Timberwolves sign C.J. Elleby to training camp contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves signed former Portland Trailblazers guard C.J. Elleby to an Exhibit 10 contract on Tuesday. With the deal, Elleby will attend Minnesota’s training camp and compete to earn a roster spot.

Elleby signs with Minnesota after spending two seasons with Portland. As the Blazers’ 46th overall draft pick in 2020, he took on a much larger role with the team last season as Damian Lillard missed significant time with an abdominal injury.

Starting 28 games last year, he put up averages of 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds while filling in as Portland’s starting shooting guard. While he wasn’t an efficient shooter at just 39% from the floor, he managed to impress when it came to intangibles.

Elleby Impresses With Hustle

A hustle player, Elleby gave his all for the Trailblazers. While he isn’t the most physically gifted or skilled, he’s a player that’s going to leave it all on the floor, win or lose. And that’s a good thing, given his current situation.

A lot of coaches will tell you that they would much prefer a player who dives for loose balls and competes at every opportunity over a more talented player that couldn’t care less about winning. Elleby is the type of guy who will show with his play how committed he is to the team.

For him to earn a roster spot, Elleby will have to beat out someone currently on the Timberwolves’ roster or assigned to a two-way contract. With the roster already full and a plethora of talent already in Minnesota, it’s going to be an uphill battle for him.

But that’s not to say it can’t be done. At 6-foot-6, Elleby can play as a big guard but also has some physical attributes of a wing player, like his 6-foot-7 wingspan. He showed he’s capable of defending multiple positions last year, which instantly makes him valuable as a team defensive player.

While it still feels like a bit of a long shot that he makes the roster, Elleby has the opportunity to go out and prove himself now. His performance at Timberwolves’ training camp will determine his future with the club.