Latest news with #Glen
New York Times
14 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
As Timberwolves face key summer, Tim Connelly says he isn't going anywhere
Before the Minnesota Timberwolves can get down to business in a summer filled with important roster decisions, they need to know who will be leading the charge on those decisions. Team president of basketball operations Tim Connelly made it clear on Monday that he is not going anywhere. 'Super happy here,' Connelly said at his end-of-the-season briefing. 'It's been great, not just working with the team, but this whole community really feels like home. I think you guys are stuck with me.' Advertisement Connelly reworked his contract last summer, pushing an option back until after this season so he could see how the team's ownership dispute played out. He drew interest from the Detroit Pistons last summer, league sources said, and several other teams have been monitoring his situation this season to see if one of the league's top executives would become available. Helping to build a team that made the Western Conference finals in back-to-back seasons only increased his value. There has been no official announcement from the team yet, but Connelly's declaration on Monday laid to rest any concerns that he could be on the move. He was recruited to Minnesota by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who are expected to receive NBA Board of Governors approval as majority owners of the Wolves and Lynx at some point this summer. Connelly said on Monday that the investment from current owners Glen and Becky Taylor, and the transfer to Lore and Rodriguez, has the team well-positioned to build on its success. 'Glen and Becky, Marc and Alex, we've been spoiled,' Connelly said. 'But those conversations have been ongoing, and it'll be fun to really game plan now that the season is over.' Among the primary orders of business for Connelly will be to determine how many of the team's possible free agents will be retained. Julius Randle and Naz Reid each have player options for next season. Reid is widely expected to opt out and become a free agent, but he said he is still open to returning to Minnesota, the team that has developed him from an undrafted rookie into last season's Sixth Man of the Year. Randle has an option for $31 million, and it remains to be seen what he will do. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the third valuable veteran on the roster. He will be a free agent this summer and is due a big raise from his $4.3 million salary. Retaining him could be difficult, but Connelly said he sees an avenue for all three to return. Advertisement 'The goal is to keep everybody,' Connelly said. '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.' The Wolves operated in the second apron this season, and it is hard to see a realistic scenario where they keep all three players and drop down into the first apron next season. Being in the second apron for multiple seasons brings severe team-building restrictions, including the loss of the mid-level exception and the inability to aggregate salaries in trades. If a team is in the second apron for three out of five years, their first-round draft pick is frozen at the bottom of the round. 'It's not just super expensive. We have great ownership this year that allowed us to spend a lot, a lot of money,' Connelly said. 'But it's so restrictive with dealmaking, so how can we be sure that we're as nimble as possible?' Connelly did not rule out the Wolves spending like they did this season, if they believed that would allow them to contend for a title. They have been eliminated 4-1 in the conference finals each of the last two years, and Connelly's messaging on Monday differed slightly from when they were knocked out last year. When the Dallas Mavericks handled them in 2024, Connelly was thrilled with the season as a whole, an out-of-nowhere leap into pseudo-contender status for a franchise that had not been that deep into the playoffs in 20 years. Connelly was equally proud of his team this season for enduring a major trade right before training camp opened, for weathering some key injuries and for coming together late in the season to push right back to the doorstep of the NBA Finals. But he also said that the team fell short of its ultimate goal. Advertisement 'On the whole, we're pretty proud of the year we had,' he said. 'Not happy with it. Not content by any stretch. But pretty happy with how the guys competed and where we got.' It only figures to get more difficult from here. The Wolves were outclassed by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who begin play in the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. The Thunder are one of the youngest teams in the league and do not figure to fall off anytime soon. The rest of the West is forecast to be even more competitive than it was this season. 'There might not be teams in a quote, unquote rebuilding phase next year,' coach Chris Finch said after losing to OKC. 'They might have 15 teams going for it next year. A great season in the West, for some teams, might be 42-40.' In three seasons at the helm of Minnesota's front office, Connelly has been one of the most aggressive executives in the league. He traded for Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Alexander-Walker, Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, surrounding Anthony Edwards with veterans in their prime. While saying he always prefers to have roster continuity, Connelly did not rule out another big move this summer. The Wolves had discussions with the Phoenix Suns about Kevin Durant at the trade deadline in February. They could also use another ballhandler and creator with Conley potentially being in Year 19 next season and rookie Rob Dillingham still unproven. 'We feel very happy with the core we have. We don't feel like there's tremendous pressure to do much,' Connelly said. 'But until you're raising the trophy, you've got to be active and as creative as possible to get to the point where you're the final team.' All of that aggressiveness has made for a challenging coaching job for Finch, Connelly said. He lauded the entire coaching staff's ability to adapt on the fly and develop young talent. Edwards, Reid, Alexander-Walker and Jaden McDaniels all saw huge improvements in their games under Finch. Randle had real success in the first two rounds of the playoffs for the first time in his career, and Finch has made the playoffs in all four full seasons that he has coached. Advertisement 'His ability to identify how this group can best play at a high level together is as good as anybody I've been around,' Connelly said. 'It's not easy what we've tasked him with the last couple of years.' Having Edwards at the center of it all makes things much easier for Finch and Connelly. Edwards has emerged as a rising star in the league, adding to his game each summer as he climbs the league's ladder. This season, it was 3-point shooting. After working on his catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble 3s all last summer, Edwards made more from deep than any player in the league. Connelly knows it won't stop there. 'The sky's the limit. We think he's going to be one of the best players of all time,' Connelly said. 'We think he's on that track. This summer will be even more challenging for him as we raise the bar, not just personally, but collectively as a team.' Edwards raised eyebrows after Game 5 against the Thunder when he said he wasn't 'hurt' by losing in the conference finals two years in a row. Some took it as a sign of immaturity and unseriousness. But Edwards has been one of the team's hardest workers since he arrived as the No. 1 pick in 2020. He lost his grandmother and mother to cancer when he was 14 years old, so losing in the playoffs doesn't hit him as hard as it might others. But Connelly has no questions about Edwards' commitment to improvement or his will to win. 'We're either going to win a championship or not get there on the back of Ant,' Connelly said. 'The greatest thing is he embraces that responsibility. He's such a positive teammate. Obviously, he's supremely talented, but I think there's nobody in the league that we could choose who's more ready for that level of responsibility.' (Photo of, from left, Julius Randle, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Glen and Duane Kuiper have a new gig: Private shows after Giants games
There's a bit of off-Broadway to the Gotham Club's latest entertainment at Oracle Park, a members-only occasion after the San Francisco Giants' Friday-night home games. But it's been a smash hit so far, as the Kuiper brothers talk baseball with a bunch of old friends. For Duane Kuiper, it's a special bit of family connection. For Glen Kuiper, it's a lifeline. 'Duane and I have never done something like this before,' Glen said by telephone this week, 'and it's a whole lot of fun. So far, we've had Will Clark, Dennis Eckersley, Dave Dravecky, Mike Krukow and Dave Flemming come join us.' (Ron Wotus will be among next Friday night's guests after the Giants-Braves game.) To say the least, Glen could use a bit of levity. His broadcasting career was abruptly terminated on May 6, 2023, when he was suspended by NBC Sports Bay Area for using a racial slur — an utterance he claims was purely accidental — during an Oakland A's telecast from Kansas City. Since then, he has concealed his outrage behind the gratitude of getting a chance — any chance at all — to get back on the air. He has appeared on Marty Lurie's KNBR pregame show, as well as Lurie's weekly Zoom calls inside the baseball community. This year, Duane approached Steve Revetria, who oversees Giants Enterprises and the Gotham Club, with the pair-of-brothers proposal. 'He thought it was a great idea,' Duane said by telephone from Miami, where the Giants opened a three-game series Friday night. 'I really appreciate the Gotham Club for allowing us to do this. We had to check all the boxes, making sure the Giants were OK with it, and (CEO) Larry Baer was like, absolutely. Go for it.' The Gotham Club shows are a private affair, without video or audio available to the public. Duane walks up to the club (adjoining McCovey Cove) some 20 minutes after his Giants' call is done, and the shows last about 40 minutes before 'a full dining room. I mean, it's packed,' Glen said. 'Who knows where it's leading? I think my best chance to keep working and call games again is with the Giants, someday. But I could be completely off-base there. It's just nice being back, not having to worry about what people are thinking about me. That seems to be a thing of the past, you know? 'What counts for me most is working with Duane,' he said. 'A lot of people sort of cast me aside over this thing, and he's been the good older brother, very protective. That means so much.' There are no shortcuts to a comeback for a broadcaster in Glen's position. 'The whole point is to get him to the ballpark, get him involved, make him as relevant as you can,' Duane said. 'He's getting back in the game at the proper pace, and people are digging it. I'm really happy the way it's going.' So what's the show called? 'Give my son, Cole, credit for that,' Duane said. ''Friday Night Kuips.''
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Hollywood star Adria Arjona: Acting school save me
Adria Arjona feels she's been "saved" by acting school. The 33-year-old actress studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City during her teenage years, and Adria relished the experience, as she learned to "express" herself through acting. The film star told Collider: "Acting school kind of saved me. "I had a pretty rough upbringing. There were parts there that were not the happiest, and acting really came in and saved me and taught me how to express myself through what I do." Adria was initially unsure what she wanted to do in her career. However, her dad thought she was perfectly suited to acting. The Hollywood star shared: "Every movie made me want to be something else or learn a new task. One day, my dad was like, 'I don't know exactly what you think you're going to be, but I think you might be an actor.'" Adria has starred in a host of high-profile projects in recent years, including 'Hit Man', 'Blink Twice' and 'Pacific Rim Uprising'. And the actress has always embraced the opportunity to "play different characters" on screen. She explained: "Every job you take, you're telling a story to the world of the kind of artist that you are, so you have to stick to your guns and be really truthful to what you believe in. "It's mostly, also, for me, to not be bored, right? To play different characters and to show the world that I'm more than just one thing." Despite this, Adria previously admitted that she'd like to be more "strategic" in her career decisions. She told Empire: "I wish I was more of a strategic actor when it comes to making choices. But I'm just more excited by the women that I get to embody." Adria starred alongside Glen Powell in the 2023 rom-com 'Hit Man', and the actress recalled quickly developing a strong "chemistry" with her co-star. Speaking about her initial meeting with Glen, Adria told Empire: "It was supposed to be a one-hour meeting. We ended up talking for five hours. "Chemistry comes from trust, and I think from our first meeting I just knew I could trust [Glen]. We created a space for us to play and be weird and sexy and funny." 'Hit Man' was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Richard Linklater, whose previous directing credits include 'Boyhood', 'School of Rock', and 'Everybody Wants Some!!'. And Adria still remembers feeling anxious about meeting the filmmaker for the first time. Recalling details of their first-ever Zoom call, the movie star shared: "My hands were sweaty. I was really trying to play it cool and that lasted for about ten minutes."
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Daisy Edgar-Jones looks effortlessly stylish in a vintage-inspired look as she runs errands in New York City
Daisy Edgar-Jones looked effortlessly stylish as she ran some errands in New York City on Tuesday. The actress, 27, opted for a vintage-inspired look, consisting of a brown suede jacket and light wash jeans. She topped off her look with a black T-shirt and leather loafers before accessorising with cat eye sunglasses. Daisy was joined by her mum Wendy for a stroll through SoHo, who also looked chic in a navy blazer. She teamed it with a striped T-shirt, straight leg jeans and a pair of black trainers. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Daisy recently revealed what it is really like working with Hollywood's 'internet boyfriends'. The actress opened up on her supportive co-stars while posing for ELLE's April front cover. During the interview, she revealed what it has been like taking on the lead role in the majority of her projects since Normal People, meaning the males she works alongside were left to play the secondary character. Daisy explained: 'I have worked with basically all of the internet's boyfriends, and I'm lucky that every actor I've worked with has been incredibly supportive of me being the lead. Glen, Sebastian, Paul, all of them. 'I think that's why they're so successful and so loved and so good: that they are so generous, and they really serve the story and are not serving themselves. 'Glen was always like, 'What's Kate's journey in this? Let's find it.' And same with Sebastian; he was so completely invested in Noa's journey. 'Paul's like playing tennis with your best friend. I'm nervous for the point that it comes to working with someone who might not be so chill with it! Because there's so much ego that can exist in this industry.' Daisy, who recently signed as the face of Zara Hair, is the daughter of leading British TV executive Phil Edgar-Jones. Branded the new English 'It Girl', the actress has set the internet ablaze in recent years, after earning Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for Normal People. Since then she has starred opposite Andrew Garfield in the crime drama Under The Banner Of Heaven, and was the lead in the film Where The Crawdads Sing. Daisy's most recent film On Swift Horses was released last month and sees her star as lead character Muriel. In the romantic drama, she features opposite Diego Calva's casino worker Henry, as well as Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, and Sasha Calle.
The Citizen
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
White crosses in Trump video: ‘Not mass grave' explains KZN farmer who took footage
White crosses in Trump video: 'Not mass grave' explains KZN farmer who took footage The farming community in KwaZulu-Natal has pushed back against claims that video footage of white crosses — shown during a high-profile meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa — depicted mass graves of murdered Afrikaners. The Witness reports that farmers have clarified that the images were from a symbolic memorial held in 2020 for victims of farm attacks. During last week Wednesday's televised meeting at the White House, Trump confronted Ramaphosa with video footage which, he claimed, proved there was a genocide against Afrikaners in South Africa. The footage showed long rows of white crosses, prompting controversy and international attention. Farmer who took footage of crosses explains Farmer Rob Hoatson, who filmed the original video, explained that the footage captured a large memorial event for Glen (63) and Vida Rafferty (60), who were murdered on their Normandien farm, near Newcastle, in 2020. 'I have been personally affected by farm murders in the local community, including those of my neighbours, Glen and Vida Rafferty in 2020, and my close friend Tollie Nell in 2024.' 'But the truth is that all farming communities in South Africa have been profoundly affected by this problem. 'I am grateful that farm murders have risen to international prominence, and I sincerely hope that they receive the attention they deserve,' said Hoatson who clarified the facts around the video in an interview with the BBC. Crosses laid before memorial of couple killed in farm attack The Raffertys' deaths sparked widespread grief. The couple was well-known and liked by the community. In 2022, Doctor Fikane Ngwenya and Sibongiseni Madondo were convicted and sentenced for the murder, while a co-accused, Siyabonga Macu, died before testifying. 'The aerial video showing thousands of people along a twenty-kilometre stretch was taken by me, a farmer in the area myself,' Hoatson said. 'The large spontaneous attendance at this community event bears testament to the scale and seriousness of the problem.' DA ward 2 councillor Bebsie Cronje also recalled the community's response. 'The entire town attended and paid respects at the crosses which the community laid before their memorial service,' she said. It was expected that white genocide issue would surface during White House visit Dr Oscar van Heerden, an expert in diplomacy, suggested that Trump's decision to raise the white genocide issue during the meeting was inevitable. 'He simply had to bring a matter to a conclusion on the white genocide issue and why he brought the refugees to America,' said Van Heerden, referring to the recent granting of refugee status to 49 Afrikaners by the U.S. government. The meeting has drawn mixed reactions, with some viewing Trump's confrontation as proof that tensions still exist between the two nations. Police minister says more black than white victims in farm attacks Meanwhile, South African authorities have rejected the genocide narrative. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, presenting the latest crime statistics, said six farm murders occurred in the first quarter of 2025, with only one involving a white farmer. 'The genocide conspiracy is totally unfounded and totally unsubstantiated,' said Mchunu, noting that black farmers and workers have historically been most victims. Most murder victims in SA are 'poor, unemployed young black males' Gareth Newham, head of the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, reiterated that farm violence in South Africa was not solely directed at white farmers. 'If there was any evidence of either a genocide or targeted violence taking place against any group based on their ethnicity, the ISS would be among the first to raise alarm and provide the evidence to the world,' said Newham. He added that most murder victims in South Africa are poor, unemployed young black males. 'Murder victimisation is far more linked to class, gender and location rather than race,' he said. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
