alex Rodriguez to become an NBA owner after his retirement. Rodriguez and Marc Lore were unanimously approved as majority owners of the Timberwolves last month. “When I was 21 years old, Magic sat with me. I was supposed to have 30 minutes,” Rodriguez told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears. “And that 30 minutes went to about three and a half hours and nine pages of notes. I asked him a few years later, ‘Magic why did you give me three-plus hours?’ And he said, ‘Because you came in, you were focused, you were making eye contact and you were engaged. I saw your passion. I saw you writing all those notes.’ The main thing he said is, ‘When you do your thing, your obligation is to pass it down to the next generation of us.’”
Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is focused on playing for Israel in the upcoming EuroBasket tournament this summer, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net. “I am not currently thinking about the NBA. Playing for the national team of Israel is the most important honor for any player,” he said in a press conference, “Joining players I grew up with from the junior national teams is exciting. We have an amazing squad here, capable of great things. I will do everything possible to make this team successful.” Israel will face Iceland, Poland, France, Belgium, and Slovenia between Aug. 28-Sept. 4 in the preliminary round. “I am aiming for the top. I have always aimed for the top,” Avdija said.
Suns draft pick Rasheer Fleming found out during a pre-draft workout with the Trail Blazers how skilled Yang Hansen was. Portland wound up using the No. 16 pick on the Chinese big man. “They’ve been saying he’s the next Jokic,” Fleming told Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Substack link). “He’s so skilled. We got to see all of that in the workout. He was on my team. He threw me some dimes. He can really pass.”