Timberwolves – Page 14 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Flip’s Ties to Timberwolves End with Towns Trade to Knicks

Posted on October 1, 2024October 1, 2024 by David Shama

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.

Karl-Anthony Towns photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves.

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.”

Comments Welcome

Gold Medal Growth Opportunity for Wolves’ ‘Ant’

Posted on August 6, 2024August 7, 2024 by David Shama

Anthony Edwards and his U.S. Olympic men’s basketball teammates stayed undefeated at the Paris games this afternoon. Edwards, who had a second best on the team 17 points, helped the Americans run their record to 4-0 with their 122-87 win over Brazil. The U.S. advances to the semifinals in Thursday’s game against Serbia as the Americans pursue Olympic gold.

Edwards—who scored most of his points today in the second half in a one-sided game from early on—was coming off a 26-point game last week when he led the U.S. in scoring in a 104-83 victory against Puerto Rico. Edwards, who made six of 10 field goals today including three of seven three-pointers. trailed only Devin Booker’s 18 points on the U.S. team.

The Timberwolves’ 23-year-old shooting guard is thought to be on the verge of superstardom, if not there already. Edwards was named All-NBA for the first time in his career earlier this year. He made the all-league second team after averaging a career-high 25.9 points per game on a career-best 46.1 percent shooting. He averaged 5.4 rebounds and a career-high 5.1 assists, becoming the first player in franchise history to average 25+ points/5+ rebounds/5+ assists in a season.

Edwards has expressed confidence that he can contribute in big moments, including at the Olympics where so far he is the American team’s leading scorer. “His confidence is something that fuels him, to be quite honest with you,” Wolves coach Chris Finch told Sports Headliners earlier this summer.

Anthony Edwards photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves

The Olympics are a superb “summer lab” for Edwards to polish his skills and improve his maturity as he prepares for his fifth NBA season this fall. Although Edwards is coming off the bench for the U.S. team, coach Steve Kerr is liberally dividing up playing time so that his uber-talented and deep roster provides most players with double digit time on the floor. Today Edwards played a team leading 20 minutes, 53 seconds.

The competitiveness in practices and games at the Olympics is certainly an opportunity for Edwards to take the “next step.” In the playoffs last spring he had superb games but also moments where both his decision-making and stamina lagged.

Being around consummate veterans like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant will show Edwards how they handle big moments on a big stage. It is also a setting for Edwards to see how they handle themselves off the court—an environment that sometimes has been challenging for him since the Wolves drafted him No. 1 overall in 2020.

Two years ago this September, Edwards was fined $40,000 by the NBA for anti-gay remarks he made in an Instagram post. After an April 2023 incident in Denver when Edwards recklessly swung a chair that hit two bystanders as he exited the court, he was fined $50,000 by the league.

There have been other issues that have impacted his reputation, too. Whether he can put further problems behind him will be interesting as he leads the Wolves, a team whose leadership he took over last season from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Edwards seemingly benefited from international play last offseason when he played for the U.S. Men’s FIBA World’s team. He led the U.S. in scoring at 18.9 points per game and minutes (25.9) as the Americans placed fourth in the tournament. He also averaged 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals.

Chris Finch: ‘Garza Very Potent Offensive Player’

Luka Garza has played minimal minutes in his three seasons in the NBA, including two with the Timberwolves where he’s a fan favorite because of his offensive efficiency, work ethic and ties to the Big Ten via the University of Iowa. Garza, a 6-foot-10 center-forward who averaged a career-low 4.9 minutes per game last season and 8.9 minutes over three seasons, has been an emergency back up during his short pro career. But he has shown enough promise to earn his best contract after signing a two-year deal with Minnesota last month that Spotrac.com reports guarantees him $2,162,606 for 2024-2025.

Garza’s deep on the bench status won’t change next season unless injuries impact the front court roster. Finch will remind a listener that things can happen over the course of a long season.

“I don’t see him like right off the bat being in our rotation, but, again, you never know how these things work out,” Finch said. “Couple years ago, I didn’t see Naz Reid in our rotation either.”

Reid, a power forward, was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year last season. An undrafted free agent in 2019 out of LSU, Reid began his career with a two-way contract and developed into an impact scorer off the bench for Minnesota.

Garza knows about two-way deals (meaning a player can be sent to the developmental NBA G League and earn minimal money) but when given the opportunity with the G League Iowa Wolves or Minnesota, he has produced points. In a late season rout of the Raptors last spring, he scored 16 points for the Wolves, making seven of 10 shots in 9:28 of playing time. That was the most points in under 10 minutes by a Wolves player since James Robinson had 23 points in 9:35 minutes on the court.

“He is a very potent offensive player,” Finch said. “He can score from all ranges, (including) his three-point shot. He’s got an old school back to the basket game. One thing we love about him is he can really punish switches.”

When a smaller player has to switch on to the 245-pound Garza, the likelihood is more points for the Wolves. He has a deft shooting touch near and away from the basket.

But there’s more to Garza’s success offensively. There is his determination to play with effort including trying to beat the defense down the floor for a layup or dunk.

Garza’s work ethic, drive, good soldier reputation and perhaps even bench cheer leading is part of the reason he’s stuck in the NBA, initially arriving as a second-round pick by the Pistons and now with guaranteed money in Minneapolis. He played in 25 games, averaging four points on 48 percent shooting, along with 1.2 rebounds and 0.2 assists last season.

“He certainly could be a double-digit scorer in the league if given the minutes and opportunity to do so,” Finch said. “The key for Luka being a rotation player is always going to be his ability to guard in pick and roll (situations) and defensive rebound.”

Garza has worked on improving his footwork and other skills that can make him a better player, including defensively. That improvement is clear to those who watch him closely, but it will always be true that his impact is most evident offensively.

“…When Luka comes on the floor we make a conscious effort to get him the ball,” Finch said. “It doesn’t matter who he is playing with or against.”

Comments Welcome

Twins Deal with Blue Jays for Bullpen Help at Trade Deadline

Posted on July 30, 2024July 30, 2024 by David Shama

The Twins made a late afternoon deal to acquire reliever Trevor Richards from the Blue Jays in return for minor league infielder Jay Harry. Richards, 31 years old, is 2-1 with a 4.64 ERA and has struck out 49 batters in 52.1 innings this season. He has one save in his MLB career that dates back to 2018.

Harry, 22, was a Twins sixth round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and has a .248 minor league average in 404 plate appearances.

The Twins were able to make a deal on a day it was thought they might acquire even more pitching help. A prime trade prospect for the Twins might have been Rockies starter Cal Quantrill who is affordable at reportedly $6.5 million and under team control next season. A 15-game winner with the Indians in 2022, he is not a power pitcher but can cover bulk innings and could have fit in the back of the starting rotation providing quality starts.

Twins management presumably thought the cost was too high in money and/or in parting with their own players to acquire a Quantrill, or similar talent. Richards has about $710,000 remaining on his 2024 $2.1 million deal for the Twins to pay, according to Mlbtraderumors.com. He is a free agent after this season.

The Twins did add starting pitching depth today recalling veteran Randy Dobnak from the Triple-A Saints, according to multiple media reports. Dobnak, pitching better of late, was last with the Twins in 2021.

The hope from the Twins is that Richards and the 29-year-old Dobnak, both right handed journeyman pitchers, can contribute to a few more wins in a division race that finds the Twins 5.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central Division. Even without a division title, Minnesota is a solid contender for a wild card entry in the playoffs.

A contending Twins team through the end of the season and then participating in the playoffs can boost fan interest and the franchise’s coffers. And Twins fans know the budget conscious ownership group runs a cautious operation with scrutiny. Right now the Pohlads can look at home attendance and see that the 23,203 average per game at Target Field trails last year’s final of 24,371.

If the Twins fall out of contention in August or September for a playoff spot, average attendance will decline from what it is now. Fans can generally be categorized into two groups: those more interested in the charm of being at the ballpark with all the on-field and stadium pleasantries, or those who prioritize winning and are frustrated the club hasn’t been to the World Series since 1991, or even made a deep playoff run.

The first group is likely to diminish in numbers in September when school starts and the club’s promotional schedule winds down. Those that want to win now won’t be buying tickets for the rest of the season if they feel frustrated (again).

The Twins reportedly cut payroll by $35 million last offseason and are expected to be budget cautious for 2025. After winning the division title and first round of the playoffs in 2023, there are unhappy fans who say the club didn’t build on that success including a high-end contract to bring back staff ace Sonny Gray.

To the front office’s credit, though, the club has assembled a talented and productive roster of positional players and hitters. It’s a core group, too, with mostly under 30 players.

The starting pitching lacks depth but the Twins can argue the top of the rotation starters— Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober—is enough to make the team a tough out in the playoffs. The starting staff probably didn’t get a big boost at the trade deadline, nor did the so-so bullpen.

Led by Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, the Twins have made successful moves in assembling their roster while working with limited payroll. More money doesn’t guarantee success. The Mets, with a 56-50 record, have the highest payroll among MLB teams, $313,112,204, per Betmgm.com. The Twins rank No. 19 among 30 clubs at $128,865,502.

Some clubs do more with less including the 64-42 Guardians who rank No. 27 in payroll at $100,242,718. Twins’ fans know that’s the way their club operates, too. It was true yesterday, it’s true today and will be tomorrow.

Worth Noting

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and his French Olympic team defeated Japan in overtime today, 94-90. Gobert had 7 points and 15 rebounds.

Joe Mauer and Royce Lewis were both overall No. 1 MLB draft choices, with the Twins having to decide if they wanted to select pitchers instead of those two position players. When the Twins drafted Mauer in 2001, there was opinion that Mark Prior was a better option. Turned out, though, Mauer became one of the best catchers ever and Prior had a disappointing five-year run with the Cubs before injuries ended his career after the 2006 season.

The results may not be so one-sided between Lewis and Hunter Greene who the Reds chose with the No. 2 overall pick in 2017. Lewis, mostly playing third base and being a hitting sensation, has been a wunderkind for Minnesota when available but he has also been a medical curiosity with the many injuries that have sidelined him in the last three seasons. Greene, after two so-so seasons in the bigs, is turning heads this summer with a 7-4 record and 2.97 ERA.

Vikings safety Harrison Smith, 35, is still admired by football authorities. He was named to the NFL’s Top 100 recently landing at No. 93 in the annual vote by league players rating the best of their peers. “I still think he’s a good player. I really do,” a former NFL executive with two franchises told Sports Headliners.

Golden Gopher senior Aireontae Ersery today was named to the Outland Trophy watch list by the Football Writers Association of America—the award that honors the best interior lineman in college football. The 6-6, 330-pound Ersery is college football’s best returning run-blocker, according to Pro Football Focus, and is PFF’s highest graded returning offensive tackle.

Gophers’ featured running back Darius Taylor was named yesterday to the Maxwell Award watch list—the award presented annually to the outstanding player in college football. Taylor is one of eight sophomores among the 80 candidates.

John Butler, the former Gophers assistant coach under Tim Brewster, was hired this month as Nebraska’s secondary coach and pass game coordinator.

Brewster, BTW, is in his first season as associate head coach and tight ends coach at Charlotte. Brewster was Minnesota’s head coach for four seasons, from 2007-2010. His resume includes five seasons as an NFL assistant, and seven jobs as an assistant at Power Five programs.

Former Gophers basketball player Jamal Abu-Shamala is the organizer of early Tuesday morning pickup games at Lifetime in St. Louis Park. Former college players participating include ex-Gophers Andre Hollins, and brothers Dan and Joe Coleman. Abu-Shamala has about 50 emails he uses to target commitments from around 13 players for the 6 a.m. start most Tuesdays.

Bill Guerin might make some lists of NHL general managers on the “hot seat” for next season, but he made fans happy yesterday when the Wild announced the signing of Minnesota native and former Gopher hero Brock Faber to an eight year $68 million contract that runs through the 2032-2033 season.

National Speakers Hall of Famer Walter Bond, the former Gophers basketball player, will talk to the Capital Club breakfast group August 18 at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

1 comment