Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez convinced Tim Connelly to join the Minnesota Timberwolves, hoping he could build the franchise’s first championship-caliber team—just as he had done with the Denver Nuggets, where he wasn’t compensated like the top basketball operations executive he was.
However, with the ownership situation still unsettled, Connelly has found himself in a sort of limbo with the Wolves as well. This uncertainty led to a one-year “band-aid” extension last offseason, allowing him to postpone making a long-term commitment until this summer.
Now that the Lore and A-Rod ownership group is about to officially take control at the end of this month, it seems Tim Connelly knows where he stands, even if it’s not yet formally announced.
Tim Connelly Staying on as Minnesota Timberwolves PoBO
Following the Wolves’ Western Conference Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, local media have been connecting with players, coaches, and front office personnel. On Monday, Connelly spoke with reporters and made it clear when asked by Dane Moore about his future that he plans to remain with the team.
He said, “Super happy here, it’s been great. Not just as working with the team, but this whole community, so it really feels like home. Think you guys are stuck with me.”
Connelly joined the Timberwolves before the 2022-23 season. Over three seasons, the Wolves have gone 246-147 (.568 winning percentage) under his leadership. Interestingly, in his nine years with Denver, the Nuggets never won as many as 56 games like the Wolves did in 2023-24.
The Wolves’ 49-win season this year was bettered only by the 2018-19 Nuggets, which won 54 games. So, overall, the move seems to have worked out well for Connelly.
It’s clear that both Rodriguez and Lore are supporters of Connelly, having brought him to Minnesota. According to reports, his decision to stay might have been more complicated if Glen Taylor had remained in charge. Now, a long-term contract extension is likely imminent.
Roster Decisions Await Connelly’s Timberwolves
Connelly has made some of the most significant trades in Timberwolves history. In his first offseason, he gave up many future draft picks to acquire Rudy Gobert. Then last offseason, he topped that by trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, mainly due to the financial burden of Towns’ super-max contract.
Will another major trade happen this offseason? Connelly commented on that possibility:
“The relatively new CBA we were, like all of the teams, kind of learning on the fly. Some of those deals that were on the books were done prior to the new ratification of the CBA. Last year was the first year we kind of tried to transact in that second apron and it was really challenging. You try to win, and also try to allow yourself to build sustainable winners. I think all of those things were done in unison. Fingers crossed, our ability to be a little bit more flexible financially could serve us well this offseason.”
Several key Wolves players face important decisions this offseason. Naz Reid has a player option and is poised for a payday, Julius Randle also has a player option, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will become an unrestricted free agent.
