New Timberwolves Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diop eager to play in Minnesota

Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Oct 3, 2024

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MINNEAPOLIS — If there was a theme to emerge from the Timberwolves’ official introductions of their new players, it was just how much Julius Randle enjoyed playing for Wolves coach Chris Finch.

That was six years ago, and it was only for one season while Randle was in New Orleans when Finch was an assistant for the Pelicans.

But at a Target Center press conference Thursday for Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diop — all acquired from the New York Knicks for Karl-Anthony Towns — Randle showed he was relishing the reunion.

“When I left Finch in New Orleans, I wanted him in New York with me because he’s just such a great coach,” said Randle, a three-time All-Star for the Knicks. “I’ve always thought he was a genius. And he’s a great communicator, knows how to get the best out of his players.”

There was much more.

“Even still to this point, that was the easiest my game had ever felt playing under Finch, just because he’s really good. He’s just that good of a coach.”

“I really believe in Finch.”

“I have the ultimate and utmost trust in Finch. I feel like he knows what he’s doing and he’ll be able to work out whatever, so I’m excited. We’ve got a versatile group.”

If there was any doubt that Randle had enthusiasm about coming to Minnesota, he squashed that doubt with those remarks in the 15-minute media session.

He also said he’d be open to signing a long-term deal with the Wolves after this season (he has a player option for 2025-26).

“You want to be somewhere where you feel wanted,” Randle said. “I feel wanted here. I feel like everybody has really embraced me.”

Of course, the test of those good vibes will begin in less than three weeks when the Wolves open the regular season against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Oct. 22.

Wolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly addressed the weekend deal for the first time since it became official on Wednesday. After thanking Towns for what he meant to the franchise, Connelly said the Wolves made the move in part because depth will be harder to maintain in this era of luxury tax aprons that restrict roster building in addition to levying hefty taxes on teams exceed them.

The Wolves will be above the so-called “second apron” this season.

“Depth is increasingly important as the CBA has evolved the last couple of years,” Connelly said. “We don’t trade a person like KAT lightly. We were very specific with what it would take.

“Quite frankly, the asking price was very high when you see what these guys accomplished last year. They come from a winning environment.”

Connelly pointed out that DiVincenzo is the only “guy in our building that’s won an NBA championship.” The Wolves had interest in him prior to last summer and as a versatile guard, DiVincenzo said he was “excited” to see the different lineup combinations Finch might be able to deploy.

“Whatever lineups coach puts out there, the IQ of this team, the versatility of this team just makes anything possible,” said DiVincenzo, who won two NCAA titles at Villanova and an NBA title in 2021 with the Bucks. “That was a big part of why I’m so excited. You’re not in a box of just the one or just the two. You can play with so many different lineups, small, big, it doesn’t matter.”

The trade also marks the reunion of the Wolves and Bates-Diop, who returns to the team that drafted him in 2018. When the Wolves traded Bates-Diop in 2020, the only current Wolves player who was on the team was Naz Reid. Anthony Edwards was still in college at Georgia and the team dealt for D’Angelo Russell to pair with Towns as the franchise’s dual tentpoles of the future.

“There’s so many familiar faces still here,” Bates-Diop said. “I look around the crowd, most of you guys were here when I got drafted.”

Just not anybody that’s actually on the team.