March 2016 Minnesota Timberwolves Wiretap

Wolves Part Ways With Milt Newton, Rob Babcock

May 20, 2016 7:19 PM

The Minnesota Timberwolves have parted ways with a considerable portion of their previous front office, including Milt Newton and Rob Babcock.

Newton had been serving as general manager of the Wolves before the arrival of Tom Thibodeau.

Also leaving were vice president of sports performance Arnie Kander, assistant coach Sid Lowe, director of sports performance Koichi Sato, manager of travel/facilities coordinator Bill Hohenecker, head of the video department and manager of basketball technology Brice Long and scouts Milton Barnes and Jason Hervey.

“If you’ve been around sports, you know how things happen,” Newton said. “Once you bring in a new group they want to put their stamp on it. It’s part of the job. I definitely don’t have any hard feelings towards anyone. I wish those guys well. And I wish the players well.”

Said Babcock: “Nobody likes to be let go, but that’s part of this business. When someone comes in new, the likelihood is there will be changes. I’ve been through it on both ends. They’ll do an outstanding job here. I’m disappointed I don’t get to be a part of it. But I understand completely. I hold nothing against them at all.”

Kent Youngblood/Star Tribune

Tags: Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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Adrian Griffin Expected To Receive Interest From Tom Thibodeau To Join Wolves

May 19, 2016 4:11 PM

Adrian Griffin is signed through the 17-18 season with the Orlando Magic and a team option for the 18-19 season as an assistant coach.

Griffin was a finalist for Orlando's job that went to Frank Vogel.

Griffin is expected to receive interest throughout the NBA as an associate head coach or as a lead assistant coach.

Griffin could be reunited with Tom Thibodeau and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Josh Robbins/Orlando Sentinel

Tags: Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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76ers Win Lottery, Lakers Get 2nd Pick, Celtics 3rd

May 17, 2016 9:03 PM

The Philadelphia 76ers have won the NBA Draft Lottery while the Los Angeles Lakers get to keep their pick at No. 2 and the Boston Celtics will draft third.

For the second straight season, the team with the worst record in the NBA won the lottery after the Wolves won it in 2015. The NBA had 10 straight seasons of a team moving up before Minnesota.

1. Philadelphia 76ers

2. Los Angeles Lakers

3. Boston Celtics (from Brooklyn)

4. Phoenix Suns

5. Minnesota Timberwolves 

6. New Orleans Pelicans 

7. Denver Nuggets (swap with Knicks)

8. Sacramento Kings 

9. Toronto Raptors (from Knicks via Denver swap)

10. Milwaukee Bucks

11. Orlando Magic 

12. Utah Jazz

13. Phoenix Suns (from Washington)

14. Chicago Bulls

Complete your own NBA Mock Draft with our simulator.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia Sixers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Karl-Anthony Towns Unanimously Wins 2016 NBA Rookie Of The Year

May 16, 2016 10:19 AM

Karl-Anthony Towns has unanimously won the 2016 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Towns received all 130 first place votes joining Damian Lillard (2012-13 season), Blake Griffin (2010-11), David Robinson (1989-90) and Ralph Sampson (1983-84) as unanimous winners in the last 32 years.

Kristaps Porzingis finished second with 363 points (117 second place votes, 12 third place) ahead of Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker and Jahlil Okafor.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, NBA, NBA Award

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Karl-Anthony Towns To Be Named 2016 Rookie Of The Year

May 15, 2016 6:13 PM

Karl-Anthony Towns will be announced as Rookie of the Year on Monday.

Towns was the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and had an outstanding rookie season.

Towns averaged 18.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game with a PER of 22.5.

Towns won't turn 21 until November.

Andrew Wiggins won Rookie of the Year in 2015 with the Wolves.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA Award

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Karl-Anthony Towns To Work On 'Every Facet Of Game' In Offseason

May 3, 2016 5:20 PM

Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the most versatile rookie big men to emerge in the NBA in a considerable amount of time. Towns talked about how he will work on getting even better in the offseason.

"I've always been a big philosopher of in the offseason you work on every single facet of your game," said Towns. "Don't pinpoint something. Because you limit yourself if you specialize in something, and I'm not a specialist in anything. I'm a person and a player who bases off of versatility, trying to do every single thing really well. That's what I'm going to do this summer. I'm going to do everything I can to my body, to my physical skill set, even adding some components that I feel I can add. I'm just going to do that to be the most complete player I can be."

Towns spent his rookie season being mentored by Kevin Garnett.

"Me and him talked about basketball, but we had other conversations where we were out there. Just joking around, being funny to him, and we're just laughing about it during the middle of the game. Like I said, he's like an older brother to me. And I was his younger brother. We just always tried to find ways to be doing something with each other or just laugh about something or just talk. We had that kind of rapport. We had that kind of trust and feeling for each other."

Jared Dubin/Bleacher Report

Tags: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

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