Tim Garrison

@JohnnyRayderx Yes, Ayo’s deal has not been finalized.

@TimGarrisonMN If CBA rules allow it, can they convert Ayo signing to a sign & trade?

So begins what I expect to be an ongoing and multi transaction window link between John Collins and Minnesota. The only pathway this summer is to offload Donte and Green to create $27.2m in space, which would leave Minnesota with enough room under the 1st apron to give Collins 13.7m next year and round out the roster with minimum contracts. Given Minnesota’s reported stance of not wanting to move Donte combined with their lack of 2nd round picks to sweeten the pot, it’s hard to see them pulling off salary dumping both players. I strongly feel Minnesota will revisit acquiring John Collins at the trade deadline or next summer.

@Amberoyalty1 I know, but as it stands it will be easier for us to acquire him via trade at the deadline (he’ll be available for trade on December 15th 2026) rather than now. We legally can’t offer him much money, but we can salary match his future salary.

@TimGarrisonMN He’ll be signed by then

To be honest, this might make us worse. Poeltl hasn’t been a good run protector at all. There’s a very good reason why Toronto is itching to get off of him. I do appreciate the creativity. It’d be awesome to get another POA defender, and that might make this worth it, but I’d want a different 5 in the worst way, and I’m sure the Celtics would want Camara.

@TimGarrisonMN Who says no? - Celtics get their defensive anchor plus 3 firsts for JB - Wolves pair best defensive forward combo in NBA with best offensive guard combo - Raps get off Poetl for a pick and take a swing on Shaedon - Blazers get JB without surrendering Scoot, Deni or Clingan

I think people forget how unbalanced the roster has been since the Rudy trade and how much Finch has made the most of it. He’s not perfect, but he’s nowhere near as bad as the fire finch crowd makes him out to be. I also don’t think he’s the divine savior his glazers make him out to be haha. I’m in the camp that he’s a rock solid NBA coach. Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener when you rock the boat.

@TimGarrisonMN That said I think you are right that this roster is different and could benefit Finchy. Guy seems like a gem of a human so I’m hoping removing Randle makes finch a better coach.

Naz Reid is one of those guys with a role player label who possesses significant talent, but has never truly been given a role that allows his talent to fully shine through.

I’ve thought about this, but I refuse to get myself excited. If it happens I’m going to be blown away, and quite honestly it’s going to take a hell of a sales pitch with a big time wink wink that we’d be able to give him a sizable increase next year. Which we can, we easily have a pathway next year to the full MLE if they can have Rudy decline his PO to get more term in exchange for bringing down his 2027-28 cap hit.

@TimGarrisonMN You may be right but I have a feeling PF is going to be a position where contracts come in lower than expected. Teams are moving away from them and the two teams in the finals didn’t use them. I could see Collins signing for 6 mill for a year in hopes next year’s market is better

Hard to see a pathway. He makes a hair too much to be a realistic trade target… … that said. I’ve been thinking about one scenario where we do decide to trade Rudy. I’d be open to moving Rudy in a larger deal, especially if you could get back some depth like Gafford, PJ and Naji Marshall.

@TimGarrisonMN Any way of getting pj Washington?

Forsure possible. My counter argument is the 4 spot is by far the most stacked position in this free agent class, and the elite teams will all have a laser beam focused on John Collins, Tobias Harris, Rui Hachimura etc. If Minnesota can’t swing another move and gets honest with themselves, they should beeline it for kenrich and lock him up while everyone else is focused elsewhere.

@TimGarrisonMN I’m in line with everything you’ve said here save for one: I think people are overestimating how easy it would be to get Kenrich. If another team wants him, I’m sure he could get a piece of someone’s MLE at 7 mil, which beats us. It’s not a given we have access to him.

I’m more and more open to going conservative and adding a Kenrich Williams while retaining Mike Conley (Ingles role) and Kyle Anderson and roll. You can revisit a trade for a 4 at the trade deadline. It doesn’t have to all be perfectly constructed in one transaction window. If TC is able to pull something off for a 4, I’m not sure fans are going to appreciate enough the needle he’d be threading.

@trenchwargod Hey man, Finch has his warts, but the hate some of yall have for him is excessive. This roster fits his philosophy much better. I’m not some finch stan, but I think some of yall look way too hard at someone to blame.

@TimGarrisonMN This is the least surprising response.

I’m aware of who he was as a player. He’s also rock solid as a defender when he’s on 4s. He’s not 7ft tall, and it’s a huge reason why he’s historically struggled when he plays the 5. It’s night and day when he’s a 4 next to a rim protector. There’s a reason he broke out the year he strictly played the 4.

@TimGarrisonMN Good highlights, doesn't actually show who he is as a player. His turnovers are baffling and he's a zero on defense. Hes 7 feet tall but plays like he's 6'5. It's crazy how he can be that big with that type of skill and still barely impact the game. Should have kept NAW over him.

@StillCantJump98 If they sold high, epic work.

@TimGarrisonMN Or maybe the Wolves know his best role was as a backup big and not playing huge starter minutes. But who knows we will find out this coming season.

@trenchwargod Not really at all though. He’s just had guys ahead of him on the depth chart.

@TimGarrisonMN This is an anti Chris Finch tweet and I’m here for it.

@PluimerJay I’m sure Ant would have a big smile the second he comes in to the locker room.

@TimGarrisonMN Does John Collins still have a restraining order against Ant after that dunk a few years ago?!? Would make things awkward. (j/k)

John Collins is a perfect fit in Minnesota; the only problem is that the Timberwolves would need to thread a needle to open the flexibility of about $13.7 million in space under the 1st apron to have a horse in the race. It's hard to see it happening, especially given the Wolves' commitment to Donte. That said, given the fit, I expect Minnesota to be dancing around John Collins in trade rumors over the next couple of transaction windows. It's such a perfect fit, but they'll have easier pathways at the trade deadline or next offseason to grab him.

@march_mazness Him or Green.

@TimGarrisonMN Wouldn’t they still have to offload Donte in order to absorb Royce? Can’t imagine they’ll be able to re-route Green without picks to dangle. Also tough to see them punting TJ for Royce O’Neale 🤷‍♂️

It’s such a tease that Minnesota could really use an athletic 4 who’s solid or better from the corners and there’s several perfect fits sitting there in free agency out of reach financially for Minnesota. I know they’ve stated their desire not to trade Donte, but if they find a way to reroute him and Greens salary without getting money back, they could offer as much as 13.7m of the mid level exception and have enough room to stay under the 1st apron with minimum contracts to fill out the roster. (They’d be hard capped at the 1st apron for using the MLE). Easier said than done, though. Offloading $27m without having 2nds to incentivize a team makes that a really hard playbook to execute. I’d bet on Minnesota going conservative with a Kenrich Williams or seeing if they can expand the Bridges trade into the LaMelo trade as to acquire Royce O’Neal.

No, I’m saying iso ball with two non shooting bigs and no point guard to keep Rudy engaged was becoming stale. Getting Lamelo is a major pivot to a new style of play with new personnel is exciting given the previous build was getting older and clearly was a step below contention.

@Outlandish_Take @TimGarrisonMN The truth is he's only calling it stale because he's in the moment like most Wolves fans. Injuries also stole his joy. Wolves were 10th in Pace. Rudy in DPOY running. Jaden had his best season. Naz in 6th man running. Ant's best scoring year. Alot of wins without Ant.

The Wolves did feel very stale this past year. New team and play style is going to feel refreshing.

Right but the problem is we can’t sign them and if we sign n trade them we are hard capped at the 1st apron.. which we’re currently over. Rui is every bit as unrealistic as JC. Our options are find a taker for Green, maybe use TJ as a sweetener, or be go conservative and try to get a Kenrich Williams on the taxpayer exception and call it good.

@TimGarrisonMN Collins is a great option but is unrealistic to me. I like the idea of Rui Hachimura. That allows us to keep Conley and possibly Donte.

My entire point is predicated on how it might be difficult to be aggressive without a pot sweetner like a 2nd round pick. I’m open to being patient and being conservative at this window. I’m not saying don’t address it; I’m saying if your target is a John Collins or starting caliber guy, the pathway is really difficult this transaction window. We’ll see if they can find a taker by opening up the LaMelo trade. If they get someone, TC and this front office neeed to be lauded for pulling off all they did with such limited assets.

@TimGarrisonMN Stay aggressive and make the necessary trade for a starting 4 now as opposed to a panic trade at the deadline. Williams isn’t the answer, ( although I understand the conservative approach) Trading Green, Donte to make it happen I’m ok with that. Make the moves now and build

@Blazer678k Let me hear your plan then.

@TimGarrisonMN For the second time. No

@AsaArnold4 It's not that small of a sample - it's about 2 attempts per game for the last 3 years where he's been north of 40%. He attempted 2.4 per game last year, and he shot nearly 50%. It's actually a pretty large sample size by now; we just haven't had the personnel to lean into it.

@TimGarrisonMN I think the small sample is something to acknowledge but I agree Ant is likely best as a pure shooting guard and not the “shooting-point” hybrid he had to play as this season

I think analysts outside of Minnesota are greatly underestimating the production and efficiency Ant can give a team playing off ball. The Timberwolves have been sitting on the best movement shooter in the game right now, with limited avenues to unlock it... Enter LaMelo Ball. Catch and Shoot 3s: 2026 - 49.6% 2025 - 42.1% 2024 - 41.1%