Latest news with #Connelly
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Tim Connelly: Timberwolves need to be 'creative as possible' with roster
It's fair to say Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly's default position is not to stand pat. In February 2023, he moved D'Angelo Russell for Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker - two key parts of the Timberwolves' eight-man rotation that just reached the Western Conference finals for the second straight year. Last October, Connelly shipped four-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo - two more key pieces in that eight-man rotation. So, with the NBA draft and free agency fast approaching, what might Connelly have in store in order to get the Timberwolves to their first NBA title? "I mean, you're always just guessing," Connelly said. "I mean, I don't know. I mean, until you win it all, you've got to be very self-critical and look for areas where you can improve upon. "This time of year is especially active because the draft free agency, so it's really one of the biggest transactional windows we have. We feel very happy with the core we have. We don't feel like there's a tremendous pressure to do much. But, you know, until you're raising the trophy, you've got to be active and creative as possible to try to get to a point where, at some point, you're the final team." Presuming Connelly wants to bring back every member of that eight-man rotation that went 27-12 over the final three months of the regular season and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 and the Golden State Warriors 4-1 in the playoffs, he's going to have to do some financial gymnastics. Minnesota led the NBA in total cap allocations in 2024-25 at $237,156,897. Hypothetically, the Wolves could live well above the cap again, but forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid are veterans who get to decide whether to accept a contract option for next season or become a free agent. Meanwhile, Alexander-Walker is an unrestricted free agent. "The goal is to keep everybody," Connelly said. But if any or all three move on, the Timberwolves have the Nos. 17 and 31 picks in the NBA draft. They also have three youngsters who just completed their first season - wing Terrence Shannon Jr., guard Rob Dillingham and forward Jaylen Clark - who could warrant more minutes next year. At the same time, the current group lost the Western Conference finals in five games to the Oklahoma City Thunder - an organization loaded with enough younger players and first-round picks that it ought to contend for several more years. "I think team grew together as it got to know each other, so I don't know if there's a ton of certain skillsets we need," Connelly said. "I think it's more kind of collective maturity - to be able to play different ways and have... you know, every night we're not going to be able to be super-productive. So how do we win those games kind of in the mud? "You know, we've got a bunch of guys who have these huge roles that are starting to get a little bit older. So you always want to have people behind them. So I think there's some positions that potentially could be more of need because of how the present roster is set up." Field Level Media
2 days ago
- Business
Can Timberwolves keep Randle, Reid, and Alexander-Walker? Connelly says continuity is best
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty of reason to run back the same roster after reaching the Western Conference finals for the second straight time. But that was their initial assessment last year, too, before the big trade went down right before the beginning of training camp. Not many moves can be ruled out, particularly in this era of the NBA that never seems far from the next surprising swap involving star players. 'We feel very happy with the core we have. We don't feel like there's tremendous pressure to do much," president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. "But until you're raising the trophy, you've got to be as active and as creative as possible to get to the point where you're the final team.' Connelly later added: 'Those organizations that can show patience tend to have a really high level of success. But patience shouldn't lead to risk aversion. If there's something that if we have to shake it up and make us a better team, we're certainly open to that.' The most pressing matters for Connelly and the front office over the next month will be negotiations with the agents for Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the two power forwards with vastly different styles and backgrounds who both face the same decision on whether to exercise a contract option for 2025-26 or decline it to become a free agent. Randle's is for more than $30 million, a deal inherited from the New York Knicks when he was acquired with Donte DiVincenzo in the trade that sent away cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns. He raved about settling his family in Minnesota and playing for Chris Finch, and his performance during the first two rounds of the playoffs was superb, until some struggles against Oklahoma City in the conference finals. Reid's is for about $15 million, making him at age 25 more likely to opt out in favor of a larger and longer deal. But that doesn't mean the Timberwolves won't be aggressive about trying to bring the fan favorite back. 'I would tell you I was optimistic even if I was lying to you, but we're pretty optimistic. Those guys are really really good players who play really really well together," Connelly said. "We have nothing but positive indicators both of these guys will be in Wolves jerseys next season.' Nickeil Alexander-Walker, another vital part of the eight-player rotation, will be an unrestricted free agent. Connelly gave no indication he'll be limited by ownership in what he can commit to player salaries, but after spending this season above the NBA's second apron for team payrolls the Wolves clearly have little appetite for staying there — not just because of the steep tax but for the roster-building penalties that come with spending that high on the scale. Bringing back Alexander-Walker as well as Randle and Reid without again passing the second apron might be impossible. 'The goal is to keep everybody. What's neat is the players are all very happy here. They love the coaching staff, they love the teammates, they love the community. When the player wants to be here and the team wants to have them back, there's always room for optimism. Certainly these guys have finite windows to earn a lot of money. We're very appreciative of what the market might look like. We're pretty cautiously optimistic we're in a good place with all of the guys.' The other factor in play is the desire to increase the roles for rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. and second-year player Jaylen Clark, who was essentially a rookie in 2024-25 after sitting his first season out in recovery from an Achilles tendon injury. The Wolves also have the 17th and 31st overall picks in the NBA draft later this month. One key figure for this franchise whose future appears settled is Connelly, who agreed to push back by a year an option on his contract that would essentially make him a free agent out of deference to the ownership transfer process that was complicated at the time. After an arbitration panel sided with the group fronted by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in a decision reached in February, the sale by Glen Taylor is awaiting final NBA approval. 'Super happy here. It's been great — not just as working with the team, but this whole community really feels like home,' Connelly said. 'I think you guys are stuck with me.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Confirmed: The Minnesota Timberwolves are Stuck with Tim Connelly
Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez lured Tim Connelly to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with hopes he could constructed the organization's first-ever championship team, just like he had built with the Denver Nuggets, who refused to pay him like the big time president of basketball operations that he was. Nonetheless, with the ownership situation less than certain, Tim has found himself in somewhat of a limbo with the Wolves too. That uncertainty led to a one-year band-aid extension last offseason, which allowed Connelly to delay his long-term decision to this summer. Advertisement But now that the Lore + A-Rod group is set to take over control at the end of this month, it appears Tim Connelly knows his future now as well, even if it is not yet official. Tim Connelly sticking around as Minnesota Timberwolves PoBO With the dust now settled from the Minnesota Timberwolves' Western Conference Finals defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, local reporters have been meeting with players, coaches and team officials. On Monday, they met with Connelly, who made it clear when asked by Dane Moore about his future, that he is here to stay. 'Super happy here, it's been great. Not just as working with the team, but this whole community, so it really feels like home. Think you guys are stuck with me.' Tim Connelly – Timberwolves president Connelly joined the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the 2022-23 season. Three years (seasons) later, the Wolves are 246-147 (.568 winning percentage) under his management. Across nine seasons in Denver, Connelly's Nuggets never won 56 games, like the Wolves did in 2023-24. Advertisement This season's 49-win Timberwolves team was outdone In fact, the 2018-19 Nuggets — which won 54 games — were the only Connelly-run Denver team to win more than this year's 49-win Wolves. In other words, I think the move has worked out okay for Tim, too. Related: Marc Lore, A-Rod Expected to Take Over Timberwolves Soon, New Arena Plans Coming… Obviously Rodriguez and Lore are both fans of Connelly, having brought him to Minnesota. From the sounds of it, his decision to stay would not have been as cut and dry, had Glen Taylor remained in control of the organization. Instead, we'll likely see a long-term extension come in short order. Roster decisions loom for Connelly's Timberwolves Tim Connelly has swung a couple of the biggest trades in Minnesota Timberwolves history. He started during his first offseason at the control panel, when he traded away most of the Wolves' future draft picks for Rudy Gobert. Advertisement Then last offseason, he outdid the Gobert blockbuster by trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, mostly due to financial implications, with his massive super-max contract looming. Can we expect another blockbuster this offseason? Here's what Connelly had to say about that… 'The relatively new CBA we were, like all of the teams, kind of learning on the fly. Some of those deals that were on the books were done prior to the new ratification of the CBA. Last year was the first year we kind of tried to transact in that second apron and it was really challenging. You try to win, and also try to allow yourself to build sustainable winners. I think all of those things were done in unison. Fingers crossed, our ability to be a little bit more flexible financially could serve us well this offseason.' Tim Connelly – Timberwolves president The Minnesota Timberwolves have a few key players that need to make decisions for their future, this offseason. Naz Reid has a player option and he is in line for a payday. Julius Randle also has a player option of his own. Meanwhile, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is due for unrestricted free agency. Related: Karl Anthony Towns' New Teammates Turn on Him After Playoff Exit Related Headlines
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Can Timberwolves keep Randle, Reid, and Alexander-Walker? Connelly says continuity is best
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty of reason to run back the same roster after reaching the Western Conference finals for the second straight time. But that was their initial assessment last year, too, before the big trade went down right before the beginning of training camp. Not many moves can be ruled out, particularly in this era of the NBA that never seems far from the next surprising swap involving star players. 'We feel very happy with the core we have. We don't feel like there's tremendous pressure to do much,' president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. 'But until you're raising the trophy, you've got to be as active and as creative as possible to get to the point where you're the final team.' Connelly later added: 'Those organizations that can show patience tend to have a really high level of success. But patience shouldn't lead to risk aversion. If there's something that if we have to shake it up and make us a better team, we're certainly open to that.' The most pressing matters for Connelly and the front office over the next month will be negotiations with the agents for Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the two power forwards with vastly different styles and backgrounds who both face the same decision on whether to exercise a contract option for 2025-26 or decline it to become a free agent. Randle's is for more than $30 million, a deal inherited from the New York Knicks when he was acquired with Donte DiVincenzo in the trade that sent away cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns. He raved about settling his family in Minnesota and playing for Chris Finch, and his performance during the first two rounds of the playoffs was superb, until some struggles against Oklahoma City in the conference finals. Reid's is for about $15 million, making him at age 25 more likely to opt out in favor of a larger and longer deal. But that doesn't mean the Timberwolves won't be aggressive about trying to bring the fan favorite back. 'I would tell you I was optimistic even if I was lying to you, but we're pretty optimistic. Those guys are really really good players who play really really well together,' Connelly said. 'We have nothing but positive indicators both of these guys will be in Wolves jerseys next season.' Nickeil Alexander-Walker, another vital part of the eight-player rotation, will be an unrestricted free agent. Connelly gave no indication he'll be limited by ownership in what he can commit to player salaries, but after spending this season above the NBA's second apron for team payrolls the Wolves clearly have little appetite for staying there — not just because of the steep tax but for the roster-building penalties that come with spending that high on the scale. Bringing back Alexander-Walker as well as Randle and Reid without again passing the second apron might be impossible. 'The goal is to keep everybody. What's neat is the players are all very happy here. They love the coaching staff, they love the teammates, they love the community. When the player wants to be here and the team wants to have them back, there's always room for optimism. Certainly these guys have finite windows to earn a lot of money. We're very appreciative of what the market might look like. We're pretty cautiously optimistic we're in a good place with all of the guys.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The other factor in play is the desire to increase the roles for rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. and second-year player Jaylen Clark, who was essentially a rookie in 2024-25 after sitting his first season out in recovery from an Achilles tendon injury. The Wolves also have the 17th and 31st overall picks in the NBA draft later this month. One key figure for this franchise whose future appears settled is Connelly, who agreed to push back by a year an option on his contract that would essentially make him a free agent out of deference to the ownership transfer process that was complicated at the time. After an arbitration panel sided with the group fronted by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in a decision reached in February, the sale by Glen Taylor is awaiting final NBA approval. 'Super happy here. It's been great — not just as working with the team, but this whole community really feels like home,' Connelly said. 'I think you guys are stuck with me.' ___ AP NBA:
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Can Timberwolves keep Randle, Reid, and Alexander-Walker? Connelly says continuity is best
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty of reason to run back the same roster after reaching the Western Conference finals for the second straight time. But that was their initial assessment last year, too, before the big trade went down right before the beginning of training camp. Not many moves can be ruled out, particularly in this era of the NBA that never seems far from the next surprising swap involving star players. 'We feel very happy with the core we have. We don't feel like there's tremendous pressure to do much," president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. "But until you're raising the trophy, you've got to be as active and as creative as possible to get to the point where you're the final team.' Connelly later added: 'Those organizations that can show patience tend to have a really high level of success. But patience shouldn't lead to risk aversion. If there's something that if we have to shake it up and make us a better team, we're certainly open to that.' The most pressing matters for Connelly and the front office over the next month will be negotiations with the agents for Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the two power forwards with vastly different styles and backgrounds who both face the same decision on whether to exercise a contract option for 2025-26 or decline it to become a free agent. Randle's is for more than $30 million, a deal inherited from the New York Knicks when he was acquired with Donte DiVincenzo in the trade that sent away cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns. He raved about settling his family in Minnesota and playing for Chris Finch, and his performance during the first two rounds of the playoffs was superb, until some struggles against Oklahoma City in the conference finals. Reid's is for about $15 million, making him at age 25 more likely to opt out in favor of a larger and longer deal. But that doesn't mean the Timberwolves won't be aggressive about trying to bring the fan favorite back. 'I would tell you I was optimistic even if I was lying to you, but we're pretty optimistic. Those guys are really really good players who play really really well together," Connelly said. "We have nothing but positive indicators both of these guys will be in Wolves jerseys next season.' Nickeil Alexander-Walker, another vital part of the eight-player rotation, will be an unrestricted free agent. Connelly gave no indication he'll be limited by ownership in what he can commit to player salaries, but after spending this season above the NBA's second apron for team payrolls the Wolves clearly have little appetite for staying there — not just because of the steep tax but for the roster-building penalties that come with spending that high on the scale. Bringing back Alexander-Walker as well as Randle and Reid without again passing the second apron might be impossible. 'The goal is to keep everybody. What's neat is the players are all very happy here. They love the coaching staff, they love the teammates, they love the community. When the player wants to be here and the team wants to have them back, there's always room for optimism. Certainly these guys have finite windows to earn a lot of money. We're very appreciative of what the market might look like. We're pretty cautiously optimistic we're in a good place with all of the guys.' The other factor in play is the desire to increase the roles for rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. and second-year player Jaylen Clark, who was essentially a rookie in 2024-25 after sitting his first season out in recovery from an Achilles tendon injury. The Wolves also have the 17th and 31st overall picks in the NBA draft later this month. One key figure for this franchise whose future appears settled is Connelly, who agreed to push back by a year an option on his contract that would essentially make him a free agent out of deference to the ownership transfer process that was complicated at the time. After an arbitration panel sided with the group fronted by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in a decision reached in February, the sale by Glen Taylor is awaiting final NBA approval. 'Super happy here. It's been great — not just as working with the team, but this whole community really feels like home,' Connelly said. 'I think you guys are stuck with me.' ___
