Minnesota has plenty of talent, and Chris Finch will be looking to completely unlock the group this season. After being bounced by the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, the only thing remaining is for the Timberwolves to win the whole thing.

Plenty of their players rank amongst the best in the league, and ESPN highlighted a handful in the latest top 100 rankings.

Minnesota Timberwolves show prominently amongst ESPN top 100

You don’t need to have any sort of a list inform you that Anthony Edwards is among the best players in the NBA. His play speaks for itself, and he’s clearly one of the game’s superstars. He’s not along on the Minnesota roster though, and ESPN ranked multiple Timberwolves among their top 100 players for this season.

Every Timberwolves player moved up slightly except for center Rudy Gobert. That’s probably fair given his dip in points (14.0 to 12.0) and rebounds (12.9 to 10.9). After winning his fourth Defensive Player of the Year two seasons ago, he finished second last season.

Of course the most notable name on the list is Anthony Edwards and his top-ten positioning. At sixth, he’s ahead of Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry. The only players ahead of him are Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokic.

By almost every measure, Anthony Edwards got better last season. He led the league with 320 made 3-pointers at a career-high 39.5% clip. He raised his scoring average from 26 points per game to 28. And, most importantly, he led the team back to the Western Conference finals despite the offseason trade of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns. But he would be the first person to tell you he came up short of his goals last season. After losing in five games to the Thunder, Edwards said “no one would work harder” than him to improve this offseason. Edwards saw firsthand how Oklahoma City was a better team, with more depth, skill and tactics that were able to take him out of games. To ascend to the heights predicted for him since his star turn with USA Basketball in 2023, Edwards will need to diversify his offensive game and elevate his teammates.

ESPN

Just how far Edwards can take his game this season remains to be seen. He’s already working on a new bag of tricks, and it will be the next step in his development that takes this team over the top.

Edwards just recently turned 24 years old and he has so much opportunity for growth still in front of him. He finished seventh in MVP voting each of the past two seasons. It would be a surprise if he doesn’t win one during his time in the league, and this season would be a great timeframe to make that happen.

The Minnesota Timberwolves kick off their regular season on Wednesday October 22nd on the road against the Portland Trailblazers. They will showcase their throwback court and uniforms for the home opener against Indiana on October 26th.

The two most impactful moves made, on the player personnel front, include deals for Julius Randle and fan-favorite Naz Reid. It’s Reid, though, who’s seen as more of a long term frontcourt answer for the Wolves, something confirmed by the sizable new contract he inked.

Sister of MN Timberwolves big man Naz Reid killed

Over the weekend, however, tragedy befell Naz and his family that you wouldn’t wish on anyone. Saturday night, Reid’s sister — Toraya Reid — was shot and killed in New Jersey, where her surviving brother is today, grieving with family members.

🚨 BREAKING: Sister of NBA Star Naz Reid Identified as Jackson Homicide Victim We have confirmed that Toraya Reid, the 28-year-old woman killed in yesterday's fatal incident at the Paragon Apartments in Jackson Township, was the sister of Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid —…

— Mike Moyer (@Security_NJ) September 7, 2025

Related: Insider Pegs MN Timberwolves as a Team to Fall Short

The Minnesota Timberwolves don’t kick off action until October, and the regular season starts later in the month. Naz Reid will be back in the cities soon, but for now, he needs to be right where he is, celebrating the life of his sister, who was just two years older than Naz (26).

Homicide investigation underway

A homicide investigation is underway and 29-year-old suspect, Shaquille Green, has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Green was in a relationship with Reid and fled the scene following the incident. Police arrived to the apartment complex around 11 am, according to reports, where they found the victim, who had multiple gunshot wounds.

Naz called his older sister, Toraya, protective and suggested that she “treats us like she’s our parent.” Naz’s younger sister, Jakahya, shared her anger and pain in a recent Facebook post.

The Timberwolves kick off training camp on September 29. That means, just weeks from today Reid will be asked to try and pick up the pieces from such a tragedy and head back to work. You can bet he will be playing with a heavy heart this season, and he’ll never forget the level of pain that came to his doorstep this weekend.

This offseason is a critical one with ownership changing hands and pieces needing to shuffle in Chris Finch’s rotation. Minnesota remains up against luxury tax implications, and that’s at least part of their reason to let Nickeil Alexander-Walker go elsehwere.

They did keep both Naz Reid and Julius Randle on new contracts, but have yet to put the finishing touches on the roster. When Tim Connelly strikes next is anyone’s guess, but the evaluation process has already started.

MN Timberwolves run it back this offseason

Short of using draft picks on Joan Beringer and Rocco Zikarski, the Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t added much talent this offseason. They did keep most everything else together, and that has ESPN’s Kevin Pelton handing them a B- grade for their efforts.

“After trading Towns, the Timberwolves were able to manage their payroll to bring back the bulk of the team that has reached the past two conference finals. A new contract for Julius Randle pays him and Donte DiVincenzo a combined $43 million, far less than the $53 million Towns will make. Minnesota did have to let Alexander-Walker leave via sign-and-trade, opting instead to prioritize 2023-24 Sixth Man Award winner Naz Reid. Reid’s five-year, $125 million contract could be an overpay if he is unable to grow beyond a bench role.”

Kevin Pelton – ESPN

As Pelton points out, it’s a good thing that Minnesota added additional talent after getting out from Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract. I’m not sure Donte DiVincenzo is the asset that he may have been initially thought though.

Last season DiVincenzo shot just 42.4% from the field and 39.7% from deep. Both of those numbers trailed his 2023-24 marks with the New York Knicks (44.3%/40.1%). He was virtually non-existent in the playoffs, and took quite some time to integrate during the regular season.

I don’t have an issue paying Reid a substantial amount of money as his value is worth far more than a traditional sixth man. That said, the Timberwolves have yet to make an addition either. The frontcourt may see Beringer get time during his rookie season, but that hasn’t been customary for Finch-coached teams.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Pick Called Steal of NBA Draft

The Minnesota Timberwolves should have regular minutes for Terrence Shannon Jr. this season. If Rob Dillingham can earn them that would be a boost.

Where is the MN Timberwolves point guard?

A key missing piece, that has yet to be addressed, is an additional playmaking point guard. Ideally a clone of Ricky Rubio would work for this team. Lonzo Ball was a potential option that is off the table, and so too is fan-favorite and Minnesota-native Tyus Jones.

There are still some names on the open market, but Minnesota must act. Mike Conley is 37 years old and averaged a career-low 8.2 points per game last season. He often was left unattended to being overlooked as an option, and that doesn’t work from the starting lineup.

Related: MN Timberwolves Remain Near Top of NBA Power Rankings

Dillingham may eventually be the successor, but asking him to make that leap after what we saw in year one is largely false hope. The more that Finch can get Anthony Edwards moving off the ball, the better he can attack defenders.

This offseason seems like it should be graded more in the “C” range with the only moves completed being those that were expected. It’s time for Connelly to put the final touches on the roster and do so in the critical spots.

After the Wolves pulled two international 18-year-old big men out of the 2025 draft heap, Connelly turned his attention to Minnesota’s own crop of pending offseason departures, specifically Naz Reid (player option), Julius Randle (player option) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (UFA).

On Friday evening, Tim settled Reid’s uncertainty with a new 5 year, $125 million contract that has received rather widespread criticism nationally, as an overpay. Locally, it was pretty well-known that Naz Reid was going to be paid as a starter, in the neighborhood of $25-30 million per year.

Minnesota Timberwolves sign Julius Randle to contract extension

Still, I expect the news reported by Shams Charania (ESPN) early Sunday afternoon will likely wrap national pundits up in even more confusion. Not only is Naz Reid coming back, but so is Julius Randle… on a fresh 3-year, $100 million deal ($33.3 million/year) that includes a player option in its final season (2027-28).

BREAKING: Three-time NBA All-Star Julius Randle intends to sign a new three-year, $100 million deal to stay with the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option for the 2027-28 season. pic.twitter.com/j8fKA45gXu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025

Last season, his first in a Timberwolves uniform, Julius Randle averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He struggled a bit to find his fit during the first half of the season. Then, a midseason injury sidelined the 30-year-old former Kentucky Wildcat for all of February.

It was then, according to Randle, where he was able to observe his new team, from the outside-looking-in. That perspective allowed him to unlock his fit. From there, his numbers bumped up and the wins rolled in. Minnesota went into February (Randle’s month off) with a 27-21 record and questions all over the fit of its roster, especially Randle.

Julius Randle paid by Timberwolves after incredible finish to season

But after Julius’ return on March 3, he slid in like the perfect puzzle piece. And from that date on, the Timberwolves went 17-4 to finish the regular season, jumping a half-dozen teams to claim the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket, just outside of the play-in tournament.

In the playoffs, Randle was one of the most reliable Wolves on the floor during their first two series. He averaged 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists in Minnesota’s 10 combined postseason games against the Lakers and Warriors. Unfortunately, he too fell off vs OKC (17.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.0 APG).

Julius Randle in the 2025 postseason:

🐺 22.4 points per game
🐺 6.4 assists per game
🐺 triple-double in G3 last Saturday

The @Timberwolves have a record of 23-6 since Randle returned from injury in March 💪 pic.twitter.com/y3KR7ssq40

— NBA (@NBA) May 12, 2025

Related: Rudy Gobert Finally Says No to International Play

After the Wolves failed to reel in Durant, local reports have pointed to running it back with mostly the same roster. This does not mean Julius Randle will be a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the next three seasons. In fact, don’t be shocked if he doesn’t last until the trade deadline.

Don’t worry, there is a method to Tim Connelly’s madness

Most likely, the Wolves will start the 2025-26 season with a roster very similar to last year’s. But if a move needs to be made before the playoff run, or next offseason (etc), we all know Tim Connelly won’t hesitate.

Sure, getting rid of Randle would now have to come via trade, but his status in Minnesota remains year-to-year, even month to month. The same thing can be said for everyone else on the Wolves’ roster, not named Anthony Edwards.

Thus, his new deal should not come as a huge surprise. But then again, Reid’s shouldn’t have either. We are getting the flurry of announcements now, because NBA free agency begins on July 1, so this weekend is the deadline for 2025-26 player options to be decided on.

After Randle’s new contract, local beat reporters have confirmed that Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be the odd-Wolf out. With the Reid + Randle extensions hitting the books, there is no room remaining under the second apron for a player as valuable as NAW.

This deal does mean that NAW will be headed elsewhere. Wolves have people behind him ready for a shot and they’re going to get it

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 29, 2025

What this does move does is give both the Timberwolves and Julius Randle more control of over their future. With Reid, Randle, Gobert, Ant and Jaden under long term contracts, this organization is stacked with talent of all ages that other teams would happily pay for, if Tim Connelly needs to move someone.

The fan-favorite big man had the ability to opt-out of his current deal, and that was always going to happen. He has already picked up a Sixth Man of the Year Award, and Reid has become a focal point of Chris Finch’s rotation.

Rather than allowing Reid to hit the open market, president Tim Connelly made sure to hand out a payday that will keep him in Minnesota for the next five seasons.

Naz Reid signs five-year extension with Minnesota Timberwolves

Last season the MN Timberwolves opted to trade starting big man Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks. They had no intention of letting Naz Reid switch alliances, and they gave him $125 million reasons not to.

Just in: Minnesota Timberwolves' Naz Reid intends to sign a new five-year, $125 million contract to stay with the franchise, including a player option, sources tell ESPN. Critical agreement between the Wolves and Reid's agents, Sean Kennedy and Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports. pic.twitter.com/FF9MjGvwb9

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2025

Reid was in line to make just over $13 million this season. Instead he’ll average $25 million the next five seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The new five-year deal also includes a player option in the final year.

Reid will be 26 years old this season and that makes the final year of his contract his age 30 season. He will then have an option to continue on with the Timberwolves or test the open market.

Naz Reid ‘24-25 bag work pic.twitter.com/smBidU9E37

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) June 13, 2025

Across 80 games for the Timberwolves this season Reid averaged a career-high 27.5 minutes per game. His 14.2 points per game were also a career-high, and he expanded his production to absorb some of the production lost from Towns.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are searching for a way to get past the Western Conference Finals this season. Each of the past two years they have fallen short in five games. Tim Connelly may need to shake up the roster some, but Reid is here to stay.

What’s next for MN Timberwolves?

With Reid’s deal done the next player to watch is newly acquired Julius Randle. The former New York Knicks big man has a player option that checks in at roughly $30 million for the 2025-26 season.

If Randle were to hit the open market, he would be among the premier options for teams to target. What his potential contract would like remains to be seen. It took him some time to acclimate in Minnesota, and he faded a bit at times in the playoffs.

Related: ESPN Expert Crowns Wolves as 1st Round NBA Draft Winner

Still it’s likely the Timberwolves want to retain his services, and Randle can be part of a core that resembles much of the 2024-25 squad.

The expectation remains that Nickeil Alexander-Walker will land elsewhere. Like Reid, he has played himself into a bigger contract. That’s unlikely to come from Minnesota.

It’s literally win or go home. And if they can’t find a victory in OKC, it would be the second-straight playoffs that the Wolves have been eliminated in five games of the Western Conference Finals.

Whether it ends tonight or after hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June, once the Timberwolves actually turn the page on the 2024-25 season, they have some serious decisions to make. A new ownership group is taking over and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly’s future remains up in the air.

Minnesota Timberwolves have multiple top free agents

And that’s before we get to next year’s roster construction. Once the offseason hits, Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be an unrestricted free agent. Beyond NAW, Julius Randle has a player option to become an unrestricted free agent, as does Naz Reid.

Earlier in the week local insider Darren “Doogie” Wolfson opined exactly how he expects the Minnesota Timberwolves to handle the offseason. The main trio to make decisions on include Randle, Reid, and Alexander-Walker.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton put out a ranking of the top 25 NBA free agents this offseason. All three aforementioned Wolves players made the cut.

4. Julius Randle – PF

Randle was acquired in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade just before the regular season kicked off. It took him some time to find his footing with Minnesota, but he gelled down the stretch. Playoff performance hasn’t been notable for him, and he currently possesses a player option for next year.

“After some early growing pains, Randle’s strong close to the regular season and his monster first two playoff rounds were key to the Timberwolves returning to the Western Conference finals. Wrapping up an extension he signed with the New York Knicks in 2021, Randle has a $29.5 million player option that he has outperformed. Minnesota and Randle have multiple options for how to handle it. He could decline the option and sign a long-term deal in free agency or exercise it in conjunction with another extension.”

Kevin Pelton – ESPN

How the Minnesota Timberwolves handle Randle should be fascinating. His market may have depreciated with the playoff performance, but he could still be a trade asset. His $29.5 million player option isn’t a huge deterrent as an expiring contract. There’s a chance he opts in and still Minnesota flips him elsewhere to address other needs.

17. Naz Reid – F/C

Part of the reason that Minnesota needed to move Towns was in order to free up funds for Reid. He’s going to command a sizable contract after opting out of his current deal. It would seem unlikely that he actually hits the open market, but if he does, you can bet that suitors will line up for the former Sixth Man of the Year.

“A year removed from being named Sixth Man of the Year, Reid actually averaged more points, rebounds and assists this season, albeit on slightly weaker efficiency. Reid has had a major impact as a third big man, but he probably would be stretched defensively as a starter. That and the lack of cap space should help the Timberwolves navigate Reid’s $15 million player option. The sides could agree to exercise the option then build a long-term extension off it to keep the fan favorite in Minnesota.”

Kevin Pelton – ESPN

There is arguably no player more liked by Timberwolves fans than Reid. He is a cult hero turned key-contributor. It’s now going to cost Minnesota a sizable chunk of change to retain him, but it makes sense to do so. He can stretch the floor and also has the ability to play inside. Reid earned his payday, and the Timberwolves will likely be willing to sign up for it.

21. Nickeil Alexander-Walker G

You didn’t need the series against Oklahoma City to see that Nickeil Alexander-Walker was going to get paid. He has stood out alongside his Free Throw Merchant cousin. A rotational spot is something he has developed into with the Timberwolves, but it’s clear the ceiling is much higher.

“A screaming value on a two-year, $9 million deal signed as a restricted free agent two years ago, Alexander-Walker is in line for a big raise. He averaged a career-high 25.3 MPG as the Timberwolves’ third guard, defending lead ball handlers and shooting 38% from 3-point range. Alexander-Walker isn’t quite good enough as a distributor to serve as a full-time point guard, and he has slumped beyond the arc in the playoffs, but he should more than double his previous salary.”

Kevin Pelton – ESPN

This is one of those situations where a player simply outgrows their role. Alexander-Walker might not be entirely worth the new contract he’ll get, but he’s earned every bit of that opportunity. The Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t going to foot the bill, but they’ll look to develop another version of him for next season.

Related: Local Insider Scoops Timberwolves Plan for Multiple Key Contributors This Offseason

It seems likely that the Timberwolves have a chance to keep two of their three key free agents. They may deal Randle, but that would be something done on their own choosing. No matter what, they have some serious talent eyeing the open market.

Initially, we all pointed to how the last-minute blockbuster trade lighten the Wolves’ financial books, especially into the future. But we’ve found out this postseason that, outside of a couple Julius Randle playoff duds — including an ugly 5 point, 7 rebound performance in game four — the move had positive basketball implications too.

Looking ahead to the 2025 NBA offseason, assuming the Minnesota Timberwolves do drop one of their next three (possible) West Finals games vs OKC, this Wolves team has a lot of unknowns, many of which have far-reaching implications for how their 2025-26 roster will look.

Local Insider weighs in on Minnesota Timberwolves roster decisions (goodbye NAW)

KSTP’s Darren “Doogie” Wolfson joined SKOR North’s Mackey & Judd Show Tuesday, for an early-week scoops session. They talked mostly Vikings and Timberwolves.

During the Wolves conversation, Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad and Doogie looked toward the future, specifically lending insight into Minnesota’s offseason plans for Julius Randle (player option), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (UFA) and Naz Reid (player option), all of which hold their own 2025-26 destiny.

According to Wolfson’s report, the expectation for now, is that the Wolves bring back both big men, in Randle and Reid. Meanwhile, the longtime local insider is quite confident that Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s time in Minneapolis is over. It sounds keeping NAW would be too much of a strain on their future luxury tax situation.

“I am going to miss Nickeil Alexander-Walker. I’ve been saying for months, last night was a reminder. The way he articulates thoughts too. I love speaking with Nickeil Alexander-Walker. He was so good last night. He has earned a four-year, full mid-level this summer. To me it’s going to happen elsewhere. I am going to miss NAW a ton.”

Darren Wolfson – Skor North

It’s important to note that, because all of the players mentioned above were either drafted to Minnesota or traded for, the Timberwolves own their “Bird Rights”. All that means, to break it down in simple terms for the purpose of this article, that Tim Connelly & Co. are legally allowed to exceed the NBA’s soft salary cap, in order to keep them.

Of course, do so at your own risk. New owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez will find that out the hard way in the coming weeks, when their $100 million 2024-25 luxury tax bill — which ranks second-most in the NBA this season — comes due. Just because something is legal, doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.

Wolves hoping/planning to keep Julius Randle and Naz Reid around?

The reality for Julius Randle is not the same as Naz Reid, who the Minnesota Timberwolves plan to pay handsomely this offseason, after he uses his player option to become an unrestricted free agent. If Reid wanted to leave, he would have plenty of suitors waiting for him. Fortunately, it doesn’t appear he is interested in that.

Randle — whose player option checks in at north of $29 million, should he choose to opt-in — does not wet the whistle of other NBA teams across the league, according to Wolfson. Julius likes it here, and Chris Finch likes him.

Related: Is Chris Finch Holding Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves Back?

Thus, from what Doogie is hearing behind the scenes, the MN Timberwolves are probably the best situation for the 2014 No. 7 overall pick out of Kentucky. Given how much the two sides have taken to one-another, Julius will probably return, knowing the 2024-25 grass is unlikely to be greener, should he opt-out and test free agency. From there, do the Wolves look to trade him…?

“On Naz, on Julius. I still think Naz is here. They know they need to pay him north of $30 million a year. I see Naz re-signing with the Wolves — exercising the player option, so opting out, hitting the open market, then the Wolves re-sign Naz Reid.”

On Julius Randle, he has the player option. [The Nets] have cap space this summer, the Pistons have some and a pathway to create more. The Pistons, I think, like Naz Reid. I’m not sure the Pistons are big Julius Randle fans. I just haven’t heard Brooklyn Nets + Julius Randle steam.

So, would it make more sense for Julius to opt-in, exercise the player option, be back with the Wolves in a contract year, then re-evaluate his situation summer of 2026? Then if Julius is on an expiring contract, if you’re Tim Connelly, what does that trade market look like?

The Wolves still need another [guard] who can create off the dribble. Some of the qualities that Rob Dillingham has, minus the turnovers…but I still think the Wolves need somebody like that more immediately, next season. Does Julius help you acquire whoever that is [along with draft picks]?”

Darren Wolfson – Skor North

Of everything discussed during today’s scoop session,the best news is that the Minnesota Timberwolves expect Naz Reid to return. The 2024 Sixth Man of the Year award has proven himself as a crucial piece to this organization’s bright future last season, dropping 14.2 points per game off the bench again this season.

Soon enough, it will be his time to take over for Julius Randle in the starting rotation. Will that be next season, or the year after? We don’t know. But if Wolfson is right, then it’s possible we could see both back for at least one more chance to run it back with mostly the same roster as they have now.

With the Detroit Pistons in town, the Minnesota Timberwolves squared off against former teammate Malik Beasley. They ended up outlasting their opponent on the court, but did so without Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid for most of the game.

Donte DiVicenzo and Naz Reid suspended for Minnesota Timberwolves

In a scene reminiscent of the Malice at the Palace, Minnesota and Detroit got into a brawl that spilled into the crowd. DiVincenzo and Reid were Minnesota’s involved players, and both were sent to the showers early. They each have now been suspended an additional game as well. With the Wolves fighting for a playoff seed, they’re lucky to only get 2 total games together.

NBA discipline for Pistons-Timberwolves scuffle, sources tell ESPN:

– Isaiah Stewart: 2 game suspension
– Donte DiVincenzo: 1 game suspension
– Ron Holland: 1 game suspension
– Naz Reid: 1 game suspension
– Marcus Sasser: 1 game suspension

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2025

It all started when Malik Beasley came firing right out of the gates. He was feeling himself after some early buckets, and DiVincenzo took exception to the yapping. Veteran Isaiah Stewart didn’t like the response from DiVincenzo and then stood over him after a foul. The play that lead to the brawl was when Reid got fouled by Pistons rookie Ron Holland II.

A fight breaks out between the Pistons and Timberwolves

Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, Pistons HC J. B. Bickerstaff and Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni were all ejected pic.twitter.com/TJA3OczOxB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2025

At that point the scrap was on. DiVincenzo laid the ground work, and he backed it up in a big way. Despite being undersized in comparison to Holland II, he had the 2024 5th overall pick off balance and the fracas only grew. Reid and DiVincenzo were joined in the locker room by assistant coach Pablo Prigioni, who was also tossed.

MN Timberwolves shorthanded against Nuggets

Minnesota is on the road Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets. Denver head coach Mike Malone made waves on Monday night by suggesting that the Timberwolves view the Nuggets as their sort of marquee matchup. Whether there’s validity to that or not, Chris Finch will need someone to step up.

Michael Malone says one of his assistant coaches, who scouts Minnesota, has watched the Timberwolves' last 5-7 games and told him…

"They never play as hard as they do against us."

"You can sense it. You can notice it." pic.twitter.com/YWYAXYckks

— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) March 31, 2025

DiVincenzo and Reid are both key members of the rotation. The former is averaging 11.6 points per game in 56 contests this season. The latter’s 14.4 points per game are a career-high, and he’s in line for a nice big payday. Minnesota is 3-0 against the Nuggets this season, and the latest win came in Denver.

Minnesota has seven games left, including five-straight on the road. They are 43-32, which is good for 7th in the Western Conference. If the playoffs started today, they would host the Los Angeles Clippers for the first round of the play-in tournament. They are just three games back of the Lakers for 4th place, and only one game back of the Grizzlies for 5th place.

But this MN Timberwolves team, when at its best this season, doesn’t get pushed around by anyone. Much of that can be attributed to the additions of Julius Randle and, even more so, Donte DiVincenzo. So when Beasley got hot and started talking about it to former teammates and Target Center fans, the DiVincenzo made it his mission to stem the Malik Beasley momentum.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Detroit Pistons gets heated…

He hit some shots in the 1st quarter, then showed his physicality in the 2nd quarter, battling for rebounds and trying to fight back mentally against the fire Detroit brought to Minneapolis Sunday night. As he tends to do, DiVincenzo also started getting into the heads of Pistons players, starting with five-year veteran Isaiah Stewart.

Full sequence between Isaiah Stewart vs Donte DiVincenzo

Donte screaming Fuck no when Stew shot the ball. pic.twitter.com/iymNgL0c9g

— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) March 30, 2025

That foul was called on DiVincenzo, but gives a great snapshot into what was brewing between Stewart, the Pistons vs Donte and the Minnesota Timberwolves. That becomes important for what happened a little while later.

That’s when Naz Reid was fouled by Pistons rookie Ron Holland II, on his way to the basket. One aggressive finger wag later, and Holland became upset. Once the 2024 No. 5 overall draft pick got hostile, guess who stepped in between him and and Naz Reid?

Malice at Target Center

Of course, it was DiVincenzo, who gave up about a foot in height and 1.5 feet in reach to the younger, more athletic Holland. It didn’t matter though. When push literally came to shove, it was Holland going to the ground with the forearm of DiVincenzo at his neck.

From there, Pistons and Timberwolves coaches and teammates all jumped into the action, which spilled into the first five rows of the cameramen and fans behind the hoop. Eventually, Holland emerged from the pile with what appeared to be a bloody lip. Divincenzo had a 3-inch vertical cut/scratch on the right side of his adams apple.

A fight breaks out between the Pistons and Timberwolves

Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, Pistons HC J. B. Bickerstaff and Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni were all ejected pic.twitter.com/TJA3OczOxB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2025

Stephen A Smith wouldn’t last a second with these men. pic.twitter.com/SUHUZ59msy

— Leighton Glodek (@LGlodek) March 31, 2025

When all was said and done, five players — Reid, Divincenzo, Stewart Holland and Marcus Sasser were all tossed. So were MN Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni and Detroit head coach, JB Bickerstaff. In most situations, NBA fights are nonsense and they usually hurt your team.

Related: Timberwolves Planning to Keep Julius Randle and Naz Reid…?

But if there were ever a case where the Minnesota Timberwolves needed a hockey-style melee to turn the tide of a basketball game, it was tonight. Donte Divincenzo sensed it, and he wasn’t afraid to go there. A couple fans and a cameraman got a few signed jerseys out of the deal, and there may be some suspensions on the way too.

Co-owner A-Rod of the ⁦@Timberwolves⁩ doing some good damage control after the melee that ended up stands. pic.twitter.com/Uv8aBOSBb5

— Patrick Mooney (@PatrickMoondog) March 31, 2025

But Donte brought the energy that his team desperately needed tonight. And they responded both before and after his ejection. Will it be enough to will the MN Timberwolves to victory vs a very hungry Pistons team? We’ll find out in the second half.

Here are some of the best tweets reacting to tonight’s events.

Nah look at what Isaiah Stewart did to Donte DiVincenzo 😭💀

CRYING 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/4uTbQvnW1J

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) March 31, 2025

pic.twitter.com/SsNJDwZzlV

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 31, 2025

“DETROIT! F*ck outta here.”

— Isaiah Stewart was still repping Detroit after getting ejected 🍿

pic.twitter.com/375nieNYYM

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 31, 2025

All this happened because of Isaiah Stewart. Kick his bum ass our the league

— Barflaan Tedoe 🇱🇷 (@The_Barftender) March 31, 2025

One thing that seems certain, though, is that they are likely to keep their core rotation intact going into next season. After dealing Karl-Anthony Towns just before the year started, the expectation was that money would be freed to keep young center Naz Reid. And, despite his name being thrown around in trade rumors, Julius Randle may have reason to keep his roots with the Timberwolves as well.

Minnesota is currently 8th in the Western Conference with a 41-32 record. They have just nine games to play, and are looking to avoid the dreaded play-in tournament. To do so, they’ll need both of their big men to step up prior to thinking about their future.

Both Minnesota Timberwolves big men rumored to return

Right now the Minnesota Timberwolves sit above the second luxury tax apron. That means, barring salary shedding, Tim Connelly’s team is subject to sign-and-trade restrictions, midlevel exception restrictions, trade restrictions, and first round picks (seven years out) are frozen.

It’s hard for the Timberwolves to escape that reality, because Reid, Randle, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are all unrestricted free agents this offseason. Each of them represents a premier talent that the Wolves want back, but will also be coveted on the open market. Senior ESPN NBA writer Tim Bontemps expects Reid and Randle to return, either on player options or new deals, but predicts that NAW will hit the open market.

“The general belief from sources around the league on both Reid and Randle is that they’ll be back in Minnesota next season, though what form that takes is unclear. Both could potentially opt into their contracts and extend (Reid has a $15 million player option, while Randle’s is $29 million) or opt out and sign new deals.”

ESPN

Naz Reid earned Sixth Man of the Year honors last season. He is a fan-favorite, and his 14.7 points per game this year are a career-high. His 27.9 minutes per game are also a career-best, and the departure of Towns has allowed for Reid to flourish in a greater capacity.

It has been somewhat of a slow burn for Randle with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Understandably it took time for him to gel with new teammates in a different system. He also dealt with an injury. Through 60 games, he has averaged 32 minutes per game, and 18.6 points, all while pairing with Rudy Gobert in the paint.

Related: Glen Taylor Holding Back Timberwolves Ownership Change Yet Again

That leaves Alexander-Walker, who has blossomed into a key role player. He has appeared in 73 games with 10 starts, and has averaged 9.2 points per game. Next season will be his seventh in the NBA, and he will be seeking more opportunity, as well as a payday. It’s understandable to see why Alexander-Walker could be the odd man out.

What do the MN Timberwolves do in free agency?

It’s difficult to project where the Minnesota Timberwolves will turn, and that issue starts all the way at the top. Right now, the franchise expects to be owned by Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, but how long is it going to take? President Tim Connelly signed a one-year extension to see the process play out, but he’ll need clarity to decide whether he stays and builds or leaves for greener pastures.

ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst also isn’t certain how things will play out, for those same reasons. The reality is that Minnesota lacks clarity on the ownership situation.

“There are some combinations where they could fit Alexander-Walker, Reid and Randle back in below the projected $207 million second apron, but there’s no clarity on how deep whoever owns the team is willing to go…Minnesota has another potential free agent: team president Tim Connelly. But with ownership uncertain, he negotiated a no-strings-attached out in his contract after last season. When Taylor and Lore went to court, sources told ESPN, Connelly agreed to an amendment in his deal to push the opt-out to this summer. Team sources also said that Lore has made it a priority to extend Connelly with a new deal once he gets full control of the team. Lore doesn’t have the team yet, and Connelly is still holding the opt-out.”

ESPN

Beyond just the organizational structure, there has been plenty of suggestion regarding a monumental shakeup to the roster. The Timberwolves attempted to trade for Kevin Durant this season at the trade deadline. Those talks are expected to rekindle during the offseason, and they’d likely involve Randle.

Veteran Joe Ingles is definitely gone, and Mike Conley could join him. The youth of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVencenzo isnlt going anywhere, and neither are draft picks like Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Leonard Miller. Jaylen Clark, Josh Minott, and Luka Garza are likely to be around as well.

It will be fascinating to see how the Minnesota Timberwolves navigate roster building this offseason. That only gets more complicated if they opt to keep and pay both of their big men. Once we know who’s making the final call, we may have more clarity.