RealGM Basketball Wiretap

28 December 2024

• Anthony Edwards Fined $75,000 For Criticizing Refs, Profane Language

  Anthony Edwards has been fined $75,000 for public criticism of the officiating and using inappropriate and profane language.

  Edwards' comments came during postgame media availability following the Timberwolves' 113-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 21 at Target Center.

• Leonard Miller Named G League Player Of The Week

  Leonard Miller has been named the NBA G League Player of the Week. Miller averaged 28.7 points and 9.7 rebounds as the Iowa Wolves went 2-1.

  Miller is on a Two-Way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Miller was the 33rd pick in the 2023 draft out of G League Ignite.

• NBA Francises Collectively Worth $138 Billion, Average Of $4.6 Billion

  The Golden State Warriors have become the second most valuable franchise in sports at $9.14 billion, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys at $10.3 billion. The Warriors are joined in the top-3 by the New York Knicks at $8.3 billion and the Los Angeles Lakers at $8.07 billion.

  Collectively, the NBA's 30 teams are worth $138 billion, including real estate held by owners and team-related businesses, such as WNBA franchises. The average NBA franchise valuation is now $4.6 billion and has a value-to-revenue multiple of 11.9, which is above all other leagues.

  The NBA has a significant drop off from the Lakers at No. 3 as they are worth 42 percent more than the Brooklyn Nets at No. 4 with a valuation of $5.7 billion.

  The 30 NBA teams generated an estimated $11.6 billion last year, or $387 million per club. The concert business has been a major revenue driver for NBA teams who own and control their own arena. The Lakers and Boston Celtics are the only teams in the top-10 who do not control their arena.

  2024 NBA Valuation Rankings
  1. Warriors: $9.14 billion
  2. Knicks: $8.3 billion
  3. Lakers: $8.07 billion
  4. Nets: $5.7 billion
  5. Clippers: $5.66 billion
  6. Celtics: $5.66 billion
  7. Bulls: $5.56 billion
  8. Heat: $5 billion
  9. Rockets: $4.77 billion
  10. Raptors: $4.66 billion
  11. Sixers: $4.57 billion
  12. Mavericks: $4.46 billion
  13. Suns: $4.32 billion
  14. Kings: $4.11 billion
  15. Hawks: $4.07 billion
  16. Nuggets: $4.06 billion
  17. Wizards: $3.98 billion
  18. Cavaliers: $3.95 billion
  19. Bucks: $3.91 billion
  20. Spurs: $3.79 billion
  21. Pacers: $3.74 billion
  22. Jazz: $3.67 billion
  23. Blazers: $3.6 billion
  24. Thunder: $3.55 billion
  25. Magic: $3.46 billion
  26. Pistons: $3.45 billion
  27. Hornets: $3.39 billion
  28. Timberwolves: $3.29 billion
  29. Pelicans: $3.09 billion
  30. Grizzlies: $3.06 billion

• Wolves Had Interest In Karl-Anthony Towns For Brandon Ingram Trade With Pelicans

  The Minnesota Timberwolves had some level of interest in a trade concept with the New Orleans Pelicans involving Karl-Anthony Towns for Brandon Ingram. A trade involving the two teams likely would have needed to happen during the 23-24 season when Towns was on his pre-supermax contract.

  The Wolves ultimately agreed to a similar trade with the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Ingram, like Randle, is on an expiring contract.

  Taking on Towns' four-year, $224 million supermax deal would have been challenging for the Pelicans financially.

• Anthony Edwards Fined $25,000 For Profane Language, Declines Interviews In Next Game

  Anthony Edwards has been fined $25,000 for using profane language during a media interview. Edwards' comments came during postgame media availability after the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Golden State Warriors 107-90 on Dec. 6.

  Edwards declined to speak to the media after the Wolves' loss to the Warriors on Sunday and alluded to fines he's received from cursing in postgame interviews.

• Timberwolves Expected To Be Active In Trade Market

  The beginning of the season hasn't gone as hoped for the Minnesota Timberwolves. After making a big trade by swapping Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo on the eve of the season, the Wolves have struggled to find their footing.

  Minnesota currently sits at 11-10 and in 10th place in the Western Conference. That's while riding a current three-game win streak that pushed the Timberwolves over .500 on the season.

  Being down in range of the Play-In Tournament has many front office executives expecting Minnesota to be active before the trade deadline. Some think that could involve the Wolves flipping Julius Randle, as he hasn't been smooth fit in the team's offense. Randle's style of holding the ball, and his lack of a reliable three-point shot, has caused Minnesota's offense to look clunky at times.

  Donte DiVincenzo being asked to do more playmaking has also been speculated about as hurting his game. The veteran guard has hard time finding his form with his three-point shot.

• Anthony Edwards Calls Out Himself, Teammates, Fans After Wolves Loss

  The Minnesota Timberwolves loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday dropped them to 8-10 on the season. The fourth consecutive loss had Wolves star Anthony Edwards fired up postgame at himself, his teammates and the fans.

  Edwards greeted the media by asking "What you wanna know, why we're trash?" From there, he called his team out for frontrunning.

  "I don't like frontrunners," Edwards said. "Myself, I'm not a frontrunner. I hate to have frontrunners or to think we have frontrunners on the team. I don't think we have any of those. It look like we was frontrunners tonight, 100%.

  "We was down, nobody wanted to say nothing. We got up and everybody cheering.... We get down again and don't nobody say nothing. That's the definition of a frontrunner. We as a team, including myself, we all was frontrunners tonight."

  Edwards said that the team, himself included, aren't listening to or following the gameplan from the Minnesota coaches. He also called his team "soft" because they refuse to communicate with each other. He said the Timberwolves all of their own agendas, while also calling out the fans for booing them throughout recent home games.

  "However many of us it is, all 15, we go into our own shell and we're just growing away from each other. It's obvious," Edwards said. "We can see it. I can see it, the team can see it, the coaches can see it. The fans... booing us. That... is crazy, man. We're getting booed in our home arena."

• Timberwolves Not Interested In Trading Donte DiVincenzo

  Chatter arose last week that the Minnesota Timberwolves may have interest in trading guard Donte DiVincenzo. However, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reports that the Wolves have zero interest in moving DiVincenzo.

  Minnesota acquired the veteran shooting guard as part of the deal that saw the Timberwolves swap Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle. DiVincenzo has gotten off to a very slow start with the Wolves, sparking some to suggest that the team may look at moving him in another deal.

  DiVincenzo makes $11.4 million this season, follow by two more seasons for $24.5 million total. That's an easily tradable number, but Minnesota is likely banking a return to form for the veteran shooter.

• Anthony Edwards Fined $35K For Making Obscene Gesture During Play

  Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture during play. The incident occurred with 3:15 remaining in the Wolves victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday, November 15.

  Edwards appeared to raise his middle finger to someone in the Sacramento crowd.

• Timberwolves Ownership Arbitration Heads To Deliberation Phase

  The Minnesota Timberwolves ownership dispute has finished the hearings phase. Now the three-person panel has headed into deliberations that could take a few months before completing.

  Current Wolves owner Glen Taylor called off the sale of the team to a group led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez at the end of March. Taylor's side of the dispute says that the Lore/Rodriguez group missed a deadline to make the final payments, which would have seen them assume 80% ownership of the Timberwolves.

  Lore and Rodriguez contend that they met the deadline to submit paperwork which should have extended the purchase agreement for an additional 90 days. The two met in May for mediation but could not reach an agreement. That ultimately led to the arbitration process.