Timberwolves sign veteran forward T.J. Warren for rest of season

The Minnesota Timberwolves are signing forward T.J. Warren for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. Warren, 30, recently finished two back-to-back 10-day deals with the club.

Through seven games off the bench this season with the Timberwolves, the 6-foot-8 wing is averaging 4.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 14 minutes per game while shooting 38.2% from the field and 50% at the foul line.

Referring to a couple of NBA betting sites, the Timberwolves hold sixth-best odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are signing forward TJ Warren to a contract for the remainder of the season, sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski. Warren finished two consecutive 10-day deals. He’s given Wolves another scorer off the bench. pic.twitter.com/mFvwXbsKtr

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 26, 2024

Warren recorded a season-high seven points in his first game in a Wolves uniform on March 7 at Indiana. He finished 3-of-5 (60%) shooting from the floor and drained a 3-pointer.

“I thought he looked great. … I think we’re just going to keep asking him to be more and more aggressive,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said about Warren.

T.J. Warren can help bolster Minnesota Timberwolves’ frontcourt ahead of the 2024 NBA Playoffs

Warren was selected 14th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2014 NBA Draft out of NC State. The North Carolina native spent his first five seasons (2014-19) with Phoenix.

In February 2019, the Suns traded him to the Pacers. He appeared in just 71 games across two seasons (2019-22) with Indiana due to a left navicular stress fracture, which he suffered in December 2020.

Warren missed the remainder of the 2020-21 season after playing four games and was ruled out for all of 2021-22.

During the 2022 offseason, Warren signed a deal with the Brooklyn Nets. He appeared in 23 games off the bench with Brooklyn before the club dealt him to Phoenix, as part of the Kevin Durant blockbuster trade in February 2023.

Although Warren is averaging career lows with the Timberwolves, he can still make an impact as a reserve in Minnesota’s frontcourt. Since the nine-year veteran remains part of Finch’s rotation, he’ll have another chance to prove himself during the 2024 NBA Playoffs.