Maybe most importantly is just how different things will look as Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez take over as owners. That process now has a late-June timeline, and will be quickly followed by the NBA Draft (June 25th) and free agency (June 30th).

Of course Tim Connelly, should he return as team president, also has to make multiple roster decisions.

Insider suggests Nickeil Alexander-Walker a fit for Orlando Magic

Last week local insider Darren “Doogie” Wolfson outlined a blueprint for a trio of Minnesota Timberwolves free agents. Of the Naz Reid, Julius Randle, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker group, it was NAW that he sees as certainly gone. NBA Insider Marc Stein tied the Timberwolves guard to the Orlando Magic.

“Next season’s full midlevel exception will be worth more than three times what Alexander-Walker made last season at $14.1 million … with rumbles already in circulation that Orlando is a team to watch as a potential suitor.”

Marc Stein – The Stein Line

That full midlevel exception is the same value that Wolfson alluded to him having done everything in his power to earn. NAW spent time with both New Orleans and Utah before truly blossoming in Minnesota.

Orlando finished with a 41-41 record this past season. They made the playoffs as the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic won just a single game against the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round. NAW represents another starting option to pair with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs.

Alexander-Walker was a bench player for Chris Finch’s Minnesota Timberwolves, but he has become one of the premier perimeter defenders across the NBA. The 6’5″ shooting guard averaged 9.4 points per game this season. His 43.8% shooting was bested by only the 43.9% he shot a year ago.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker driving floater off the catch, created by Julius Randle + Jaden McDaniels + Rudy Gobert pic.twitter.com/QQGMWFgwXf

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 25, 2025

Obviously it was his cousin Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that drew all of the major headlines in the Western Conference Finals. Alexader-Walker’s 23 point outing in Game 4 was quite a statement though. It was a postseason career-best across 37 total games.

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

This was the final season of a two-year, $9 million contract NAW signed with the Timberwolves. He should make well over that amount annually, and the total figure should be a handsome sum for the 26-year-old.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are largely expected to stay out of the bidding process for Alexander-Walker. They’ll need to replace his minutes with another capable bench player. They are also looking for a creator that can operate as a solid point guard alongside Anthony Edwards.

For decades, the Minnesota Timberwolves organization have dealt with way more drama than winning. During the good times, the Wolves have found it nearly impossible to rise out of NBA mediocrity. In the bad times, they’ve struggled rise to stay atop the NBA Draft Lottery.

Coincidentally (or not), the Wolves’ place in the year-end league standings started to shift upwards shortly after their lottery luck improved. It started in 2015, when Minnesota landed No. 1 overall and drafted Karl-Anthony Towns. Then, the franchise was changed forever five years later (2020), when they won the lottery again, and drafted blossoming NBA phenom, Anthony Edwards.

Shaquille O’Neal reveals how Minnesota Timberwolves (probably) got screwed in the 1992 NBA Draft Lottery

But… could things have changed much much sooner than the 2020s? Maybe even prior to Kevin Garnett, who was selected by the Timberwolves No. 5 overall in 1995? Well, Shaquille O’Neal — who was drafted by the Orlando Magic No. 1 overall in 1992 out of LSU — wonders exactly that from time to time.

Recently, during an interview with independent sports reporter/personality, Ashley Nevel, Shaq rehashed a draft story he has told before, but one that many Wolves fans probably have not heard. It was born in 1992, when during a promotional event Shaquille O’Neal met former NBA commissioner David Stern, for the first time.

Related: Report: Rudy Gobert Dumps Pregnant Girlfriend, Kicks Her Out of House

Back then, Shaq was the cinch No.1 overall pick. So, Stern pulled him aside and asked O’Neal point-blank, whether he’d prefer to play in, “hot or cold” weather. Of course, Shaq answered, “hot”… and the rest is history conspiracy theory.

"In 1992… I meet Mr. [David] Stern… he pulled me to the side, 'You want to play where it's cold or where it's hot?' And I was like, 'hot.' And he smiled and I smiled… Orlando, Florida was No. 1."

– Shaq 😲

(via @AshleyNevel)pic.twitter.com/7c7ZbNWPWc

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 19, 2025

Shaq: “In 1992, I meet Mr. Stern in March. He says to me, ‘Hey, I can’t wait for you to come to the NBA.’ Then, he pulled me to the side, ‘Do you want to play where it’s cold or where it’s hot?’.

Ashley: “No…”

Shaq: “Yeah, he did. He asked me that. And I was like, ‘Hot’. He smiled, I smiled. A couple days later, they had the [NBA Draft Lottery] and Minnesota was No. 3. I was like, hmm. Then Charlotte was No. 2 and Orlando, FL was No. 1.”

Shaq on the NBA Draft Lottery possibly being rigged (via interview with Ashley Nevel)

I didn’t think much about it, but you hear a lot of these conspiracy theories and there’s a lot of situations that can make it sound true…so I don’t want to support conspiracy theories or anything but it was very interesting how it all played out.”

Entering that 1992 NBA lottery drawing, which was held in Portland, Oregon on June 24, 1992, the 15-67 Minnesota Timberwolves held the highest odds of any other team in the league (16.67%) to land the No. 1 overall pick, which was obviously going to be Shaq.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Open as Huge Underdogs…?

The Orlando Magic held the second-best odds, at (15.15%). Not only did the Magic jump the Wolves, though, as O’Neal mentioned. So did the Hornets, who selected Alonzo Mourning at No. 2 overall, before Minnesota picked Christian Laettner No. 3 overall.

Mavs trading Luka Doncic then landing No. 1 sparks memories from 1992

Prior to the Mavs landing the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, despite only having 1.8% chance — right after shocking the basketball world by gifting Luka Doncic to the Lakers via trade — the most tangible example of an NBA Draft Lottery conspiracy came from Shaq avoiding the Wolves in 1992.

A preview clip has been uploaded by the host of that podcast, however. Ashley Vevel , an independent sports personality and to the top of the NBA Draft Lottery It’s the first time in franchise history that has ever happened.

Throw in plenty of incompetency at the ownership and executive levels… and just like th in with thoseput competent leaders at the most important spots in the organization get what they deserve in the NBA Draft Lottery.

The sudden altercation surprised the Bally Sports broadcast and everyone watching. Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba started jawing near the Orlando bench. Whatever Rivers said was enough to make Bamba jump up (with his warmups on) and throw fists. Nobody took any real shots but it was still one of the best melees in Target Center history.

It all started when Markelle Fultz and Mo Bamba made fun of Rivers after he badly missed a 3PT shot the possession before. After the game, Rivers would tell media that Fultz and Bamba were “saying wild things” for multiple possessions before the fight broke out.

Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba trading punches, Rivers walked over the Magic bench pic.twitter.com/mqsndd3szz

— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) February 4, 2023

The Target Center Tussle ????#RaisedByWolves | #NBA pic.twitter.com/7DPJwnELgS

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) February 4, 2023

Mo Bamba and Markelle Fultz teasing Austin Rivers after he missed a 3 before the fight pic.twitter.com/6Y3LYhqR8d

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) February 4, 2023

Fight spills over after the game

Rivers tried to hold back, when asked about the altercation postgame, and what led to the kerfuffle. It didn’t take much probing from reporters for him to open up a vein, though. The 10-year NBA veteran chalked it all up to two men in the heat of the moment who lost their cools.

Rivers did, however, take issue with the way former Minnehaha Academy phenom, Jalen Suggs, blindsided him into a flying headlock while he was toe-to-toe with Bamba. Admittedly, that was a cheap shot and not something you should do when two grown men are squaring off.

When Bamba and Rivers physically separated, the scuffle took to social media. Mo Bamba posted the recently popular “fuck around and find out” meme. Austin Rivers replied with a post of his own reminding Bamba that he was willing to go 1v5 when first confronting the Magic bench.

"I went in there 1-on-5. I ain't have no help."

Austin Rivers talks about his fight with Mo Bamba & Suggs grabbing his neckpic.twitter.com/39CtUOgd2v

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 4, 2023

Both Mo Bamba and Austin Rivers posted to their Instagram Stories following their altercation on Friday. pic.twitter.com/z6hDQPHTL1

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) February 4, 2023

Chris Finch backs Austin Rivers

Timberwolves head coach, Chris Finch, backed Austin Rivers fully, saying that it’s completely unacceptable for a player who is not in the game to jump off the bench and start throwing punches like Mo Bamba did.

We’ll see what the NBA thinks when suspensions and fines are being handed out this week. Here are both Austin Rivers and Chris Finch’s postgame press conferences, in their totality.

Timberwolves guard Austin Rivers breaks down what led to the fight between him and Mo Bamba. #RaisedByWolves | #NBA pic.twitter.com/o0aQsBp3rR

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) February 4, 2023

“They had a guy come off the bench and throw a punch, which is one of the most egregious things you can do.”

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch reacts to the fight and ejections in the loss to the Magic. ????#RaisedByWolves | #Timberwolves | #NBA pic.twitter.com/LzNwahHe3w

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) February 4, 2023

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan