Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards apologized for using anti-gay language in an Instagram video.

Edwards shared a clip (warning: video contains anti-gay language and a racial slur) to an Instagram story and commented on a group of men by saying, "Look at these queer-ass n---as."

He quickly addressed the comment and described his words as "immature, hurtful, and disrespectful."

What I said was immature, hurtful, and disrespectful, and I’m incredibly sorry. It’s unacceptable for me or anyone to use that language in such a hurtful way, there’s no excuse for it, at all. I was raised better than that!

— Anthony Edwards (@theantedwards_) September 11, 2022

The Star Tribune's Chris Hine noted Edwards could be subject to a fine based on past precedent. Most recently, the NBA fined Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant $50,000 in April 2021 after actor Michael Rapoport shared screenshots detailing offensive and derogatory statements Durant had made toward him.

Further back, Rajon Rondo and Kobe Bryant were fined for using anti-gay slurs during games.

Edwards is approaching his third season in the NBA. The 21-year-old averaged 21.3 points and 3.8 assists in 72 appearances in 2021-22.

The Minnesota Timberwolves took a massive step forward last year after improving to 46-36 and making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

They retain a fantastic young core featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell, and now they've added one of the game's best defensive players in former Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

Minnesota president of basketball operations Tim Connelly pushed all his chips into the center of the table with that move, which saw the Wolves part with five first-round picks.

Still, Minnesota's new core four is one of the best quartets in basketball, and that should be good enough for the team to continue its ascendance up the NBA mountain.

The Wolves are well-positioned for success, and now we know how their regular-season slate looks. You can check it out below alongside some matchup notes and a season prediction.

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2022-23 Timberwolves Schedule Details

Season Opener: Oct. 19 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Championship Odds: 33-1 (FanDuel)

Full Schedule: NBA.com

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Top Matchups

Memphis Grizzlies (First Game: Nov. 11)

The Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies played one of the best playoff series in recent memory last April and May.

The Grizz took the first-round battle four games to two by overcoming double-digit fourth-quarter deficits on three separate occasions.

Although the Timberwolves' fourth-quarter performances left a lot to be desired, they showed their ability to compete with one of the NBA's best teams last year on the biggest stage.

Now they have Gobert to man the paint and stop the defensive bleeding that hindered them down the stretch in those Grizz games.

We'll see if the Frenchman proves to be the difference here, but either way, the Memphis regular-season series should prove to be a good litmus test for the Timberwolves as they look to continue their improvement.

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Golden State Warriors (First Game: Nov. 27)

To be the best, you've got to beat the best, and that's where the Golden State Warriors are after winning their fourth NBA championship since 2015.

The Dubs return all their key players from last year and are well-positioned to compete for the NBA title again.

If the Wolves want to make a dark-horse run to the NBA Finals, they'll likely have to go through the Warriors, which should be one of the West's top teams. Minnesota fared well against them by splitting the four-game series with Golden State last year.

The Timberwolves have proved their ability to play against and beat the best, although inconsistencies on the defensive end (No. 24 in points allowed) didn't do them any favors.

Games against the offensively dominant Warriors should be a good barometer to see how the Timberwolves' defense has improved with Gobert on the court now.

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Season Forecast

On paper, the Timberwolves are clearly a better team.

They retained their top three players and added an All-Star in Gobert. Minnesota also picked up two solid players for the bench (Kyle Anderson, Austin Rivers) and kept another young, talented forward in Jaden McDaniels. Wing Wendell Moore Jr., the No. 26 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, should also contribute next season.

Traversing the Western Conference won't be easy, though.

The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, megastar Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, Ja Morant and the deep Memphis Grizzlies, and the 64-win Phoenix Suns all reside in the West.

Elsewhere, Kawhi Leonard should return for a talented Los Angeles Clippers team, and the same goes for Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans.

But the Timberwolves are a better team than the 46-win crew from last year. The defense should be much improved, and last year's top scoring team has kept its top three-point producers. That should be enough to climb up the standings.

Look for the Wolves to compete (and eventually land) a top-four spot in the West.

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Record Prediction: 54-28 (No. 4 in West)

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It's not often the Utah Jazz and the Minnesota Timberwolves are the center of the NBA universe, but they may be multiple times during the upcoming 2022-23 campaign.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported the Timberwolves will host the Jazz on Oct. 21 and then travel to Utah for a rematch Dec. 9.

That is notable because the two teams completed arguably the biggest trade of the entire offseason when the Jazz sent big man Rudy Gobert to Minnesota for Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro and multiple first-round draft picks.

The Jazz have been stuck in neutral of late with six straight playoff appearances during the Gobert era that all ended in a first- or second-round loss.

Throw in the apparent tension between the three-time Defensive Player of the Year and Donovan Mitchell and head coach Quin Snyder's decision to step down, and the Jazz may have seen this offseason as the ideal time to change directions.

Moving Gobert helped them do just that, and Mitchell has been included in plenty of speculation this offseason as well.

For now, the guard is still leading the show for the Jazz, and the matchups between Gobert's Timberwolves will be appointment viewing. It remains to be seen how the crowd in Utah will react to the big man's return, and there may even be playoff implications during the head-to-head games if some of the pieces from the trade help the Jazz stay afloat in the Western Conference.

The Timberwolves could be legitimate factors in the West after they reached the playoffs for just the second time since the 2003-04 season.

Anthony Edwards is one of the brightest young stars in the league, Karl-Anthony Towns is a three-time All-Star and D'Angelo Russell is a capable scorer who can provide a spark from the perimeter.

They now have the league's best defensive big man in Gobert behind them, which could help the franchise take the next step and actually reach the second round.

It will have to figure out ways to beat perennial contenders like the Jazz along the way if it is going to accomplish that task, giving these games additional importance outside of the trade context.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards believes he will be among the NBA's best players by the time next season ends.

Zion Olojede of Complex asked the ex-Georgia star where he thought he ranked "amongst the best players in the league" and whether he felt he needed more time to join the league's elite tier of players.

"Yeah, for sure," Edwards said. "I need another year. After this year, I think I'll be in the [best player] conversation."

Edwards, who will turn 21 on Friday, has already shined in his two NBA seasons. He notably averaged 21.3 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting, including 35.7 percent from three-point range, in helping lead Minnesota to the playoffs last season.

During the regular season, Edwards dropped 40 or more points three times, including a career-high 49 against the San Antonio Spurs in April. He showcased his best work in the playoffs, leading Minnesota with 25.2 points per game in its first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Regardless of whether it's next season, Edwards could certainly put himself in the best player conversation. He has the potential to lead the NBA in scoring, and his team appears ready to open a playoff window with him, Karl-Anthony Towns, D'Angelo Russell and Rudy Gobert forming a new core four.

The conversation for the NBA's best player largely involves a pair of two-time MVPs in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, and Edwards will need to build his resume to get there.

He could make the All-Star team this year, and the Timberwolves could make another leap in the standings after acquiring Gobert from the Utah Jazz. That would at least get him closer to his prognostication.

Anthony Edwards thinks the Minnesota Timberwolves blew their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Timberwolves guard told Zion Olojede of Complex that Minnesota "handed" the series over to Memphis.

"Man, I feel like we handed it to them, man. It was like taking candy from a baby, and they took the candy," Edwards said. "We had every game won, man, and I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened."

Minnesota led at halftime in five of six games against Memphis, and three of the Timberwolves' losses involved blowing double-digit leads in the fourth quarter.

While it would be easy to point to Minnesota's playoff inexperience as the main factor in the loss, the Grizzlies weren't exactly playoff-tested. The Wolves' loss came down to a complete lack of discipline, as they consistently chucked up bad shots and took their foot off the gas on the defensive end.

Management cashed in all their chips in hopes of making a deeper playoff run earlier this offseason by trading for Rudy Gobert, who should fortify the middle of the defense. That said, Gobert's Utah Jazz teams have been defined by their own playoff failures.

Minnesota's ceiling will be driven by the development of Edwards, who should ascend to All-Star status in his third NBA season. The Georgia product averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 2021-22 but remained inconsistent on a night-to-night basis. Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns are essentially finished products from a developmental standpoint; the only way Minnesota has a legitimate shot at making a deep run to the postseason is if Edwards realizes his No. 1 overall pick potential.

Karl-Anthony Towns believes his new teammate, center Rudy Gobert, is a perfect frontcourt fit and should help the Timberwolves take the next step toward competing for a title.

“[Rudy’s] gonna be a massive part of us being a championship team.”

Is Gobert the missing piece for the T-Wolves? 🏆 @NBATV https://t.co/J4qKUURWRI

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 22, 2022

Towns told reporters Friday:

"I expect a lot of winning, for sure. ... I want to win. I'm not up here just blowing smoke. I really want to try to bring a championship right here to Minnesota. I think Rudy adds a huge component to that. He's gonna be a massive part of us being a championship team. My job is to help him as much as he's going to help me. His strengths are my weaknesses and his weaknesses are my strengths, so we'll be able to play off of each other."

There's no doubt that Towns and Gobert are almost opposite big men from a skill-set perspective.

Towns, 26, is one of the most talented offensive big men in basketball, posting 24.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last season while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from three.

The three-time All-Star is a three-level scorer and helped lead the Timberwolves to the postseason during the 2021-22 campaign. But he has never been a particularly adept rim-protector or defensive stopper at center, which has hindered the Wolves on that end.

The 30-year-old Gobert, meanwhile, is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and arguably the best defensive big man in basketball. Last season he averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

But Gobert's offensive impact mostly comes from putbacks and lobs. He's attempted a grand total of 11 threes for his career and hasn't made one. He's a solid roll man, sets strong picks and bangs on the offensive glass, but that's about the extent of his impact on that end.

Gobert also isn't perfect on the defensive end. Come the postseason, teams often played small against the Jazz, spacing the floor and forcing Gobert to defend out to the perimeter. The fact that the rest of the Jazz weren't particularly good as on-ball defenders didn't help.

But it's a reminder that the Timberwolves are going for a major zig by starting two 7-footers, while the rest of the NBA has tended to zag toward smaller, wing-heavy lineups.

There's no doubt the Timberwolves have a talented roster, highlighted by Towns, Gobert, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell, among others. But Minnesota gave up five players, four first-round picks and a pick swap to land Gobert.

If the Wolves struggle behind the Towns-Gobert duo, that trade will prove to be disastrous.

The Minnesota Timberwolves didn't do any favors for the teams that plan to aggressively pursue Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant this offseason.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Timberwolves are acquiring Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz for a package of players and four first-round draft picks. When news of the trade surfaced, many began to wonder whether the deal would impact the Nets' asking price for Durant.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the price "is expected to go up."

"Brooklyn is seeking a combination of the best assets from teams, including any All-Star player(s), rising young players with All-Star potential and substantial unprotected draft picks and pick swaps where applicable," per Scotto.

There's no question Durant is significantly more valuable than Gobert.

As great as Gobert is on defense, his offensive limitations inevitably become a problem in the playoffs, which is when you want somebody you surrendered four first-rounders to get stepping up.

Durant is a 12-time All-Star, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Even at 33, his presence alone can make a team a title contender. Imagine what a talent like that could cost in the current trade market.

If Gobert is worth that many picks, Kevin Durant is worth what, 10?

— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) July 1, 2022

If this is the price for Rudy Gobert, then Kevin Durant is gonna cost you an entire starting lineup and five firsts https://t.co/KAbpNJaN15

— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) July 1, 2022

The problem for the Nets is that any franchise acquiring Durant will have to thread a difficult needle. You'll inevitably have to lose one or two key players. Lose too much, however, and the supporting cast around Durant won't be strong enough to win a championship.

Under the general framework presented by Scotto, for instance, how many teams can realistically afford to jettison a combination of a ready-made All-Star or two and young talent with a high ceiling?

As others have pointed out, too, the collective bargaining agreement takes a lot of possible targets for the Nets off the table. Unless Brooklyn gets rid of Ben Simmons, it can't acquire another player on a designated rookie max extension.

In general, it's almost impossible to get equal value back when dealing a star player, and that's especially true when a player at Durant's level is involved.

The San Antonio Spurs received DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a 2019 first-round pick for Kawhi Leonard in 2018. Even though Leonard was coming off an injury and only had one year left on his deal, the Spurs got fleeced.

In perhaps the best parallel to Durant's situation, the Los Angeles Lakers settled on Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant and a first-rounder for Shaquille O'Neal in 2004. ESPN's Tim Bontemps wrote how the Lakers initially sought to land Dwyane Wade from Miami.

As much as the Nets should theoretically be in a position to request a king's ransom for Durant based on the Gobert trade, that might not provide much of a road map for Brooklyn.

The Utah Jazz inquired about acquiring OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. of the Toronto Raptors before trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

"There was a belief it would take a substantial upgrade at center for Toronto to consider trading Anunoby. Gobert ranked atop Toronto’s wish list ahead of other centers on the trade market, such as Myles Turner, whose name has been mentioned in more rumors over the years than a celebrity in People Magazine and remains a candidate to be traded."

Scotto added: "While there have been several reports over the past few years that the Raptors would like to upgrade at center, the team has a bevy of forwards in the 6'7" to 6'9" range giving them elite switching ability on defense."

Anunoby has been included in trade rumors over the last several weeks. Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported about one month ago on the Dunc'd On Basketball NBA Podcast that Anunoby had been unhappy with his role in Toronto.

That said, Toronto doesn't appear interested in moving the 24-year-old. Raptors assistant general manager Dan Tolzman was asked last month if he thought the organization could draft another Anunoby with the No. 7 pick in this year's draft should a rumored deal with the Portland Trail Blazers go through.

He responded: "That would be tough, man. The way he's trending? That would be really tough."

Anunoby has elevated his game in each campaign since being selected 23rd in the 2017 draft. He had the best year of his career last season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from deep.

That said, it's no surprise the Jazz expressed interest in Anunoby, especially considering the franchise plans to "retool" around Donovan Mitchell, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Anunoby would have been a nice upgrade at forward over Bojan Bogdanovic and might have paired well with Mitchell and Mike Conley.

As for Trent, he has an $18.6 million player option for the 2023-24 campaign and will be looking for a new deal soon. It's unclear if the Raptors would be open to a more lucrative deal for the veteran.

Trent had an impressive 2021-22 season, averaging 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from deep. Like Anunoby, it's no surprise he drew interest from the Jazz as another piece to put around Mitchell.

We are slowly beginning to learn what the Utah Jazz were thinking when they traded star center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, and it appears the franchise had an issue with his contract.

The Jazz viewed Rudy Gobert's five-year, $205 million supermax contract through the 2025-26 season "as a hindrance," according to The Athletic's Tony Jones.

"Utah’s current core reached its peak as a second-round playoff team, and [Danny] Ainge thought it needed to move Gobert to break free from that," Jones wrote.

The Jazz received a massive haul in exchange for Gobert, including Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler and four first-round picks.

If the Jazz were ever going to get better, trading Gobert was probably its best option, especially considering all of the assets it received to help the franchise both now and in the future.

Gobert had been a staple in the Utah lineup since emerging as the team's starting center during the 2015-16 campaign, and he had an impressive 2021-22 season, averaging 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.1 blocks per game.

In addition, Gobert was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Star in his Utah career. He also was the NBA's block champion in 2016-17, the 2021-22 rebound champion and had been selected to the All-Defensive Team six times.

However, the Jazz have not made it past the Western Conference Semifinals with both Gobert and Donovan Mitchell on the roster, so something obviously needed to change.

In addition, Gobert would have continued to be Utah's most expensive player had he remained with the franchise, and it would have been hard for the Jazz to retool around both him and Mitchell with limited cap space.

That said, the Jazz now "plan to retool the roster" around Mitchell, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. They have plenty of assets to do so, though it could be some time before Utah can contend with some of the better teams in the Western Conference, such as the Memphis Grizzlies or Dallas Mavericks.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and free-agent guard Bryn Forbes have agreed to terms on a contract, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Terms were not immediately disclosed.

The 28-year-old split last season with the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. He averaged 8.8 points and 1.2 rebounds while shooting 41.4 percent from three combined across both stops.

This is the third straight offseason in which Forbes has been a free agent. The sweet-shooting guard signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020 before going back to San Antonio in 2021; he'd previously spent the first five years of his career with the Spurs.

The 2021-22 season ended in frustration for the Michigan State alum, who struggled throughout the Nuggets' first-round series loss to the Golden State Warriors. He shot just 30.0 percent from the floor and went scoreless in Games 4 and 5. For his career, his numbers have tended to take a significant dive during the playoffs.

The Timberwolves will hope he can step in and at least contribute some knockdown shooting off their bench—at least for the regular season. He is a career 41.3 percent shooter from three-point range and has a history of playing smart, system basketball dating back to his time in San Antonio.

As a short-term contract, Forbes could wind up outplaying his deal simply by using his shooting to space the floor.