RealGM Basketball Wiretap

23 April 2024

• Wolves To Have Mediation On Ownership Dispute On May 1st

  The Minnesota Timberwolves' ongoing ownership dispute will have an initial mediation session on May 1st.

  Glen Taylor voided a deal to sell a majority stake in the Wolves to a group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez after he asserted they failed to meet contractual deadlines.

  Lore and Rodriguez are disputing Taylor's position as they attempt to finalize their purchase of the Wolves.

  Lore and Rodriguez agreed to purchase the Wolves in 2021 at a valuation of $1.5 billion. The deal allowed them to purchase 20 percent of the team in July 2021, 20 percent more in 2022 and 40 percent more in 2023.

• 2023-24 Coach Of The Year Finalists Announced

  The NBA announced the finalists for 2023-24 Coach of the Year. The finalists are Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic.

  Daigneault led the Thunder to the best regular season record in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City improved from 40 wins and losing in the Play-In Tournament to 57 wins and the top seed in the playoffs.

  Finch guided the Timberwolves from 42 wins and the eighth seed to 56 wins and the third seed in the Western Conference.

  Mosley led the Magic to the first playoff appearance since 2020. Orlando improved from 22 wins in 2021-22 to 34 wins last season to 47 wins this season. The Magic also won the Southeast Division for the first time since 2018-19.

• 2023-24 Sixth Man Of The Year Finalists Announced

  The NBA announced the finalists for 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year. The finalists are Malik Monk of the Sacramento Kings, Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks and Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  All three players are first-time finalists for Sixth Man of the Year.

• 2023-24 Defensive Player Of The Year Finalists Announced

  The NBA announced the finalists for 2023-24 Defensive Player of the Year. The finalists are Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves and rookie Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.

  Gobert is a three-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year. He took home the award in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21 while playing for the Utah Jazz.

  Adebayo is a first-time finalist. Wembanyama is also a finalist for 2023-24 Rookie of the Year.

• RealGM Radio: Seth Partnow On The Playoffs (Apr 2024)

  Host Danny Leroux and Seth Partnow of The Athletic preview the NBA playoffs.

  They break down which series they are most excited for, which are the toughest to call, key match-ups and much more.

  Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

• NBA Playoffs 2024: Western Conference First Round Matchups

  The Western Conference seeds are set following the end of regular season on Sunday. The first round begins on Saturday, April 20th.

  First Round Matchups

  • No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (Pelicans, Lakers, Kingsor Warriors)

  • No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 (Pelicans or Lakers)

  • No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns

  • No. 4 LA Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks

  Play-In

  • No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers

  • No. 9 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 10 Golden State Warriors

• Timberwolves-Nuggets Averages 1.57M Viewers On ESPN

  Wednesday night's matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets averaged 1.57 million viewers on ESPN.

  The number represented the largest sports audience of the day.

  The lead-in game between the Mavs and Heat averaged 1.23 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2.

• Karl-Anthony Towns Expected To Return On Friday

  Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves' lineup on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.

  Towns has been out since March 4 due to a meniscus tear in his left knee.

  The Wolves are 11-6 since Towns' injury.

• Tim Connelly Has Opt Out With Wolves After Season

  Tim Connelly has an opt out in his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves after the 23-24 season.

  Connelly was hired by the Wolves on a five-year, $40 million deal in 2022 with Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez driving the decision that Glen Taylor signed off on.

  Connelly's opt out was intended to line up with Lore and Rodriguez taking over ownership of the Wolves. The Wolves will likely finish as the No. 2 seed, while Connelly's former team, the Denver Nuggets, will be the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference barring an unexpected loss to either the San Antonio Spurs or Memphis Grizzlies.

  Lore and Rodriguez are expected to head toward litigation with Taylor after the incumbent owner of the Wolves claimed payment deadlines were not met.

  Connelly could sign an extension with the Wolves, or possibly receive interest from rival teams.

• Marc Lore, Alex Rodriguez Reportedly Planned To Reduce Wolves' Payroll Below Luxury Tax

  During their failed process to assume majority ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez submitted financial projections forecasting a sizable retreat in roster payroll that majority owner Glen Taylor believed would jeopardize the team's ability to contend.

  In documents shared with Taylor, the NBA and The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm, Lore and Rodriguez rendered a budget projection as potential majority owners that would have lowered the Timberwolves' payroll to $171 million beginning next season, which is below the projected $172 million luxury tax threshold, sources told ESPN. The Timberwolves would have gone from approximately a $25 million-plus tax payment to a team receiving a tax distribution of approximately $6.5 million.

  Taylor voided a contract that would have finalized the sale of the Wolves with the claim Lore and Rodriguez failed to meet deadlines.

  Their payroll will place them $27 million over the luxury tax and would exceed the second apron once free agency begins in July. As owner, Taylor has paid the luxury tax in four different seasons, including most recently in 2019-20. H