Notes, quotes and observations from the Timberwolves beat as the team opens practice this week.
The last connection to the Flip Saunders era is gone now with this week’s trade sending Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks. Saunders, the beloved former U point guard, Wolves coach and president of basketball ops, made Towns the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft before tragically passing away in October of that year.
Saunders was 60 years old when he died from cancer. He left behind a plan to make the Wolves a playoff contender, with the versatile and deft shooting 7-foot Towns as the center piece.
There was debate before the draft whether Towns or 6-10 Jahlil Okafor was most worthy of going No. 1. Saunders made the right selection in taking Towns who became Rookie of the Year averaging 18.3 points per game, 10.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Okafor had a disappointing NBA career and last played in the league in 2020-2021.
Towns, who turns 29 in November, is one of the best shooting big men ever but his lack of consistency in big games has tarnished his reputation. Still, he was coveted by the Knicks and is reunited with coach Tom Thibodeau, a demanding leader who several years ago coached Towns with the Wolves.
The Knicks fill their center position with an All-Star while the Wolves receive an All-Star big man in power forward Julius Randle, versatile guard Donte DiVincenzo, and a future first round protected draft choice via the Pistons. “Minnesota gets two quality players,” Vinny Del Negro told Sports Headliners.
Del Negro, a former NBA player and executive, said the deal “made sense for both teams.” The Wolves were able to reduce salary, saving millions in payroll and luxury tax penalties, and stabilizing their financial outlook.
There is no certainty whether the trade makes the Wolves even more likely to make a deep playoff run or take a step back. Towns’ talent is enormous, including his defensive presence that contributed so much to knocking the defending NBA champion Nuggets out of last spring’s playoffs. Whether the 2024-2025 roster is more talented than last year’s version may not even be the determiner in whether the Wolves can go beyond the Western Conference Finals as they did this year. Results could depend on how everyone blends together and key players avoiding injury.
“…We think we can play with anybody,” said Tim Connelly, the Wolves president of basketball operations. He indicated the Wolves want to be positioned financially to win now and in the long term. He also said he’s impressed with the offseason work done by the players making themselves the best “versions of themselves.”
While the players had an emotional bond with Towns, they also understand the NBA is a business that includes trades. “We have all the trust in the world in Tim and what he’s been able to do for this team in a short period of time, and where we’ve been able to get to,” said veteran point guard Mike Conley. “…From my understanding, they handled it better than probably any organization has probably ever handled trading somebody. Super professional and the way they worked their business. …”
The Wolves’ development may now be more than ever in the hands of 23-year-old All-Star guard Anthony Edwards, generally considered a top 10 player in the league. Last season, his fourth in the NBA, he averaged a career best 25.9 points per game and played for the gold medal winning US Olympic team in the summer.
“We continue to challenge Anthony because we think he can be one of the best players ever,” Connelly said. “We don’t say that lightly. With that expectation comes tremendous responsibility. Not just the last 20 games (of last season), he’s grown tremendously as a leader.
“He’s starting to find his voice where he’s more comfortable calling guys out in a very positive way. He’s one of the more positive great players I’ve been around. There’s no skipping steps. … I think when Anthony is locked in defensively there is no better on the ball defender in the NBA. And we’re just unbelievably encouraged by his development and really proud of him.”
Asked about the “one of the best ever” comment, Edwards replied: “Yea, I think he right.”
Edwards acknowledged that in addition to his all-around physical skills, he must have a superb work ethic to reach the highest levels of achievement and show he’s coachable. His goals over the summer included being in the weight room as much as possible “and take some fat off.”
Edwards said he begins training camp in the best physical shape of his pro career. Part of that is attributed to the physical challenge of preparing for and playing in the Olympics where his teammates included LeBron James, arguably one of the two or three greatest players ever.
Edwards didn’t offer details, but he said James has “like this little thing he do before every game.” Whatever it is, Edwards said it’s a great routine “that I stole.”
Edwards made 35.7 percent of his three-point shots, down from a career high of 36.9 the prior season. He made catching the basketball and shooting three pointers an offseason priority.
Among Edwards’ new teammates is veteran guard-forward Joe Ingles. He’s admired Edwards’ talent for awhile while playing for other teams and was attracted to signing with the Wolves as a free agent. “Obviously they’ve got ‘Ant’ who is probably more than likely going to be the face of the league soon,” Ingles said. “Just a great roster, a great coaching staff.”
Ingles turns 37 tomorrow (October 2) and for a short while will be the oldest player on the roster. Conley turns 37 on October 11.
Ingles has played with three other NBA teams including with the Jazz where he and Conley excelled in working pick-and-rolls with now Wolves center Rudy Gobert. Ingles, who will come off the bench to give the team spot minutes and hopefully a frequent playmaking spark, knows his presence in Minneapolis isn’t about stroking his ego.
“It’s about the team. It’s about winning. I am too old and too over the hill to be worried about myself at this point.”
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