The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guards Tyus Battle and Barry Brown Jr.
In a related transaction, the Wolves waived forward Jordan Murphy and guard Lindell Wigginton.
Battle, 21, played for the Timberwolves in the 2019 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 3.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 10.8 minutes in six games. Battle averaged 16.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists over three seasons at Syracuse University. The 6-6 guard was named to the 2018-19 All-ACC Third Team and the 2017-18 All-ACC Second Team. As a sophomore and junior, Battle was a finalist for the Jerry West Award given to the nation’s best shooting guard. He led the nation and set a Syracuse record for minutes in 2017-18 by averaging 39.0 minutes per game.
Brown, 22, played in seven games for the Timberwolves in the 2019 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 8.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 16.6 minutes. The 6-3 guard played four seasons at Kansas State, averaging 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 32.2 minutes per game. Brown finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in games played (139) and steals (254), and second in minutes played (4472). Brown was selected to the 2018-19 All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Defensive Team and was a semifinalist for the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year.