The Minnesota Timberwolves are down several players due to health and safety protocols, including most of their frontcourt. Now, the Wolves are bringing in veteran big man Greg Monroe for some reinforcement up front.

Monroe last played in the NBA in 2018-19 with the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. Since then, Monroe has played in Germany and Russia.

This season, Monroe has played with the Capital City Go-Go of the G League. Monroe has averaged 10.4 points and nine rebounds per game.

D'Angelo Russell has entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Russell is the eighth Timberwolves player to enter the protocols, along with starters Karl-Anthony Towns, Patrick Beverley, Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt.

Russell is averaging 18.7 points, 6.7 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game this season.

Karl-Anthony Towns has entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Towns' mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, died at 59 last year from complications with COVID-19. Towns said before last season that six other family members had also died from complications with the virus.

Towns missed 13 games last season after testing positive for COVID-19 in January 2021.

"I am a high-risk case," Towns said of his experience with the virus after returning. "COVID did not treat me well whatsoever. A lot of scary nights."

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to sign Rayjon Tucker to a 10-day hardship deal.

Tucker appeared in 14 games last season for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Tucker is averaging 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 32.2 minutes over 13 games this season with the Wisconsin Herd. 

Karl-Anthony Towns and Jayson Tatum have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 9.

Towns averaged 28.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves went 3-0.

Tatum averaged 31.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists as the Boston Celtics went 2-1.

Anthony Edwards and Taurean Prince have been added to the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. 

Edwards is averaging 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists this season.

The Philadelphia 76ers have ramped up their efforts to trade Ben Simmons.

The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers are among the teams interested in Simmons.

It is unclear, however, how much traction the 76ers have on a potential trade. The 76ers are currently asking teams for an All-Star-caliber player and/or multiple first-round draft picks for Simmons.

Simmons has yet to play for the 76ers this season as he's expressed the sentiment that he's not mentally ready to rejoin the team.

Minnesota Timberwolves wing Anthony Edwards doesn't hold back when giving his thoughts on both teammates and opponents. Edwards recently took issue with Rudy Gobert being considered the NBA's best rim protector.

"To me the best rim protector in the league is (Kristaps) Porzingis," Edwards said. "Anytime I go against Porzingis, I don't get no layups. I don't get why we couldn't finish on Rudy Gobert. He don't put no fear in my heart. I don't know why."

Edwards also implored teammate Karl-Anthony Towns to play quicker and not to wait for double-teams.

"I told KAT, you catching the ball and you holding it," Edwards said. "You waiting for the double, telling them to come double me instead of catching it and going. They can't guard you."

Edwards also said he told Towns it was "disrespectful" that Utah was guarding the All-Star big man with Bojan Bogdanovic. Towns scored 22 points, but took just 11 shots. Edwards wants Towns to be even more aggressive.

"I tell him every game, every practice. You can shoot the ball, you can handle the ball, you got touch, everything," said Edwards. "They can't guard you, bruh. If he just stop waiting on the double team, we would be a way better team."

Patrick Beverley has gotten a lot of credit for helping turnaround the Minnesota Timberwolves defense. After years of at the bottom of the league in defensive rating, the Wolves have been a top-10 defense this season.

Now, it looks like Minnesota and Beverley are open to keeping the good times rolling. The two sides have had cursory conversations on a contract extension. Beverley is playing out the final year of his contract this season and is eligible to ink an extension with the Wolves up to the end of the season.

The Timberwolves are also looking at the trade market, in attempt to buoy a playoff push. One player Minnesota appears to have interest in is Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers.

X-rays taken on the lower back of Karl-Anthony Towns came back negative after he had a scary fall during the final minutes of the Minnesota Timberwolves' 115-107 loss at the Washington Wizards.

After slamming the ball through, his momentum caused his body to fall horizontally, and he appeared to land on his tailbone.

"I feel better than I thought I was going to feel," Towns said after the game.