Well, you can’t say that the Minnesota Timberwolves owners are taking their franchise lightly. In what can only be interpreted as a huge coup for the team, multiple sources are now reporting that the Timberwolves and future President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly have reached an agreement that will make Connelly one of the NBA’s highest-paid executives.
ESPN Sources: Denver Nuggets President Tim Connelly has agreed to a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves that’ll make him one of the NBA’s highest compensated executives. Significant coup for Minnesota franchise.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 23, 2022
We have been following this story step by step and anticipated rapid development when NBA Rumors reported Connely’s trip to visit majority owner Glen Taylor.
The latest unconfirmed report is that this deal is for five years and $40 million, with the potential to include an equity stake with the team. The signing will place one of the NBA’s most accomplished and successful NBA Draft executives in the Minnesota Timberwolves organization in what could be a very critical draft for the team’s future.
The Timberwolves enter the 2022 NBA Draft with picks at 19, 40, 48, and 50. While Connelly is adept at finding NBA talent late in the draft, you can now begin to speculate whether the Timberwolves will remain at 19, and use all four draft picks. Or will the team try to trade up? The Denver Nuggets only hold the 21st pick of the draft, but that selection is so close to the T-Wolves pick at 19 that Connelly will like have plenty of intel on who is available in this draft.
The message with this hiring is loud and clear. The Timberwolves are deadly serious about becoming an NBA superpower. They set their sights on hiring one of the NBA’s top executives, and this news indicates that they have accomplished their objective. What will this mean for the Timberwolves?
We’ll have that impact out soon. Stay tuned . . .