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Charlie Walton: I am told that Will Barton, an 11-year NBA veteran wing, will be joining the Timberwolves' coaching staff this season in a player development role. Barton was an assistant coach with the Iowa Wolves last season and with this year's Summer League team. Tim Connelly was the General Manager of the Denver Nuggets when they traded for Barton in 2015. Barton spent roughly eight years in Denver, all of which came under Connelly.
The Minnesota Timberwolves threw everything they possibly could at LeBron James to try to persuade him to chase a championship with them. Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball got on the phone with him. Alex Rodriguez led ownership’s pitch given their common ground as superstar athletes who have become business moguls. Tim Connelly’s longstanding working relationship with Rich Paul helped the two have extended conversations on the fit for James in Minnesota. Throughout the process, team sources said, the Timberwolves felt like James and his camp were giving them full consideration for his 24th season. Those sources spoke on condition of anonymity to be able to speak candidly about private negotiations. They always knew it was a long shot, but the prospect of putting James in a starting lineup alongside Edwards, Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert was something they had to pursue all the way to the end.
Darren Wolfson: "I know from Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez down to Tim Connelly, to Chris Finch, to Pablo Prigioni, Elston Turner, others on the coaching staff, other guys, that the Wolves feel like they have a really good infrastructure in place to help LaMelo mature that much more. And there is a thought from the deep dive that they've done, that LaMelo took a big step forward last year, certainly on the court. We can have the conversation about the car accident off the court, but on the court, accepting playing lesser minutes, playing 28 minutes a night compared to 35 minutes a night. You look at that Charlotte Hornets offense, number one in the league from January 1st on. They were also a really good defense from January 1st on. LaMelo Ball drove a lot of that. The Wolves also feel like with their medical staff in place, and hey, recent history says this is a fact, the Wolves do a really good job of keeping their guys on the court compared to the rest of the league."
The flip side of Ball's penchant for undisciplined or flashy plays is a carefree style the Wolves could use. One of the undercurrents of their underachieving season that ended with a second-round loss to San Antonio was a moodiness that became part of their collective personality. Too many players took too long to shake off unproductive games or frustrating stretches. "This is supposed to be fun," Connelly said. "He enjoys life. He enjoys playing. You don't want to make this anything but where it's a joyous atmosphere."
Kyle Ingram: Tim Connelly on the power forward position: “There’s a couple free agents still available, we’re working with one or two of them right now” 👀
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Darren Wolfson: "I would lean the Cavaliers if I had to bet right this second. But the Wolves, I checked again in the last 12-ish hours. It's not like the Wolves have been told they are out. I do think it's noteworthy that on the latest episode of Rich Paul's podcast, which is also available on YouTube, he singled out the Wolves, but also when discussing the Wolves, name-dropped Tim Connelly, then brought up the ownership group, Marc Lore, Alex Rodriguez. Connect those dots. It's not some sort of big world. Sports, sports business, sports entertainment. You think about A-Rod, all his accomplishments, plus his business happenings. It's pretty clear we can connect the dots. There is a connection there. Rich Paul, Alex Rodriguez. When you think about the star stature of Alex Rodriguez, why wouldn't Alex Rodriguez be involved in this process? But also Tim Connelly, his lengthy history with Rich Paul. So there have been a number of conversations, Wolves folks with Rich Paul. They have not been told they are out."
Jon Krawczynski: Tim Connelly and Rich Paul have had a strong relationship for a long time. Also notable that Paul mentions Wolves ownership group. And “We got Jaden McDaniels.” Whatever happens, Wolves are at least in the mix. Would’ve been unfathomable just a few years ago.
Jon Krawczynski on LeBron James: Tim Connelly and Rich Paul have had a strong relationship for a long time. Also notable that Paul mentions Wolves ownership group. And “We got Jaden McDaniels.” Whatever happens, Wolves are at least in the mix. Would’ve been unfathomable just a few years ago.
Sam Amick on Jaylen Brown: "This one is, if I had to handicap it, it just feels like somebody has got to put enough on the table to get this thing done, but Boston is asking for the sun and the moon. I keep looking at Portland and because people keep bringing Portland up when I talk to them, they wanted to go big on Giannis Antetokounmpo and that did not work. Even without a commitment, they were willing to try to do a Giannis trade. And when you see that kind of boldness, then you kind of go, all right, if they, it is a little bit like Tim Connelly, if you missed on the one guy, you are going to swing for the next guy."
Tim MacMahon: "It was almost unanimously that the Charlotte Hornets were the biggest winner. There is a lot of respect for Tim Connelly. People call him a riverboat gambler. I had some people say I didn't like the Rudy Gobert deal, and that worked out great for the Timberwolves. So, with those caveats, the almost consensus opinion of the people I talked to around the league was LaMelo Ball had next to no value a year ago. Jeff Peterson, the Charlotte Hornets general manager, cleaned him up and as soon as he had value, pounced on the opportunity to move him."
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Tim MacMahon: "I texted several general managers a simple question, what do you think of the LaMelo deal? And one replied one sentence, Tim is a riverboat gambler. And this is big-time, high-stakes gambling that he's doing right here. And you understand the swing that he's taking, you understand the hole in the roster it's creating. Chris Finch is also one of the most creative coaches in the league and he's going to earn his money figuring out how to make this work."
Jon Krawczynski: "I think Tim Connelly and Chris Finch have long believed that LaMelo Ball is a perfect fit for Anthony Edwards in that backcourt. And I know that over the last several years, they have checked in on LaMelo and Charlotte a couple of times. Each time they were turned away, and so something has happened in the last couple of days or weeks to get the Charlotte Hornets to a point where they were comfortable parting with LaMelo Ball."
Dane Moore: Tim Connelly when asked what his conversations with ownership have been like about potentially paying the luxury tax for a third season in a row. "It's about winning. If the moves can exponentially increase our chance to win at the highest level, then we're all in. We can't be irresponsible fiscally. We can't ignore the real realities and the increasing punishment as you get deeper and deeper into the tax. But we're here to win. We're to try to get over the hump."
