Despite their overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings last night, the Minnesota Timberwolves are still in better position than they have been all season. After a crippling loss to the Pistons to cap off 2022, the Wolves finished the month of January with an 11-5 record, their first winning month since October.
It has been a steady process, but the past month is living proof that Minnesota is turning their season around right before our eyes. Prior to last night’s close loss to Sacramento, the Timberwolves were sitting at fifth place in the Western Conference.
Even now, they stand just one game back from a top four seed and being in position to hold home court advantage for the playoffs. Many fans would not have believed this reality was possible just a few short weeks ago. With the trade deadline just over a week away, rumors are still running rampant while the Timberwolves’ vision for the future becomes clearer.
Timberwolves news:
- After a season full of D’Angelo Russell trade rumors, one Timberwolves insider expects Minnesota to keep their starting point guard around past the trade deadline. This would mean the Wolves will either try to extend Russell in the offseason, or they could risk losing him for nothing if he accepts a better offer elsewhere.
- Timberwolves’ President Tim Connelly reiterated on Tuesday that Karl-Anthony Towns remains out indefinitely. However, Connelly reassured fans by mentioning that the organization expects KAT to return this season.
- Anthony Edwards recently revealed that he eats around three bags of Chester’s Hot Fries per day, which comes out to an unreal 21 bags per week. Edwards described the snack as the “best chips ever made” in a recent interview with GQ. This news is sure to be unexciting for Karl-Anthony Towns to hear.
- Several teams have called Minnesota inquiring about Naz Reid’s availability, but it is now believed that the Timberwolves intend to keep Reid and sign him to an extension at season’s end.
- Taurean Prince returned to the court for the Timberwolves on Monday against the Kings after a four-game absence with an ankle sprain. He logged three points and four rebounds in a limited 13 minutes of action.
News from around the NBA:
- Heading into the Lakers’ Tuesday night contest at Madison Square Garden, LeBron James finds himself just 117 points shy of breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James will be playing his first contest at the world’s most famous arena since January 2020.
- Several NBA executives believe the Memphis Grizzlies are trying to make a run at acquiring the Toronto Raptors’ two-way star, OG Anunoby. A mystery team had reportedly offered three first-round picks for him.
- The Phoenix Suns have given the Milwaukee Bucks permission to speak with Jae Crowder. The Bucks’ most recent offer included a package of Jordan Nwora, Serge Ibaka, George Hill, and at least one second-round pick for Crowder.
- One of the most frequent names in NBA trade rumors for years now, Myles Turner and the Indiana Pacers reached an agreement on a two-year, $60M contract extension this week.
