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Timberwolves

The Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, and San Antonio Spurs have completed a three team trade involving De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.&nbsp;
The full trade details include:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">San Antonio Spurs Receive:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">De&rsquo;Aaron Fox</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Jordan McLaughlin</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sacramento Kings Receive:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Zach LaVine</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Sidy Cissoko</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Three first round picks (2025 CHA, 2027 SAS, 2031 MIN)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Three second round picks (2025 CHI, 2028 DEN, 2028 own back)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="1">Chicago Bulls Receive:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Zach Collins</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Tre Jones&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Kevin Huerter</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">their own 2025 pick via SAS (top 10 protected)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
ANALYSIS: This trade provides the Spurs with their PG of the future to pair up with budding superstar Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio is already in the thick of the playoff play-in race in the West now, and with the addition of Fox they will be set for this season and beyond. Expect Wemby and Fox to terrorize the West for years to come with both of their primes peaking at the same time.
The Kings got a reasonable return for their disgruntled franchise point guard in Fox by getting back a scorer in LaVine from Chicago. LaVine should fit in seamlessly with star center Domantas Sabonis with his ability to shoot the three, cut, and score in all three levels. With Fox&rsquo;s departure, expect Malik Monk to take on more PG duties with LaVine sliding into the 2 spot. Moreover, the Kings are set for their future as well with 6 picks (three firsts and three seconds) also netted from the trade.
For the Bulls, this ends the Zach LaVine era in Chicago and receives three role players in return. However, the real prize of this trade for them was getting back their own pick from San Antonio which was top-10 protected. The 2025 NBA Draft class is shaping up to be one of the deepest in recent history, so the Bulls are firmly placing themselves to select a high-level prospect and continue their process of a real rebuild.

The Kings, Bulls, and Spurs have completed a three team trade involving De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine.

Spurs nab Fox, Kings get LaVine in three-team trade

In today&rsquo;s NBA, the league is undeniably dominated by big men. 
The last five MVPs went to Giannis Antetokounmpo (two), Nikola Jokic (two) and Joel Embiid. Rookies Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren stand at a towering 7-foot-4 and 7-foot-1 respectively, and both are starting to make their mark in the NBA.
As the league embraces this new era filled with giants, it is awesome to see the two sub-6-foot guys match up against each other: New Orleans&rsquo; Jose Alvarado and Minnesota&rsquo;s Jordan McLaughlin.
Alvarado and McLaughlin, who are both listed as 5-foot-11 without shoes, have each carved out a role on their squad. The two provide different valuable skills off the bench, and they have been vital pieces to their team&rsquo;s success. 
Alvarado impacts the game on the defensive end by suffocating and pestering ball-handlers. He also comes up with his signature blindside steals, which earned him the nickname Grand Theft Alvarado (GTA). McLaughlin, on the other hand, is a crafty playmaker who sets up the Wolves' offense off the bench and serves as a reliable backup for Mike Conley.&nbsp;
In a league where there are 34 players who are 7-feet or taller this season alone, Alvarado and McLaughlin remain outliers and part of a dying breed.
There are only 12 players who are listed at 6-feet or below in the NBA this season, with the shortest being Markquis Nowell at 5-foot-7 and Jacob Gilyard at 5-foot-8. Together, they represent only 3% of the league population &ndash; which means small guards are largely going extinct in the NBA.
Unless you&rsquo;re an established point guard like Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry or Chris Paul, there has been little to no room for these shorter players on NBA rosters.&nbsp;
The current trend of positionless basketball and do-it-all forwards has certainly hurt these smaller guards. Whether it be less reliance on traditional point guards to set up an offense or getting hunted out for switches defensively, teams have been shifting away from said player prototypes. Even a former All-NBA teamer and super scorer like Isaiah Thomas was virtually driven out of the league mainly because of his unfortunate trait of getting exploited on defense due to his height.
Given this, it&rsquo;s impressive how Alvarado and McLaughlin are staying in the league. This could be attributed to their specific skill-sets. Both guys show that short players still have a place in the NBA as long as they provide value and play a certain role effectively and efficiently. In a league where height is often equated to success, it&rsquo;s refreshing to see two sub-6-foot players hold their own on the court.

As sub-6-foot players, New Orleans’ Jose Alvarado and Minnesota’s Jordan McLaughlin are the last of a dying breed.

Jose Alvarado, Jordan McLaughlin are the last of a dying breed

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Karl-Anthony Towns scored 22 points in his long-awaited return from a strained right calf and the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied to beat the Atlanta Hawks 125-124 on Wednesday night.
Naz Reid added 26 points off the bench and Jaden McDaniels had 25 for Minnesota, which trailed by 10 points with 7:18 remaining but used a 19-5 run to get back in the game. Atlanta led 124-123 with 50.5 seconds left after a pair of free throws by Trae Young.
Towns then hit two free throws with 3.6 seconds left to seal the win. He was back after missing 51 games for Minnesota, which had lost three of four and slid to ninth in the Western Conference beginning the night.
Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
Young scored 29 points and De&rsquo;Andre Hunter added 16 for Atlanta, which was playing the second game of a back-to-back after beating Detroit 129-107 Tuesday night with second-leading scorer Dejounte Murray missing both games with a non-COVID-19 illness.
Saddiq Bey had 16 points off the bench for the Hawks.
Atlanta, who shot 54.2% from the field and hit 12 of 26 3-pointers, started the day eighth in the Eastern Conference. They were 2 1/2 games behind Miami and one game ahead of Toronto.
Towns had been out since Nov. 28 with the injury. Minnesota had a 10-11 record when he went out as the team struggled at times to adapt to having two big men on the court together in Towns and newcomer Gobert.
Towns, a three-time All-Star, received a special pregame introduction and was welcomed back by big applause from the home crowd. He returned to a team that found its rhythm with Anthony Edwards carrying the scoring load with a host of veterans filling complementary roles. The Timberwolves also traded Towns&rsquo; good friend D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and acquired Mike Conley at the trade deadline.
With Edwards missing time due to a right ankle sprain, Minnesota had dropped a bit in the packed West.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Young posted his 100th straight game with at least five assists. It&rsquo;s the longest active streak in the NBA and the ninth longest in history. ... Jalen Johnson missed his fourth game in a row with left hamstring tightness and a groin strain.
Timberwolves: Edwards was listed as questionable, but missed his third straight game. Backup point guard Jordan McLaughlin was out with an illness. ... Minnesota shot 11 of 26 from 3-point range.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Return home against Indiana on Saturday.
Timberwolves: Play at Golden State on Sunday.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 22 points in his long-awaited return from a strained calf and the Wolves rallied to beat the Hawks 125-124.

Karl-Anthony Towns scores 22 in return as Wolves rally past Hawks

Since the 2013-14 season, the NBA has used player-tracking technology to collect all kinds of interesting data, including a player&rsquo;s average speed, distance traveled, number of touches and more.
Second Spectrum is the NBA&rsquo;s &ldquo;official optical tracking provider,&rdquo; and they&rsquo;ve installed a player-tracking system in the catwalk of every NBA arena. Using multiple cameras, state-of-the-art machine learning and computer-vision techniques, the software identifies and locates every player and the ball 25 times per second. If something happens on the court, the player-tracking system catches it, and the data gets uploaded to <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/speed-distance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA.com</a>.
That&rsquo;s how we know that five players &mdash; Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton, Tyrese Maxey and Scottie Barnes &mdash; ran more than 200 miles throughout the course of last season. And for the second-straight season, Fred VanVleet led all players in average distance traveled, running 2.82 miles per game.&nbsp;
Which players are currently covering the most distance this season? And which players have the fastest and slowest average speed? Let&rsquo;s take a look:
MOST MILES PER GAME
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50.933%; height: 220px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">LaMelo Ball</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.8 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Fred VanVleet</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.77 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Terry Rozier</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.74 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Mikal Bridges</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.73 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Pascal Siakam</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.72 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Dejounte Murray</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.69 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Tyler Herro</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.69 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Scottie Barnes</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.68 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">C.J. McCollum</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.64 miles per game</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 18.5985%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">Zach LaVine</td>
<td style="width: 22.4998%; height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.64 miles per game</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
MOST TOTAL MILES
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50.7996%; height: 220px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Mikal Bridges</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">163.7 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Anthony Edwards</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">159.6 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Buddy Hield</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">156.2 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Franz Wagner</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">155.3 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Julius Randle</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">154.1 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Scottie Barnes</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">153 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Evan Mobley</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">151.5 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Jalen Brunson</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">150 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">P.J. Washington</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">149.2 miles</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 22.5067%; height: 22px;">Domantas Sabonis</td>
<td style="width: 24.0045%; height: 22px;">148.9 miles</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Clearly, a player's role and their team's style of play influence how many miles they're running each game.
FASTEST AVERAGE SPEED
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50.933%; height: 220px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Wendell Moore Jr.</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.71 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Luka Garza</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.62 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">T.J. McConnell</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.62 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Jordan McLaughlin</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.61 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Blake Wesley</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.59 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Caleb Martin</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.58 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Cody Martin</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.57 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Sam Hauser</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.57 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Dalano Banton</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.56 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.3733%; height: 22px;">Aaron Wiggins</td>
<td style="width: 22.7734%; height: 22px;">4.55 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
SLOWEST AVERAGE SPEED
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50.7996%; height: 209px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">Chris Paul</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.55 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">Joel Embiid</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.55 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">James Harden</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.56 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">DeAndre Jordan</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.59 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">Eric Gordon</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.63 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">Luka Doncic</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.66 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">Kevin Durant</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.67 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">John Wall</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.7 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 11px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 11px;">Kyle Lowry</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 11px;">3.7 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 24.386%; height: 22px;">LeBron James</td>
<td style="width: 22.2461%; height: 22px;">3.72 miles per hour</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
If you're interested in checking out all of the NBA's tracking data, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/speed-distance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it can be found here</a>.

The NBA uses player-tracking technology to find out every player’s average speed, average distance traveled and much more.

Tracking data shows which NBA players run the most miles per game

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; D&rsquo;Angelo Russell scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Anthony Edwards had 23 and the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 128-126 on Thursday night.
Kyle Anderson added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which was down Rudy Gobert and Austin Rivers and playing the second game of a back-to-back after a fourth-quarter collapse a night earlier in Denver.
The Timberwolves erased a 14-point deficit midway through the fourth with a defensive effort not typically seen from Minnesota, particularly without Gobert making an impact down low. Toronto scored just seven points in the final 9:46.
&ldquo;I just think, as a group, we all held each other accountable,&rdquo; Russell said. &ldquo;We all had some early lapses throughout the game where we kind of looked a little subpar just to start, using just what you said as an excuse for us, getting in late and all that. Eventually, we just kind of locked in and tried to do what we&rsquo;re supposed to do.&rdquo;
Scottie Barnes had 12 of his season-high 29 points in the fourth for Toronto, which had won four of six. Fred VanVleet added 25 points and 10 assists for the Raptors. Toronto scored 62 points in the paint without Gobert to protect the rim and added 23 fast-break points.
&ldquo;Russell obviously got them going, shook free a little bit,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;A few miscues there on defense and then, I don&rsquo;t know, we just didn&rsquo;t probably get enough quality looks at the offensive end either. And it was too bad on some of them because we made the right plays and then didn&rsquo;t take the shot.&rdquo;
Edwards, who was 4 of 12 from the field through three quarters, tied the game at 124 with 3:56 left. Anderson&rsquo;s runner in the lane gave Minnesota its first lead since 4:42 remaining in the first, and Russell added a pair of free throws.
O.G. Anunoby&rsquo;s 3-point attempt with 0.4 seconds remaining was off the mark.
&ldquo;Encouraged by our guys stepping up,&rdquo; Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. &ldquo;They didn&rsquo;t have a lot of gas. Took them a long time to find it. I think the key to the game was we were able to keep scoring until we could find a defensive rhythm.&rdquo;
The Timberwolves outscored Toronto 23-7 over the final 9:46.
&ldquo;We struggled to stop them all night,&rdquo; VanVleet said. &ldquo;They got hot and we kind of stalled out a little bit there the last couple minutes.&rdquo;
Russell was 4 of 4 from 3 in the closing stretch.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s like, you seen &lsquo;Bad Boys 2,&rsquo; when they like, &lsquo;From now on, that&rsquo;s how you shoot,&rsquo;&rdquo; Anderson said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d say when he&rsquo;s knocking down shots like that, that&rsquo;s the Lo we know and the Lo we love. So that&rsquo;s big time. That&rsquo;s what we need from him. I expect that from him every time we step onto the floor.&rdquo;
VANVLEET KEEPS GOING
VanVleet continued his strong run, taking advantage of Gobert&rsquo;s absence down low by continually going inside. He was also 4 of 6 from 3-point territory.
VanVleet had scored at least 33 points in each of the previous two games.
TIP-INS
Raptors: VanVleet scored or assisted on Toronto&rsquo;s final 16 points of the first half. &hellip; Joe Wieskamp, on his second 10-day contract, saw his first action for the Raptors this season and was 3 of 3 from 3. &hellip; Barnes has scored at least 21 points in four of his past five games
Timberwolves: Gobert (right groin soreness) and Rivers (left knee contusion) each missed his second straight game for Minnesota, which is still without Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan McLaughlin due to longer-term calf injuries. ... The Timberwolves arrived back in town early Thursday morning from Denver. &hellip; Anderson added six assists, falling just short of another triple-double. He had a triple-double on Jan. 16 against Utah and was two assists shy of one Wednesday in Denver.
&nbsp;

D’Angelo Russell scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter,  and the Timberwolves rallied to beat the Raptors 128-126.

Russell scores 16 points in 4th, Wolves beat Raptors 128-126

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Anthony Edwards had 27 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 116-106 victory on Monday over the unglued Dallas Mavericks, who lost star Luca Doncic and coach Jason Kidd to successive ejections late in the third quarter.
Naz Reid pitched in 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who kept up their energy from a franchise-record 150-point performance to beat Chicago a night earlier.
&ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t feel like a back-to-back," coach Chris Finch said.
Despite the absence of standout big men Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns and three key reserves, the Timberwolves were a confident and crisp team on both ends of the court.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the biggest thing, playing for each other,&rdquo; Reid said. &ldquo;Everybody wants to see the next guy happy. That&rsquo;s exactly how it&rsquo;s supposed to be.&rdquo;
Doncic had a season-low 19 points &mdash; 14 below his average &mdash; on 5-for-17 shooting to match his season-worst percentage (29.4). The triple-double machine and league's second-leading scorer was whistled for consecutive technicals after Randy Bullock was called for a foul on Edwards.
Doncic, who played on a strained quadriceps that kept him out of the 100-99 overtime loss at Cleveland on Saturday, looked legitimately confused by the punishment and had to be pointed toward the tunnel to exit the court.
&ldquo;I deserved the first one. I&rsquo;m not going to lie. But for sure not the second one,&rdquo; Doncic said. &ldquo;I was really shocked when I was ejected.&rdquo;
Then Kidd lost it and <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1605032278819758081">received the same fate</a>. He had to be restrained by an assistant as he went after referee Nick Buchert with some animated feedback.
Kidd fulfilled his postgame media obligation, but declined to take questions from reporters.
&ldquo;I already gave up money, so I don&rsquo;t want to give up any more," Kidd said. "They were the better team tonight, and we&rsquo;ll go from there. Thanks for showing up.&rdquo;
Spencer Dinwiddie had 20 points and seven assists, and Christian Wood chipped in 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, who stay in town for a rematch on Wednesday against a Wolves team on a three-game winning streak.
The Mavericks played without four of their top nine scorers: Tim Hardaway Jr. (illness), Josh Green (sprained elbow), Maxi Kleber (torn hamstring) and Dwight Powell (bruised thigh). Then Dorrian Finney-Smith (adductor strain) was injured late in the third quarter.
Wood started next to Doncic for the first time since he arrived in a trade this summer with Houston, but he had trouble guarding Reid in the paint. The Mavericks were outscored 36-14 in the second quarter. Everyone beside Doncic combined to shoot 1 for 10 from 3 in the period.
Back-to-back 3s by Jaden McDaniels and Edwards closed the half for the Timberwolves on a 21-5 run. They built their lead as big as 21 points before the Mavericks really melted down.
The Wolves were down Gobert (sprained ankle) for the third straight game. Kyle Anderson (back spasms) was a new scratch, joining Towns (strained calf) and backups Taurean Prince (shoulder subluxation) and Jordan McLaughlin (strained calf) on longer-term absences.
ANT MARCHING
Edwards has begun to find his spark, coincidentally or not without the big men, on both ends of the court while taking on a more vocal leadership rol.e
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re just trusting in me and believing in me,&rdquo; said Edwards, who went hard to the rim and was rewarded with a 10-for-11 effort from the free-throw line.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the most happy I&rsquo;ve seen him in a while,&rdquo; Reid said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s where it starts."
Reid's 3-point attempt with 1:03 left rolled off the rim. That would've given him a career-high 30 points and awarded Edwards a 10th assist for the triple-double.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Doncic had six rebounds and seven assists in 28 minutes. ... Davis Bertans went 6 for 9 from 3-point range for 18 points off the bench.
Timberwolves: Edwards, who's not yet halfway through his third season, passed Anthony Peeler for third place on the franchise's all-time list for made 3-pointers (466). ...
&nbsp;

Anthony Edwards had 27 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 116-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Edwards leads Timberwolves past flustered Mavericks 116-106

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Anthony Edwards had season highs with 37 points and 11 assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves broke the franchise record for points in a game, routing the Chicago Bulls 150-126 on Sunday night.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell added 28 points after missing two games and Minnesota made a season-high 23 pointers to roll past Chicago despite missing four regulars.
Rudy Gobert missed his second straight game because of a sprained left ankle. Karl-Anthony Towns (right calf strain) and top reserves Jordan McLaughlin (left calf strain) and Taurean Prince (right shoulder) also sat out.
Russell was a game-time decision after sitting out with a knee injury.
&ldquo;Confidence, right approach, seeing familiarity with our rotation and some things like that," Russell said. "That just allows you to be confident and comfortable out there. Coach is allowing us to make things happen, trust in our group. It just gives you that energy and confidence that you want to have.&rdquo;
Starting a four-game trip, Chicago lost its fourth straight and sixth in eight games. It is the fourth-most points the Bulls have ever given up in regulation; the most since allowing 152 to Detroit on Nov. 3, 1982.
&ldquo;It should be the ultimate be lesson learned of what it&rsquo;s like you let something slip, not being connected, not being one, not understanding what needs to be done collectively to help out each other," said DeMar DeRozan, who led Chicago with 29 points. "It&rsquo;s embarrassing to give up that many points. Nothing against Minnesota, but it&rsquo;s not like we playing against the 2016 Golden State Warriors.&rdquo;
Nikola Vucevic added 23 points and Zach LaVine had 22.
Chicago coach Billy Donovan spoke about a lack of collectiveness, especially defensively, and backup guard Goran Dragic said the Bulls need to trust each other.
&ldquo;We have to sacrifice for each other to make a better play, to make a better stop, to screen somebody, to make a sweet swing pass,&rdquo; Dragic said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a small detail. Anybody in this league can beat you.&rdquo;
Edwards scored six points in a 9-1 surge for a 106-89 lead late in the third quarter. But Edwards saved his best shot of the quarter for a buzzer-beater.
With 2.1 seconds left, he stole an inbounds pass on the logo at center court, continued right and made a 32-foot pull-up jumper. As the ball went through the hoop to make it 113-97, Edwards turned to face the crowd and, after a couple of seconds of basking with a huge smile, began to high-five the fans.
&ldquo;We talked about getting up more 3s and we&rsquo;ve been trying to do that, tonight was obviously an exaggerated example of it,&rdquo; Minnesota coach Chris Finch said.
Russell made seven of his eight first-half shots, including 6 of 7 from deep. That included a 34-foot desperation heave from the logo early in the second quarter as the shot clock expired.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Vucevic had nine rebounds. &hellip; Javonte Green missed the game with right knee soreness. He missed three games earlier this month with right knee pain. &hellip; Chicago is 4-11 on the road, including 1-7 against Western Conference opponents.
Timberwolves: Nathan Knight scored a season-high 16 points. &hellip; Naz Reid, who scored the first 10 Minnesota points, left in the second quarter with trapezius tightness. &hellip; Edwards had a steal to extend the NBA&rsquo;s longest active streak of at least one steal to 16 games.
&nbsp;

Anthony Edwards had a season highs with 37 points and 11 assists and the Timberwolves routed the Bulls 150-126.

Timberwolves beat Bulls 150-126 to break team scoring mark

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points, Paul George had a triple-double and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied to beat the undermanned Minnesota Timberwolves 99-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.
George had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his first triple-double since joining the Clippers before the 2019 season.
&ldquo;I don't know how he did that,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;Who were you passing the ball to?&rsquo;&rdquo;
Luke Kennard added season highs of 16 points and four 3-pointers as six Clippers scored in double figures.
&ldquo;We finally started making shots and played defense,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;We kept going from there.&rdquo;
Coming off a 20-point victory over the NBA-leading Boston Celtics on Monday, the Clippers started out cold. They missed 13 of their first 15 shots and it wasn&rsquo;t until the third that they shot over 30% from the floor.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 19 points while in foul trouble. Rudy Gobert had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
&ldquo;We couldn't make a bucket basically,&rdquo; Wolves coach Chris Finch said. &ldquo;Things dried up for us a little bit in the fourth.&rdquo;
The teams were tied twice early in the fourth, the last time at 71 on Kyle Anderson's basket.
From there, the Clippers outscored the Wolves 25-9 before both teams brought in their benches for the final two minutes. Los Angeles ran off eight straight points and Kennard hit two 3-pointers while Nicolas Batum had another.
George scored four in a row, pushing the Clippers' lead to 91-78. He had a pair of free throws and Batum stole the ball and fed George for a layup.
&ldquo;Just took what the defense game him, didn't force it,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said about George. &ldquo;We've been talking about playing the right way, the simple way and he did it.&rdquo;
Down five at halftime, the Clippers started Batum in the second half for Ivica Zubac, who left with left knee discomfort. Batum hit a 3-pointer and another basket for five quick points. He added another 3-pointer that pushed the Clippers' lead to 61-55.
&ldquo;I needed a good scoring game at home finally because I've been pretty bad,&rdquo; Batum said.
Minnesota took a 65-64 lead on Edwards' basket before Kennard's 3-pointer put the Clippers back in front by two going into the fourth.
The Timberwolves have been without Karl-Anthony Towns (right calf strain) the last couple weeks, and D'Angelo Russell (left knee contusion) is day-to-day.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Fell to 6-8 on the road and 2-6 against the West away from home. ... Jordan McLaughlin (left calf strain) missed his third straight game. ... Taurean Prince (right shoulder subluxation) remains out.
Clippers: It was George's fifth career triple-double and the 47th in franchise history. ... John Wall (left knee) sat out to avoid playing back-to-back on Thursday. ... Batum turned 34 and Robert Covington turned 32 on Wednesday. Batum said he was relieved to see France beat Morocco to reach the World Cup final.
UNDER 25
The Clippers held the Wolves under 25 points in all four quarters. &ldquo;That's elite defense,&rdquo; Lue said. Leonard called it &ldquo;amazing basketball.&rdquo;
OUCH!
A ball coming off the hands of Anderson hit Lue in the leg on the sideline. &ldquo;He messed me up, I was hurting,&rdquo; Lue said, &ldquo;but I'm all right.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points, Paul George had a triple-double and the Clippers rallied to beat the Timberwolves 99-88.

George has triple-double, Clippers beat Timberwolves 99-88

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points in his return to action and the Oklahoma City Thunder took advantage of Rudy Gobert's early ejection to post a chippy 135-128 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
The teams were called for a combined eight technical fouls, five on Minnesota.
&ldquo;The frustrations boiled over,&rdquo; Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said. &ldquo;It was not the most mature effort by us.&rdquo;
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, meanwhile, praised the team's &ldquo;poise." Gilgeous-Alexander was the catalyst for that.
&ldquo;He empowers the environment, he empowers the team and that&rsquo;s what you saw tonight,&rdquo; Daigneault said.
The NBA's third-leading scorer with a 31-point average, Gilgeous-Alexander sat out one game earlier this week with a bruised hip. But he had no trouble getting physical against Minnesota, making 10 of 17 shots and all 12 of his free throws.
&ldquo;Felt good playing basketball again,&rdquo; Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Josh Giddey had 21 points and 12 assists for his eighth double-double of the season. Lu Dort scored 18 points as seven Thunder players reached double digits.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell led the Timberwolves with 27 points. Anthony Edwards added 26 points &mdash; he's scored more than 20 in nine of his last 10 games. Jaylen Nowell added 21 points.
Tensions flared in the second quarter when Gobert was ejected for tripping Kenrich Williams. The two got tangled up on the ground after both fell as Williams made a layup with 9:22 remaining in the quarter.
As Williams attempted to get up, Gobert lifted up his right foot and tripped the Thunder forward. Gobert was called for a flagrant-2 foul while Williams received a technical.
&ldquo;I trust that they got it right,&rdquo; Daigneault said of the officials' ruling.
Minus their center, the Timberwolves allowed the Thunder to shoot 51.6% from the field and score 66 points in the paint. The Timberwolves were also without Karl-Anthony Towns, who remains out with a calf strain.
Finch bemoaned his team's defensive intensity and its turnovers on the other end. Minnesota turned the ball over 23 times.
&ldquo;Sometimes we might have bonehead turnovers that we&rsquo;re better than,&rdquo; said Timberwolves center Naz Reid, who played a season-high 30 minutes and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds in Gobert's absence. &ldquo;Things like that cost us the game. We just got to be better moving forward.&rdquo;
The Thunder orchestrated an 18-3 run to go from trailing by one point to leading 125-113 with 4:14 to play.
&ldquo;The end of the third quarter it seemed like the wheels were coming off and we stabilized and closed the last minute well and then the group that started the fourth quarter built a nice little cushion for us,&rdquo; Daigneault said.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Center Mike Muscala (broken finger) was available off the bench for the first time since Nov. 21 but did not play. ... No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren went through a workout pregame as he recovers from a season-ending Lisfranc injury. Holmgren grew up five miles from Target Center.
Timberwolves: Gobert&rsquo;s ejection was the fifth of his career and first since arriving in Minnesota. ... Forward Jaden McDaniels (illness) returned from a three-game absence, started at power forward and scored eight points. ... Backup point guard Jordan McLaughlin (strained calf) also returned after a five-game absence and scored eight points. ... Forward Taurean Prince (shoulder) missed his fifth consecutive game.
UP NEXT
Thunder: At Atlanta on Monday night.
Timberwolves: Host Indiana on Wednesday night.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points in his return to action and the Thunder got a chippy 135-128 win over the Wolves on Saturday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder post physical win over T-Wolves

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Kristaps Porzingis scored a career-high 41 points, including 29 in the first half, and the Washington Wizards beat Minnesota 142-127 on Monday night after Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony-Towns was helped off the court in the third quarter with a right leg injury.
Towns grabbed at his leg and went down near midcourt. He was helped off without putting weight on the leg, and the team announced that he had <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-nba-sports-basketball-92134a15e9f8dd17eb4a03865a4e71e9">a right calf strain</a>.
All six of Porzingis' 3-pointers came in the first half. Washington shot 57% from the field for the game.
The Wizards led 77-58 at halftime, and Porzingis was well on his way to surpassing his previous career high of 40 points.
&ldquo;I have to admit, I feel good,&rdquo; Porzingis said. &ldquo;I thought that I was not going to get it because we were going to blow them out by 30 and then not maybe play the fourth. I was thinking about that scenario."
Kyle Kuzma scored 23 points for the Wizards and Bradley Beal added 22.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 29.
Porzingis made his first four shots, all from 3-point range, and Washington led 21-6 early. It was a five-point game after one quarter, but the Wizards pulled away in the second. A 3-pointer by Porzingis capped a 12-0 run that made it 68-44, and his final 3 gave Washington a 73-46 lead.
Minnesota closed the half with a 12-4 run and then scored the first 10 points of the third, but the Timberwolves never got much closer. Towns left the game immediately after Kuzma made a 3-pointer to make it 93-76.
It was a rough couple days for the Timberwolves defensively. They <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-andrew-wiggins-48db41b7975bed1b7fba110c04582026">lost 137-114</a> to Golden State on Sunday.
Washington was also playing the second half of a back-to-back after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-wizards-boston-celtics-nba-sports-4059ae4e8c83ecdb9359d92464d0b818">losing 130-121</a> at Boston.
Minnesota went just 7 of 27 from beyond the arc, while the Wizards were 15 of 31.
&ldquo;Certainly it set the tone with all the 3s they made early,&rdquo; Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. &ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t been making 3s at a very good clip recently at all, so it&rsquo;s a huge deficit.&rdquo;
MILESTONE
Porzingis' previous career high came when he was with the New York Knicks, against Indiana on Nov. 5, 2017.
He surpassed that with a three-point play with 4:49 to play, then exited the game moments later.
&ldquo;It's always fun when you can get somebody a career night,&rdquo; Kuzma said. &ldquo;It's very, very hard to play in this league. It's very hard to do anything in this league, and any time players can have career highs it means a lot to them, and as a player you understand how much it means.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Minnesota was without Jaden McDaniels (illness), Jordan McLaughlin (left calf strain) and Taurean Prince (right shoulder subluxation).
Wizards: Rui Hachimura (right ankle soreness) and Delon Wright (right hamstring strain) did not play.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Host Memphis on Wednesday night.
Wizards: At Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
___
Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

Kristaps Porzingis scored a career-high 41 points, including 29 in the first half, and the Wizards beat Minnesota 142-127.

Porzingis scores 41, Wizards beat Wolves after Towns hurt

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Steph Curry had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, Jordan Poole pitched in 24 points off the bench and the Golden State Warriors used a 47-point first quarter to spark a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Klay Thompson went 5 for 8 from deep for 21 points and tied Joe Johnson (1,978) for 15th place on the NBA's career list for 3-pointers made for the Warriors, who raised their perplexing road record to 2-9. They&rsquo;ve won five of their last six games overall and eight of 11.
Draymond Green had his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 assists. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points against his old team for the Warriors, who went 2 for 12 from 3-point range in the second quarter and still led by 20 points at the half.
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points for the Wolves, who were outrebounded 47-31 and allowed their highest opponent score of the season.
After the third quarter turned into casual outside shooting practice for both teams, the Wolves finally came to life early in the fourth quarter. A 19-4 run capped by a 3-pointer from Edwards brought them within 10 points, their closest margin since midway through the first quarter.
Curry missed his first three shots after re-entering at the 8:25 mark. After the Warriors called timeout to stem the tide he swished a 3 from the wing to push the lead to 121-108.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and Jaylen Nowell had 16 points off the bench for the Wolves, who are working through a lot of bad habits on both ends of the court &mdash; like standing around on the perimeter on offense. That trait is made more stark playing against an actively passing and cutting team like the Warriors.
The Wolves lost for the second time in two days after their five-game winning streak was stopped with a loss at Charlotte on Saturday.
The Wolves and Warriors have plenty of runway to get rolling on after their sluggish starts to the season. This game made clear the defending NBA champion Warriors are further along.
The Wolves played without Jaden McDaniels, their best perimeter defender who was sidelined by an illness, against a Warriors team that leads the league with 13 games of 30-plus assists and has long been the league king of the 3.
Wiggins started with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1596970716179464192">soaring left-handed slam</a> off a lob from Green, a signal just 12 seconds into the game that the Wolves were going to have their hands full. The Warriors made 17 of their first 21 shots for a 40-17 lead, built by a 28-4 run over a 4:27 stretch that Nowell finally halted with his first of consecutive 3-pointers off the bench. The 47-27 deficit after one quarter was the biggest for the Wolves this season.
The Warriors also ended a six-game losing streak in Minnesota that spanned more than 3&frac12; years. Their last win at Target Center was on March 19, 2019.
BODY CLOCK
The Timberwolves played their first of four home afternoon games this season, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr sounded wistful for his playing days when more matinees were on the schedule and the NBA on NBC theme song was the main soundtrack.
&ldquo;It makes for a more normal existence. You have dinner at a normal hour, get to bed at a normal hour, so I enjoy them,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State posted the second-highest first-quarter total in the NBA this season, according to Sportradar data. New York had 48 points in a loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 13. ... The Warriors had a 36-22 edge in assists and have 30 or more in seven of their last eight games.
Timberwolves: Austin Rivers drew his first start of the season in McDaniels' spot. He had five points in 29 minutes. ... Backup PG Jordan McLaughlin (calf strain) was sidelined for the third straight game and backup SF Taurean Prince (shoulder subluxation) was out for the second game in a row.

Steph Curry had 25 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 137-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Steph Curry, Warriors cruise to 137-114 win over Timberwolves

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Cam Johnson scored 29 points, making seven 3-pointers, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.
Johnson finished 7 of 11 behind the arc and 10 for 17 overall in another strong outing for the former reserve who is now in the starting lineup.
&ldquo;I think he is getting more comfortable with the role, but defensively he was really good,&rdquo; Suns coach Monty Williams said.
The victory was the fifth straight for the Suns (6-1), who won without center Deandre Ayton, sidelined with a sprained right ankle.
Johnson helped pick up his team with Devin Booker having a tough night shooting. Booker still had 18 points but was 2 of 7 from 3-point range and 6 of 18 overall. He did have seven rebounds and five assists.
&ldquo;Offensively he was really aggressive," Williams said of Johnson. &ldquo;Everybody was telling him to shoot the ball. He is more than a shooter. He has the ability to make plays. He is a really good passer.&rdquo;
Johnson also had the responsibility of guarding Karl-Anthony Towns.
&ldquo;That is a challenge I really enjoy,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;They play a little bit different, so being able to execute what we worked on feels pretty good.&rdquo;
Minnesota got within 87-85 after Anthony Edwards hit a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter. But the Timberwolves committed six turnovers in their next seven possessions and the Suns were never threatened after that.
&ldquo;Carelessness, bad spacing, poor execution, certainly some heightened defense by Phoenix. But we've got to be better in those moments,&rdquo; Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. &ldquo;Whatever the defense is giving us, we've got to take that.&rdquo;
Mikal Bridges had 19 points for Phoenix and Chris Paul had 15 points, 12 assists and a team-high eight rebounds for the Suns, who led by as many as 18 points.
Towns and Edwards scored 24 points apiece. Towns had 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Edwards made five 3-pointers in 10 attempts.
Naz Reid scored 13 points, making 5 of 6 shots, and fellow reserve Jaylen Nowell scored 10 for Minnesota.
Despite the absence of Ayton, the Suns held their own on the boards against the taller Timberwolves, with Minnesota outrebounding Phoenix 42-34. The Wolves entered the night third in the NBA in rebounding with 49 per game.
Rudy Gobert had nine rebounds for Minnesota and scored seven points, all from the free throw line. He took just one shot from the field in 32 minutes. Two other Wolves starters didn't contribute much &mdash; D'Angelo Russell had five points and Jaden McDaniels, limited to 17 minutes by foul trouble, scored four.
WAINRIGHT UPDATE
Suns guard Ish Wainright&rsquo;s father died Monday. Calvin Wainright, who was 68, was a longtime basketball coach and mentor in Kansas City. Ish Wainright has been out with a back injury since the beginning of the season, and away from the team in recent days.
&ldquo;They all were taken aback by it, they have supported him the way they always do,&rdquo; coach Monty Williams said of his players hearing the news.
NASH OUT
Williams said he felt bad for Suns great Steve Nash, who is no longer the coach of the Brooklyn Nets after a tumultuous tenure.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always tough. We all kind of know how hard these jobs can be,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t seen anybody have to deal with more than him in recent years as far as non-basketball stuff. It&rsquo;s tough to watch from afar.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: G Jordan McLaughlin (right heel) played after missing two games. He finished with nine points.
Suns: F Torrey Craig returned from a left heel injury for Phoenix. C Dario Saric played his second game of the season. He missed the entire 2021-22 season after tearing his ACL in the 2021 NBA Finals. Craig finished with four points and Saric made a 3-pointer, leading to a loud roar from the crowd, in his six minutes of play.

Cam Johnson scored 29 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 for their fifth straight victory.

Suns win 5th straight behind Johnson, beat Wolves 116-107

Nekias Duncan thoroughly breaks down all five teams in the Northwest Division ahead of the 2022-23 season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Northwest Division

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

While there are still a number of dominos that could fall this offseason, things seem to be at a standstill. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Donovan Mitchell could be traded in the near future, but given the current NBA landscape, which teams have improved their overall stock heading into next season?
If we narrow it down to teams who want to enter the NBA's top tier, three franchises stand out. Without further ado, let&rsquo;s look at a trio of teams that improved their chances of making a postseason run.
Minnesota Timberwolves (Over/Under Win Total: 47.5)
If you&rsquo;re selling any Timberwolves stock, I'll buy it all up. Last season, the Wolves won 46 games while having a nightmarish defense at points. It improved, but not to levels respectable enough to be a true threat in the Western Conference. All of a sudden, that&rsquo;s changed with the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/timberwolves-continue-aggressive-push-for-greatness-with-rudy-gobert-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">game-changing arrival of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert</a>.
Paired alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota&rsquo;s unique frontcourt combination has the potential to present endless mismatch opportunities. What&rsquo;s even more potent is the defensive tandem formed between Gobert and ascending wing Jaden McDaniels.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The more I&rsquo;ve thought over the Gobert move for Minnesota, it&rsquo;s an all-in bet on Anthony Edwards soon reaching superstar status. With the way his trajectory looks at the moment, it&rsquo;s easy to push some chips to the middle of the table for a win-now piece. Edwards took a huge step forward in Year 2, but he truly blossomed on the biggest stage in his postseason debut, averaging 25.2 points per game. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick is ready to ascend to alpha status, and those postseason scoring numbers should carry over into the 2022-23 campaign.
Currently, Minnesota&rsquo;s rotation is filled to the brim with some intriguing talent where 50-plus wins should be the expectation.
Starters: D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert
Second Unit: Jordan McLaughlin, Jaylen Nowell, Kyle Anderson, Taurean Prince, Naz Reid
On paper, the Timberwolves have an ideal two-way balance that should allow them to compete with any team on any given night. Gobert will have a huge impact, and it seems foolish to bet against an Edwards leap. The Wolves could be this year&rsquo;s team that makes a massive step forward as an underrated threat.
Denver Nuggets (Over/Under Win Total: 49.5)
Don&rsquo;t overlook what Denver is rolling out next season. Nikola Jokic&rsquo;s brilliance will be complemented by the long-awaited returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Also, the Nuggets <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kentavious-caldwellpope-bruce-brown-raise-denvers-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made some sneaky additions</a> to round out their rotation, acquiring Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
With Jokic carrying Denver to new heights without his scoring sidekicks, you can imagine how much easier it will be for the back-to-back MVP to dominate next season.
If all clicks together, the Nuggets have top-three potential in the Western Conference:
Starters: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic
Second Unit: Bones Hyland, Davon Reed, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, DeAndre Jordan
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_14976859.jpg" alt="" width="555" height="370" />
Health-permitting, trying to poke any holes in the Nuggets&rsquo; roster is a tough task. Not only will Caldwell-Pope and Brown add much-needed two-way versatility, Hyland seems poised to step up and become a key cog in the second unit.
With the reigning MVP adding two dynamite offensive weapons, an already-formidable Nuggets squad could finally have lady luck on their side. One thing is certain: the Northwest Division battle between Denver and Minnesota will be one to keep an eye on.
Philadelphia 76ers (Over/Under Win Total: 49.5)
James Harden is tired of coming up short in the postseason. After taking a pay cut for this upcoming season &mdash; allowing the flexibility to bring aboard some former key teammates from his Houston Rockets tenure &mdash; Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers want to quiet the doubters.
Playing alongside Joel Embiid makes life easier for Harden and everyone else, but they entered this offseason with multiple holes to plug. While it&rsquo;s not their ideal outcome in some areas, Philadelphia added much-needed shooting gravity to surround Embiid better.
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A reliable shooter and grizzled veteran PJ Tucker now starts next to Embiid, which is one of the more underrated summer additions. De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, acquired with their first-round pick on draft night, is positioned well to play a massive role off the bench as their third guard. From there, some Houston-esque elements from Harden and Daryl Morey present themselves once again in non-Embiid minutes, with Tucker potentially playing the role of a small-ball center&nbsp;
Across the board, the Sixers&rsquo; rotation is fortified and Philly is also in a great spot to capitalize on the midseason buyout market:
Starters: James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, Joel Embiid
Second Unit: De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, Matisse Thybulle, Danuel House, Georges Niang, Charles Bassey/Paul Reed
Following the Harden trade, Philadelphia changed its calculus entirely. Now, with a deeper rotation &mdash; and a seemingly motivated Harden &mdash; the sky is the limit to finally cash in on &ldquo;The Process&rdquo; era.

Which NBA teams have improved their odds the most of making a potential postseason run next season? Three stand out thus far.

Analyzing 3 NBA teams who raised their stock for the 2022-23 season

Who is poised to become a free agent next offseason? Here’s a look at the top 40 NBA players who could be available next summer.

2023 NBA Free Agency: Looking ahead to next summer's free-agent class

The Minnesota Timberwolves have officially pushed their chips to the middle of the table. Under new management (Tim Connelly) and new ownership (Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore), the new-look Timberwolves are ready to make a splash within the reloaded Western Conference.
On July 1, Minnesota pulled off arguably their biggest trade in franchise history, securing three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz for a haul of assets. The Timberwolves sent Utah all of the following for their All-Star center: Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler (who was just selected in the first round), 2023 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick, 2026 pick swap, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected). It's a massive price for Minnesota to pay, and the Jazz simply couldn&rsquo;t refuse the franchise-changing package.
Minnesota hired Connelly away from the Denver Nuggets earlier this offseason, giving him equity and a five-year deal worth around $40 million. It didn't take long for the new president of basketball operations to put his fingerprints all over the Wolves' roster. Connelly has long admired Gobert, and he actually drafted him back in 2013 before shipping his rights off to Utah in a draft-night deal. Gobert would blossom into one of the most dominant defensive forces in recent NBA history &mdash; singlehandedly transforming the Jazz into an elite unit on that end of the court.
Once Gobert arrived in Minneapolis, there were some questioning his long-term fit alongside fellow star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who just inked a new supermax extension this week. However, the Timberwolves feel this duo can transcend the current small-ball movement within the Association, with Gobert serving as the accelerant that Minnesota has needed to make a deep postseason run.
&ldquo;[Gobert] doesn&rsquo;t inhibit anything we have presently, he makes them better,&rdquo; Connelly said during Gobert&rsquo;s introductory press conference on Wednesday. &ldquo;He augments what we have presently. So, when you look at fit, it&rsquo;s not just about talent, it&rsquo;s about kinda developing a team. When you see KAT and you see [D&rsquo;Angelo Russell] and you see [Anthony Edwards], he&rsquo;s just going to make them better without kinda putting a roadblock on some of the natural progression we&rsquo;ve seen the last couple of years. Collectively, all those things are very hard to find. And when we were able to pull the trigger, we were excited to do so.&rdquo;
Minnesota now has the infrastructure to be scheme-versatile, throwing out different lineup combinations to throw off opposing defenses. With an offensive mastermind like Chris Finch coaching a terrific defensive anchor in Gobert, many people seem to be underselling the immediate impact of this acquisition around the organization.
With the Gobert-Towns duo presenting mismatch problems on a nightly basis and the Wolves&rsquo; current defensive infrastructure, this squad has a ton of potential. Defense-first wings such as Taurean Prince, Jaden McDaniels and Kyle Anderson will log heavy minutes alongside Gobert, Towns and Edwards. After boasting the NBA's 9th-ranked offense and 13th-ranked defense last season, Minnesota will be even scarier as a balanced, two-way threat going forward.
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On Wednesday, the Wolves&rsquo; braintrust spoke glowingly about the impact that Gobert will have on a franchise that has only had one 50-win season over the last 20-plus years.
&ldquo;It was the perfect fit at the perfect time for the organization,&rdquo; Finch said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not often you get the chance to add somebody who brings such a level of professionalism, maturity and experience alongside a young core who fits seamlessly into what we need &mdash; and what we need most.&rdquo;
The Timberwolves have coveted a piece like Gobert, who can turn certain weaknesses (such as their rebounding and defense) into strengths. The equity Gobert provides can go unnoticed, but the possession-by-possession value will be felt immediately by Minnesota.
&ldquo;When you look at players of Rudy&rsquo;s abilities, they don&rsquo;t become available very often," Connelly said. "I think he&rsquo;s a seamless fit both culturally and on the court in terms of what he can bring to us as a player and as a person. We&rsquo;re trying to develop winning ways. We&rsquo;re trying to develop a sustainable team and enjoy winning at the highest level. He&rsquo;s seen that. He&rsquo;s seen it at the [French] national team. Obviously, [as a] multi-time Defensive Player of the Year. This guy is going to be a Hall-of-Famer. I&rsquo;ve been in the NBA a long, long time and there&rsquo;s only been a handful of those types of calls [for] those types of players that you think can become actionable.
"We gave up some really good players. We lost some guys that were unbelievably impactful, kinda changing this culture. We saw how fun last year was. So, it&rsquo;s never easy. You don&rsquo;t want to be dismissive of the guys you give up, obviously a lot of draft capital, but when you get a call, the one we got about Rudy, pretty quickly you realize how unique the situation is and you want to be as aggressive as possible.&rdquo;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/rrud.jpg" alt="" width="651" height="388" />
That aggressiveness has helped propel Minnesota forward, and it's possible that the Wolves could improve their win total by double-digits next season (after winning 46 games last year). Take a quick look at the Timberwolves&rsquo; projected rotation, which doesn&rsquo;t have many holes.
Starters: D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert
Second Unit: Jordan McLaughlin, Jaylen Nowell, Taurean Prince, Kyle Anderson, Naz Reid
The Wolves can roll nine deep within their rotation, and they have three potential All-NBA players within their starting lineup. Minnesota's two-way potential is off the charts, and it's possible that the addition of Gobert can help the Wolves ascend to a level of success they haven&rsquo;t experienced since the Kevin Garnett era.
If Gobert's impact on the Jazz is any indication, Minnesota could become a regular-season juggernaut with a top-tier defense. Over the past two seasons in Utah, Gobert carried the NBA&rsquo;s best defensive unit. With Gobert off the court, Utah plummeted into the bottom third of the Association in defensive rating.
Gobert 2021-22 On/Off DefRtg: 104.5 DefRtg (1st), 112.3 DefRtg (20th)
Gobert 2020-21 On/Off DefRtg: 100.9 DefRtg (1st), 112.8 DefRtg (22nd)
Simply put, it's incredible that a single player could have such an enormous impact. Having Gobert will make life a lot easier for the Wolves' other players and Finch.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a defensive microcosm unto himself,&rdquo; Finch said of Gobert. &ldquo;I think we&rsquo;re going to have to build a system that&rsquo;s flexible enough to be able to take on the different looks we&rsquo;re going to see. Some of that&rsquo;s going to happen as we go along; some of that we prepare for. Offensively, I don&rsquo;t see a whole lot changing, honestly.&rdquo;
When Gobert first learned of Minnesota&rsquo;s interest, he was surprised because of Towns&rsquo; presence. However, the more he thought about the potential pairing alongside KAT, Gobert loved the idea. He's excited about this new challenge and environment. Gobert told his agent that he needed a day or two to think about it. But later that night, as Gobert put it, he realized that playing next to a generational offensive talent in the frontcourt would be the most exciting possibility for his career.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to be very unique,&rdquo; Gobert said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think there&rsquo;s going to be another team that&rsquo;s going to be able to bring to the table what we bring to the table. And my goal [is to] make Karl a better player on both ends and make his life easier, allow him to be better than he already is. I think his presence is going to do the same for me.&rdquo;
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The Gobert-Towns duo will force teams to pick their poison on either end, and a coach like Finch will quickly figure out how to exploit those leaks on a consistent basis. Also, the potential for Edwards and Russell&rsquo;s games to blossom alongside Gobert can&rsquo;t be overlooked. Minnesota is betting on Edwards to take the leap to superstar, and his recent postseason performance suggests that he&rsquo;s ready to do so. Russell should also see much easier looks and improve his efficiency, especially in the pick-and-roll thanks to Gobert&rsquo;s in-action gravity effect.
This a gamble that is going to play out over the next four years in Minnesota, but it's rare for a small-market team to have a trio of stars. The Wolves aren't afraid to spend money in order to take the next step as a franchise; in 2025-26, Gobert and Towns will make a combined $99.5 million, and that doesn't include Edwards' upcoming rookie-scale max extension.
When the Timberwolves began exploring serious trade discussions to add another star-caliber player, Gobert was the target who stood out most.
&ldquo;A couple weeks ago, we put names on the board that we thought were elite guys, guys that were difference-makers,&rdquo; Connelly said. &ldquo;[It's] a very small list &mdash; we have a couple of those guys on our team. When you&rsquo;re able to add a difference-maker and not trade a guy in that kinda similar tier, it&rsquo;s rare. So, when we started having those discussions more specifically, his name kept popping up.&rdquo;
Like all trades, it will take years before we know whether the Wolves made the right move. The decision to go all-in is all about opportunity cost, and Minnesota simply felt that Utah's asking price was worth it.&nbsp;
&ldquo;When you add a guy like Rudy, it&rsquo;s hard not to get excited and it&rsquo;s hard not to be overly risk-adverse and throw your chips in a bit,&rdquo; Connelly said.
Don&rsquo;t sleep on the Timberwolves next season. After adding Gobert, they are poised to have an elite unit on both ends of the court, making Minnesota a very dangerous dark horse in the Western Conference.

With their blockbuster trade for Rudy Gobert, the Minnesota Timberwolves have pushed their chips to the middle of the table.

Timberwolves make aggressive push for greatness with Rudy Gobert trade

Bookmark this page and we'll keep you up-to-date on every NBA rumor. We'll continue updating this tracker over the next 24 hours.

NBA Rumor Tracker: Compiling the latest news and intel

It&rsquo;s Christmas in late June for NBA fans.
The 2022 NBA Draft is hours away, and the rumor mill is churning. BasketballNews has compiled every major rumor to keep you up-to-date on the latest rumblings around the Association.
If you missed yesterday's NBA Rumors Notebook with updates on Malcolm Brogdon, John Collins, Gordon Hayward and more, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-draft-2022-news-reports-atlanta-hawks-malcolm-brogdon-new-york-knicks-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check that out here</a>.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s jump into the juicy intel.
Kevin Durant will request trade if Kyrie Irving leaves Nets
On Wednesday, ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped this blockbuster nugget in his <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/34130810/how-kyrie-irving-contract-talks-change-kevin-durant-long-term-commitment-brooklyn-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN+ story</a> detailing the the uncertainty surrounding the Nets and Kyrie Irving. Woj said that the star point guard has a huge leverage play in negotiations: Irving knows that if the Nets refuse to sign him to a long-term extension, Kevin Durant will soon follow him out the door in Brooklyn. Wojnarowski said the Nets are aware of this situation, so their front office is trying to walk this tightrope.
Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/kyrie-irving-latest-more-trade-talk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added on Substack</a> that he&rsquo;s heard Irving and LeBron James have been in contact recently, potentially about reuniting on the Los Angeles Lakers. Wojnarowski relayed on NBA Today that the Lakers are considered "the biggest threat" to acquire Irving outside of Brooklyn too. Also, Stein said don&rsquo;t rule out the Miami Heat as a possible suitor via sign-and-trade.
The Irving drama has already created a negative impact on the Nets&rsquo; free-agency plans. Wojnarowski said on NBA Today that Brooklyn is having a hard time retaining their own free agents, plus Durant isn&rsquo;t recruiting potential names to the Nets as well.&nbsp;
"In previous offseasons, rival agents and players would tell you of Durant's eagerness in talking to potential free agents. So far, that hasn't been the case with him, sources say," Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/34130810/how-kyrie-irving-contract-talks-change-kevin-durant-long-term-commitment-brooklyn-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote on ESPN+</a>.
Durant has also been putting pressure on the Nets to sign Irving long-term, per Wojnarowski.
All of a sudden, the possibility of the Nets breaking up feels very real. Could we actually be looking at a scenario where Durant is requesting a trade over the next few weeks? If Irving's contract situation isn&rsquo;t resolved soon, it sure feels like it.
OG Anunoby joining Jerami Grant in Portland?
According to <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1539759808907284480" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Sports&rsquo; Chris Haynes</a>, the Portland Trail Blazers aren&rsquo;t done trying to make massive moves to improve their roster. After acquiring Jerami Grant for a bargain price on Wednesday, Haynes relayed that Portland is offering the Toronto Raptors the No. 7 overall pick in today's NBA Draft in exchange for versatile wing OG Anunoby.
There has been persistent smoke surrounding Anunoby in trade talks over the last few weeks, and now things have kicked into overdrive.
If the Blazers are able to land Anunoby alongside Grant, it&rsquo;s a dream wing pairing to place alongside the high-usage backcourt of Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons. Assuming Portland also re-signs Jusuf Nurkic, they could become a playoff contender once again.
Deandre Ayton, Suns heading for a split?
Deandre Ayton may have played his final game with the Phoenix Suns. Even though things seemed to be heading in this direction after the Suns' shocking postseason exit, Wojnarowski confirmed Wednesday on NBA Today that the organization doesn&rsquo;t view&nbsp; their former No. 1 overall pick as a max-level player. Woj added that Phoenix plans to engage in serious sign-and-trade discussions surrounding Ayton.
Keep an eye on the Detroit Pistons as a potential landing spot for Ayton, especially after the Grant trade went down. The Pistons now have more than $40 million in cap space, which means they can offer Ayton a max contract without any hiccups. According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3379072/2022/06/22/jerami-grant-blazers-pistons-deandre-ayton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s James Edwards III</a>, Detroit is &ldquo;heavily expected&rdquo; to pursue Ayton.
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Will James Harden opt in?
Wojnarowski mentioned on NBA Today that James Harden was likely to exercise his $47 million player option for next season and sign a short-term extension with the Philadelphia 76ers. Harden&rsquo;s new deal with Philadelphia will come in at a figure slightly below the max, as Woj relayed on ESPN2. This lines up with <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10038916-latest-nba-intel-sources-say-james-harden-will-sign-short-term-extension-with-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a recent report</a> from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
Philadelphia has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-draft-2022-news-reports-atlanta-hawks-malcolm-brogdon-new-york-knicks-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already been linked to Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker</a> this offseason, so we'll see if the 2018 Houston Rockets are planning a reunion. Would adding Gordon and Tucker be enough to put Philadelphia over the top in the Eastern Conference?
The Sixers are also shopping the No. 23 overall pick, Matisse Thybulle and Danny Green, per <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10038916-latest-nba-intel-sources-say-james-harden-will-sign-short-term-extension-with-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer</a>.&nbsp;
Thunder planning blockbuster trade to move up draft?
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/34121058/2022-nba-mock-draft-projecting-all-58-picks-based-latest-intel-scouting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to ESPN&rsquo;s Jonathan Givony</a>, the Oklahoma City Thunder are aggressively trying to trade up from No. 12, with their primary targets being Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey and Kentucky&rsquo;s Shaedon Sharpe.
The Thunder are hoping to come out of this draft with two of the top prospects; OKC also has the No. 2 and signs seem to point to them taking Chet Holmgren.&nbsp;
Could you imagine Oklahoma City trotting out a core that features Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Holmgren and either Ivey or Sharpe? That&rsquo;s simply unfair.
Hawks pursuing Dejounte Murray trade?
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Jake Fischer</a>, the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks have discussed a deal that would involve swapping Dejounte Murray and John Collins. Fischer noted that the price for Murray to leave San Antonio would be &ldquo;Jrue Holiday-like&rdquo; in terms of the return. If that&rsquo;s the case, the Spurs would likely have to part with multiple first-round picks to land the versatile guard.
The Athletic's Chris Kirschner joined BasketballNews' Twitter Spaces last night and confirmed that these talks are ongoing, but added that a deal isn't close. He has also heard that the asking price for Murray is significant.
With this coming out of nowhere, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise to see the Spurs be a very aggressive team during tonight's NBA Draft.
Knicks all-in on Jalen Brunson?
Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/kyrie-irving-latest-more-trade-talk?sd=pf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Wednesday that the New York Knicks are viewed as a real threat to sign Jalen Brunson, if they can clear the necessary cap space. The Knicks are trying to offload the expiring contracts (if you count their 2023-24 team option) of Alec Burks, Kemba Walker and Nerlens Noel. Wojnarowski added later in the day on ESPN2 that New York will be aggressive in clearing said space.
Stein dropped another Knicks-related note involving underrated rim protector Mitchell Robinson. <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/nba-draft-forecast-trades-aplenty?sd=pf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Stein</a>, the Knicks are expected to re-sign Robinson, which may close the door on potential draft options like Memphis&rsquo; Jalen Duren or Duke&rsquo;s Mark Williams at No. 11 overall.
Yesterday, ESPN&rsquo;s Brian Windhorst mentioned on NBA Today that New York has been unwilling to include No. 11 in any trade talks involving Pacers point guard Malcolm Brogdon. The availability of Brogdon continues to be a hot topic, which included <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10038623-latest-nba-intel-sources-expect-zach-lavine-to-re-sign-with-chicago-bulls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer reporting</a> that league executives believe Brogdon is the Knicks' backup option after Brunson.
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Pacers accepting rebuild?
On ESPN's NBA Mock Draft Special on Tuesday, Wojnarowksi said that the Pacers plan to reshape their roster and move toward a rebuild under head coach Rick Carlisle. Woj added that Indiana is hopeful to add a second lottery selection since there are multiple prospects they like in that range.
The full expectation is that Brogdon will be moved soon. However, when it comes to Myles Turner's future, the Pacers may wait for better offers or hold onto him long-term. Both Brogdon and Turner have constantly popped up in trade rumors, and that likely isn't changing until there's a resolution.
Indiana deciding on a full-scale rebuild opens up a lot of roster possibilities, and it further suggests that Brogdon, Turner and maybe even Buddy Hield could be on the move. Leading up to the draft, Indiana continues to be one of the most active teams on the trade market.
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer mentioned on Wednesday</a> that the following teams have shown interest in a Turner trade: the Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell staying in Minnesota?
Speaking of the Timberwolves, another interesting tidbit was shared on Wednesday morning by <a href="https://theathletic.com/3363956/2022/06/22/dangelo-russell-future-timberwolves/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Jon Krawczynski</a>: Minnesota has not come close on any potential trades involving D&rsquo;Angelo Russell or any other players. Russell is on the final year of his contract, but his season ended with some fourth-quarter benchings in favor of Jordan McLaughlin during the playoffs.
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly <a href="https://twitter.com/JonKrawczynski/status/1539694720108085248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> on Wednesday that the organization is &ldquo;super open&rdquo; to trading the No. 19 pick. Connelly added that they would welcome a win-now piece in exchange for the top-20 selection.
Cavs open to trading back?
According to <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2022/06/cleveland-cavaliers-getting-trade-offers-for-the-no-14-pick-in-2022-nba-draft-sources-say.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com</a>, the Cleveland Cavaliers are open to trading back from No. 14 overall. This lines up with what <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-bradley-beal-bobby-portis-nicolas-batum-lakers-nets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported</a> earlier this week. Scotto added that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks have called about the No. 14 pick.
Holding the final pick in the lottery, Cleveland could fetch a solid return on the trade market. The Cavs are reportedly hoping for a future first-round pick, but they&rsquo;re open to adding a win-now role player in a trade-back scenario as well.&nbsp;
If the Cavaliers are able to move back while also improving the top of their rotation, it would be a huge win for the up-and-coming team.
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Suns shopping Jae Crowder?
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Fischer</a>, the Suns have reached out to rival teams to gauge Jae Crowder's trade value. Over the last two seasons, Crowder has played a pivotal role in the Suns&rsquo; historic turnaround. However, with a looming extension for Cameron Johnson, it could make sense to clear more playing time for he and Mikal Bridges on the wing.
Phoenix has no picks tonight, but they are rumored to be interested in getting into the draft. While they have looked into buying a second-round selection, perhaps trading Crowder could get them into the first round.
If the Suns send Crowder to Philadelphia for the No. 23 pick and Danny Green&rsquo;s non-guaranteed salary, would that make sense for both sides?
Wizards listening on Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Fischer</a>, the Wizards are open to discussing Kuzma and KCP in deals. Earlier in the week, Wojnarowski listed Washington as one of the most active teams in trade discussions.
After a strong season with the Wizards, Kuzma could provide a strong return. KCP&rsquo;s expiring contract would be a strong match with Indiana for Malcolm Brogdon, which has been rumored for several days.
Blazers, Pelicans draft preferences
Closing out the notebook, here are two draft-related notes. First up, if the Portland Trail Blazers stay put at No. 7, they are reportedly fans of Dyson Daniels and Shaedon Sharpe, per <a href="https://theathletic.com/3377254/2022/06/22/nba-mock-draft-trades-rumors-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s John Hollinger</a>. Both Daniels or Sharpe could be real complements on the wing alongside Lillard, Grant and Simons. If Portland nails their lottery pick, they are set up to potentially rebound in 2022-23.
The New Orleans Pelicans&rsquo; top choices at No. 8 are Daniels and Arizona&rsquo;s Bennedict Mathurin, per <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/please-dont-aggregate-this/id1618992995" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer on his podcast</a>. If neither Daniels nor Mathurin are on the board, New Orleans would be more inclined to listen on potential trade-back scenarios.
Buckle up, folks, as this is going to be a crazy day! BasketballNews will keep you updated on all the latest NBA news and rumors.
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The 2022 NBA Draft is hours away, and the rumor mill is churning. Here are all of the latest rumblings from around the Association.

NBA Rumors Notebook: Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Deandre Ayton, more

Changes are coming in Minnesota.
Fresh off a 46-36 campaign and competitive first-round exit, the Timberwolves have already gone swinging. There's a new sheriff in town, with former <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nuggets-tim-connelly-to-become-wolves-president-of-basketball-ops" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Denver Nuggets president Tim Connelly joining the team</a> in a similar role. The price was huge: a five-year deal worth north of $40 million and&nbsp; &mdash; and! &mdash; equity in the organization, per The Athletic. It's a monstrous deal with the potential for more &mdash; a deal, as my Dunker Spot co-host <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Jones Jr.</a> described on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our latest episode</a>, that the Nuggets weren't likely to match.
There's obvious intrigue in Connelly's move to Minnesota, namely him leaving a successful division rival that currently rosters a back-to-back MVP in Nikola Jokic to do so. But the interest for me has come with the reporting around the move. Take this passage from The Athletic's <a href="https://theathletic.com/3320881/2022/05/18/timberwolves-tim-connelly-president-basketball-ops/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania</a> as negotiations were heating up between the two sides.
<blockquote>
Leaving the two-time MVP for upstart Minnesota would be a bold move. But the Timberwolves do have a pair of building blocks in Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, promising young talent in Jaden McDaniels and Jarred Vanderbilt, a coach who is revered throughout the organization and an ownership group that appears to be motivated to invest in the organization.
</blockquote>
Hmm... notice anyone missing? Also, the "ownership group that appears to be motivated to invest" portion could be seen as subtle shade toward the organization that was on track to lose Masai Ujiri (killing it in Toronto since 2014) and Connelly due to being outbid.&nbsp;
And how about this one, from Krawczynski and Charania again, after the <a href="https://theathletic.com/3326241/2022/05/23/tim-connelly-wolves/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal was done</a>?&nbsp;
<blockquote>
There are reasons beyond financial for him to be optimistic about the situation in Minnesota. Connelly will be taking over a team with two stars in Towns and Edwards, promising young players in Jaden McDaniels and Vanderbilt and a top-notch coach in Chris Finch, who spent one season working with Connelly in Denver as an assistant on Malone&rsquo;s staff. D&rsquo;Angelo Russell had a strong season before struggling in the playoffs and Patrick Beverley asserted himself as a tough, veteran leader for a young group.
</blockquote>
Ah,&nbsp;there's&nbsp;the name. But you see why my brow is raised, right? Towns and Edwards represent the core. McDaniels and Vanderbilt are the young pieces dubbed to grow alongside them. The 26 year-old Russell &mdash; one of Towns' best friends making north of $30 million this season &mdash; went from not being mentioned at all in the lead-up piece, to essentially getting a throw-in line with Beverley in the update five days later.
Oh, it doesn't help that Jordan McLaughlin was closing out playoff games while a healthy Russell watched in Round 1. Add in the fact that Russell's future has <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/05/03/report-timberwolves-will-attempt-to-trade-dangelo-russell-this-offseason/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already been questioned</a>, and I think it's fair to assume what the big&nbsp;roster&nbsp;swing for the Wolves will be.&nbsp;
Any team acquiring him will be on the hook for over $31 million next season, though that's the only&nbsp;year left on Russell's deal.&nbsp;
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WHAT RUSSELL BRINGS
Russell remains a smooth operator. He's a proactive passer, one who's able to see and&nbsp;fire into a gap before most players know what's happening. You'll see it with his transition hit-aheads, as well as some of the reads he'll make in pick-and-roll.
And about pick-and-roll: Not many players blend pull-up shooting and high-level passing like Russell does. You can't afford to duck under against him, or drop your big back too far. He will absolutely waltz into jumpers. Once he gets hot, you're forced to press up &mdash; and that opens up even more passing windows for him.
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Russell was one of 31 players to receive at least 1,500 on-ball picks this season, per Second Spectrum. Russell-led ball screens were good for nearly 1.03 points per possession (PPP), a top-10ish mark in NBA among high volume ball-handlers.
You can thank the jumper for that &mdash; Russell converted 37% of the pull-up threes he attempted out of pick-and-roll, per InStat tracking. For comparison, that put him in line with high volume pull-up artists like Stephen Curry (38.9%) and Trae Young (37.0%).
(Also: Shout out to Darius Garland for bombing away at a 42.5% clip. That guy's getting paid.)&nbsp;
LIMITATIONS
Russell is what I'd describe as a two-level scorer. He's comfortable firing from deep, and he's able to snake and hunt shots around the elbow area with the best of them. Rim pressure is... simply not his thing. Only 16% of Russell's shots came at the rim last season, a mark that ranks in the 16th percentile per Cleaning The Glass. (Not great!)
And as someone who rarely got to the rim, Russell didn't draw many shooting fouls either. The lack of "easy points" lends to a boom-or-bust nature in Russell's game. His pull-up jumper is a legit weapon, but things kinda crater for him if it isn't falling in a way that isn't helpful for your&nbsp;lead&nbsp;ball-handler.&nbsp;
I think a truth has become (more) clear &mdash; Russell needs to be paired with a ball-dominant rim threat to get the best out of him.
That was the intrigue around Edwards taking more of a lead role in the second half of the season. In theory, Edwards ability to touch the paint on any given possession would lead to easier catch-and-shoot &mdash; or catch-and-drive &mdash; opportunities for Russell. A team trading for Russell should have a similar infrastructure in place.
Defensively, Russell found his home as a middle linebacker. Most teams rely on their primary rim-protector to call out coverages and actions. For Minnesota, that responsibility was Russell's. It was an odd dynamic, but one that worked. He was often seen and&nbsp;heard barking out instructions while he zoned up behind the action.
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I remained worried about him in more conservative defensive schemes. Russell isn't the quickest laterally. And while he's improved a bit from his rookie season (I'd hope so!), screen navigation remains an issue for him overall.
With the Wolves, Russell was blessed with the opportunity to roam off-ball (his ideal role) while having the screen navigation issues limited due to his big hedging ball-screens with him. If Russell's dumped into a drop scheme, the onus flips back on him to stay attached to ball-handlers. That could be a tricky bet.
LANDING SPOTS
Due to Russell's contract and the context needed to unlock him on both ends, it's hard to imagine 20+ teams blowing up the phones in Minnesota. There are a few teams that:
1) Make theoretical sense for Russell's game
2) Have the contracts to at least get conversations started
The New York Knicks have been searching for a calming presence at point guard for ages; at the very least, a guy that can grease the wheels of an offense with pick-and-roll play. While an in-house option is staring them in the face &mdash; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-young-knicks-playing-chess" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I'm with you, Knick fans</a> &mdash; it wouldn't shock me to see the Knicks take a flier on a talent like Russell, especially if it doesn't cost a core piece.&nbsp;
The contracts of Alec Burks, Derrick Rose, and Nerlens Noel get you in the ballpark of Russell's number. The Knicks have the Mavericks' first rounder in 2023 &mdash; a likely low 20s pick &mdash; to toss in if the Wolves don't think that's enough.
In theory, you'd have Russell playing off the rim-battering of RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. Maybe you get a more unlocked Randle with someone that can thread the needle on tight-window passes more consistently.&nbsp;
The Wolves would be able to bolster their depth, adding some rim pressure (Rose), movement shooting (Burks) and a big that can do work in an aggressive scheme (Noel). The Knicks losing the latter would be buffered by the retention of Mitchell Robinson and the likely growth from Jericho Sims.
Quick question: Who's the best passer for the Los Angeles Clippers? Follow-up question: How many names did you list before naming an actual guard? The combined deals of Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard get you in the door. I can hear arguments about that already being too much for L.A. I'd argue that Russell gives you more on the playmaking front, gives you more size in the backcourt and helps your defense without tapping into your wing depth. Again, there's at least a conversation to be had.
If you're looking to pair Russell with a ball-dominant rim threat, how about Luka Doncic and Dallas? At worst, Russell could serve as a buffer to Jalen Brunson signing elsewhere. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dwight Powell would give the Wolves the movement shooting, plus big-man depth combination to bolster their supporting cast. I'd argue the Mavericks may have to throw in a pick, though they're a little light on that front.
Lastly, would you rather have Russell or Cole Anthony? Actually, don't answer that.
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Nekias Duncan looks at potential landing spots for Wolves guard D'Angelo Russell this offseason.