Minnesota fell at Chicago, 133-116, its second loss in three preseason games. Off the floor, the roster got lighter and the backcourt experiment kept drawing debate from the outlets that cover the team daily.
Five Players Gone
Hoops Rumors and the team's own site both confirmed Minnesota waived five players and opened a two-way contract slot. The move came the same day six players cleared the injury report, including Rudy Gobert, LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga, leaving Rocco Zikarsky and Donte DiVincenzo as the only names still listed, DiVincenzo out with a right Achilles injury until April. The timing matters: the regular-season opener is five days away, at Miami, and the roster is now close to set.
Pullin and Evans, Again
Dunking with Wolves credited Isaiah Evans for reminding the organization why it drafted him, pointing to his 21-point bench night against the Bulls on 6-for-13 shooting. The same outlet flagged Zyon Pullin drawing speculation without making a three, a nod to his box score: 14 points, 10 assists and a 3-for-9 night from the field in 38 minutes. Both numbers check out: Evans's shooting line matches the box score, and Pullin ran the offense with 10 assists despite missing all three of his three-point attempts. Minnesota lost by 17, but the two reserves alone scored 35 of its 116 points.
The Ball Verdict
Multiple Dunking with Wolves pieces argued the LaMelo Ball trade already looks like it will work, with one framing Ball as a passer who can help Anthony Edwards elevate his game. The outlet traced the swap to its full scope: a four-team deal that sent Julius Randle to Brooklyn and Naz Reid and Mouhamadou Gueye to Charlotte for Ball and Josh Green. Ball's preseason box score here is still thin, but his $40.8 million contract and a backcourt built around Edwards, DiVincenzo and Dosunmu are facts already on the books. That result won't settle the debate, but the pieces outlets are weighing are the same ones now on the roster.
Did the Timberwolves waive any players this week?
Yes. Minnesota waived five players and opened a two-way contract slot, confirmed by the team's own site and by Hoops Rumors on October 17.
How did Isaiah Evans play against the Bulls?
Evans scored 21 points off the bench, shooting 6-for-13 overall and 5-for-10 from three, in Minnesota's 133-116 preseason loss on October 16.
