Larsson's Return and a Road-Weary Wolves Team, Two Hours From Tip

0:04The host: Chiang filed a note today — hoopsrumors, names Hardaway, Irving, Smith, Gardner, Richards. Filed, not opened.

0:13The analyst: So nobody knows what's actually in it. Could be nothing.

0:17The host: Could be something. 5 names in one note isn't nothing.

0:21The analyst: It's a headline with a byline. 2 hours out, it changes nothing about tonight.

0:27The host: Reports like this usually mean somebody's roster spot is in play.

0:31The analyst: Or it means 5 names got mentioned in one sentence. We'll know when we know.

0:36The host: Here's what does change tonight — Pelle Larsson's est. return is today. He might actually suit up.

0:43The analyst: He was a game-time call against the Pelicans 2 nights ago with an illness. We never got his line from that one.

0:51The host: So we still don't know if he even played.

0:53The analyst: Right. Don't bank on him tonight either, not until he's out there in warmups.

0:59The host: Minnesota's walking in worn down, though — a 3rd straight road game, 2 days' rest.

1:04The analyst: And Donte DiVincenzo's out, right Achilles, no timeline. That's 12.2 points and 3.8 assists a game last season, gone from Finch's second unit.

1:17The host: Right Achilles is the one injury you don't rush back from.

1:20The analyst: Which is probably why there's no return date attached to it at all.

1:25The host: Edwards is still Edwards. 28.8 a night last season.

1:29The analyst: Sure, but somebody covers DiVincenzo's minutes now. Dosunmu and McDaniels inherit that load.

1:36The host: Dosunmu was good for 14.8 a night last season himself. So was McDaniels.

1:42The analyst: And LaMelo's still the one who breaks a defense down — 20.1 points, 7.1 assists last season. That part doesn't change with DiVincenzo out.

1:53The host: The matchup that decides this one's up front, though — Gobert against Giannis and Bam.

1:59The analyst: 11.5 rebounds a night for Gobert last season, 10.9 points. Nobody they've got protects the rim like that.

2:08The host: Giannis doesn't usually care who's protecting it.

2:11The analyst: Maybe not, but early foul trouble changes the math for both benches in a preseason game.

2:18The host: On our side — Kylor Kelley, 1 day off the signing, calf, also listed to return today.

2:24The analyst: A debut on a bad wheel. Watch the minutes, not the box score.

2:29The host: Minimum deal, makes sense why it's him and not someone bigger.

2:33The analyst: We're carrying $209.1 million against a $200.4 million tax line, above the first apron. Every open roster spot right now is a minimum, not a trade chip.

2:46The host: Keshad Johnson's still out, hamstring, nothing till the 26th.

2:50The analyst: Dru Smith's out too. Same calf issue as Kelley's, different timeline — his is the 16th.

2:57The host: Number of the day?

2:59The analyst: Fontecchio. 70.8% true shooting over his last 10 games — same number we had 2 nights ago. Hasn't moved.

3:08The host: That's a good sign, not a fluke, then.

3:11The analyst: It's a good sign on a tiny sample. 10 games proves he's hot, it doesn't prove he's arrived.

3:17The host: 2 nights ago, against the Pelicans — 128-118, Giannis with 18, Wiggins with 13.

3:24The analyst: Still no line on Fontecchio in that one. We flagged his minutes as the thing to watch, and we still can't see it.

3:32The host: Here's the one I keep coming back to, though. We and Minnesota came into this league the same month — November 1988, same expansion class as the Magic and the Hornets.

3:43The analyst: Different trajectories since. We went 43-39 last season, net rating plus 2.1. They went 49-33, plus 3.1.

3:55The host: Back in '96-97 we were 61-21. Second-best record this franchise has ever had.

4:01The analyst: And nowhere near where either team sits tonight. Preseason, both of us 0-0. That number doesn't apply here.

4:11The host: Riley built that '96-97 team around Mourning and Hardaway — the father, not Hardaway Jr. in our locker room now.

4:19The analyst: Different era, different roster. Just don't sell tonight like it measures up to that one.

4:25The host: Tips off in 2 hours, Kaseya Center.

4:28The analyst: No channel on this one that we've got. Next time we see Minnesota, it's the 21st — the actual opener, on ESPN.

4:37The host: That's the one that counts. Tonight's just the look.

4:40The analyst: Watch Larsson's minutes if he plays, watch Kelley's legs, watch whether Fontecchio's efficiency finally buys him more run.

4:49The host: And check the Heat section on Hoops Nightly — tomorrow morning we open Chiang's note and find out if 5 names turns into something real.