Timberwolves coach Chris Finch revealed to the entire team after shootaround Wednesday that Minnesota had signed forward T.J. Warren through the rest of the season.
The gym erupted.
Warren — who was with Minnesota for the past 20 days on a pair of 10-day contracts — has been a solid bench option for the Wolves. Heading into Wednesday’s bout with Detroit, Minnesota had outscored opponents by 31 points in Warren’s 98 minutes. In his seven games, Warren touted only one game with a negative point differential when he was on the floor.
The 30-year-old likely won’t be a part of Minnesota’s playoff rotation unless several injuries occur, but he offers length and experience, can get his own bucket off the bounce and appears to be well-liked around the team.
Just ask Kyle Anderson.
“I’ve played against him since we were about 10 or 11 years old. It’s a very special moment to have him on the team for me. It means a lot to me,” Anderson said. “We’ve always competed against each other, so I think this is the first time we’ve been able to be teammates, and it’s special. That’s a dear friend to me. Since we were 10 years old, we’ve always kept in touch over the years. Now to be on the same team is really cool.”
The Warren signing puts Minnesota’s full-time roster at 14 filled spots, leaving one open space that may not be filled.
REST FOR THE WEST?
Minnesota is engaged in a tight battle with Oklahoma City and Denver for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves — down Karl-Anthony Towns — appear to be “going for it,” as Minnesota has stuck true to form and played all healthy players throughout the season.
Denver has been a little more strategic with its availability. In recent games against cellar-dwellers Portland and Memphis, the Nuggets have found days off for Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, and still earned a pair of wins.
Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed Oklahoma City’s bout with Houston on Wednesday with a quad injury.
Minnesota has cut back on its volume of practices of late.
WELCOME BACK, TROY
Troy Brown Jr. made his return to Minnesota on Wednesday after he was dealt mid-season to Detroit as part of the move that brought Monte Morris to the Wolves.
Brown has struggled in Detroit, shooting just 38 percent from the field. He has seen more run of late given the Pistons’ slew of injuries.
