
The Timberwolves are having one of the best seasons in franchise history, but lately some cracks are starting to show, and with late-game issues and leads slipping away, they are adding a veteran point guard to the mix.
The rebuilding Detroit Pistons have dealt Monte Morris to the Timberwolves and acquired Shake Milton, Troy Brown and a second-round selection from Minnesota. The trades had not been announced officially by the NBA yet.
WCCO's Henry Lake says this isn't a trade Wolves fans should get over-excited about however.
"This trade they made today, it won't matter much in my opinion," says Lake. "Do I think they'll be worse off? No. Do I think they'll be better? Maybe."
The Timberwolves took a 20 point lead into halftime Tuesday night in Chicago only to let it slip away with turnovers and bad decision-making late in the game. It's been a trend for the Wolves since December and Morris should give them some veteran leadership off the bench.
“The defense fell apart,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. ”(The late game offense was) not great. A couple of key turnovers. Tried to win it all by ourselves at times.”
The league’s stingiest defense has fueled their success, but despite plenty of firepower from All-Stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves have been lagging on offense. Four times in their last 10 games, they’ve had a fourth-quarter lead of 10-plus points and lost.
Lake says a couple of players in particular need to play far better late in games.
"The bottom line is this with the Wolves, when we talk about the turnovers and the leads they've let slip down the stretch," Lake explained. "At the end of games, Edwards has to get it done. Stop turning over the damn ball. Stop complaining about not getting calls. Jaden McDaniels has not been playing that well lately. There's been a lot of questionable and shaky shots, and bad fouls. He's got to continue to improve. And (Kyle) Anderson, you're a facilitator, you have to take care of the ball. I don't know what Kyle Anderson is doing."
The Timberwolves are in a closely contested, four-team race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, a surprising season for a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff series in 20 years.
Milton and Brown were offseason free agent signings, but on a deep team neither has been able to crack the rotation on a regular basis and averaged just four-plus points per game.
The 28-year-old Morris, who has averaged 10.5 points and four assists in his career that includes playoff experience. Morris is on an expiring contract so he will be a free-agent after the season.
"I like Monte Morris but this is not the Monte Morries from three years ago," Lake says. "He's not the same point guard. Now, does he take care of the basketball? Yes. But what will it matter if Monte Morris or Mike Conley do their jobs if Jaden McDaniels doesn't? Or ANT turns it over down the stretch? It won't. Bottom line."
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns Participating in All-Star Saturday Night
The NBA announced that Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been named as one of the participants of the 2024 Kia Skills Challenge and forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns has been named as one of the participants of the 2024 Starry 3-Point Contest. Edwards will compete on “Team Top Picks” with Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).
Edwards will be playing in his second NBA All-Star Game after appearing in last season's All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. He's the second Timberwolves player to compete in the Skills Challenge. Towns won the event in his only appearance in 2016 at All-Star Weekend at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, becoming the first frontcourt player to win the Skills Challenge at All-Star Weekend.
The 2022 MTN DEW 3-Point Contest Champion, Towns returns to the competition for the second time in his career. The Wolves all-time leader in three-pointers made (953), Towns becomes the second Timberwolves player to compete in the contest multiple times after Kevin Love did so twice (2012 and 2014), including winning in 2014.
Towns will be playing in his fourth NBA All-Star Game after appearing most recently in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland.
TNT will televise the 2024 State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at 7:00 p.m. on Feb. 17. The 2024 NBA All-Star Game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Sunday, Feb. 18.
Up Next: The Wolves are in Milwaukee to take on the Bucks. Game time is 7:00.