Timberwolves Nightly
More
PodcastVideoSalary capDraft picksHistory
The North Star Report · Morning

Minnesota Trims Its Roster Five Days Before It Counts

Five players are gone, a two-way slot is open, and the opener in Miami is close.

Isaiah Evans21 points on 5-for-10 shooting from three off the bench at the Bulls
By the Timberwolves Nightly Desk · Sunday, October 18

The Timberwolves cut their roster to size on Saturday, parting with five players at once. The group that remains now carries a $215.3 million payroll into a season that starts in five days.

Isaiah Evans of the Timberwolves
Isaiah Evans. Photo: TigerNet.com, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Five Names Gone

Norchad Omier, Antonio Reeves, Drew Timme, KJ Martin and Enrique Freeman all left the Timberwolves on Saturday, confirmed by Timberwolves.com and reported by Hoops Rumors as a move that opens a two-way slot. Timme had scored 18 points off the bench just two nights earlier in the loss at the Bulls, and Martin had logged 22 minutes in that same game. Neither outlasted the preseason.

Bench Carried Chicago

Isaiah Evans scored 21 points on 5-for-10 shooting from three against the Bulls, and Jaylen Clark added 18 points with three steals, but Minnesota lost 116-133, its second straight preseason defeat after opening with a win at the Knicks, 122-104. Starters outscored the bench 64-52 in that loss, yet it was Evans and Timme, both reserves, who led the box score.

Five Days to Miami

The Timberwolves' next game is the regular-season opener, October 21 at the Heat on ESPN, five days off. The roster is smaller now, with one two-way spot still open. Payroll already sits at $215.3 million, above the first apron; Edwards, Ball, Gobert and McDaniels carry the four largest contracts. The open question is who fills that final roster spot before the opener.

Who did the Timberwolves waive on October 18?

Minnesota waived Norchad Omier, Antonio Reeves, Drew Timme, KJ Martin and Enrique Freeman, opening a two-way slot.

When do the Timberwolves open the regular season?

Minnesota opens the regular season October 21 at the Miami Heat, a game that airs on ESPN.

By the Timberwolves Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

More from The North Star Report

all Timberwolves news →
Around the beat · Sat, Oct 17A Lighter Roster, a Backcourt Already Under ReviewFrom the archives · Sat, Oct 17The Only Retired Number Still Shapes a Remade BackcourtMorning · Sat, Oct 17Minnesota Rests Its Rotation With the Opener Five Days AwayMorning · Fri, Oct 16Minnesota Chases a Cleaner Finish Tonight in ChicagoMorning · Thu, Oct 15A Lopsided Loss to Detroit Sends Minnesota Looking Ahead to ChicagoMorning · Wed, Oct 14Terrence Shannon Jr.'s Minutes Spike Faces Its Next Test Against Detroit